Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-10-05
From the New Yorker.
THE CASE OF Mcleod.

I sentatiVes, Ex-Presdent ADAMS made an elab-
crate and most able speech upon this vexed
| question which even yet threatens to plunge
| two of the most powerful nationsupon the earth
INTO all the horrors of long and bloody war;
Upon subject of so high international impor-
lance there is no man now living iwhose opin-
ions are entitled to more respect than those OF
Mr. Adams. 1t is most essential that every
citizen should have clear understanding of
the grounds in this great controversy, ard we
have no hesitation therefore. in giving place to
| the following abstract of Mr.. Adams remarks,
imperfect as il is, from the National Intelligent
Ger. 1t will be seen that the ground he as
sumes is in opposition to that taken by the Su-
preme Court of this State.
Mr.. Adams first spoke of the apparent party
aspects and objects of the resolution before the
House, and the debate in favor of It; and ofthe
strong condemnation which that conduct meri-
ted which sought 70 make profit to party re-
CARELESS of consequences, out of question
which involved, or might be made to IN
yolve, the issue OF, peace or war with a
country perhaps tie Ilcst powerful on the
globe.
He then proceeded to say that he was oppo-
| sed to multiplying issues with Great Britain.
We had one issue with that country Che was
understood to refer TO the boundary question:
where we were clearly in the right, and she
was clearly in the wrong: and five must fight
we had better fight about such question than
| about one where we were in the wrong. For
he desired to declare, in the face of the country
and the world, his opinion, that in regard to
the affair of the "Caroline," due consideration
of all the circumstances might lead to the con-
cluslon that we were in the wrong. The ques-
| ton was, and always would be, who struck
| the first blow! The British 1T is true burnt
| the boat and killed a man. But the question
! Is, what was the man doing in boat9 The
boat was engaged N hostile acts against Great
| Britain; it was employed in Transporting men
and arms to Navy Island, in aid of an insurrec-
ton against the British authorities in Upper
Canada. We might 90 to war on this matter,
| and, after the blood and treasure of the nation
had been expended in support of it, we should
| have peace. And what then! The ques.
ton would still be, who struck the first blowl
! And were we sure we could find among all
the Christian nations an umpire who would
not say that we had been all the while in the
wrong.
Mr.. Adams then spoke of another issue
| which had been attempted 20 be made, viz: in
relation to the particular case of Mcleod. He
spoke ofthe opinion delivered by Judge Cow
| en-, of the New York Court, in this case, and
declared his dissent from that opinion in strong
terms; and he alluded to the statements ex-
pressed by some of his former friends gfrom
| New York on that floor, to the same purport
| and effect as that opinion, with emphatic dis
| appreciation. New-York had been called the
| Empire State; but he said Delaware is as
| much the Empire State as New York; and
he legardedit as both wrong and dangerous,
1 In oaloro hat
| floor, and inthe other end ofthe Capitol, that
| New-York sooltld try Mcleod, and if found
guilty, ouldhang him; and all because New
York was the Empire STATED Nobody had
proposed to interfere with New-Yor or the
/ Courts of New York; but, by some process,
Mcleod ought to be released, and the Presi-
| dent had done no more than his duty in send
| ing the Attorney General into New York on
| this subject. There was not an enlightened
nation on earth that would not decide against
this idea of holding individuals responsible in a
case like this. Andthe management ofthe whole
case belonged to this Government; for it was
national matter, and, if warsgrew out of 1t, II
was not New York that was to maintain that
war, but the blood and treasure of the whole
nation must maintain it.
Mr.. Adams, before he was cut off by the ex-
piration of the hour, paid noble tribute to
| AR. Webster. lie alluded to remark which
| had been made by some fmember from New
Hampshire, that tive should have no war
/ with Great Britain while Daniel Webster
| aoas Secretary of STATE" He SAID he thanked
God heartily for it, and the people of this coun-
try ought to raise their hands in devout and
u iited thanksgiving to God for it, He be-
/ Ieved the remark to be true. Peace aUould
be preserved while that man was Secretary Of
S. ate Not by concessions!-he was the last
on earth to make concessions to Great Brit
ain-he had made none-but by moderation
and concIatory temper, accompanied with
a just decision and firmness. Mr.. A. alluded
to Mr.. Webster's letter TO Mr.. Fox, and pro-
nounced it one of the best diplomatic papers
that had ever been written, and said he could
adopt every line and word of It. Its value
was slreadv manifest in the effect it had evl
DENLY Produced and he referred. In this con-
nexion, to the concIliatory tone assumed To-
ward this country by Sir Robert Peel, in his
address at Tamworth. He repeated his con-
v;ction that, while the rights and the honor o
the country would be firmly and fully main
tanned, yet peace sO0uld be preserved so long
as DANIEL WEBSTER was Secretary 0
State.
The RHODE ISLAND ELECTIONS, for tht
State Legislature, took place on the 2lst uls
! The vvh10s carried a lar8e majority of fbi