The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-07-22

4 In answer to demand made upon this Government,
in the month Of December last, for the surrender OF
Mcleod the late Secretary Of State seems TO call 70
mind this Transaction and speaks Of the time a. Mt
Ting one after the lapse OF three years TO call the az
lenlion Of the British Government to the DESTRUCTION
| OF the CoTolIne -
Now sir let me ask again what did the late Execu-
live do, In view VI this extraordinary transa-uon, ioi
that soon after the occurrence, he either rem0HsHa-
with the British Government, or demanded an slP'a
nation.
WHY was the late President ofthe United States 80
| utterly ,egaydess of American rights and American
FEELING Did il grow out of any community " Jee-
I'M with the British Government Or was pe-
cause The entire energies OF the National Government
from the beginning 10 the ending OF that Adminisua
ton were devoted TO preparation for that great sirug
ole which resulted in its overthrow YVES thefe any
thing in the relations OF Great Britain With ths couh
nv that entitled her special indulgence Had she
not invaded our soil at the Northrest? w as not
portion of our territory at the Northeast IN possession
Of British armed forces Had she not oppressed our
seamen under pretence 81 guarding against the Art
can slave trade And did she not continue 10 assert
the odlous right Of search
In speaking of the acts Of the late Administration
ough, to remark, (or would no, omit any crcum-
stance that may, by possibility, tend to present ihat
Administration the most favorable hght,l tbat IN
the month ofFebruaTy last the Chairman Of the Com
mttee Foreign Atilirs, then standing hgh IN me
confidence Of the then existing ADMINISTRATION made
report 20 Congress upon the subject u the destruction
OF the Caroline. | am not now familiar with that re-
port but, from It's high origin am 10 presume ~ was
very able But in this believe the honorable
chairman was not sustained by his political tfiends-
/ The report seemed 10 occupy the pubic mind put ior
| a day and was consumed By lis own fires,
Win II be pretended that acron was required oy
the late Executive until the British Government had
ayowed the act The foul deed was done lniorma-
ton Immediately communicated TO the President,
and he had scarcely time TO read that Information,
before the Government paper in Canada reached him,
not only confirming the previous Information, but an
nouncing it as an enterprise under the command Of
| Captain Drew, Of the Royal nary that was executed
with wonderful spirit and gaantry From that time illl
this such has been the Of the British papers not
only in the Canadas, but in England and such was
also the tone Of the speeches in the British Para-
ment
But gentlemen say il was not until December last
| that that Government avowed the act national
one Did they dlsasow III And with the attending
! circumstances and demand for PLANTATION pending
how long would you wait for them to disavow II, be-
fore you would presume against them, and act IN
view OF such presumption Suppose they would not
answer at all, the fact for three years, and
would have been the fact still, but for the arrest OF
Mcleod. U nder such state of facts, was this 10
4 vernment without redress No sir.
The silence of the British Government imposed
/ upon this Government after the lapse OF slnge
year. the imperative necessity of action, decided, et-
f,ctive ACTION To longer defer such action was to
trucke 10 almost the only Government on earth with
whom this nation could be proud OF collision. Ii is
in no spirit of party complaining that | make these
remarks Almost every vestge of the party that sus-
tanned the last Administration has been swept away
alIude these with other feelings
than those of de,p humiliation and regret. will
only add that in relation to this whole matter, envy
neither the position OF President Van Buren, of
those Of any such there be- who may regard it their
duty, from party considerations 10 stand forth in his
| defence!
But sir / turn away from that Administration
Time, which bears upon its bosom the wrecks of en-
pires and the changes Of systems, brought the new
Administration into power. With It, did not expect
Immediate radical obvious change in the character
of our foreign negotiations did desire at such
change. clear, pal pabe change in this respect would
have shown what should most deeply deplore that
party politics exert controlling influence upon our
bearing towards other nations. But sir, did then
expect that the time not far distant when this
Government would assume elevated POSITION and
that her action in the premises would be decided
energetic, and such would vIndcate the character
of the patton One short month of The new Admin
istra,ion passed away. The late President had scarce
" gathered around him his confidential advisers
You know the rest. shall not stop to speak Of
that great and good man; but if required to
pronounce euogy upon his character, reverlng,
do, his memory would hut read his history
The trusts which the People had confded 10 Gen
Harrison, by his demise, deyolved upon the present
Executive.
Many of these trusts had been defined in their Gre
alton the character of General Harrison was a sutf.
cent guaranty in respect to the matter now under
consideration, and he People looked with confidence
to the execution OF these trusts by tie present Execu
tive in the spirit in which they created
A second demand by the British Government for
the surrender OF Mcleod soon came | could not
but regard the first demand for his surrender as most
extraordinary, and the second still more So That
Government must have been that McLeod was
not prisoner of Stale and that standing thus ndc-
| ed in England the Judiciary alone could dispose of
him. and that The QUEEN herself with all her prerora-
tves could not discharge him. That Government
knew also that the principles of the common law pre-
vailed here, and that derived those very principles
from that country. How then could that surrender
have been demanded, except upon The sumption
Their that this Government wholly ignorant of
those common principles, that wanted sufficient
selfrespect to them If am correct in this
position in what spirit and tone should be the answer
TO such demand Will gentlemen look to the cor
respondcnce of either the late the present Secretary
of State, for answer to this inquiry Diplomatic
correspondence seems to he shrouded in mystery and
TO demand for itself some unnatural construction To
one unacqualntcd with diplomacy, the language Of
Mr. Fox IN reference to the serious consequences that
would result from declining TO surrender Mcleod
would be regarded exceedingly offensive to this
/ Government
! The President, after expressing some doubts and
hesitancy, chooses to understand 1t otherwise Whe.
ther in this he was influenced by any considerations
other Than those that grow gu, of desire 10 preserve
unmpaired the rules of construction applicable TO dl.
pomatic correspondence, leave for those who NAV
better Judge to determine.
OF that mi cradle man. Alexander Mcleod have
no desire TO say any thing here. He is mere Incl.
dent to this matter rendered conspicuous by the deep
interest that the President seems have manifested i'm
respect to his trial. If an American citizen had stood
indicted at BOckport for murder, do YOU think the
principal lawoiIcer of the Fede al Government would
have been despatched to attend his lral7 Was it be.
cause the President disruslod the tribunals of New
York, OF the character and intelligence of the people
where he was 10 be tried Why sir there are courts
/ in State of Npyy Nnrk h, m