Southern pioneer, and Carroll, Choctaw and Tallahatchie Counties advertiser. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1841-03-13

time TO extend to portion of their own ter
ritory, and which recommends itself to US luI
as much from lis assumption as from It's love
of right or law.
s The British Minister is pleased also, to cal
the Caroline "pratcal steamboat" The
loose epithet ofany one, no matter how higI
in place, cannot make that piracy which
the law of nations does not recognize as such
Pirates are freebooters, enemies of the human
race; and eminent jurists describe them as raw
aging every sea and coast, with no flag and NJ
home. Piracy comes under the concurren
jurisdiction of all nations. Even in the wors
point of view that it can be considered, those
connected with the steamboat Caroline, were
but aiders and abettors of others engaged ir
rebellion. And the committee are totally at {
loss to know upon what authority rebellion Is
recognized as piracy. Such conioundlng o.
terms is resting the case upon eplthets instead
ofsound law or facts. But even suPposing II
to be a "piratical boat as the Minister asserts
it to be, yet the moment it touched our soil 1t
fell under our sovereignty, and no power on
earth could rightfully invadeit.
| There is no doctrine more consecrated IN
English history than that every human being
who touches the soil of Great Britain is imme-
diately covered by British law. Suppose one
of Ter vessels were cut from the banks OF the
Thames and burnt by Frenchmen, and British
citizens were assassinated at night, and the
French Minister were to avoW that they act
ed under the orders of his Government, and
that the vessel was 'pratcal," and the citi-
zenS murdered were outlaws, then there is not
an Englshman whose heart would not beat
high to avenge the wrong, and vindcate the
rights of his country. The law, there is the
law here. And there is no international law,
consistent with the seperate independence of
nations, that sanctions the pursuits of even
pirates to murder and arson over the soil and
Jurisdiction of one of the States of this Con-
tederacy. No greater wrong can be done to
a country than invasion of soil. If it can be
done with IMMUNITY at one point; and on one
occasion, 1t can be done at another, and the
nation that submits to it finally sinks down in
TO dwelling imbecility. If a representation
OF the state of things at Schlosser, and the
conduct of those who had control of the Caro-
line, had first been made to the proper author
tiles of New York, or of the United States,
then there would have been some show at
least of respect for our sovereignty and indie
pendence, and disposition to treat us as an
equal. But in this case, as if to treat our au-
thorities with contempt, there was no preliml-
nary demand or representation made.
1t was hoped that the outrage was perpetra-.
ted by party in sudden heat and excitement
upon their own responsibility. But the Brit
lsh Minister now avows that "the act was the
public act of persons obeying the constituted
authorities Of her Majesty's province" and
sons in her Majestys service, obeying the or
terS OF their superior officers"
If this had been the first and only point of
collision with Great Britain, it might not have
excited much interest; but there is an assump-
ton IN most of our intercourse with that great
Power, revolving to the pride and spirit of in
dependence IN free people. If it be her de-
sire to preserve peace, her true policy would
be to do justice, and show that courtesy to
equals which she has always demanded from
others. The committee do not desire to press
views on this part of the subject, particularly
as demand has been made by our Govern
ment of Great Britain for explanation as to the
outrage committed, the answer to which, it is
hoped, will prove satisfactory.
AS to the other points presented in the de-
mand made by the British Minister for the
CELEBRATION" of Alexander Mcleod, the com
mittee believe the facts of the case to be, that
the steamboat was seized and burnt as stated
UClOIG, anu ClllZeu OF CIllZeQS OF new
York were murdered in the affray. And there
were reasons 10 believe that Mcleod was par
ticepS criminis. He was at first arrested and
upon various testimony being taken, was then
discharged. He was afterwards arrested a.
second time. Upon the evidence then presen-
ted he was impris oned to await his trial.
There was no invasion of British territory to
seize or take him. But, upon his being volun-
tarily within our territory, he was arrested as
any citizen of the United States, charged with
a similar offence, might have been. We know
OF no law of nations that would exempt man
from arrest and imprisonment for offences
charged to be committed against the ''peace
and dignity" of a State, because he is a sub
ect of Great Britain, or because he commit
ed the crime at the instigation or under the
authority OF British provincial officers; much
ess do we know of any law that would iusti-
" 10 70 IoI,,- -.