Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-03-01
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOR.
ElGN RELATIONS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, I
.SaLwddN Feb. 10, 1871. :

Saturday. Feb. 10, ls4l.
MIR Pickens, from the Committee On Foreign
Affairs, made the following report, which was or
dered to be printed
The Committee of Foreign Affairs to whom
was referred the message OF the President, trans
hitting a correspondence with the British Minis
ter in relation TO the burning OF the steamboat
Caroline, and the demand made for the liberation
of Alexander Mcleod, respectfully report
1t appears that the Steamboat Caroline" was
sezednnd destroyed in the month of December,
1888. The committee are induced 10 believe TINT
the facts of the as follows: That the boat
was owned by, and in the possession Of citizen
of New York, ShewaS cleared from the City of
Buffalo, and on the morning of the 29Ih OF De-
cenbcr, 1897, she left the port OF Buffalo, bound
for Scbosser, upon tho Aner an silo of the Nj
agara river, aud within the territory of the United
States The original intention seemed 10 lie, to
run the boat between Buffalo and Schosser, or,
perhaps from Black Rock dam to Schlosser, and
should it seem profitable, ii was intended also TO
run her 10 Navy Island and touch at Grand Island
ami Tonawanda. Her owner WIS MIR " ellis, said
10 be respectable citizen of Buffalo, and it is OBJ
vious, his intention i'll putting up the boat was one
Of speculation and profit entirely. The excite
ment upon that portion of the frontier Mt this pc
Rod had collected a great many in the neie hbor-
hood-some from curiosity some from ileness
and others from taking an interest in the unus-
ua and extraordinary collection OF adventurous
men gathered together ut that time ON Navy Is
land. Navy Island was 'nomnally" i'll the British
territory.
The owner of the Caroline took advantage OF
these circumstances 10 make some money with
his boat, by running her ms a ferry boat over TO
Navy Island. All these facts appear from test
mony regularly taken, (Sec II. X. Doc. No. 302,
page 46 and 80, Cd session. 25th Congress) and
the committee know of no legal evidence 10 con-
uadict them. There is no proof that any arms or
munitions ofwar were carried in the boat, except,
II-;v q ll hni
ing to passenger. The principal object was to
The boat as as ferry boat from SchlosSer, on the
American side, to Navy Island, Oh the British
side. 1t is believed, that, even in war; u neutral
power has the right tC trade i'll contrabuud articles,
subject, OF course, TO Seizure and conscation, if
taken within the jurisdiction of either of the con-
tending parties.
What is contraband of war is not always certain.
Treaty stpuations frequently include some arti-
Giles, and exclude others, recognized III the laws
of nations: Trading in conlrabaud articles is
excuse for invading the territory aud soil Of
neutral and Independent power, whose private cit
yeps may choose TO run the hazards OF such Il
trade. In this Instance there no two foreign
powers engaged in war: but all concerned in the
outbreak or excitement within the British juris
dction, claimed To be British subjects, in resist
ance of the authorities of Canada, a province of
the British Empire Even admitting then, that
the Caroline engaged in conraband trade,
yet il was with citizens who claimed 10 be sub
Iects OF the same empire with those who were
styled the legitimate officers Of the Province.
Abslractly speaking, how was private citizen
to decide who were right and who were wrong
i'll these local disputes? And which portion Of
citizens of the same province, must our citizens
refuse TO have any communication with? But
the boat was merely used for one day as ferry
boat and on the night of the day she commenc-
ed running, she was siezed while moored at the
wharrin Schlosser and burnt Several men were
ni,,lu ,yhn foil land mn
the dock Now the insinuaon of the British
Minister, that Schlosser was "nominay" within
the territory ofthe United States, may well he re-
torted, as we can with equal truth say that Navy
Island was "nominaly" within the "terrtory" OF
the British Government; for at the period to
which we allude, the people collected there, had
as effectualy defed Canadian authorities as any
portion of our people had disregarded ours. Yet
British authority thought proper TO pass Navy Is
land, then its "nomnal" territory, and in the
pentitide of its power, to cast the @gis of British
jurisdiction over American soil. This was truly
. extending over us that kind of guardianship which
they had not ability ut that time to extend TO u
portion of their own territory, aud which recon-
mends itself to u.s. full as much from its assump
ton as from its love of right or law,
The British Minister is pleased also to call thu
Caroline "piraticnl steamboat The loose epi
tibet Of any one mntter how high in place. caIl-
not make that piracy which the law of nation:
does not recognize as such. Pirates are ireeboot
ers, enemies of the human race; and eminent Ju-
rists describe them as rayaglng every sea anG
coast with no flag and no home. Piracy comes
under the concurrent jurisdiction of all hations
Even in the worst point of view that il can b
considered, those connected with the seamboa
Caroline were but aiders and abeltors of other
engaged in rebellion And the committee are TO
tally at n loss to know upon what authority rebel
lion is recognized as piracy. Such conioundin
of teims is resting the case upon epilhes, instea
4 L..
be "piratical boat" as the minister asserts it
bc; yet the moment il touched our soil it fell I'M
der our sovereignty, and no power OH earth coul
rightiully invade IT,
There is no doctrine more censccratcd in En-.
dish history, than that every human being VIII
touches the soil of Grea, Britain is nmnediale
coxered by British law. Suppose one Of her We
sels were cut from the bpnks of the Thames an
burnt by Frenchmen, and British citizens we
assassinated at night, and the French Minlst
=. were TO avow that they acted under The orders
his government, and ,hat the vessel was "piia
cal" and the citizens murdered were outlaws
then there is not an Englislmnn whose hcG
would not beat high 10 avenge The wrong, al
ylndicate the rights of his country. The Ia
there is the law here. And there is no inter-,
ional lazy consistent with the separate indepe
dence of nations, that sanctions the pursuits
even pirates TO murder and arson over the soil III
Jurisdiction of one of the States OF this conicder
cy.
No greatar wrong can be done TO a counlrytl,
invasion of soil. II ii can be done viii. impan
at one point, and on OH occasion, II eau he do
at another, and the nation that submits 10 il, fin
iy sinks down into dwelling imbecry. II IL RI
resentation of the state Of things at Schlosser, a
the conduct Of those who had control OF the Ca
line, had first been made 10 the proper authorlt
of New York, of the United States, then lh(
would have been some show ut least oil respect
our sovereignty and Independence, and dispo
ton 10 treat us as an equal. But in this case,
If to treat our authorities with contempt, ih,
was no preliminary demand or representa-
made.
IL WIS hoped that the outrage perpetrai
by party in sudden heat aud excitement, up