Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-11-25
From he London Times
THE MCLEOD CASE.

Thus, if any sensible portion Of the
British public ever conceived that the
continuance of our amcabc relations
with America depended upon the issue OF
McLeod's trial, approximations on that
score may now be considered al en- end.
But although we never TO any extent
par,ook Of those apprehensions, and least
of all since thu publication of Mr.. Web.
ster's letter TO Mr.. Crlttcnden, we cannot
disguise from ourselves that there still re-
main certain correlative questions fgrcat
Importance, the satisfactory adjustment OF
which may be attended with some diff
Guilty. The case Of Mcleod has dis
closed in the Powers Of Europe, vital
disability to the American Constitution,
which, unless it be forthwith repaired, not
only places the Republican Union in the
un,rustworthy position of being unable to
exact from its component states due OBJ
servance of international law. but must
compel foreign kingdoms, for their own
safety, to insist al all hazards, that such
a dangerous INSTRUMENTATION shall be eff
fectunlly extinguished. lf Great Britain
or any other Power enter into an AMIGA
bic alliance with the transatlantic union,
il is on the distinct understanding that
the tch0{e American nation are parties to
that alliance, and shall be bound to re-
spect the treaties of their central Gov
eminent. What power OF privileges may
be arrogated by the separate provinces OF
the Union, we have nothing to do with.
The responsible party with whom alone
we treat is the Federal Administration.
If the Federal Administration cannot en-.
force its own approved policy among its
subordinate States the American Gorern.
ment is an impoteat phantom-a mere
formed nonen:ity, set up to give u colour
able responsibility to an enormous sys'
tenn of buccanecrlng. No civilized coun-
try could be safe in treating with such a
Power. To talk Of the supreme and in
depedent sovereignty Of New \ ork is a
perfidious insult 10 every nation in Eu-
rope. If New York and the other A.
merican provinces be independent States
let them severnlly send their Ambassa-
doris to foreign Powers, and let them be
bound respectively to the obligations Of
lnleInauohai JuSllce' just imagine lnal
any Of our Counties upon the ea.coast
affecting a complete exemption from the
stipulations of our national treaties, were
to prosecute an offensive system Of priva.
teering, to the palapable injury and dis
honor ofour neighbormg allies. On such
an intolerable irregularity being question
ed, what sort Of an apology would it be
to say, that those counties are so COM
pletely independent of Her Majesty's in.
reference, that their aggressons upon
the vessels of France or America mus,
be patiently submitted to, and cannot pos
sbly be redressedl Yet this is precisely
the position which America has allowed
New York to assume in reference to Nc
Leod's detention. Mr.. Webster, the Sec
rotary of State to the Republican Union,
has elnphaticaIly declared that his deten-
ton, in an international point of view,
was illegal. But an American imperium
in imperio refuses TO acquiesce in the
Federal Governments decision. The
New York sovereigns have persisted in