Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-03-02
From the Globe Of Saturday srening.
HOUSE OF REPRES
SATURDAY, Feb. Is, 1841.
REPORT on McLEoD's CASE.

Mr.. Pickens, from the committee on
foreign affairs, made the following report,
which was ordered to be printed.
The committee on foreign affairs, TO
whom was referred the message Of the Pre-
sldent, transmitting a correspondence with
the British Minister in relation to the burn
ing of the Caroline, and the demand for
the liberation of Mr. Alexander Mcleod
respectfully report:
ltappears that the steamboat s'Carolinc"
was seized and destroyed in the month of
December, l837-The committee are in
duced TO believe that the facts in 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 Deem
Der, 1887, she left the port Of Buffalo,
bound for SchIosser, upon the American
side Of the Niagara river, and within the
territory Of the United States The origi-
nal intention seemed to be to run the boat
between Buffalo and Schlosser, or, per-
haps, from Black Rock dam to Schlosser,
and, should it seem profitable, it was in
tended also to run her to Navy Island, and
touch at Grand Island and Tonawanda.-
Her owner WAS Mr. Wells, SAID TO be
respectable citizen of Buffalo, and it is OBJ
vlous, his Intention in putting up the boat
was one of speculation and profit entirely.
The excitement upon that portion OF the
frontier, at this period, had collected great
many IN the neighborhood- some from Gu
riosity-some from dleness-and others
from taking an interest in the unusual and
extraordinary collection Of adventurous
men gathering together at that time on
Nlvy Island. Navy Island was nominal
~" in the British territory"
The owner OF the Caroline took advan-
these circumstances to make some
0"Oy WIN Ills b-.t rs, rnnnino her aS q
terry boat, over to Navy Island. All these
facts appear from testimony regularly ta-
ken, (see II. X. Doc. No 302, page 46 and
80, I'd 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
RED IN the boat, except, perhaps, one small
slx-pounder field piece belonging to q pas
senger. The princ pie object was TO run
the boat as ferry boat from Schosser. on
the American side, 10 Navy Island, on the
British side. 1t is believed, that even in
war; neutral power has the right to trade
In contraband articles, subject, of course.
TO seizure and conisication, if taken with
IN ne jurisdiction of either of the contend
ing parties. What is contraband of war
IS not always certain. Treaty stipulations
frequently include some articles. md ex-
c'uue DINERS recognised in the law Of ma
tons. Trading in contrabanG articles is
no excuse Tor invading the territory and
SOL OF neutral and independent power,
whose private citizens may chose TO run
The hazards Of such trade.
In this instance, there were no two for
eign powers engaged in war, but all con-
cerned in the outbreak, or excitement, with
IN the British jurisdiction, claimed to be
nrl''Sn SUBJECTS, IN resistance 10 the author
''IeS oi Canada, province of the British
empire. Even admitting, then, that the
C"ro'ihe was engaged in contraband trade,
ye| II was WIN the citizens who claimed 10
DC subjects OF the same empire with those
VINO were styled the legitimate officers of
the province. AbstractIy speaking, how
was private citizen 10 decide who were
i,,S"' ana VINO were wrong in these local
olSPu 'es Ana which portion of citizens
Vi 'hc Sa'he province must our citizens re-
iuSe 10 nave any communication with p
bu' me boat was merely used for one dav
as Terry boat; and on the night OF the day
she commenced running she was seized
whIIe moored at the wharf in SchTosser.
and burned. Several men were assoss;.
""''u-cer'alnIy one who fell dead upon
!'G uucA: NOW the lnslnuation of the Bril-
uSn Minister, that SchI2sser is "nomineI-
~ "i'hln the territory of the United States,
may well be retoricd, as we can with eopal
truth say that Navy Island was nominal
within the ''territory'' of the British
government, for at the period TO which we
aIIuHe Inc people collected there had ss Of
iectnaIiy defied Canada authorities as anv
E W. ~ ' OF our people had disregarded ours.
o' pFl,lsh authority thought proper to
pass by Navy Island, then its ..nomnallvu
'err'ory' and, III the pIentitude Of it's NOW.
or 10 cast the ngis Of British iurisdicton
over American soil. This was ,ruIv ox.
tending over US that kind guardianship
which they had not the ability al TINT time
TO extend to portion of their own terrific
ry' ana which recommends itself 10 us fall
as much from its ASSUMPTION as from ;ts
love OF right or law.
l no british Minister is pleased also to
ca! me Caroline "piratical steamboat
he loose .eplthets OF any one, no matter
how nigh IN place, cannot make that Mira.
CIV which The law of nations does moi re.
cognlse as such. Pirates are creehoote,s
enemies against the human race; and EN-,
lnent Jurlsts describe them as rayaeinq
every sea and coast with no flag and no
nome. Piracy comes under the concurrent
Jurisdiction Of all nations. Even in ,ba