The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-12-15

sacredly secure against all such insaslons, un-
til they shall voluntarily acknowledge their ma
blity to acquit themselves of their dutles'-
And, in announcing this sentiment, DO but al
firm principle which no nation on earth would
be more ready to vindicate, at all hazards, than
the people and Government of Great Britain.
If upon full investigation of all the facts, 1t
shall appear that the owner of the Caroilne
was governed by hostile intent, or had made
common cause with those who were IN the oc-
cupancy of Navy Island, then, so far as he Is
concerned, there can be no claim to indemnity
for the destruction of his boat which this Co.
vernment would feel itself bound to prosecute
since he would have acted not only in deroga-
ton of the rights of Great Britain, but in clear
violation of the laws of the United States; but
that is question which, however settled, in no
manner involves the high consideration OF the
violation of territorial sovereignty and Jurisdlc-
ton. To recognise it as an admissible practice
that each Government, in its turn, upon any
sudden and unauthorized outbreak, which, on
frontier the extent of which renders it impossi-
BILE for either to have an efficient force on every
mile of it, and which outbreak, heretofore,
neither may be able to suppress in day, may
take vengeance into his own hands, and with
out even a remonstrance, and IN the absence OF
any pressing or overruling necessity may IN
wade the territory of the other, would inevitably
lead to results equally to be deplored by both
When border collisions come to receive the
sanction or to be made on the authority OF either
Government general war must be the lnevlta-
bic result While it is the ardent desire OF the
United States to cultivate the relations OF peace
with all nations, and to fulfil all the duties OF
good neighborhood towards those who possess
territories adjoining their own, thai very desire
would lead them to deny the right of any foreign
Power to invade their boundary with an armed
force. The correspondence between the two
Governments on this subject, will, at future
day of your session, be submitted to your con-
sideration; and, in the mean time, / cannot but
indulge the hope that the British Government
will see the proprety of renouncing, as a rule
of future action, the precedent whach has been
set in the affair at Schlosser.
herewith submit the correspondence which
has recently taken place between the American
Minister at the Court of st. James, Mr.. Steven
son, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of that
Government, on the right claimed by that Gov
ernment to visit and detan vessels sailing under
the American flag, and engaged in prosecuting
lawful commerce in the African seas. Our COM
mercial interests in that region have experienced
considerable increase, and have become an OBJ
ject of much Importance, and it is the duty of this
Government to protect them against all improper
and yexatous interruption. However, desirous
the United States may be for the suppression of
the slave trade, they cannot consent to nterpola-
tions into the maritime code at the mere will and
pleasure of other Governments. We deny the
right of any such Interpolation to any one, or all
the nations of the earth, without our consent
We claim to have voice in all amendments or
alterations of that code; and when we are given
to understand, as in this instance, by a foreign
Government, that it's treaties with other nations
cannot be executed without the establishment
and enforcement of new principles of maritime
police to be applied without our consent, we
must employ language neither of equivocal
import nor susceptible of misconstruction.-
American citizens prosecuting lawful COM
merce in the African seas, under the flag of their
country are not responsible for the abuse or un-
lawful use of that flag by others, nor can they
rightully, on account of any such alleged abu-
ses, be interrupted, molested or detained while
on the ocean; and if thus molested and detained
while pursuing honest voyages in the usual way
and violating no law themselves. they are un-
questionably entitled indemnity. This Govern
ment has manifested its repugnance to the slave
trade in manner which cannot be msunder-
stood.
BY its fundamental law it prescribed limits in
point of time to its continuance; and against its
own citizens who mightso far forget the rights
of humanity as to engage in that wicked traffic it
has long since by its municipal laws, denounced
the most condgn punishment. Many of the
States composing this Union had made appeals
to the civilized world for its suppression long
before the moral sense of other nations had be-
come shocked by the iniquities of the traffic.
Whether this Government should now enter into
treaties containing mutual stipulations upon this
subject, is question for its mature dellberation
Certain it is, that if the right to detain American
ships on the high seas can be justified on the
plea of a necessity for such detention, arising
out of the existence of treaties between other
nations, the same plea may be extented and en-
larged by the new stipulations of new treaties, to
which the United States may not be a party
This Government will not cease to urge upon
that of Great Britain full and ample renumera-
ton for all losses, whether arising from deten-
ton or otherwise, to which American citizens
have heretofore been or may hereafter be SUBJ
iected, by the exercise Of rights which the Go
vernment cannot recognise as legitimate and
proper. Nor will indulge doubt but that the
sense of Justice of Great Britain will constrain
her to make retribution for any wrong or loss
which any American citizen engaged in the
prosecution Of lawful commerce may have expe-
rienced at the hand of her cruisers or other pub