Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1841-12-20
Lord Palmersion 10 Mr.. Steyenson.

Lord Palnersion 10 Mr.. Stevenson.
FosE,es Orrlcr. Angus, 8, ls4l.
The undersigned, Her Britannia Majesy's Secretary
Of State for Foreign affairs, has received tho which
Mr. Stevenson. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pof
ipoent,ary from the United States OF America addres
sed 10 HIM the 9th Of February last, complaining
tina, the schooner ngo" bearing the United States flag
and commanded by MIR. Adolpus Dupony had been de
lalned by Her Majcsty's brganne "Ternagant." Lieu
tenant Scagnm. and that the schooner "lcro." under
the United States flag. aud commanded by Mr.. u. Me
Conncll. had been detained by Her Majes,y's brig
Lynx.
Mr.. Stevenson complains. In the first place, that in
Jury done in these 10 the purposes Of the voy
age. and 10 the cargo and sores board the vessels de
alncd and he contends. in the second place. that Her
Majesty naval officers had excuse, and much less
Justification Tor OBTAINING these vessels and he adds
that Is wholly mmeterla whether the vcsss detained
Were equipped for, actually engaged in slave traffic
With regard to the allegation of damages done the
cargocs Of these vessels the undersigned bys remind
Mr. Stevenson that the papers which he transmitted 10
the undersigned show that IN the OF the "agop the
money which was LOST stolen by the Of the LA
90 while the master absent shore. aud that II
mol distracted by the oi the detained vessel
And II is fair to presume that the cronomotcr and the
watch which were also LOST On board that vessel were
taken by the same persons who stole the money.
With regard 10 the damage said 10 have been done to
the cargo OF the Hero during the search Of that vessel
cause inquiries to be made upon that natter aud he Will
aclnalnt Mr. Stevenson with the result.
WIN respect TO the Justification which the Brush oil
Gers had for OBTAINING these American vessels, with
gard To the detention Of which MIR. Stevenson that
there is 'no shadow Of pctcnce ior exercising much
less ssyng. the rights Of search detention Of vessels
under the United States flag by vessels of her Majesty 5
navy" the undersigned has 10 stale that formal agree
ment was entered on the | lt March, 1870 by the coin
nanling officer of Maesys ships tho coasts o Ain
tt. lao.
tned States Government suppress the slave trade oil
the United States the African coast and by that
Efcemcn those officers, ior the purpose OF carrying into
execution the 'ordcrs and views o their respective Coy
rrnmonls respecting the suppression Of the slave trade,
requested each other. aud agreed 10 dotan all yes
sells, under he United States flag. found be- fully o
qippcd for aud engaged IN the slave trade, and IT was
agreed that such vessels should eventually lc handed
to the United States cruisers, proved To be United
States property, and to British cruisers il proved to be
Spanish, Portuguese, brazilian or English property.
The Undersigned would therefore submit thai the com.
handing officers Of Her Maesty's vessels had no reasoI
TO suppose at when giving elect Ia this agreement b,
OBTAINING vessels hearing the United States flag and
gagged in slave trade. thcy were DONG thing which
would be dsagrcoablo to the Government of the Unite,
States
With respect 10 the "Iago. the undersigned has Ia
observe that that vessel fully equipped Tor slav,
trade; that the papers found un her Of suspicious
character; that all her crew but two were Spanish Aua
|
referred has reported ii 10 have been hsopnon that the
Commissioners al Sierra Leone would have been lis,i
fled in proceeding to the dudication of the vessel and
that, if the case had been investigated by them, suili
cen proof would have been offered that the vessel
in reality Spanish, and moi American property, aud that
consequently she was liable 10 condemnation.
The undersigned trusts that the foregoing statement
will show that there good for doubling that any
wul damage was done 10 the cargo oieier of the two
vessels in question by the crews Of the OBTAINING ships
and
have no right ms such, 10 search aud dcian yes,'
which the property of citizens of the United States
though such vessels lay evidently be engaged in
slave trade. yet IN these the British naval officers
acted in pursuance ola special agreement with naya
officer Of the United States; and they were. therefore
justified IN believing that, instead ol doing any thing
which would be- complained of by the Government Of the
United States, they were inthcrlng the views and for
waTding the wishes Of that Government.
Such cases. however. cannot happen again; because
positive orders sent by the Admiralty, in February
last, To all Her Mocsys cruisers employed for the sup
preston Of the slave trade not again dctan mcJdlc
with the United States yesselsengaged in the slave trade
These orders have been sent by Her Aaesly's Govern
ment with great pain and regret; but act due by
| them 10 the rights of the United States.
! Her Majcsty's Government however cannot bring
| themselves to believe that the Government at Washing
seriously and deliberately intend that the flag
and vessels Of the Union shall continue tobc they
are, the shelter under which the maelactos of all
tries perpcatc with IMMUNITY crimes which the laws of
the Union stgna,ize AS piracy and punish with death.
! But unless the United States Government shall con
sent To make, with the other Powers of ChTistcndon
some agreement of the OF that which their naval
officer the coast of Africa spontaneously entered into
with the British naval commander that station these
abuses will not on continue 10 exist, but will increase
in magnitude every day; and the end will be. that the
slave trade will be carried extensively under the se
Of the flag and by the special protection Of the Exec
uve Government of that nation, whose Legislature
among the first To pronounce the crime infamous, and TO
aflix To il, the scvcrcst penalties
The undersigned ayas himself OF this occasion 10
Ia Mr. Stevenson the of his distinguished
consideration. PALMERSTON.
A. SrEvESsoN, Esq. sc.
T. >. return 10 you, according 10 your request the
original papers enclosed in your note Of the ~ Fcbua
~ last, on the subject OF the "Iago'
Mr. Screnson to Lord Palnerston,
-, IPPEG GRosvENoR STREET, Aug. 9, ISL
My LORD: On my return 10 London, after tempo
rary absence Of few days, found the two
cations which your loIsp did the honor To address
to me- under date the 9Th instant, in TO my notes
of the 18th OF November the 27h Of February, and the
st of March last, complaining of the seizure and detcn
ton Of three American vessels, the douglas" lago,
and Hero" and the illtreatmcnt Of their crews by
Her MaJostys cruisers employed the African coast in
supprcssng the slave trade
Having. in my previous communications, said all that
deemed important the subject of these repeated ag-
gressons upon the vessels and commerce of the United