Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-07


1 besides the injury already inflicted upon Mf Mcleod
| of yexatious and unjust Imprisonment any lnr'he'
harm NAV be done 10 him il the progress OF TINS extra
ordinary proceeding
have lest time in forwarding TO iier haJesty
Covern,nent in England, the correspondence that ha
taken place and shall await the further orders OF he
No;sstr's Government with respect 10 the importan
nucstion which that correspondence involves.
But feel il my duty not 10 close TINS COMMUNICATION
without likewise testyng my vast regret and surprise
\. the expressions which find repeated IN your letter
witt, reference to the destruction OF The steamboat "a
roline had confidently hoped that the hts'
of the character OF that event. imposed upon
the mind of the U. s. Government by par''al anu *
aggeratcd representations would, long sihee' h oe
effaced bv more strict and accurate examination Oh
tho facts. Such an investigation must even yet, am
willing to believe, lead the u. ,. Government 70 tue
same conviction with which her Majesty au'hofues
on the spot impressed, that the act was ons, "
the strictest sense of sedeence, rendered absolutely
necessary by the circumstances OF the OCCASION oi 'n
safety and protection Of her Majesty SUBJECTS; hnu
justified by the same motives and principles which,
upon similar and well known OCCASIONS, nave go
yerncd the conduct Of illustrous officers OF the T. .
The steamboat Caroline was hostile vessel engaged
in pisatical war against her Majesty people, hired from
her owners for that express purpose and known 10 be
so beyond the possibility Of doubt. The place where
it was DESTROYED nomnaliy, It IS true, within the
territory of friendly power; bot the friendly power hao
been deprived through overoearIng P'raucai Sioence'
rory The authorities of y. York had not even been
able to prevent the artillery of the Stale from beng car
red of publicly midday, to be used as instruments Of
war agans, her Majesty subjects. 1t was under such
circumstances, which, tits to be hoped WI never
that the vessel was attacked party of her Majesty
people captured, and destroyed. remonsTance
against the question has been addressed by the
IT, g. to her Majesly's Government IN England. am
authorized 10 pronounce the DECISION Of nef na
estys Government upon that circumstances but have
felt myself bound record IN the mean time, the
above opinion. in order TO protest IN the mos solemn
ina nner against the spirited and loyal conduct OF her Ma
estv's officers and people being qualified, through an
unfortunate misrepresentation as believe, OF the facts
with the appellaton Of outrage or of murder.
avail myself of AS occasion to renew to you the
assurance Of my distinguished consideration
Mr.. Forsyth to .Nr. For.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washngton Dec. 81, l-i0.
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge the receipt OF
YOUR note of the 2.th inst IN reply 10 mne Of the 2oth
IN The subject of the arrest ard detention of Alexander
Mcleod as one ofhe perpetrators OF the outrage com
mit,ed in New York when the steamboat Caroline was
seized and burnt Full evidence of that outrage has
been presented TO her Britannia Majestys Government,
with demand for redress, and Of course no DISCUSSION
of the here be either usefu or proper
nor can suppose it to be your desire to invite It.
take leave Of this subject with this single remark that
the opinion strongly expressed BY you on the facts
and principles involved in the demand tor reparati"n on
her Maiestys Government BY the United States, would
hardly have been hazarded had been possessed OF
the carefully collected testimony which has been pre-
sented to your Government in support OF that demand
avail myself OF the occasion 10 renew to you me
assurance Of my distinguished consideration,
JOHN FORSYTH.
Mr. FILLMORE moved that the message, with the
accom- anying documents, he referred to the Commit
lee on Foreign Relations and that FIVE thousand extra
copies be printed.
Mr. F. before he resumed his seat, wished to make
few observations in relation to the communication from
the Minister of Great Britain, and regard 10 the
facts as stated by that functonary in connection with
the outrage upon the steamboat Caroline.
That boat, said Sir. F., as am informed on good au-
thorty, belonged TO a man in the city OF Bunaio,
named William Wells, who was and is now considered
very peaceable and respectable citizen OF that city
The beat did not belong to the "Patrlos, or the IN
surrents OF Canada, was it in any way whatever
under their control or authority. This being the case,
he could not conceive why the appellation bestowed
upon it BIZ the Minister Of Great Britain could have
been given There was no reason tor It. let, said
Mr. F. he has thought proper TO call the boat pra
teal vessel, in the employ Of these persons demo
minated Canadian Patriots.
| Mr. F. then proceeded 10 state what he maintained
were the real facts in relation TO the burning OF the
Caroline, which follows:
| Mr. Wells, at the time the insurgents were IN the &C.
cupaton of Navy Island, in Niagara River on the "a
madam side, then in the city OF Buffalo, ~ Ties
above. He there applied 10 the Custom House aulho
4
Schosser across to Navy Island Permission being Ct
ven, the Caroline commenced running, SIMPLY as Ter.
~ boat being totally unarmed, and having no conhee
ton with the insurgents Nehhe! dad the boat carry
any arms or munitions of of any kind 10 those on
Navy Island but was engaged merely in the carrying OF
passengers After making several trips, the boat was
al night safely moored and secured within The wharf on
the American side-not within the " nominal terrto-
~ of the L. States, but within the nndoned territory
Of this Government; much SO, said Mr.. F., as this
hall in which we are assembcd IS IN the terri
tory of the IT, S. After being thus safely moored at
the wharf in our territory, It was lett IN Tie charge OIL
a watch, unarmed, and without any arms whatever be-
inc on board except single pocket pistol, not loaded
Well, while the boat thus lying within our terri
tory it was attacked in the night by an armed force
from Canada sent rs it now appears by the authority
of her Majesty. One man murdered, others in
ued the boat then set fire, turned adrtt and sent
over the falls. This the carson complained of;
this was the "murder complained of. One OF our c.
tizens was attacked, unarmed and had his brains
knocked OUT and there every reason 10 believe that
others were killed, SO injured as 10 be unable TO
leave the vessel before il weat over the falls.
Now BY the laws of the State of New York, said MIR
F. this was murder, and nothing less than murder and
the perpetrators being appehended, would be tried
BY the laws of that State for the crime. II was matter
pertaining the State: and neither this Government
nor the Executive of the Government, could have any
control over IT, unless indeed the Government Of Great
Britain should fit to repeal it's present law, and
terng into treaty spulaons, make laws which shonlo
be fully applicable to the case. If SO, Mr. + was un'
derstood TO say, the matter nigh, perhaps be compro
missed But apart from that, if The same spirit was ma
infested BY the powers at home exhibited by the
British minister here in relation TO this matter he MIR
F. conceived that the necessary consequences Of the
con viction of Mcleod would be serious indeed.
Mr. F. said he had no doubt but that Mcleod would
be put upon his trial. when he sincerely hoped he wonlc
be found innocent. But if he should be found guilty
he had no doubt but that he would be executed unless
indeed, force much larger than common should be
, brought from the Canada side to his
Mr. F. concluded by showing that his reason for max
ing these remarks TO show that there false
impression entertained by Mr. Fox regard TO the facts
of the case.
MIR. PICKENS hoped the House would at once con
sen, TO the printing Of the message and documents
and their reference without further debate TO the Com
mittee Foreign Affairs. He hoped So because there
was delicate negotiation pending another question
with the power, and which question was excn.
intense interest only in that section of the country