Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-19
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
THURSDAY, June 10, IsII.

foreign nr ,rs be referred to the Committee on Fo
reign Affairs
Mr. BUCHANAN thereupon rose and address
ed tho Senate observing that when he had first
the correspondence between the British Minister
Mr.. Fox, and the American Secretary of State, h,
had at once determined to make, upon the hrst HI
opportunty some observations upon that cores
pondence IN the face Of the Senate and OF the coun-
try. lie regretted that, in finding a ut opportunity
there had, contrary to his own ine!inatons been Sc
much delay; but having ut length found II, he would
accomplish his original purpose. and would do II
with as much brevity as possible; promising, how
ever that he should not have thought of such a
nrocredins upon this motion OF reference, had
not the example been set and precedent establish
oil ut the last session of Congress by the present
Secretary Of State.
lie must be permitted to make one remark by
way Of preface: aud that was that 1t he knew him.
sell, he was not actunted. in this matter, by any
thing like party political feeling. He trusted his
construction Of some portions OF the correspondence
IN question might prove incorrect; for though he
acknowledged himsetto be party man and strong.
ly influenced by party feeling, II had been his en-
deavor never to carry that feeling with him into the
Committee on Foreign Relations, (ot which he had
for many years been a memoer'l and ne trusted
that he had gwen sufficient evidence OF this by his
course in that committee. Yet, as he was firmly
convinced that n proper regard for the American
character, both at home and abroad, required that
some commentary should be made on these papers,
he had, upon reading them, determined, at once
that tina; commentary should I've made by INN with
out fear, but with respectful regard TO the feelings
o. all parties.
20 the letter Of the 9Th OF April last lately pub
lished from Mr. Webster, our Secretary OF State,
10 Mr.. Fox There was LILLE, indeed much, very
much. that it contained had his Cordial approbatlon
but, unfortunately that letter had little or no'hinS
10 do with the substance OF the matter IL uld not
make its appearance until nearly SIX weeks alter The
important business between the two Governments
had been transacted IL was the Iettet oil inc brI-
tish Minister Of the 18th OF March, and the nsruc-
lions of the Secretary OF State to the Attorney Gc-
neral OF the United States, Of the 18Th OF the same
month, which contained the true merits OF the case
IL that letter OF instructions, copy OF wGleh
had doubtless been communicated 10 the BT!iiSh Mi
MISTER and had been openly referred TO IN the BIZ
tsh Parliament it was those instructions, cSpeca.-
", which lay at the root oil the question On these
two papers Of the l2ih and 18th March, public OPT.
mon had been formed well IN England as here;
and what came hmping along, SIX weeks alter,
however Just and however eloquent II might be,
could exert but little or no influence either IN Eu-
rope or IN this country.
To understand the merits OF the case, bret re-
capitulalion Of facts was necessary. rebellion,
said MIR e. or, II you please, an attempt at reyo.
luton, existed IN Canada; during the course OF
which, the insurgents took possession OF Navy
island in the Niagara river. British militia force
oil two thousand men was embodied al Chippewa,
on the Canada side Of the river. The American
steamboat Caroline, after having carried provisions
10 the insurgents Navy island, uor believe that
was the f,cil together with probably single can
non, lay anchor, after her trlp, fastened to the
wharfut SchlOSscr, small village VIGOROUSLY with
in the jurisdiction of the United States, under the
sacred Se us of our protection. And the country
must be rccrelnt itself and 10 its citizens, which
would not, until the very last, MAINTAIN and yInd-
cate its exclusive sovereignty over Its own soil
against all foreign aggression.
There lay this vessel IN American waters, under
the guardianship ofour sovereignty and OF the Amer-
can flag; but this afforded her no protection What
happened on the night of the 2Sh OF December,
1887 Colonel Allan McNub, a name famous in
napHa OF he of mil
Chippewa and a Captain Drew, Of the British ma
Wy, who believe has since been pensoned for his
gallant exploit undertook 10 raise body OF volun-
teers and, by way OF characterizing the nature OF
the service they 10 perform, declared that he
wanted fifty or sixty desperate fellows who would
he ready to follow him TO the devil. Under the
command OF this Colonel McNab, now Sir Allan
cd by Queen VSSERSndi he has a since been knsnt
down the Niagara river at the dead hour OF midnight
without previous notice, and while the people OF
board the Caroline lay reposlns under the protec
ton of American laws, ana made an attack on un
armed men who were private citizens not connected
in any way with the resistance to British aulhori-
~ and murdered at least one OF their number within
the American territory. These barbaTilns, regard.
less of the lives OF those who May have re-
manned on board, un7.oored the boat, lowed her out
into the middle oil the river, where swift and ire
sns,!U.e current soon hurried heI down the falls Of
Niagara, and to this hour II Is not known how many
American citizens persisted in that fata! night This
Is no fancy picture.
Now, as to the principle Of the law Of nations
which app les to such case, that pure patriot and
eminent jlrsi, John Marshall, has expressed it with
gIca, force and esarness. lie says that
"Tne jurisdiction Of a nation, within its own ter
rjtory, exclusive and absolute. IL IS susceptible
OF no limitation not imposed by ITSELF Any restrIc-
tor, deriving validity from external source
would imply q diminuu0n OF us sovereignty 70 the
extent OF that restriction, and investment Of thai
sovereignty the same extent in that power which
could impose such rcstr!cuOn."-7 Cranch, li6.
And again: every nation has exclusive juris
dciOn the waters adjacent 10 us shores, 10 h
distance Of q clnron's shot, or marine laague"-l
Calls, e. G. r., CO.
According to the settled law of nations, If tn
Caroline had been vessel Of war, on the high seas
belonging 10 the insurgents, and after an engage
men, with a British vesse had been pursued within
marine league of the American shore, our naiiona
rights, as t. neutral Power, would Immediately hay
covered her, and hostile gun could not have bCsl
fired against her wiihou. afiofdng grounds 70
lust complaint. If, for example, the British AM
French nations had been at open war; end Frenc
vessel, IN flying before British pursuits should hav
been driven within marine league Of the American
coast, oil. further acts OF hostility towards ner mus
instantly cease, or the neutral Power would b
wounded IN the most sensitive poni-namey, tia
Of its sovereignty.
shall not here argue to prove that in this cas-
there has been gross violation Of our naiioGl
sovereignty, because on that point no gentleman,
sure, does ORGAN entertain doubt. That Jcin
clear, the American Government al once remonstra
ted in strong and forcibIe and eloquent term,
through our minister abroad. TIE letter Of Mr. Ste
ycnson, on that OCCASION, does him great honor in
deed. Repeated attempts were made to induce Oh
British Government TO answer this Tcmonslranc,
but all 10 vain IL IS that il has been stated
the British House Of Commons, by one Of the b.
fish ministers, that the American Government ha
Gnaliy given up the ques ion, and did not intend {
insist upon an answer. The pre;ence Tor maxim
this statement has most probably arisen from a Gu
tom too common among Us Of publishing diplomat,
correspondence, whilst the negotiation to which
relates is still pending. Nj Stevenson IN his LETT,
to MIR Forsyth OF the % July, 1889, employs th
language:
81 regret TO say that no answer has yc! been give
to my note in the case Of the Caroline | have q,
deemed 1t proper, under the circumstances, to pre-,
the subject without further instructions from yOl
Department " It is the wish OF the Governmer
that should DO 50, pray 10 be informed Of IL, an
the degree OF urgency that | an to adopt"
To which Mr. Forsyth replies under date Of Sci
TENDER 4, 1889, as follows:
"wIth reference to the closing paragraph Of yo
communication TO the Department dated % NJ Ju
last, it is proper TO inform you that nstrucio
are at present required for again bringing iorwa
the question Of the Caroline. IhaUe had IrCgu,
constructions ighh Mr.. For IA rsgard 10 Mis 81
Jsei one Of uSry fsesui date; and from iis tone,
President trpteis me Bdn,h GOrtrumsni toH a
S,ou your application IN The case, i5uhoh much n,
TIER delayn
The Senate will thus perceive that there is