The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1841-01-05
Mr.. FORSYTH TO Mr.. FOX.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,


WASHINGTON, December, 81, 1910.
SIR: | have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your note of the 29th instant, IN reply
to mine of the Goth, the subject OF the arrest
and detention of Alex. Mcleod, as one OF the
perpetrators of the outrage committed in New
York when the steamboat Caroline was seized
and burnt Full evidence of that outrage has
been presented to her Majesty's Government
with a demand for redress, and of course no dis
cussion of the circumstances here can be either
useful or proper, nor can l suppose 1t to be your
desire to invite it. l take leave of the subject
with this single remark, that the opinion so
strongly expressed by you on the facts and prin-
ciples involved in the demand for reparation on
her Maiestys Government by the United States
would hardly have been hazarded had you been
possessed of the carefully collected testimony
which has been presented to your Government
in support of that demand.
avail myself of the occasion to renew to you
the assurance Of my distinguished consideration.
JOHN FORSYTH.
The reading having been concluded
Mr. fillmore moved that the message and
accompanying documents be referred TO the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and that they
be printed; and also that 5000 extra copies
thereof be printed.
Mr.. f., before taking his seat, said he had
one remark to make: and that was in relation
10 the facts stated by the British Minister about
the steamboat Caroline.
That boat, as he (Mr. F.) was informed
from the best authority, belonged TO man in
the city of Buffalo, by the name of sWilliam
Wells who was then and is now avery respect
able, peaceable citizen. The boat neither be-
longed to the patriots, as they were called, or
the insurgents from Canada, nor was it in any
manner under their control or authority; and
what reason there was for the appellation that
was given to it by the Minister of Great Bri-
\ ~ h.
Minister had called it pratical vessel in the
employ of those who had been denominatsd
Canadian patriots. This he (Mr. F. believed
was an entire mistake. The simple facts of
the case he understood to be these:
William Wells, during the time that these
insurgents were occupying Navy Island, in the
Niagara river, (Which was ON the Canadian
side, and within her Britannia Maiesty's domn-
isns,) was owner of this steamboat, which was
then at the city of Buffalo, nearly twenty miles
above. He applied to the Custom-heuse for a
License to run the boat from Schlosser. on the
American shore, to Navy Island, (where these
patriots had their fortifcations) to which she
was to ply simply as ferry boat, unarmed.-
The boat was licensed, and went down the river
upon the day previous to its destructon-stop-
ping at Schlosser, the last stopping place above
the Falls. The beat then passed over that af-
ternoon once or twice, carrying passengers; but,
as he (Mr. FL was informed, without any arms
or munitions of war on board. She returned
again to our own shore, and was moored at our
own shore, not within the nominal territory of
the United States, Gas expressed in the commu-
nication of the British Minister,) but within the
undoubted territory OF the U. States, as much as
was this spot on which this House was now
standing. She was moored at the wharf, and
was there left in charge of the usual watch of
the boat, who were wholly unarmed. There
was only one piece of arms board, and that
IL 1oaI al thara hair
ammunition.
While thus moored, in the night, she was at
tackled by an armed force, which, it now appear
ed, was sent from the Canadian shore under the
direction of Her Majesty's authorities. She
was attacked without warning, and one or two
Certainly one) of the boats hands were killed,
and others were driven from on board without
resistance. The boat itself was towed into the
current, set on fire, and in that condition, sent
ever the Falls.
This was the outrage complained of; this was
the arson complained OF; and this was the MUIR
der complained Of One of our own citizens
wholly unarmed, had his brains blown out and
was found next morning on the wharf. There
was also good reason to suppose that others in
the boat went over the Falls, being unable to
escape.
He was aware that this was a difficult ques-
ton between the two Governments. By the
X,
murder, and the person committing that murder
and that arson was liable to be tried and pur-
ished for these crimes; and neither this Gov
eminent, nor the Executive of the Government,
that he could see, had any control over the
matter, unless theGovernment of Great Britain
should see fit TO respond to the claim made in
relation to this outrage, by entering into some
treaty stipulation. Possibly, by the treaty.
making power between this Government and
Great Britain, (as treaties, so soon as ratified,
became the supreme law of the land,) the in
dvidual now implicated might be- pardoned.
He (Mr. FL could not see that there was any
other way in which it could be done-nor did
he know that it could be done even in this.
But he did foresee that, if the same spirit was
manifested by the people at home that was ex-
hibited by the Minister of Great Britain here,
the necessary course of events must almost in
evitably lead to collision, if'McLeod should
be convicted. That he would be tried he (Mr
F.) had no doubt. He hoped he might be in
necent, and that, if he was so, he might not be
convicted. But if he should be found guilty,
he would no doubt be cx. cuted unless a force,
stronger than he (Mr. F. conceived could be
brought, were sent from the other side to pre-
vent il, or unless the event could be prevented
the treaty making power.
He would now take his seat, having risen
merely to correct what he supposed to be a
false impression as 10 the facts ofthe case.