Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-08-28

I
and conflicts should sometimes occur
equally against the will of both Govern.
ments, is certainly easy to be Supposed
This may be more possible, perhaps, in
regard to the United States, without any
reproach to their Government. since their
institutions entirely discourage the keep
ing up of large standing armies in time OF
Ipeace, and their situation happily exempts
them from the necessity Of maintaining
such expensive and dangerous establish.
ments. All that can be expected from Ell
Their Government, in these cases, is good
faith. sincere desire to preserve peace and
do justice, the use Of all proper means of
prevention, and that if offences cannot.
nevertheless, be always prevented. the of.
tenders shall still be Justly punished. In all
these respects, this Government acknowl.
edges no delinquency in tile performance
Of its duties.
Her Majesty's Government are pleased,
also, to speak of those American citizens,
who took part with persons in Canada, en-
gagedin an insurrection against the British
Government as american pirates" The
undersigned does not admit the propriety
Or justice of this designation If citizens
of the United States fitted out, or were
engaged in fitting out a military expedition
from the United States, intended to act
against the British Government in Canada,
they were clearly violating the laws of
their own country and exposing themselves
to the just consequences, which might be
inflicted on them, if taken within the Brit
sh dominions. But notwithstanding this.
they were certainly not pirates, nor does
the undersigned think that it can advance
the purpose of fair and friendly discussion,
or hasten the accommodation of national
difficulties, SO to denominate them. Their
offence, whatever it was, had no analogy
to cases Of piracy. Surprising all that IS
alleged against them to be true they were
taking part in what they regarded as a
civil war, and they were taking part on
the side Of the rebels. Surely England
herself has not regarded persons thus en-
gagged as deserving the appelation which
her Ala1esty's Government bestows on these
citizens of the United States.
1t is quite notorious that. for the greater
part Of the last two centuries, subjects of
the British Crown have been permitted to
engage in foreign wars. both national and
civil, and the latter i'll every stage Of their
progress; and vet it has not been imagined
that England has at any time allowed her
subjects to turn pirates. Indeed in our
own times, not only have individual sub
IJects Of that Crown gone abroad to engage
in civil wars, bu1 we have seen whole rcgi-
mentS openly recruited, embodied, armed,
and disciplined in England. with the avow-
ed purpose of aiding rebellion against a
nation with which England was at
peace: although it is true that, subsequent
iy, an act Of Parliament was passed to pre-
vent SO nearly approaching to public war.
without license from the Crown.
1t may be said that there is difference
between the Gaze of a civil war arising
from disputed succession or a protracted
revolt Of colony against the mother
country, and the case Of the fresh outbreak
or commencement of rebellion The
undersigned does not deny that such dis
tinction may. for certainpurposcs. be deem
ed well founded. lie admits that Gov
eminent called upon 10 consider it's OWL
rights, interests, and duties when civil wars
break out IN their countries, NAV decide on
I all the circumstances Of the particular
case upon its own existing stipulatOnS; on
what It's own security requires, and on
many other considerations 1t NAV be al
ready bound to assist one party, or il NAV
become bound if it so chooses, to assist the
other, and to meet the consequences of
such assistance.
But whether the revolt be recent or long
continued they who Join those concerned
in it. whatever NAV be their offence against
their own country. or however they NAV
be treated. if taken with arms in their
hands in the territory OF the Government,
against which the revolt is raised, can
not be denominatCd pirates, without de-
parting from all ordinary use of language
in the definition of offences. 4 cause
which has so foul an origin as piracy, can
not, in its progress, or by its success. OBJ
| tain claim to any degree Of respectable
| ty or tolerance among nations; and civil
wars, therefore, are not understood to have
such a commencement.
| 1t is well known to Mr. Fox that author
tiles of the highest eminence in England.
| living and dead, have maintained that the
general law Of nations does not forbid the
citizens or subjects Of one Government
from taking part in the civil connections Of
another. There is some reason, indeed, to
think that such may be the opinion of her
Maiestys Government at the present mo-
ment.
The undersigned has made these remarks
! from the conviction that it is important to
regard established distinction, and to view
the acts and offences of individuals in the
exactly proper light. But it is not to be
! inferred that there is. ON the part Of this