The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-12-16

Der, 1897, by an armed force n'ieu ou' w
the province Of Upper Canada, you are al'
ready made acquainted. No such atone
men, as was due for the public wrong done
TO the United States by this INVASION OF her
territory, so wholly irreconcllable with her
rights as an independent Power, has yet
been made. In the view taken by this
Government, the inquiry whether tho yes
sci was 10 the employment OF those who
we're prosecuting au Unauthorized war
against that province. or was engaged by
the owner in the business 9f transporting
passengers to and from Navy Island 10
hopes of private gain, which was most pro
baby The case, in no degree alters the real
question at issue between the two Govern.
menis. This Government can never con-
cede TO any foreign Government the power,
except IN case Of the most urgent OEd eS
/ treme necessity, Of invading lis territory,
either to arrest the persons or destroy the
property of those who may have violated
the municipal laws Of such foreign Govern
mcni, OF have disregayded their Obligations
aris,ug under the laws Of nations, The
territory of the Un ted States must be re-
garded as sacredIy secure against all such
iuvasions, until they shall voluntarily nc
knowledge their inability 10 arquli them
selves OF their duties TO others. And, IN
announcing this sentiment, | do bu, affirm
a principle which no nation or earth ~ould
be more ready TO vindicate, al all hazards,
than the people and Government Of Great
Britain.
Ii, upon a full investigation of all the
facts, II shall appear that the owner Of the
Caroline was governed by hostile intent,
or had made common cause with those
who were in the occupancy Of Navy Is
land, then, SO far as he is concerned, there
can be no claim to indemnity for the de-
slruction Of his boat, which this Govern
ment would feel itself bound to prosecute
since he would have acted not only in
derogation of the rights of Great Britain,
bu, in clear violation Of the laws Of the
United States: but that Is a question
which, however settled, 10 no manner IN
wolves tho higher consideration Of the VIC.
laiion OF territorial sovereignty and jurls,
dlction. To recognise II as an admissible
practice, that each Government, 10 It's
turn, upon any sudden and unauthorized
outbreak, which, on frontier the extent
Of which renders it impossible for either
to have an efficient force on every mile Of
IL, and which outbreak, therefore, neither
may be able to suppress IN a day, may
take vengeance into lis own hands, and
without even a rcmonstrancc, and IN the
absence of any pressing Of oyerruiing ne.
cesslty, NAV invade the territory Of the
other, would inevitably lead to results
equally to be deplored by both. When
border collisions come TO receive the sane
ton or TO be made on the authority Of
either Government, general war must be
the inevitable result. While 1t is the ar.
dent desire of the United States to cult
yate the relations of peace with all nations
and to fulfil all the duties Of good neigh
borhood toward those who possess terrific
ries adjoining their own, that very desire
would lead them TO deny the right of any
foreign Power to invade their boundary
with an armed force. The corrcspon.
dence between the two Governments on
this subject will, a, future day Of your
session, be submitted to your cousl9era.
lion; and, IN the mean time, | cannot but in.
dulgc the hope that the British Government
will see the propriety Of renouneing, as a
rule Of future action, the precedent which
has been Sc, in the affair at Schlosser.
| herewith submit the correspondence
which has recently taken place between
the American minister at the Court Of St
James, Mr. Stevenson, and the Minister 0,
Foreign Affairs Of that Government, on the
: right claimed by that Government to Wis.
It and detain vessels sailing under the A
mercan flag, and engaged 10 prosecuting
lawful commerce in the African seas. Oui
commercial interests IN that region have ex
perienced considerable increase, and have
become an object Of much importance, anC
il is the duty Of this Government to prolec
tham against all improper and yexatloui
interruption, However DESTROYS the UNI
ted States may be FOR the suppression 0
the slave trade, they cannot consent to IN
, Temptations into the maritime code at tbs
mere will and pleasure of other Govern
ments. We deny the right Of any sici
Interpolation TO any one, or all the nations
Of the earth, without our consent. w
claim to have a voice IN all amendment.
= OK alterations Of that code aud when wc
: are gwen to understand, as in this instance
by foreign Government, that its trea,ie
with other nations cannot be executed with
out the establishment and enforcement o
now principles Of maritime police, to BIZ
applied without our consent, we must en-
pioy language nctirr Oh equyocaI im
port, nor susceptible Of demonstration
American citizens prosecuting a Lawful
} commerce in the African seas, under lht
flag OF ther country, are not responsible
for the abuse or unlawful use Of that nal
by others nor can they rightfully, on &C
count OF any such alleged abuses, be inter
rupted, moIe-ted, or detained, while on III,
rocean; and if thus molested and detained
while pursuing honest voyages in the usu
al way, and vIolatIng no law themselves