The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-03-03

II burning OF llle SledlllDOdt CdFOlHle, dil'
1.-THE demand made for the liberation o
Mr.. Alexander Mcleod, respectfully re
ort:
1t appears that the steamboat ''Caro
line. was seized and destroyed in the
month of December, 1887. The com
mittee are: induced to believe that the
facts Of the case are as follows: The boat
was owned by, and in possession OF, a
citizen of New York. She was cleared
from the city of Buffalo, and, on the
morning Of the 29th of December, 1887,
she left the port of Buffalo, bound for
Schlosser, upon the American side of the
Niagara river, and within the territory Of
the United States. The original intention
seemed to be to run the boat between
Buffalo and Schlosser, or perhaps from
Rock dam to Schlosser, and, should it
seem profitable, it was intended to run
|her also to Navy Island, and touch at
Grand Island and Tonawanda. Her
owner was Mr.. Wells, said to be re-
spectacle citizen of Buffalo, and it is OBJ
vious his intention IN putting up the boat
was one of speculation and profit entire
ly. The excitement upon that portion Of
the frontier, at this period, had collected a
great many in the neighborhood, some
from curiosity, some from idleness, and
others from taking an interest i'll the un-
usual and extraordinary collection of adj
venturous men gathered together at that
time on Navy Island. Navy Island was
"nominaly" in the British "territory."
The owner of the Caroline took ad-
vantage of circumstances 10 make some
money with his boat, by running her as
ferry boat to Navy Island. All these ap-
pear from testimony regularly taken.-
(See Fl. r. Doc: No. 302, pages 46 and
49, ed Session, 25th Congress,) and the
committee know Of no legal evidence TO
contradict them. There is no proof that
any arms or munitions Of war were car
ried in the boat, except, perhaps, one
small six-pounder field piece belonging to
a passenger. The principal object was to
run the boat as a ferry boat from Sch!os-
ser, on the American side, to Navy Island,
on the British side. 1t is believed that,
even in war, a neutral Power has the
right to trade in contraband articles, SUBJ
iect; of course, to seizure and confiscaton
if taken within the jurisdiction of either
of the contending parties. What is con-
traband of war is not always certain
Treaty stipulations frequently include
some articles, and exclude others recog-
nizsd.ulthe law of nations. Trading IN
co1iffabaHd articles is no excuse for IN
vadmg the territory and soil Of a neutral
and independent Power, whose private
citizens may choose to run the hazards OF
such trade. In this instance there were
no two foreign Powers engaged in war;
but all concerned in the outbreak or ex-
citement within the British jurisdiction
claimed to be British subjects, In resist
ance of the authorities of Canada, pro-
vince of the British empire. Even ad-
mitting, then, that the Caroline was en-
gagged in contraband trade, yet it was with
citizens who claimed to be subjects of the
same empire with those who were styled
the legitimate officers of the Province
Abstrac-ly speaking, how was private
citizen to decide who were right and who
wrong in these local pursuits? And which
portion of citizens of the same province
must our citizens refuse TO have any COM
munication with? But the boat was mere
ly used for one day as ferry boat, and
on the night Of the day she commenced
running she was seized, while moored at
the wharf at Schlosser, and burnt. Sc
veral men were assassinated; certainly one
who fell dead upon the dock. Now, the
insinuation of the British Minister that
Schlosser was 'nominally" within the
territory of the United States may well
be retorted, as we can with equal truth
say that Navy Island was "nominally"
within the ''territory" of the British Co.
vernment; at the period to which we al
lude, the people collected there had as eff.
fectually defed the Canada authorities as
any portion of our people had disregard
ed ours. Yet British authority thought
proper to pass by Navy Island, then im its
''nominal" territory, and, in the plenitude
Of its power, to cast the egis of British
jurisdiction over American soil. This was
truly extending us that kind guardianship
which they had not the ability at that
time to extend to portion of their own
terr;torv. and which recommends itself to