The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1841-07-15

all claims TO redress whatsoever
The laW Of nations is clear, and the law OF
the pattiot heart is equally clear. The case
needs no books, no more than the hanging of
Arbuthuol and Ambrieter required the justlfi-
cation Of books when General Jackson was
in the hammocks aud marshes Of Florida. A
band Of foreign volunteers, without knowing
what they we're going to do. but ready to fol-
low their 6le-leader to the devil, steal across
"A boundary river in the night, attack unarmed
people, asleep upon the coil and under the flag
,-.of their country, give no quarter-make no
70 prisoners distinguish not between young and
ot3-innoceGt OF guiily-kill al-a6d FIRE TO
the sword-send the Vessel snd lis contents
over the falls in fames-and run back under
cover OF the same darkness which has con-
cesIed their approach. All this in time Of
peace. And"the to call this an act Of war, for
which The perpetrators are not ameDable, and
for which redress must be had by fighting, or
negotiating with the nation 10 which they be-
long, This is absurd. 1t is futile and rdcu-
lous. Common sense condemns 1t. The
heart condemns il. Jackson's example in
Florida condemns il; and we should render
ourselves contemplate If we took ary such
weak and puerile course.
Mr.. Fox no where says this act was done
by the SoVereigu's command. He shows, in
fact, that it was not 80 done; and we know
that it was not 1t was the act of volunteers,
unknown 10 the British Government until II
was over, and unassumed by them for three
years after it occurred. The act occurred 10
December, 1887; oGr Minister, Mr.. Steven
son, demanded redress for 1t in the spring OF
1888. The British Government did not then
assume il, nor did they assume ii until Me-
Leod was caught. Then, for the first time,
they assume and Justify, and evidently for the
mere purpose Of extrcatng Mcleod. The
assumption is void. Governments cannot as
sumo the crimes Of individuals. II is only as
military enterprise that this offence can be as
eumed; and we know this affair was no such
enterprise, end is not oven represented as
such by the British Minister. He calls II
''trdasdc60n." Three times in one paragraph
he caIls 1t a "transaction. land who ever
heard Of fight, or battle, being character
lied as as a transactlonl We apply the term
to. an affair Of business, but never to militia
ry operation. How can we have military
operation without war, or a body OF troops.
twas no attack of soldiers upon soldiers, but
VI dSShoSlUo uVOu lUb = uhN Wv wv
fenceless. Our American defenders OF this
act go beyond the British in exallng il iaio
military enterprise. They take different
ground, and higher grouad than the Brit'eh, in
setting up that defence; and are just az wrong
now as they were IN the case Of ArbEthnOt
and Ambrister.
incorrect in point Of national law, | hold
these instructions 10 have been derogaory to
ua 10 point Of national character, and given
with mos; preeipilate haste when they should
not have been gwen al all. They were given
under formal, deliberate, Official threat from
p he minister; and thousand unofficial threats
from high and respectable sources. The
mni-ter says.
'i}u', be lhat'ss il may, her Males'y's Gov
Crnmen, formally demand. upon the grounds
already stated, the ,mme dias release OF Me-
Jlood, ard her Msjesly's Governmen, entreat
the President Of the United States to take into
his most deliberate consideration the serious
nature OF the consequences which must eDsue
from q rejection Of this demand.
Nothing could be more precise and formal
than this demand-nothing more significant
and paIpabIe than this menace. 1t is such as
should have prevented any answer-such as
should have suspended diplomatic intercourse
--unll it was withdrawn. Instead Of that, a
most sudden and precipate aDswer lr gwen;
and one that giants all The British demanded,
and more too; and that without asking any
thing from them, Ii is given with haste which
reems 10 preclude the possibility OF regular
deliberslon, cabinet council, and official form
The letter Of Mr. Fox bears date the 18th Of
March, which was Friday. and may have
bsen delivered in Office hours Of that day. The
;nstructinE 10 Mr.. Criitenden was delivered
on the 10th Of March, which was Monday,
snd copy delivered 10 Mr.. Fox. This was
tho answer to the demand and,threal; and thus
he answer wss given 10 Two days; for Sunday
as the lawyers call it, is dies non; iha, is TO
cay, no day for busineps; and il is hardly TO
bc presumed that an Administration which
seems 10 be returning 70 the Church and
State times Of Queen Anne, had the Office ot
the Department of State open, and the Clerks
ct their desks on Sunday, instead OF their be-
iDg 10 their pevs at Church. The answer,
ibeD, was given in two days; and lhIs incon-
'Ainent haste 10 comply with threat contrasts
wonderfully with the deIay-the forty days
desay-before The letter was written which
was intsdded for home consumption;i and
which, doubtless, was considered written in
good time, It written in time 10 be shown
~ Congress at the extra session.
Sir, hold il 10 have been derc gatory 10 our