Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-07-23
The Case Of .McLeOd--.ur. Webster ha's-
died bK Cot. BeMtOM.

died BIZ Coz. BentOn.
We give below some lengthy extracts from
the speech of Col. Benton, in the Senate, on
the l4th Of June, on the motion to refer the
Mcleod correspondence to the committee on
Foreign Affairs. We hope our readers VIII
not stop until they read the whole OF these ex-
tracts. Col. Benton has shown up the conduct
of the American Secretary of State IN Its true
light. Mr.. Webster has disgraced the nation;
and no American oan deny it. While threat
from the British Government was hanging over
his head, Mr.. Webster takes measures for the
release of McLeod--basely and meanly truckles
to the British Minister by sending him copy
of the instructions to Mr.. Crittenden REG.
Extracts from Col. Benton's speech.
Mr.. Benton said, this brings me to the case
before US. What ist The facts of the case
are spread out in official documents, andsihe
evidence of them are clear and undeniable. An
American steam ferry boat traverses the Ma
CARA river; she carries passengers and property
from one shore to the other. The English be-
lieve, and perhaps truly, that she carries men
and arms to the insurgents in Canada; and
without any appeal to our Governments, either
State or Federal-without applying to US to put
our own laws in force against her-an English
officer, of his own head, without the knowledge
of the British Government, determines to do
what! Not to watch the suspected vessel, ar
rest her in the fact, sieze the guilty and spare
the innocent. but 10 steal upon her in the night,
board her asleep, and destroy her at the Anne
rican shore, under the flag OF her country. In
the evening of the meditated outrage, volunteers
are called for-6fty or sixty dashing, daring
fellows-ready 10 follow their leader to tine
devil, for that was the language USED, and 1t
proves the expedition to have been diabolical
one, and worthy to be led as followed by de-
mons. The arms were sabres and pistols; the
season of attack, midnight; the means OF APP
proach, light boats and muffled oars; the pro-
cress slow, silent and stealthy, that no suspi-
cious sound should alarm the sleeping victims.
The order was death and no quarter. Thus pre-
pared and led, they approach the boat IN the
dead Of the night-reach her without discovery
rush on board-fy to the berths-cut, slash,
stab and shoot all whom they see-pursue the
flying, and besides those in the boat, kill one
man at least upon the soil of'his country, far
from the waters edge. Victorious In an attack
where there was 70 resistance, the conquerors
drew the vessel into the midst OF the current,
set her on fire, and with all her contents--the
dead, the living, the wounded and the dying
send her in flames over the frightful cataract of
is demanded from Us, was according to his
own declarations, made at the time in his own
country, repeated since in ours, and according
to aeesi.--, # ryn,s ,c .lse A..---;-rvA
~ actor IL that pratical and cowafdly tragedy.
According TO his own assertions, and the adj
missions Of his comrades, he was one of the
foremost in that cruel work and actually killed
one of the "damned Yankees" to use his own
words, with his own hands.
All this was in December of the year 1887.
1t filled the country with Indignation. 1t fired
the bosoms of the border settlers on line Of
fifteen hundred miles. Retaliation was in eve
ry heart, threats in every mouth, and war i'm
minent. Mr.. Van Buren, was then President.
TO calm the spirits Of the excited, proclama-
tions were issued to them. TO prevent acts Of
retaliation. troops were raised and stationed
along the line. To obtain redress for the out
rage TO our citizens, and the insult to our ma
tional character, application was made to the
British Government to repair the wrong that
was done. That Government delayed lis an
swer to our just demand-avoided the assump-
ton of the criminal act-excused and justified,
without assuming it-rewarded the offenders
| with titles, pensions and praises-and clearly
, encouraged them to do the like again. Diplo-
| macy was still drawing out its heightened
thread-still weaving its long and dilatory web
still Penelopizing-when the same Mcleod,
the boaster in Canada of his active share in this
triple crime of midnight murder, arson, and
! robbery, crosses over to the American side and
repeats, in the hearing Of the Americans, and
on the spot which had been the scene Of his
| exploit, the audacious boast Of his participation
in it. Justice then took hold him. The laws
of New York laid their hands upon him and
grand jury returned true bill against him.
A trial, of course, was to take place in the
courts Of the State whose laws had been viola
ted, whose citizens has been murdered and rob-
bed, whose peace had been disturbed, and
whose authority had been set at defiance. The
news of this proceeding flies to the British Mi
mister here; that Minister addresses note 10
the Secretary of State, (Mr. Forsyth demand
ing the release of Mcleod and the Secretary
answered, by the direction of the then Presi-
dent, Mr.. Van Buren, that this man being
charged with offences agains; the laws Of New
York, the General Government had no right to
interfere, and should not do so. This answer
was read in the Senate in January last, when
most of the presen: members of the body were
then present-when the present Secretary of
State and the present Attorney General were
both present--when all the old Senators now
here were present-and when this response Of
Mr.. Forsyth, refusing to give up Mcleod, or
to interfere with the courts of New York, re-
ceived the unanimous appreciation Of this
chamber!
Mr.. B. repeated the expression, unanimous
appreciation and said that he would pause for
correction, if he was mistaken. He paused.
Several Senators exclaimed, Eyes, yes.''
Mr.. B. continued: remember the reading
ofthat letter well, and the feeling Of unanimous
appreciation which pefvaded the chamber when
1t was read. Every Senator that spoke ex-
pressed his appreciation. No one signi6ed dis
sent; and the feeling was then universal thai