Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1838-01-20
MAUNIEE EXPRESS.
SATURDAY. JANUARY 30, 1899.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CAROLINE
1t is claimed on the part of the Royalists, in
justification of their attack on the Caroline,
the murder of her crew, and those on board,
and the destruction of the vessel, that she was
the property of the rebels, and in their en-
ployment previous to, and at the time of her
capture. This is proved to be false by the de-
position of Capt. Appleby, who declares that
she was "owned by VIM. Wells, of Buffalo,"
that she was under the command Of Capt. Ap-
pleby, and " cleared from Buffalo, with view
to run betweenBufalo and Schlosser, carrying
passengers, freight, &c." In either view
of the case, the British authorities have no
ground for justifying the outrage. At the
time the Caroline was boarded by the British
troops, she was moored at the wharf in Schlos-
ser, an American port, belonging to power
at peace with Great Britain, and to oil legal
intents and purposes, neutral. Now, it is
doctrine recognised by the Laws of. Nations,
that the protection of neutral port extends
over the persons and property of belligercnts,
so long as they are within its limits, and even
in some cases afterwards. " Hostlities be-
gun or continued in neutral territory" says
Martin, "must violate the right ofsovereign-
ty of the neutral power, and, therefore, the
law of nature forbids the belligerent powers
to begin or continue hostilities in the terrific
ry or in parts of the sea under the dominion
of a neutral power" In the worst possible
light, then, in which the transaction, on the
part of the managers of the Caroline, can be
viewed, there manifestly exists no excuse for
the perpetration of the outrage. If, howev-
er, on the contrary, we take the facts of the
case as they are proved by the affidavits of
Capt, Appleby, the affair appears in more
garing colors, as breach Of the laws of Ma
ture and of Nations-an infracton of that
sacred barrier, which it is the very object of
every government to extend around its citi-
zens, and during subversion of that comfy
which it is the pride and glory of every civil
lied people to keep towards one another
Neither is the aspect of the transaction i'm
proved by the assertion, that the Caroline was
engaged in transporting provisions and stores
to the belgerents on Navy Island. ga neu
trail" says Chancellor Kent, g has right to
pursue his ordinary commerce, and he may
become the carrier of the enemy's goods, with
out being subject to any confscation of his
ships" GA neutral power protects the bel
Igerents, when within the neutral jurisdic-
tion."
Such is the law, as has been laid down by
the most eminent jurists of the age. 1t has
been recognized for ages, as the rule by which
civilized nations are to be governed. 1t has
been sanctioned by numberless treaties, set
tied by decisions as countless as the stars of
the sky, and made the rule of action in cases
of the greatest difficulty, and the most prima-
rv importance. This law has been broken,
and by whom! by nation protesting to be
the first in arts and arms-a nation which
has exalted herself as the teacher of civiliza-
ton and humanity to the world-a nation
which was the first to reduce the law of ma
lions to science, and to pledge herself to
lbide by its just and liberal precepts.