Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-01-09
(FrGm n: Prnnspicani0n.J
.,II,> 4 Nn I.nIA,r HpI1' AIN

-.
The CORRESPONDENCE recently sent to Congress BY
the President, between the British Envoy and MIR.
Forsyth in relation to the arrest OF Mcleod IN New
York. charges of murder and arson, is OF great IN
tcrest and may be Of grave consequence IL IS GER
lany Characteristic Of the two countries, and opens
for discussion a bold demand the part of her Ma
icstvs Government and its manly denial by the Amc-
rican \ lmlnstrlt:on.
Mr. Fox declares that sit is quite notorious that Nc
Lcod not Of the party engaged in the desruc-
ton Of what he is pleased to stgmatIze as "the Pr
raiical Steamboat Caroline This, we presume, is
the ccace of diplomatic assumption Both the inno-
cence of Mcleod and the guilt Of the "Carolinc may
possibly be Mr.. Fox chooses to represent them But
in adm nsterng the criminal law OF any well ordered
State i, is not usual to adopt proof The
judiciary of New York will probably exact, in defence
of Mcleod, something little more substantial
than tn notoriciy Of negarc, or the ministerial use
OF dciunciaory ephet. With all due Difference TO
Mr. Fox we do not think him warranted by any known
facts mputing piracy to the Caroline; and we con-
cciye lbs Judgment somewhat hasty and nermeddllng
when he characteristics the evidence already given
against Mcleod "Mc perjurcd testimony Of Cana
dan ouiacS and Mcir aJefors The tribunals OF JUS
tce MAJ well be permitted TO take their course IN as
ceraining truth they should not be toresnlled; when
their Investigations are impeded prescribed It is not
easy avoid the impression that disclosures and results
are feared.
We believe this TO he the first case of a direct effort
BY foreign power 10 orerawe, stop, and thwart the
proceed ngs of of Criminal Courts BY INVOKING
National coercion. Heretofore, il has been thought
equally respectful and udicous TO attribute to these
Courts desire 10 do what is right; to present TO hem
whatever Notifications might be supposed 10 exist TO
let the cis be established before them, and only TO
venture on an appeal for executive and extraneons
interposhon when they have been iouhd uhao'e
or unwilling TO deal fairly. Mr.. Foxs opinion Of
American Courts of justice may be very bad one !;
it is not impossible that he might rank them IN the
general category Of abetors to outlaws nor shall
we care 10 undeceive him but we are inclined to ne
eve that ne has temporarily forgotten the cxigencies
Of ocia courtesy when he asks "c immediate release
Of .Nr. .Hci.eod and that The President should take
steps to prevent Others Of her Maes'ys subjects from
being ptrscenicd or moiesrd in tic United Statcs IN
similar manner i0r the future" Such tone, on be-
half of an alleged murderer and ncendary, is not The
most conciatory imaginable and MIR. Fox cannot but
be sensible of the extravaganza of demand winch
~ Id suspend in favor Of cher .MajeSys subjects,
The execution of all the laws Of all the United
States for the trial and punishment OF arson and
homicide. We tell him that such immunity
to "hcr .Hojestys subjects" cannot be accorded BY
any known power; that if any of "hcr .hnjestys
subjects are formally accused Of crime in any OF the
States OF this Confderacy, they will be arragned and
tried and if convicted, will be consigned TO the galows
or the penentary ndiscrimnately with other telons
and we are simple enough to entertain the IMPRESSION
that it does not lie with the President OF the Y. >, nor
with Queen Victoria, nor with any other Sovereign,
than the sovereign people of the respective States, to
prevent this being done sin similar manner for Me
tuturc'
Ii the innocence Of Mcleod, in law in fact, be
shewn, or, if The evidence on which he has been ar
rested turn out to be, Mr.. Fox "btlieres IS quite
notoriGus" "the perured testimony Of 0aftd'cS ard
their abcttors, we shall rejoice in his acquItta How
far, time Of peace beocen the t,co countries one,
or more of "her .Noesiys subjects, may enter upon
territory under of night, burn cur houses or
steamers, kill sleeping seamen or children, and at
rJs ha;p II
excuse that what was done, in obedience to 'Mc
cons tufcd authorities Of her .hnjestys Prorincr,
is question we shall leave TO the tribunal before
which il will be raised, and 10 which its decision pro-
pery and exclusively belongs. We have our views
upon that subject but do not wish TO give them in adj
Of the trial. We remember however, "that the
affair Of the Caroline shocked all Europe by lis
mty-that its disclaimer by the British Government
was deemed matter Of course and of civilized de-
cency-ihat was expected TO grow out of it-that
Lord Palmerston never ventured, in the House of
Commons, 10 father wan,on and cruel an atrocty-
and that UP 10 the date Of Mr. Foxs letter TO Mr. For
syth, no one empowered "to make the admission had
gone SO far as to assume for her Majesty Victoria the
sponsibty ofthe proceeding, public authorized act
Of persons in her service We have, indeed always
parded it is violent and cupabe outbreak ofndivdual
avidity for distinction; and because esteemed IL,
We thought i, matter for diplomacy to resent and
dress, not cause of Al the expiration of three
years. Mr. Fox has placed it officially and haughtily
upon another ground:-he claims it TO have been ga
public act Of persons in her Majesys service, OBEY
LYG the ORDER Of their superior authorities '-"the
public act of persons obeyng Tie constituted authorities
of her hjcstys Prorinee Ii such order were given,
will 60 far TO exonerae Mcleod but let see it
hibted in evidence let from whom il emanated;
let US be sure that this extraordinary change of atti
ency, but tardy confession Of the truth. How far