The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-09
LATER FROM EUROPE.

characterization Daily Patriot
LATER FROM EUROPE.
ARRIVAL OF STEAMER PRESIDENT
The steamship President arrived at New York on
"wednesday morning, having left Liverpool on the
10Th February.
The CASE OF McLEoD.
This case was briefly touched upon in the House o.
Lords on the 9th. II introduced by the Earl Of
Mountcashel, who, after remarks on the enor
lnity Of the proceedings had in the State Of New
York, inquired of Lord Melbourne whether the Gov
eminent had any information and what steps had been
taken.
The Viscount replied briefly, that information had
been received--that Mr.. McLeods liberation had been
demanded by Mr.. Fox, SC. As to the steps, he was
sure the House would expect him to give any an
swer at present. He would only say that Ministers
had taken every means in their power to secure the
safety of Her Maestys subjects, &c.
In the House of Commons the same matter was
called up by Lord Stany, who said that
Seeing the noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs in his place, he Lord should ask that ques-
ton Of which he had given notice This being a
subject OF so important nature and coming forward
at So critical period, he compelled to preface the
question he was about to put by short statement OF
facts, but 1t should be only such statement the
rules of the House permitted.
Here his Lordship stated the facts relating to the
destruction of the Caroline which, by the way, he
ca'lcu scioonei, anu tnen prOceeued as 1olloWS
"A representation of these proceedings made 10
the authorities of the State of New York and the Pre-
sident Of the United States and at the same time a
counter was drawn by the British author
ties In Upper Canada and transmitted through Mr. Fox
Minister in the United States TO the Government
OF that country. In consequence of the conflicting
nature of the evidence thus Produced the President
entered into communication with Mr.. Fox and for
warded to him copy Of the evidence transmitted from
the authorities Of New York for the purpose Of being
ln.l txnfo w.
pcrs accompanied by demand of PREPARATION for
what the despatch called outrage the neutrality
Of the American Territory.
A counter-statemrnt from the Canadian authorities
containing strong counter-representation, having
been made by her Maesty's minister at Washington
the whole Of the correspondence was in January or
February, 1898 transmitted to her Majestys govern
ment, accompanied by the demand for reparaton
made by the government Of the United States. But,
from that period to the present. no information had
been laid before the house by the Foreign office
spectng the affair. The Colonial office in 1888 gave
some information to the house the subject and
after that 1t furnished various papers, including the
proceedings the House of Assembly, and the Lieu
tenant Governor of Upper Canada, who in those
documents strongly supported the views of the Cana
dian authorities and referred in terms Of the highest
appreciation to the conduct Of those who participated
in the attack on, and firing the schooner.
He believed that since then the public had consi-
dered the affair entirely settled between the two
stood, gentleman by the name of M Leod, who had
been engaged in the service of her Majesty Upper
Canada sheriff of county and who undoubtedly
had taken an active part on several occasions in repe
ing invasons of the province, but who, however so
far as he (Lord 81 knew, had had nothing whatever
to do with the affair of the Caroline, arrested in
the State Of New York by the command Of the local
authorities on charge Of murder and arson. He was
committed to Jail on this charge; for SO it appeared the
seizure of the Caroline considered although the
had heen done under the orders of the Canadian
authorities and in repelling invasion Of the Cana
dian territories and under the directions of gentle
man TO whom the command Of military force was
then entrusted
Mr. M'Leod apprehended on this charge and
about to be tried by a jury of citizens Of New
York. He Lord S. hoped he stating these facts
correctly but il he should msrepesent he hoped the
noble Lord would correct him. In the meantime
Congress met, and the members requested the Pres
dent TO lay before them the communications which
the United Stains Government had had with the
British Government on this subject The President,
in complying laid before the Congress the strong re-
monsirance which Mr.. Fox, as representative of the
British Sovereign, had made on the apprehension by
the authorities of New York of British subject for
an offence (f il oi1ence) committed under the
sanction of British authorities whose at that
moment under the consideration of the two Govern
ments and had been for three years the subject Of
gotiaton.
The answer of the President was a refusal to re-
cognise the claim of Mr. MLeod, for these reasons
partly because the federal government had grounds
for interfering with the authority of the cveral states
and if they had grounds for interfering this
a case TO exercise any right authority which such
grounds might give then nasmuch as the question Of
international right here deeply involved which
should preclude any interference. Mr.. Fox closed
this correspondence by expressing in the strongest
manner his deep regret the view which the Presi-
dent had taken of this matter, and that he Mr. Foxy
not authorized to express the opinions which her
Maesty's Government entertained upon the subject,
but his part he should enter his protest in the
strongest manner that lay in his power against the
and he would farther without loss Of time
lay the whole correspondence before her Majesty's
Government
Mi M'Leod was arrested last November, and in the
month of February the assizes take poce-the pre-
sent month"; and it is fact which he (the noble lord)
hoped would furnish sufficient viDdcation for now
inter- osing in matter which is calculated TO place
two great nations in most serious and critical posi-
ton hear hear 1t should be considered that at
this moment the life Of British subject may be placed
in the greatest jeopardy in consequence of his hav-
ing acted by the authority of her Majesty's Govern
ment, and by orders Of the military authorities to
obey which il was his necessary and bounden duty.
The question, then, which he lord Stanley
wished to put this-that inssmuch negotia-
ops had commenced upon the subject Of the burning
of the Caroline, since January 1888, between her
Majesty's Government and the Government of the
United States-he wished to ask in the first place,
whether her Majestys Government would have any
objection to lay the table the entire of the
pondence which had taken place upon the subject Of
the destruction Of the Caroline and, also whether
the dispatches had all been received which had been
referred by Mr. Fox in the recent accounts and par
tcuary that which had been transmitted on the 29h
of December last announcing the apprehension OF
Mr.. M eod He (Lord Stanly) begged to ask far
ther, whether her Majesty's Government bad taken
any steps toward procuring the release Of Mr. MLeod
from his present confinement and If So whe her they
would lay upon the table the Of those steps, and
the correspondence which had passed upon this sub.
ec between the Government Of the United States and
her Maesty's Ministers
Viscount Palmerston rose and said the noble lord
had adverted al much length to a subject Of extreme
interest and which from the great delicacy OF its ma
tnre involved considera ions Of grave and serlous