Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-03-12
FOREIGN,


Just and generous Peopleu
" ~
.,-... ..-..-.- FOREIGN. -.s..a n. \
The steam ship President arrived at New
York on the Sd. The most interesting items OF
intelligence which she brings are those relating
to the debates III both houses of. Parliament on
the case Of Mcleod. In the House Of lords i
was introduced on the Sth ult. by the Earl Of
Mountcashel, who inquired of Lord Melbourne
what steps had been taken to procure his liberia
ton. The Viscount replied briefly, saying that
the House could not expect him to give any au-
swer at that time.
In the House of Commons the same matter
was brought up by Lord Stanley, who proceeded
to state the facts relating to the destruction Of
the Caroline, to sketch the negotiations which
had been had upon the subject, and to set forth
the proceedings which had attended the arrest
of Mcleod, and the correspondence which had
passed between Messrs. Fox and Forsyth upon
the subject. . .,..... t...'.
"rhe question: them" said Lord Stanley
switch he wished toput was this: that, inasmuch
as negotiations had commenced upon the sub.
ject OF the burning OF the Caroline since January
1888, between Her Majes'y's Government and
the Government Of the United States he wished
to ask, in the first place, whether Her Maesiy's
Government would have any objection TO lay on
the table the entire correspondence which had
taken place upon the subject of the Caroline -
and, also, whether the dispatches had all been
received which had been referred to by Mr.. Fox
in the REGENTS accounts, and particularly that
which had been transmitted ON the 29th of De-
cember last, announcing the apprehension of
Mcleod lie begged to ask, farther, whether
Her Maesty's Government had taken any steps
toward procuring the release of Mr.. Mcleod
from his present confinement, and, if so, whether
they would lay upon the table the nature of those
steps, and the correspondence with had passed
upon this subject between the Government of the
United States and Her Majesty's Mins,ers!"
Lord Palmerston in reply said that she thought
it would not be eypedient in the present state of
the question to lay upon the table the correspon-
dence relating to the capture and destruction Of
the Caroline, until that correspondence was
brought to final closc-[ hear hear T.
In confederation Of remark made by Lord
Stanley, the Niscount said he believed that
Mcleod was not member of the party that was
concerned in the destruction of the Caroline
He went on to say that the American Govern
ment had chosen to treat this matter as one to
be decided between the two Governments, in
stead Of by the local authorities; and that this
was the ground on which they were entitled to
demand redress from the British Government
for the acts of its subjects, as had been done by
their Minister in the case of the Caroline
Lord Stanley repeated question VIII Oh he
rou do roll IN, bo Of ho ;,ta
question was whether the noble lord Palmerston
had taken any steps, and if so, what those steps
were, for the protection and liberation Of Mr..
Mcleod hear, hear. I ."
The Secretary said, in reply, that she trusted
the House would suppose that her Majesty's
Government had already sent certain nstruc-
tons, but until the correspondence upon this
subject had concluded, it was impossible to send
any instructions that could be final. lie hoped
| the House would believe that the Government
would send Mr.. Fox such farther instructions
they might think it their duty to do; at the same
time he was not prepared 10 state what the ma
ture of those instructions was hear.]"
Mr.. HUME then made some remarks, stating
in the first place the fact that in January, 1888,
letter from Mr.. Stevenson had been laid upol
the table in the House of Representatives lin
which the burning of the Caroline was charac.
terzed in very strong language" and in which
"Mr Stevenson denied he had ever been inform
ed that the expedition against the Caroline was
authorized or sanctioned by the British Govern.
ment." "Now," said Mr.. Hume, "from May
1888, the time when that letter had been writ.
ten, up to this hour, no answer had been given
to that letter, nor had any satisfaction been given
by the British Government upon this subject
lie then alluded to a letter from Mr.. Stevenson
dated July ., 1888, stating that "he did no,
wish to press the subject farther; but if the
Government of the United States wished him te
DO So he prayed to be informed of it."-"It ap
peared," he said "that the Government OF the
United States had been ignorant of any infor
nation that could lead them to suppose that tho
enterprise against the Caroline had been I'M
deriaken by the orders Of the British Govern
ment or by British authority" .s'r
Mr. Hume therefore hoped that no discussion
would take place until all the papers conpectet
with the matter were laid before the House. ii,
, wished 10 know what the nature OF those com
ininf dtiOIis Wbs WITH VhT. STEVENSON anu ne
i ,Majesy's Government which had induced hin
to act as lie had done. -..- ..,-.
Viscount palmerston said that he rattle
] thought his honorable friend would find in tha
correspondence that instructions had been giyeI
by the American Government to Mr.. Stevenson
} to abstain from pressing the subject farther
; hear, With regard to the letter of Mr.. For
syth, he discount Paine rston) begged leave t,
D say that the case stood thus :-inthe case of tn,
E American citizens engaged in invading Canada
! ! the American Government disayowed the act
i of those citizens, and stated that the British au
y thoritles mghtdeal with them as they pleased
, hear, hear,] and that there were persons con
! yernedi this undertaking who were no, IN an
degree entitledt to the protection Of tile Unite,
, States hear n0r ..'.
, But in the other case they treated the affair G
l. the Caroline as one TO be considered as that G
: the Government, and in fact assumed il To b
: altogether Government transaction, and no
to be left upon the responsibilities of individual.
r Until, therefore, the British Government dis
IS o~ned those persons concerned in the destruction