Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1841-02-23

the burning of tho steamboat Caroline ana iho demand
made FOR the htcn'oa OF Mr Alexander Mcleod re-
specially report
II ants,,s thaiihe steamboat 'Carolinc' was ei7cl
and DESTROYED in the month of December, 1881 The
committee induced 90 believe TIA, The facts of le
case ere as follows The huatwas owned bY, AMI iu
possession pf citizen pf New York She was clcofef
from %, CITY Of Budsic and on the morning of The
29th of nccculbcr 1887, she left tic port Of Builal''
hound for Schlosscr. upon the American side ~ uc
Niagara river and within the territory n the United
States The original intention seemed 60 he 10 run
from Black Rock dam 90 Schlosscr. ami. should seem
profitable u was intended 20 run her also 90 Navy ISL
and and touch az Grand Island and Tonlwauda. Her
owner was Mr. Wells, said 10 be- respectable oiu.
zen of Builslo and u - obvious has intention n put
ting up the boat ono of speculation and prohi en-
urcly The excitement upon that portion Of the from
tier. q, this period, had collected great many IN the
ncchbohooi, some from curiosity some hom dlcncSs.
and others from taking an ineres, n the unusual and
extraordinary collection of adventurous men paihctcd
together at the time on Navy Island. Navy Island
was 'uumiua,ly' IN tho British TERRITORY
The owner ofthe Caroline took advantage OF these
Circumstances 10 make some money with his boat by
runuinr her as a ferry boat over Navy Island. All
these facts appear from testimony regularly taken see
II II Doc No. 302, page sc and 80. % session. Goth
conCress,) and the committee know o no lega! evi-
dcuCc TO contradict them There Is no proof that any
arms munitions OF carried ~ the boat, OK
ccpi perhaps. small six pounder hcd-piecc be-
longing To- a passenger The principal Object was 60
run tho boat as ferry boat from Schosser, on the A
merit side 10 Navy Island on the British side II IS
believed that even In war neutral power has night
10 trade in conilaband articles, subject OF course. Ia
seizure and CpnfisCaton, taken within the jurisdiction
of either of the contcndng parties. What is contra
band of war is not aiwavs certain. Treaty s,pulauns
f-eoncn,ly include some articles, and exclude others
recnvnized in ,he law OF nations Trading IN contra
band articles Is no excuse for Invading the territory
and soil OF a neutral and Icdcpendc,' power whose
private citizens may choose 20 Jpn Inc haHu VI SUI"
trade
In this instance there were two foreign lowers
engaged in war, but all concerned in the outbreak. IT
excitement, within the British Jurisdiction, claimed 70
be British subjects, in resistance to the authorities of
Canada province of the British empire. Even adj
uniting, then, that the Caroline engaged IN con-
iraband trade, it with citizens who claimed
be subjects OF the same empire with those who
styled the legitimate officers of the province Abstract
~ speaking, how was private citizen 10 decide who
were right and who were wrong IN these local disputes
And which portion Of the citizens Of the province
must our citizens refuse to have any communication
, With But the boat merely used for one day
ferry boat and the night OF the day she commenced
| running, she seized, while moored at the wharin
Schosser, and Burned. Several men were assassina-
ed-certainy one, who fell dead upon the dock. Now
the usnualion Of the British Minister that Schosser
is 'nominay within the territory Of the United States,
may well be retored, we with equal truth say
that Navy Island nomnally within the territory
OF the British Government for NJ the period to which
alude the people collected there had effectpa
~ deied Canadian authorities as my portion Of our
people had dsregarded ours. Yet British authority
thought proper to pass by NAVY Island, then lis nom-
nal territory and in the plenttude Of lis powertO cast
| the mgls OF British jurisdiction over American SOIL
This was truly extending over us that kind guardian
ship which they had not the ability at that time to ex-
tend to portion OF their territory and which rec
ommeuds sefto US full much from its assumption
from its love OF right or law
The British Minister is pleased also 10 call the Car
oline 'piracal steamboat The loose eplihe,s Of
any one, no matter how high in place, cannot make
] which q
Mise such. Pirates reebooters, enemies of the
human race; and eminent iufsts describe them raw
aging every sea and coast, with no ilag and no home.
Piracy comes under the concurrent jurisdiction Of all
nations Even in the worst point of view that II can
be considered those connected with the steamboat Car
one but aides and abettors of others engaged in
rebellion. And the committee totally al a loss to
know upon What authority rebellion is recognised as
piracy. Such conionndng OF terms IS resting the case
upon cphets instead Of sound law or facts But even
suposng it to be pira,ical boat the Minister
sets 10 be; yet the moment touched soil it fell
+ under our sovereignty, and no power on earth could
nghtiully invade II.
! There is no doctrine more consecrated in English
history, than that every human being who touches the
soil of Great Britain is Immediately covered by British
law Suppose one Of her vessels were cut from the
banks Ufthe Thames and burnt, 10y Frcnchmen, and
British citizens were assassnated at night and the
French Minister were TO that they acted under
the orders OF his Government, and that the vessel
'piraiical and the citizens murdered were outlaws
not beat high avengc the wrong, and yindIcate the
rights of his country. The law there is the law here.
And there is international law consistent with the
separate Independence Of nations that sanctions the
pursuit OF even pirates TO murder and arson over the
soil and jurisdiction o. one Ct the States of this Con
fcdaracy. No greater wrong can be done to country
than invasion OF soil Iii can be done with IMMUNITY
at ono point, and on one OCCASION il can be done a,
another and the nation that submits TO it, finally sinks
down into dwelling imbeclity. II representation o
the state Of things at Schlosser, and the conduct
those who bad control Of the Caroline, had first been
made 10 the proper authorities OF New York, Of the
United States, 'leu there would have been some show
at least OF respect for sovereignty and iudopcud-
ence, and disposition to treat us equal Bot in
ihs case, If 20 our authorities with contempt
there was no preliminary demand representation
made
IL was hoped that the outrage was pcrpetrliod by
party Iu sudden heat and excitement, upon their
responsibility. Bot the Brush Minister now avoHs
that ho act was the public act of persons oheying
the constituted authorities Of her Maesiys province,
and again aliims iha, l was public act Of persons
o. Lgg Macsys service, otoying the orders oflheir
poror aull0i cs"
II this bad been the frs, and only point Of collision
Z. f.r...f RI. .r| Loo.