Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-04-19

its contempt I'll all tie nh nf National law opc
~ Contends, hGt :he slaves ncGrcd rights which the
local courts OF Bermuda bound recognize and
obliged to protect, and with uc ca.uisiry draws dis
unc,ipn between tI- avs bearing upyn TIE personal H.
berry of man, and the laws hearing upon the property
which man may cia!m IN irrational animals or IN IA
animate things In the latter case Lord 7. admits the
we'll established law ct Nations that il ship be driven
by stress o weather INTO foreign port the owner
not be deprived Of lis property by any law which might
be III existence IN that port. and that il would be highly
unjust tst The should he stripped Of his property
through The iorcibIc application Of municipal las To
winch "he hat! moi r"nn,arily submitted himself. In
The orner Case lord Palmerson, with the ingenuity Of
special plcaGer contends, that 'hc slave becomes a
party concerned; mud though the fsg under which lie
ship salts, ami the laws Of that country to which the
ship belongs, make the slave propstg, yet, by "ihe
very nature Of things, lie is placed the situation oil an
alien, who has at all times from his birth been free -
With much wiredra"n sophstry Of this character the
letter is filled; and row, since Great Britain has abolished
black, forgetiu Of her white slavery Lord PamestGn
argues that this leCllIZed IIlage friendly power by
the laws OF Bermuda, is right because is in accordance
with law greater than The Law Of Naiions-,he La"
Of Nature
This lette: was Immediately transmitted by Mr.. Ste.
vensOn to Mr.. Forsyth, and The 7h March leg! the
latter communicated 10 DIR 5 series Of instructions,
IN which the arguments Of Id Paine rston are Thoroughly
examined and rrbaltta. In replying The views OF Tie
British Cabinet, MIR Forsyth clearly shows the ncons!s-
tency OF principle winch protected rights in the case
in that Of the Enterprise he aIludes with much
force 10 the admission, that it would he highly unjust,
that The owner should be stripped Of his properly
through the iocibe application of the municipal law
OF State, 10 which he had not voluntarily subnftId
himself The Allegation, tina. the action of The an.
thnrIucs OF bermuda was accordance with the Law
of Nations is also exposed al would hc impossible
(snys Mr.. Forsy!h) 10 look hack the histcrI Of
nations without feeling surprised at the positions
sumed by Lord Pala,is'on, they assumed by
country II such could be found in which slavery
has never Existed. Bul how much more extraordinary
they must appear, wien il is considered that they
advanced by nation during whose dominion these
Sntes, the eISng institution of domestic slavery
some Of them hal lis origin; withn whose doniniOns
slavery has for nearly three centuries been allowed and
protected by law, and in portion nf whose territories
species Of serrIlude still exists, which though limited in
its duration, and regulated by laws 10 guard against
abuses is net to be distinguished from slavery itself al
though desg nae! by the mder of apprenticeship
Under such circumstances, Great Britain is as much
bound to admit the existence Of property ia slaves for life
in The IT, g. as The L. States ale bound TO ADM, qua
fed property in slaves for years. in the British West
Indian COLONIES"
The distinction made by Lord Panersion between
property in things and properly in The persons of slaves
examined at length by ar Furs who contends that
the position cannot be maintained by Government
whose statute uw and judicial decisions hay established
the reverse-fnr the act of Parliament abosng slavery
is founded previous right OF property in slarcs for
life, and the system OF apprenticeship, which declares
Save
20 be seized by execution distress, made wiiou.
the consent Of The slave, who Lord Pumerston
tends is pariy concerned with The rights Of alien
On this point is raised 10y Mr.. Forsyth, of The
shpwreck OF one of these opPrenlIcrd slaves the
shores of another Colony than that which he belong
cd and the application Of Lord Pamerslons arguments
to him shewn in all their absurdiy
On the great principles of the Law of Nations which
protect property Il similar 10 that "f The En-.
rprisc, the instructions Of Mr. Forsyth full Of
lsa min md nj. Erh In nj
Grafton OF Lord Puimerston the law OF Nations
strued in analogous By Great Britain in the year
l12o. In that year when Spain possessed the fordas
aud Great Britain the Caolinas the retention and be.
ration Of slaves who fled from the British into the pa
nish territories complained Of by the Governor Of
South Carolina, acting The special commissioner Of
the King, as " breach Of national honor and faith
notw outstanding that, in all such cases, compensation
promised by decree Of the King of Spain to the
for the property he had lost In conclusion Mr.
Forsyth appeals 10 the peculiar deicccy Of the sub cc
one, involving in eminent degree, The interests, the
PRIDE and even the religious sensbI!iiIes of the parties
concerned, ard which ifcm lis repeated agitation must
engendcr feelings al variance with that spirit OF mutual
friendship and hospitality which ii is the policy Of both
to extend 10 each other These views of which
we have given but an imperfect outline, comrnun
Gated 10 Mr. Stevenson and The 18th May 1887, he laid
literal transcript cf Mr. Fosyths despatch before Lord
PalmcrsOn.
1t is not purpose 10 weary the reader with m mute
detail of the prCtdced negotiations on the SUBJECT and
10 offer why despite the activity Of Mr. Steven
SOM this matter like the boundary question, still slum
bers the portfolios of Downing street. Our only Oh.
ec is, invite public attention to the mastery letter of
SIR Forsyth, and 10 its spirited vIndcann OF the rights
of the American citizen. The reputation won by him,
in his negotiations with Spain, and acquisition of
Florida due solely the rmness OF his Diplomacy,
deeply the hearts Of people, and his
in the present matter aud on Tie boundary question,
add another laurel 10 the wreath Of his spolsss
fame. vi.