Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-07-27
mr.. Canning, to Mr.. ADAMS.

! w ASKING TON, April 9Th, 1923.
SIR: have received your official letter, dated
/ the 3lst ultmo, IN answer to that which had het
honor of addressing to you on the Goth of Janua-
ry and together with it a transcript of the 18th
and 5th sections Of an act OF Congress, approved
the 5th of May, 1920.
From this communication, / learn that the
government ofthe United States is willing to
JOIN with other powers in declaring slave trade
piracy, under the law of nations, and treating
the perpetrators of this crime as enemies of the
human race; that the American Government is
| further preeared to enter INTO formal engage
ment with Great Britain, to the effect of carry
ing the principle Just specifie iutu immediate
operation, reciProcaily, to their respective
subjects or citizens; and, finally, that, as soon
this proposal shall be accepted by the British
Government, the United St ties will be ready
to concur with France, and other maritime pow
crs, In such manncras may afford the faircst pros
poet ofsucccss.
In whatever degree his Majesty's Government
| may be disposed to receive this offer, as an
acknowledgment that measures more efficient
than any now generally in force, arc indispcnsa-
BILE for the suppression of the slave trade, il is
not difficult to forsec, that fresh sentiments of re-
grct will be excited, by the unfavorable view
which the American Adminisi ration Continues
to take ofthe principal measure suggested on
the part of His Majesty. That measure, YOU
are well aware, sir, is a mutual limited conces-
sion of the right of search and though, as
have frequently stated, His Maiesty,s Govern
ment, in adopting it by treaty with several of the
maritime powers, and in recommending it with
carncstness to the acceptance of others, partcu-
| iarly of the United States, have never oppressed
the consideration OF any other plan, brought for
ward, as equally effective; yet having, from the
first, regarded it in conscience as the ONLY truc
and practical cure for the evil in question, thcy
| are naturally anxious, frem deep sense ofduty,
i al, Il
as far as possible from prejudice or misconcep-
ton. /, therefore, deem it of Importance, on
this occasion, to bring into one point Of view,
| the several limitations under which, it is con-
ceived that the right of search might be so cxcr-
cised, as to clear it ofeyery imaginable difficulty
To give theintended Limitations their Just value,
it IS requisite to bear in mind the particular OBJ
jections which haYebeen urged against the ir.tec-
change Off right of search and for these. in
their full extent, can hardly be wrong in re-
ferring to your previous correspondence, since
the last communication which I have received
from you on this subject, though it describes tie
impressions of the American Government as re-
naming unaltcred, does not exhibit any argu-
ment in support of their opinion.
In answer TO that class Of objections which
relate to the mixed commissions established by
treaty, between His Majesty and the courts of
Libon, Brussels, and Madrid, it may suffice to
remind you Of the intmaton conveyed through
Mr.. Rush, in the early part of last year, which
/ had subsequently the honor of confirming at
the Department of State. 1t might be expect
cd, that any arrangement for the adjudication
OF vessels engaged in the slave trade indcpen-
dent of those tribunals, would either leave the
detained vessels to be disposed of in the ordinary
way, by the sentence of court of admiralty in
the country the captor, place them under
the jurisdiction of similar court in the country
to which they belonged. On the former suppo,
sion, 1t is not to be anticipated, that the United
States could hesitate to- admit the jurisdiction
of foreign court of admiralty, when sanctioned
by mutual agreement, over the persons and pro-
perry of citizens, abandoned to pursuit, so IA
gravity mqutous, as to be cassed b. the Bcgis-
lature OF their country with crimes Of the most
helnous description; and which the American
Government has declared its willingness to treat
as piracy, under the law of nations. Great
Britain, for her part, desires no other than that
any of her subjects, who so far defy the laws,
and dishonor the character Of their country, as
to engage in trade of blood, prescribed not
more by the national feeling, should be detected
and brought to justice, even by foreign hands,
aud from under the protection Of her Gsg. In