Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1841-12-20
Mr.. Steven.a she assurances Of his Distinguish
q csusidrmsioa. PAl.MESJTlN.
Lori Ftlaavaos 10 Nh. Sterencn.
Hnnr,on 1Yy1cI. AUG. 9Th.

: - consideration. PA-MfsSIpN.
Lori fplMeraoa 10 Nh. Serenson.
Fc.r,or Ovv,es. Aug. 9th. is4l.
The sn,Asa;pnea. Her Msesi,'s Prpcrsi Seere'ar,
c( S<str Sy foregn Affairs, has the honor 10 acknowl
ella We rccria u the frem Mr. Stevenson. Envo,
Exuaosdnary and Minister PIeniP,,sntiaty trop III,
United S,atcs at this Cour. dated NE lStk August
Ssa in rcpl, TO the Of the updcsgped dated the
23d APRIL ls4o, the subject Of eenrlalnt made b.,
the American Government agains; tAeVocsr command
Of Her Majc~ys brig .Gncian." of having barrs the
Ame;cas merchan, ship .Sasan," wben Of the light Of
capc Eyo in the ruonih Of April lS,A
4hc undersigned b~s leave TO state 70 Mr. Stevenson.
IN re,ly 10 lhe remarks Explained in h,s last note. that
Her Mac<,,'s I;overnnent 30 not pretend tina, Her
Mars,ys naval others have any right TO search Amer
can merclsntmcn me, with IN time Of peace o. SEA and
Il in some few cases such merchantmen have been
sssrnLnd when suspected Of having b-cn engaged in
slave trade this has been done solely because the British
officer who made the search imagined that hc was setting
in conformity with the wishes Of the United States Gov
eminent in vering hand othc United Satcs
tribunals ships and citizens Of the Union found engaged
in nlgran, violation of the law Of the Union.
Such things however, viii not happen s:a'n beeause
order, have been rivcn which will prevent their rccur
rcncr.
But there is an essential and fundamental difference
between searching vesse and examining h"r rspefs TO
whether sle legally provided With documents IN
ung her 10 the proecon Of any country. and especial
" Of the country whsr fig she NAV have bostcd al
the time. For though. BY sonmon parlsnec. the word
"hsg is used u express 'hs tet OF nationality snd
though according to that seccp'aton o the word. Her
Majesty & ycrnncni admit that British cruiser,
not entitled. IN time e peaec, 10 search merchant vessels
smiling under the American flag. vet Her Majesty Gov
ernuaa do no, mcan thereby Ia say that merchant,
rran cxcmp hmsrlfirom search by merely hosting
a peca Of bunting with nitcd States cmblcms and
cobrs upon that which Her N'jasiy's Govern.
mcnt means IT, that the rights Of the nited States
rmrf ypSse rh
provided with papers emitting hcr TO that nag. and
proving hef - be United State" property and navigaed
scroalpa ~ law.
hut ,h,s faci cannot he ,sccraincd unless officer Of
tho ceeisc. who,e duty II Is 10 ascertain this fact sha
loa.l ,he vessel. unless the master Of the merchant
shall rng his papers ON hoard the cruiser and this
OF papers of merchantmen suspected fbclng
engaged the slave trade. though they may hoist
. L atsd States f,s, is proceeding which II is abso
lutcy necessary that British cruisers employed in the
supIres, Of ,,c slave sdr should continue practise
and TO which Her Majcs,,'s Government fuly pr
sualed that tho n,t,- STATES Government cannot up
on consdes a,s =. err, bccausc " hat would he the
scluencc IL Ia, CONTRARY practice
What wtsid be tho luencs. If vessel engaged
in III. slave trade Gould pro,ec, herself from ssch by
merely hos'in. uiicd States flag Why, it ia plain
thatn suchcasr trading pirate whether span
sh Portuguese. brazilian, English. French,
of whatever nation hr might he would Immediately saun
der the co,rs u tho ntol States; every criminal could
paper, and thus al the treaties concluded among the
Christian Powers. or the ,uppr Of slave trade
would be realcr-d dead letter. Even the laws Of
England us.hi he defiance nv her own SUBJECTS
aud tho slave trade would br invested with complete
i,npnnity. Her MAJESTY Government are persuaded
that the United States Government cannot maintain
drtrne wlirh ND nrcess,r y lead 10 such noasr,ls
consequences hut the undersigned bound ndu'y frank
" declare Mr. Stevenson that 10 such doctrine the
British Government could o1 would subscribe.
A..
fr the suppression Of slave trade opst ascertain, by
s~con u papers, the na,iona, q vessels mct with hy
them un'"r crcuns,Spces which justify suspicion tina,
such vessel. Az c,y ged ssvo trade IN order that. II
such vce,cis fud 10 belong 10 counr, which has
conceded TO Great Britain ,c mutual right ri search
they may be searched accordingly and that. # they be
fund 10 hcl1nT l., country which, like the United
states, has conceded tina, mutual right. they may lc
allowed pass on. free and Naniusd, con.uminatc
their intended iuiqui,y. Her Maies,ys Government
feel, convinced that the United States Government will
see the necessity Of this course Of proceeding
But Her Nslesty's Government would fam hope tina,
tc day is rot Tar distant when the government ofihc
nod Mates with 10 coniund two things which
in their nature cniir-l, different vii, look To things
and moi To words. and, pcrcc,sng the wide and cntr
distinction between that right Of search which has here
tDorc been phec, Of Jsc,,ss,op between tho
tries. and that r.A ui search which almost all other
Christian naiioga have mutually given zach other fr
the suppression Of the slave trade will n the Christian
league. and win longer permit the SHIPS add SUBJECTS
Of the Union to be engaged in undertakings which the
law Of the | mon Furnishes as piracy.
3hc gnicu ~igned ayas hmsof Of this occasion to
new TO Mr. Scsens'a,,s e asssFsnys Of his DISTINGUISHED
consideration PAi.MFRSION.
A. STEVENSON Esq, &C.
Z IA br tJsH ia n,yeu srf