The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-19

| On the Report Of the Committee on Foreign heia-
| fi0ns.
Mr.. PIckEss having moved that the Report be ia'd
| on the table and printed
| Mr.. EVERETT said that, as the Report emnTacea
the case of the Caroline well as that OF hcheoo
(which alone had been submitted, he should move 70
print all the documents relating 10 hoth cases 'y
had been heretofore published, from time 70 une,
communicated to the House lie desired 70 pnng
them together this occasion, 10 enape the tious
and the country duly to appreciate the Report, and
the measures taken by the Executive TO preserve our
neutrality He thought that since the ahalr OF inc
Caroline every thing had been done when me means
within the control of the Executive enabled u TO DO
He then sent TO the Chair list OF the documents,
! House Doc 25th Cong, ID Sess Nos. "a, rs "a,
from page % To the end; 76, 302 and Of 10Th Gong
I'd Sess No 49, of 2sh Dec. le4O and 1th Jan. iofi'
the Neutrality Act Of March TO- 1888 and the Presi-
dents Procarnaions OF 9th Jan and 2lst Nov 1881
which he moved to have printed with the Report.
| IMr. GRANGER, Mr. PIcREss, and MIR. ADAMS,
took part in the debate on the Report :
| Mr. EVERETT said that, but for the remarks oil
1 the honorable Chairman of the Committee on oreisn
Affairs he should have taken part IN the debate.
He now felt il due to himself dissen,ient member
of that committee TO state IN part the GROUNDS OF ms
dissent. 49,.
The Report relates to matters OF the grayest import
and which are the subject OF diplomatic discus
sion between the two Goyernments--a discussion con-
fded by the Constitution 70 the Executive; ne isn'
great embarrassment in debating subjects of this cha
racter and importance with open doors IL was uIni-
cult if impossible TO do full justice to the SUBJECT
or to ourselves without danger Of saying things that
should not be head beyond these walls. yield, said
he to the restraint imposed + the time and the place
shall endeavor TO say nothing that should not be
heard by all. In the committee room there was no
restraint | said things there that shall not say
here. Perhaps ought rather TO congratulate myself
on being now thus restricted than to complain OF it,
in some Of my views stood alone in the COM
mittee
Sir in my judgment the report is uncaled for--ill-
timed-and worse than useless interference with the
duties of the Executive The discussion is now pend
| ing between the two Governments. The documents
were communicated merely in answer to call of the
House The Executive has not asked either for its
opinion action. AT this time, why should either be
desired And what is the time chosen to put forth
| the gratutous opinions of the majory-and, as the
honorable chairman has said, of bare majority--of
political majority of the committee One Admins
traion is about going out of power. In twenty days
it will expire and another succeed Without intend
ing any dsrespect to the majority, of the committee,
ask is proper is it decorous thus TO attempt to EN-
barrass the incoming Admlnistraton-to compromit
| its on subjects so decae-so Importanti The
report is little short OF an ofclous interference oil one
Administration with things that belong to another.
But sir, without regard TO change of Adminlstra-
tion this interference proper useu Our foreign
relations are committed to the Executive Negota-
tons be conducted only by the Executive. When
they ale at end, this House-both Houses must
act. Congress alone dictate the ultcTier mea-
sures. do not mean to say there are not cases IN
which either House may, pending negotiation, ex-
press its opinions. Ii the Executive be remss in his
duty--f he pursue a deemed wrong in prnci-
pie, dangerous in its csnsequencesor II the Exc.
cutive seek its opinion with view to give effect to
its measures it may be very proper for either House
to express IT, But, sir the report has of these
grounds for its support II is entirely uncalled for,
and its effect may be to compromit the Executive to
course that its better judgment would decine and to
produce excitement in the country that may create
additional endorsements, and new obstacles TO the
in Of ur
tain.
pass the discursve character Of the report-its
erences to subjects reicrred-its to mel somewhat
exccptionabe Ianguage-and come to the matter
erred-the Of Alexander Mcleod. That case,
and that alone referred to the committee, and TO
that alone should the report have been confined
That case though connected with the case of the
Caroline, rests different principles. The of
Mr.. Mcleod, presented in the documents is
rely separate and distinct from the question, whe-
ther the destruction of the Caroline not
justifable.
desired that no report should be made while the ne
sotiation- were pointing petween the TWO countries
In my opinion opinion action of this House was
at this time, required. will now read to the House
a statement OF the negotiations to this time, far
and far only is necessary TO the Of Mcleod
and to show that his well the Caroline
the subjects Of diplomatic discussion between
the two Governments. Before sit down | will also
submit to the House the substitute submitted to- and
rejected by tho committee. will here take leave to
say that have given this subject the most careful
consideration, without party party feelings.
1t is above and beyond all party considerations:
" The CASE OF ALEXANDER McLEoD.--The facts
material to the subject submitted to the committee are
that, the night of the 29th December 1887, de-
tachment of the British forces stationed at Chippewa
in the Province of Upper Canada crossed the Niagara
to Schlosser, in the State Of New York, and there
made hostile attack the steamboat Caroline, the
property of an American citizen killed and wounded
a number Of American citizens, captured the boat
he ne set her m her
in flames over the falls
"On the 9th January, 1888, the Secretary of State
communicated to Mr. Fox the British Minister copy
of the evidence furnished to the Department of this
extraordinary outrage, committed from her Britannia
Majestys Prorince Of Upper Canada, on the persons
and property of citizens of the United States rhin
the jurisdiction Of The State Of Ne,o York; and stat
ing that il would necessarily form the subject of
demand for redress upon her Majesty Government
son the 9th February, Mr.. Fox communicated to
the Secretary of State despatch from Sir Francis
Head, Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, con-
tanning the distinct avowals that The Caroline was
destroyed by order of Col MacNab, command ing the
militia in her Maesty's service and that he Sir
Francis approved the act.
Con the 22d May, Mr.. Stevenson presented the
subject to the consideration of her Macsiys Govern
ment After referring to those avowals, he said that
under such circumstances it was not TO have been
expected that the tooe proceeding could be regarded
by the Government of the United States in any other
light than manifest act of hostile and daring az
gresson upon its rights and sovereignty utterly ncon
slstcn will all the principles of national law, and
choiiy irreconciiabie rih The friendly and peaceful
relations of the two countries that the case, then, Is
one Of open, undisguised, and unmarrantabe hostit
IT, fle concludes by expressing the confident ex
pectaton of the President of the United States that
the whole proceeding will not only be dlsavowcd and
dsapproved but that such redress the nature of the
case obviously requires will be promptly made To
this our Government waits the final of the
Brit sh Government.
"On the 9th November last, Alexander Mcleod
British subject was arrested and imprisoned by the