Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-07-23
BLOOMINGTON, 1owz, l1lllll1bAY, JULY 80, 1s4l

uary last, when Mr.. FOrsyth's letter was re 40
in this chamber, we were all Of opinion that ne
had given the correct and proper answer; and
among the Senators then present were the pre-
sent Secretary Of State, the present Attorney
General, all the old Senators now present. and
four-fifths Of the number now present. In
word, the Senate was constituted as 1t now IS,
with the exception Of nine members whothad
gpre out, and the same number who have
come in. q.
In January last, as we now see, It was the
unanimous sense of the Senate that Mcleod
should not be given up-tllat the course OF JUS
tice in New York should not be interrupted
and this also feel justified in saying, was tha
same of the House Of Representatives. Iy
Mcleod correspondence was communicated
that body. Five thousand copies were Y :.
to be printed. A reference Of thaswhole W.
made to the Committee Of Foreign Relations
and the Judgment of the House appeared to be
the same of that of the Senate.
In the month of January last, it may then be
asserted, that the two Houses of Congress APP
proved the decision of President Van Buren, !;
and, according to that decision, Mcleod was
neither to be given up, nor the course of justice
in New York interfered with by the Federal
Government.
Mr.. Fox received the answer Of Mr.. Forsyth
transmitted it to his Government--and re-
ceived from that Government precise instruc-
tions to avow and assume the attack on the
Caroline as national act--to make peremp-
tory demand for the release of McLeod-to
threaten US with serious consequences In the
event Of refusal--and, as the British newspa-
pers said, to demand his passports, and leave
the country-if his demand was not immediate
" complied with. 1t was on the evening OF
the 4th day of March-the day Of the inaugu-
ration Of the new Prcsident-that the news OF
these instructions arrived in this city, and along
with them the war threats and the war speech
cs of the press and public men of England
the threat of many papers to send admlrals and
war steamers to batter down our citles-and
the diabolical speech Of Peer Of the realm, in
the House of Lords, (Lord Mountcashel,) to
excite our three millions Of negroes TO insurrec-
tion--io raise all the Indians against us-and
to destroy our finances by bursting the paper
bubbles upon which they floated.
1t was on the evening Of the 4th day of March
that these instructions, this demand, this threat,
and all these war annunciations arrived in this
city. The ne " President had just been inau-
guratcA his Cabinet had just been indicated !:
the men who were to compose the Presidential
council were fully known; and undertook at
once 10 tell what would be done. said to Sc
veral-~some now in this city, if not N this
chamber--MLeod ,ciH be ginen up not dire-t-
IL. h1li iudirectlaa ~ :.
SCI n motion 10 release him and letter 'oiH a.
terwards be cooked up to shoU to Congress and
the people, and to justify arhat had been done.
This is what said +; persons are now In ehls
city to whom said it; and now let us resume
the narrative of events-let US follow the cur
rent of facts-and see what was done by the
new Administration which had just been in
Quoted into office in the midst Of triumphal pro-
cessions, under the fire of cannon, the beating
drums, the display Of flags, aid with all the
glorious pomp and circumstance of war. Let
US see what they did.
On the 18th day of March, the new admin
is,ration having had time TO organize, Mr.. Fox
addresses to Mr.. Webster formal demand, in
the name of his Government, for the release Of
Mcleod and goes on to say
"The grounds upon which the British Govern
ment make this demand upon the Government Of the
United States are these: that the transaction on &C.
count of which Mcleod has been arrested and is to
be put upon his trial, was transaction of public
character planned and executed by persons duly
powered by her Maestys colonial authorities to take
any steps and to do any acts which might be neces-
sary for the defence of her territories and or
the protection of her Macstys Subjects and that
sequeny those subjects of her Majesty who engaged
in that transaction were performing an act of public
duty for which they cannot be made personally and
Individually answerable to the laws and tribunals o.
any foreign country"
And after enforcing this demand, by argu-
ment, contesting the answer given by Mr.. For
syth, and suggesting the innocence OF Mcleod
the letter proceeds to say:
But, be that as it may her Majesty's Govern
ment formally demand, upon the grounds already sta
ted, the immediate release of Mr.. Mcleod; and hel
Malestys Government entreat the President Of thu
United States to take into his most deliberate consi
deraon the serious nature of the consequences which
| must ensue from rejection of this demand"
| This letter to Mr.. Webster bears date on The
18th of March, which was Friday, and will be
considered as having been delivered on The
same day. On the 18th of the same month
which was Monday, Mr.. Webster delivers tc
| the Attorney General Of the United States. a
set Of instructions, and delivers acopy of the
the same 10 Mr.. Fox, in which he yields to tht
demand of this Minister, and dispatches thu
Attorney General to New York, to effect The
discharge of the prisoner.
| A copy Of these instructions, as have said
were delivered to Mr.. Fox at the time they
were written. At the same moment they were
delivered to the new Attorney General, Mr.
Crittenden,) who, thus equipped with writer
directions for his guide, and accompanied BY
officer of high rank in the United States army
(Major General Scott Immediately proceeded
in the business of his mission TO the State Q
New York, and to the place of the impending
trial, at I.ockport. About forty days thereaf
ter, namely on the Gath day of April, Mr.. Web
ster replies to MIR. Fox's letter Of the 18th o
March; deliberately reviews the case of Mcleod
/ -iustifes the Observation-Disclosures the sub
Iject-and demands nothing from the Sovereign
/ who had assumed his offence.