The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1841-06-17
DOCUMENTS
raoa rue DEPARTMENT. OF STATE.
Nh. Fox TO Mn. WKBsTER.
washington. March u. ls4i.
Accompanying me Presidents Message.


The uRdersigasd. ller BrR4anie Ma.
issy.s Envoy Extraordinary and Minis
,s, Plenlpolsnliafy. Is Instructed by bis
Hesanaenl % make the follosing on.
cal cammunicslion 10 The Government
Of Uaned Stairs:
Her Msiesly's Government have had
under lhelT consideration The corfespon.
denee shieh losk place 81 Washington in
Deeembsr last. between lie Uniled States
Secretary Of State. Mr.. Forsyth. and The
unJerisnsd. comprising lwo aiIicial lri
irrs lren The undersigned. 10 Mr. For
syih, dated The 18Th aud 29.h Of Deeem.
Ter; aud Two Official letters IRON Mr.. For.
syIh 70 lhe Undersigned. dated lle 26lh
and 30th OF lhe same month. upan The sub.
ice. II the arrest aud imprisonment Of
Mr. Alexander Mcleod Of Upper Cana
DE-, by the aulhorilies Of the Stale Of New
York. npan pretended charge Of arson
aud murder rs having been engaged in The
capture and desuuellon of The Steamboat
Caroline" on The e0ih u December.
1891.
The undersigned is directed IN the 6rsl
Place 10 make known % The Government
Of The United States that Her Maiesiy's
Govsrnnsnienlrely approve Uflhe course
pursued by The undrfslgned 10 that cor
ie,pandence. and Of The language adopted
by hin in the official letters abO,e men.
uOned.
And The undersigned is now instructed
beain - demand lrum the Government Of
The United STATES. formally. IN The name
of the BRUSH Government. the i'm nedi.
ate release Of Mr.. Alessnder Mcleod.
The grounds upon which The Brlish
Gavernmenl make this demsnd upvn The
United States are these: That the trans
action on account Of which ME-. Mcleod
has been arrested and IL 70 be put upon
his trial, was . transaction Of public
character, planned and executed by per
sons duly empowered by Her Majesty,
Colonial Authorizes 10 take any steps 40,
TO do sny act which might be necessary
Tor the defence Of her M.jesy's terrific
ries. and Tor the protection Of Her Msjes
Tvs subjects; AMI that consequently lhos,
subjects Of Her Majesty who engaged il
thai transaction we're performing an &C
Of public duty for which the, cannot b
made personally and individually answer
able TO the laws and tribunals Of any far
eisn county.
The transaction 10 question may bar,
been. a. her Msjesiy's Government 81
Of opinion thar il was. Unsuitable EN-
ploymeGt ClIorce Tor The purpose ofdrlcnd
Ing The British territory from the unpru
roked attack Of band Of British rebel
aud American pirates, who having beel
permitted 10 arm aud organize ,hemselse
within the Tertiary OF The United States
bal ae,uaIly invaded aud occupied POI
lion Of The territory Of Her Majesty, OF
may have been. as alleged By Mr.. Fol
syih in his note 10 the undersi gned q
the 26lh 81 December. I" most UNJUST
fable invasion in ,ime.ol peace Of the tel
rirory Of the uuiicd STATES" But this i
question essentially of political aud ID
ternationsl kind. hich can be DISGUISE
aud settled only between the two Govern
menls. and which the courts of justice q
the State Of New York cannot by posi-
blli,y have any means Of judging OF an.
right Of deciding.
|, would be conusry e. the uaivers'
practice of civilized nations 10 fix ind
'iduAl responsibility upon persons who
with the sanction OF by the orders OF N
constituted authorizes of a State, engage
in military or naval enterprises in thel
couniry's cause; and il is obvious thai ID
introduction Of such a principle woul
sgsrava'e beyond measure The mIserIe'
aud would frigh,fuIly increase the demor'
ltzine effects Of war. by mixing M vii
national evaporation the ieroclly 81 pei
sonal passions, and The cruelty and bitter
ness Of individual revenge.
Her Maies,y's Government cannot bt
llsve that The Government OF the Unite
SAFES can really intend to setaa exsmpl
30 lrsuch, with evil to the community
nations, and the direct tendency OF whIe
must be to bring back into the practice
modern war atrocities which civillza'ld
and Chris ianity have long since ban'st
ed.
Neither can Her Msjesy's Cover
Ineni admit for a moment the validity
the doctrine advanced by Mr.. Forsyth
that the Federal Government oil the Jul
cd States has no power to interfere 10 IL
matter in question, and ,hs, The dec'slo
thereof must res, 'lely and entirely vii
the State Of New York.
With the particulars OF the intern
compac, which may exist between u
several States that compose The Unt
foreign Powers have nothing 10 20: y
ielatlons Of foreign Powers are with Y
aggregate Union, .hs, Union Is 10 the
represented by the Federal Government
and ofthal uuiaE the Federal Gnvernme
il 10 them The only organ. Therefor
han /. fr,a,cn pn,per has RI, ifess 10 Ill