Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-18

l'he sovereign, uey were answerable to the CT,
= tribunals oithe country against which those ho
Titles were directed. Ru,herforth and Gro,ius e
e 'abshed this fact The authority OF MeNab, q
though magistrate, did not embrace the rig ht
$ make war. Nor did the recognition Of the a
J. | by the British Government remove the RESPONSE
e oliiy which attached to Mcleod, for lending hiu
c self to the purposes OF McNab. There some ~
10 pIanatory conversation took place between NJ
o R'ves and MIR. Buehanon.l lie maintained tina
= according TO Naitel, the injured sovereign had
right punish the individual offending against he
] unless war could be shown TO have existed. I'll
enterprise Of Mcleod could not be justified. an
ne was now lnble 10 punishment by the civil court
! of Europe. He went over this ground again an
again, with view TO impress 1t more deeply o
ms hearers.
We ought to have taken a stand on this ground
) not having done so, we have rendered ourselve
liable u the ncuTS:ons Of any set of desperate ayeu
turers who may choose TO INT out enterprise
Inc parties To this outrage made the law for them
selves and Mcleod having been taken, he mish
DC hanged. But II was TO the manner in which III
negotiation had been carried on, on our part tina
he desired chiefly TO call the attention OF the Senat,
lie then contended that the Secretary of State ha
not sustained the reputation of his country by Ia
manner IN which he had carried on the correspond
enec, under the threat Of the British Governments
! mat threat, he insisted, could not be explsine,
away, and we ought TO have been the actors ins,ea,
oi the u Itish. The British Minister Lad decline,
TO consider the States but declared that the British
Government could only look 10 the United States
| Never, continued Mr. B., had mortal man SO Clio
rious an opportunity oi distinguishing hmsef haC
the Secretary of State after the threat of the BRITISH
Minister-and he would have been sustained by III,
moral power Of the world Ii was his duty to lei
the British Minister that the United States Govern
ment could make no negotiation under threat. He
commented on the sending OF the Attorney General
TO Lock port to protect Mcleod against the VIC ence
-oi whoml OF the highest Court IN New York
lie rdicuied what MIR Preston had characterized as
the moIhery care which the Secretary of State had
thus extended over Mcleod. He then proceeded
to Justify the opinion he had given in his former
| speech, that MIR Webster ought TO have kept back
his acquleSccncc in the British construction OF nation
al IA" IN his reference 10 the OF Mcleod. Mr.
RiVes admitted that he had used language OF this
threatening character to proud and naughty ma.
uon. But II so, t should not be drawn into a pre.
cedent m reference 20 ourselves.
MIR. RlNES denied that he had said he had used
| threat 10 France. He had pointed out consedusn.
ces IS O similar tone.
Mr.. BUCHANAN said he had not correctly IN
derStood the Senator. He then proceeded 10 con.
dcnn the p cine tone in which the Secretary of
State had continued 10 argue the question o, The
Caro- inc, while he abandoned the right 10 retain Nc
Leod. lie expressed his conviction Ih,t Gen Hsr.
rison would not have submitted TO an insult Onv
three days elapsed between the receipt Cfthe demand
aud tie date OF the Instructions, and during th,,
time, General Harrison was beset with those ami
cations which destroyed him. What his John iy-
le- said? lie has aiken care not 20 say one word IT.
his Message in favor OF the el'er OF the Secretary
There IS no indication OF such appreciation. On
/
| ing OF an opinion.
! MIR BUCHANAN said i, had been asserted bv
| the Senator from South Carolina to be a CABINET
measure. lie Was bound to believe il was so. and
/ he regretted that the course taken had not been
sucn as 10 prevent the probability of a war
| Mr. CLAY rose merely for the purpose of show
ing tue responsibility OF his friends for the opinion
expressed IN the letter of the Secretary ofSta,c Be
fore that letter written lie had hlmse expressed
his opinion that no Individual responsibility could
attach "a Mcleod. He maintained that the capture
OF the Caroline was &c. al war, II was effected
oy military iorce, no matter whether regulars OF
milIlH, IN which the bayOnsI was employed. IL was
an invasion OF our territory by Great Britain, for
which Tcpiratlon was due. Ii was an act of war
solitary, unprecedented war, but still war and the
Government OF Great Britain responsible for II,
Not only did National lgw, continued MIR CLAY
but National pride also forbid that we should now
enieavor to repair the wrong by taking vengeance
on an individual, who was no more responsible Than
/ the mlsketry and powder which were employed on
the occasion Such were his views before the letter
| OF the Secretary OF State was written. Mr. CLAW
went on 10 show lha, Great Britain was not boand
TO look TO our internal! condition and to e1ac; from
state the redress which the nation was bound to
give. lie assured the Senator from Pennsylvania
that his friend, the Attorney General never felt that
he was At all compromised in his honor Nv the mis-
sion TO Lcckpor and that It he ever was required TO
! perform any duty which he deemed al variance
with his sense OF honor he would at once re,lnousk
his commission rather ihun give his acquiescence
In reference 20 the co rcSpOndcncc, he SAID that II
We could pene rate the mind OF Mr. Fox or the Bri-
| tish Minister for Foreign Affairs, he was sure he
should discover that that which deemed threat
had been penned with a cautious desire 10 free i
from that ImpuiatOn which now cast upon IT,
i1d war followed refusal 10 surrender Mel eocl
he Secretary OF State has replied 10 the demand:
That by judicial process alone could Mcleod be
freed. And he would venture opinion that there
would he no war even # thr judicial tribunals
should pronounce against the surrender of Mcleod
do stated that NJ the negotiation OF the treaty of
Ghent the British Commissioners presented their
sine qua non, aud took some offence at the manner
IN which It was received. But II was withdrawn.
and no more was heard Of their sine qua non
Nj. {. eensurcl the war spirit which animated
the Senator from Pennsylvania. GMr Buchanrn-
mot war splut.'l No, 70, war spirit; but desire
10 STIR up war spirit in the country. He remind
ed the Senate Of the English fee ing which animated
General Jackson and MIR. Van Buren, when the lat
ter Informed the British government that the nd
minstrauOn OF General Jackson would be more
friendly to Great Britain than that which preceded
u, and by wny Of showing this 20 be the case hal
yielded up the interests Of the United States In the
colonla. question.-IEe same party which had then
displayed SUCH subserylence to British interests
had now taken the opp site course and they were
aud would be always ready TO change their tactics
/ IN order IN gain or keep power.
/ Mr.. BUCHANAN made few remarks in exp!a.
/ nation.
| MIR. ALLEN said the construction of interna
tIona! .lw which was now contenjed for, should c
he represented was deeply interested IN that con &.
I EirucuOn. Extended as her position was and ex.
posed 70 The attacks Of these British bandits, she
] would ind herself compelled to take the law into
her own hands, and every Enslishman who crossed
the line and set his foo. IN Ohio would be saugh
tered as he ought TO belle would tlke some on
portunlty Of giving his sentiments on some ia.
ture OCCASION, and he desired them % examine into
The motives which induced Great Britnin TO rursus
this negotiation IN such di.atory manner postpon.
ing her demand Of Mcleod until the Dcmocr,tic
party was rendered power.ess.
Mr.. ALLEN sail he would show that the whole
matter resulted from the ;ckery Of Great Britain Ia
c1srce this government into the assumption of tho
State debts. This he pledged himself 10 prove at
some other time, and he promised that there shou'd
be no miucing Of the matter on his part lie consi
dcrcd this 10y ir the most important business of the
session; and when the committee should make thei
report, which the country would look for he would
expect 70 bC heard. And f there should be no re.
port, he would offer a resolution calling for IL, anc
would then give bis views
! The report was then ordered 20 be referred
Reports from the Secretary cf the Treasury /,
reply 20 various resolutions offered by Mir BEN
Ton, were received and dered 10 be printed.
! The Senate then went into consideration Of Exc
cu'iyc JusIne s., and offer remaining short time
with doors Ct scj the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Mr. LEWIS WILLIAMS offered a resolu,io,
proposing that the hour NJ meeting hereafter be II
| o'clock, which wns objected 10.
Mr. WILLIAMS called for a suspension Of N
| Rules.