The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1841-06-22

gal advantage was afforded to the prisoners
as the employment of counsel for his defence, and
the suggestion of suitable measures securing him
an impartial tria--and considered the omission
of Mr. Webster to notice the menace convened in
Mr. Foxs hint of the "serious consequences" that
might result from noncompliance with the demand
of his government, a compromise ofthe National
honor.
Mr. RiVes replied with very eloquent and for
chile vindicaton both Of Mr. Webster $ con struction
OF the law of nations, and of the dignity, justice
and manliness which have ever characterised that
officers management of the delicate subject in
question. Mr. Rives took the ground, that the
burning of the Caroline was al act of war-a hos
tile invasion Of our terrtory--and that to bring an
act within the cognizance Of the laws of war, no
previous declaration of hoslities was necessary
Such pr exclamation merely made the state of war
general between the two nations and their subjects
which might have existed for any length of time
before the declaration, to a partial extent. The
act complained of was of the nature ola reprsa
Mcleod instrument in the hands of
his legal superiors- hat is if he not merely n
vain boaster, whose folly had induced him to brag
of deeds which he had never committed.) He was
then to be judged by the laws ofwar, andhis sove
reign alone was TO be held responsible for the ag-
gressions which the former had been u mere in
instrument in making Mcleod was freed from
personal liability in the premises by the clearest
principles of public law. Under these crcumstan-
ces, Mr. Webster had pursued the only dignified
course in admitting, with the bold frankness of a
man who fears not 10 do right TO bs thought
afraid, that the puny instrument Of Britain was not
to be made the scapegoat of her wrongs-nnd in
insisting that tho Government which was the real
aggressor, should make the reparation which of
Tended JUSTICE alike with tho injured honor OF the
Country, demanded. In taking measures TO secure
an impartial trial TO the accused, the Secretary OF
State had done only what justice required ufhim =
in Injecting for him the employment Of counsel
lie had given him only the privileges accorded by
our Constitution to all persons, charged with the
! commission Of crme-and in passing over
what the Senator from Pennsylvania termed a
menace,' which was in fact nothing more than a
very common expression in such cases, he had
acted the part ola Of true courage, and con-
scious power, who dsdans to sec insult where
none is intended
In the course of his very able and perfectly con
vincing argument, MIR Rves adduced the instance
Of Admiral Cockhurn's invasion Of Virginia, and
asked if Senators would have thought OF holding
one of his sailors responsible in person for what he
had done under the orders of his superior officers
To this, that true and tried Loco Foco, Mr. Benton,
replied, that he would have hanged every oil
them 81 know" said Mr. RIves, ''that the Sen.
ator from Missouri is n very summary character,
but let me tell him, that if he had done he says
he would, he would not have been justified by the
laws Of civilized nations