Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1838-03-01
From the Buffalo Commercial 4idreriscr FtG.10.
New YORK, Feb. Ii.

v.
Eastern Division,
I'lro miles Jeio,c Black Rock.
Jan. 18th, 1888.
Sir-Wth his Excclency the Governor
of New York, who has troops at hand, we
are here 10 enforce the neutrality Of the u.
s., and to protect our own soil and waters
from violation.
The proper civil officers are also here 10
arrest, if practicable, the leaders Of tho cx-
petition on foot against u. Canada.
Under these circumstances it gives me
pain 10 see tho armed vessels mentioned an
chored in our waters, with the probable in
tentlon to lire upon that expedition moving
within the same waters, Unless that expc-
dItIon shall first attack, in which case we
shall interfere, we shall he obliged to consider
discharge Of shot or shells from or into
our waters, from the armed schooncrs of
her Majesty. as an act seriously compro-
uniting the neutrality of the two nations. l
nope therefore that no such unpleasantinci-
dent may occur.
lrcmnin. sir, respectfully,
Your most ohcdient,
lSigncd) WINFIELD SCOTT"
10 which Lieut.. Drew replied, that the
object nc had in view was to prevent the
rebels who had lately been in arms against
her BrlIannic Majesty upon Navy Island,
from efiectng landing in any part oft
province oi Upper Canada; and for this pur
pose he had made such disposition Of The
force under his command as would most cr-
fectually perform that service. lie had
always understood, that SO long as Great
Britain and the United States were at
peace and ami,y. the right of the full navi-
CATION of the river Niagara belonged to each
power.
subsequently, in relation to this cores
pondcnce, Col. McNab wrote an angry and
almost abusive letter to Gen. Scott, protest.
ing against his interference, blaming tic
american authorities, and saying that, i'll
his opinion, they had righ, TO stop tho
Barcelona, any where Oh the river, and that
had 1t not been for an unfortunate n,isap-
! prcl,.nsion of The orders given bv Can't.
Drew TO the officers in command Of the
schooncrs, that right wouid aSsurcdly hare
6trn crcrcise0
In conclusion, he alludcs to the Outrage
q! firing upon Lieut.. Eln,sicy's boat from
Grand Island.
TO this Gen. Scott refused to make n
written reply. His verbal answer, as re-
ported by the bearer, y. Bc,hunc. .yas ,s
follows:
''Aticr Gen. Scott had pcruscd the dis
patch, he desired me to inform Col. McNnb.
iiat itt convenient time he wonld answer
l''S dispatch in writins-rIlat AT prcscn, he
c"uld only do so verbally. Gen. Scott
iren remarked, that it was evident Col.
MtNah was dcslrons of drawing him into
correspondence, for which he had no lc;s-
urc at present, as his time was wholly oc-
cupIcd in endavoring to preserve the non
iraliiy of the United States during the cx-
lS'ing disturbances on our frontier: that
Col. McNah might have leisure for u,;,;n-
tanning such correspondence. hut he (Gcn.
Scott) hai = and that he had been so
cnp'"yra IN maintaining the neutrality of
'he Cni:cd STATES, two officers of the British
Army then in the house (Amcrican IlotcN
could testify.
1 beg leave to remark, that Gen. Scott
appeared very much aSita'cd on pcrusinr
your dispatch and while he made tho above
verbal communication"