The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-13

what he considered an important rule in regard TO Ia
ternational affairs hear hear land which might
operate inuIousy TO national interests TO lay before
Parliament documents relating to pending discussions
He thought it important to make with reference the
notice of Mr. Forsyth, one observation The noble
lord (Stanley) had said that he believed Mr.. Mcleod
was not one Of the party by whom the Caroline had
been attacked.
His Oord Palmerstons) information went precisely
to the same concluson--that he Mr.. Mcleod was
not member of the party that concerned in the
destruction of the Caroline; but with regard to the
ground taken by Mr.. Forsyth in replying to Mr. Fox,
he Lord Pamerston) thought 1t right TO say that the
American Government undoubtedly might have con-
sdered this transaction either transaction to be
dealt with between the two Governments, by demands
for redress the hand To be granted refused
on the other and be dealt with accordingly, il
might have been considered, the British authorizes
consider proceedings between American citizens on
the British side Of the border matter to be dealt with
by the royal authorities.
But the American Government had chosen the for
course by treating this matter to be decided
between the two Governments and this the ground
which they were entitled to demand redress from
the British Government for the acts of its subec
He was sure the house would think with him that in
a matter of such extreme difficulty it would be mpro-
per for him to enter into any farther remarks obser
vatons and he would therefore content himself with
answering the noble lords questions by stating those
important facts which he had then mentioned.
Lord Stanley said that the noble lord who had just
sat down had omitted to question which
he Lord Stanley considered to be ofthe deepest inter
est That question whether the noble lord, Pal
meIston, had taken any STEP and if so, what those
steps WERE for the protection and liberation of Mr.
McLead,- [bear, hear.
Viscount Pamerston said that a somewhat
similar in principle the present expected about
year and half ago. and instructions sent at that
time To Mr. Fox, on which he founded the communi-
eaton he made to the American authorities Of course
the house would suppose he trusted, that her Majes-
TVS Government had already sent certain instructions
but until the correspondence upon this subject had
concluded twas impossible to send any nstl uctions
that could be final. He hoped the house would be-
lieve that the Government would send TO Mr.. Fox
such farther Instructions they might think II their
duty odo; al the time he was not prepared to
state what the nature of those instructions was
(hear)
Mr. Hume said that the noble lord (Pamerston)
had Just made speech in to certain questions
which had been put to him by the noble lord the MEM
Der for North ILancastershire but he (Mr. Hume)
wished to ask he House to suspend their opinion upon
the subject until they had the whole of the papers laid
before the House He had himself papers in his pos
that would explain many things connected with
this question, and which, bythe-bye, were not exactly
consistent with the statement which had just been
made II appeared by the papers which he had IN his
possession that in January, 1888 motion was made
in the House Of Representatives, calling upon the
President to place the table of the House all the
papers respecting the Caroline, and all the correspon
dence which had passed between the Government of
the United States and the British Government on the
subject of the destruction of the Caroline.
In consequence of that motion certain papers were
laid upon the table including from Mr. Stevenson,
the present minister here for the U 5. These were
accompanied by long letter, dated the 18th OF May,
1885, from that gentleman and in that letter the burn
ing of the Caroline characterized In very suohg
language He also stated that agIeeably to the or
ders of the President he had laid before the British
Government the whole of the evidence relating to the
subject which had been taken upon the spot and Mr.,
Stevenson denied he had been informed that the
expadition against the Caroiine was authorized or
sanctioned BY the British Government Now, from
May 1888 the time when that letter had been written,
ITO this hour had been given TO that let
fer had any satisfaction been given by the British
Government upon this subject.
In letter dated from London, the I'd July, Mr. Ste
venson stated that he had not received any answer
upon the subject and that he did wish to press the
subject farther but if the Government of the United
States wished him to do So he prayed to be informed
of it. By the statement which had taken place In the
House of Congress- it appeared that the Government
of the United States had been ignorant of any infor-
nation that could lead them suppose that the enter
prise against the Caroline had been undertaken by the
orders of the British Government by British autho
rty That be believed was the ground upon which
Mr.. Forsyth had acted as he had done.
He takes his objections and denies the allegation of
Mr.. Fox that neither had he nor her Majesty's Go
vernment made any communication to HIM, or the au-
thories ofthe United States that the British Govern
ment had authorized the destruction of the Caroline
He Mr.. Hume) therefore hoped that no discussion
would take place until all the papers connected with
the matter were laid before the House. He wished to
know what the nature of those communications was
with Mr. Stevenson and her Maesty's Government
which had induced him to act as he had done
Viscount PamersOn said that he rather thought his
honorable friend would find in that correspondence
that instructions had been given by the American Go
vernment to Mr.. Stevenson to abstain from pressing
the subject farther.-( Hear) With regard to the
letter of Mr. Forsyth, he Discount Palmerston)
begged leave to say that the stood thus In the
case of the American citizens engaged in invading
Canada, the American Government disaVowed the
of those citizens and stated that the British Gov
eminent might deal with them they pleased-(hear,
hear and that there persons concerned IN TINS
who were not in any degree entitled to
the protection of the United States. 4 hear, hear
But in the other case they treated the affair OF the
Caroline to be considered that Of the Gov
ernment and in fac assumed it to be altogether Gov
eminent Transaction and not 10 be lett upon the fespon
sibility of individuals. Until therefore, the British
Government dsow those persons concerned In the
destruction of the Caroline in the same manner as the
American Government had disavowed their citizens in
the other case he conceived that the American Gov
eminent had adopted international responsibility In
the late detention of MIR. Mcleod, and could not,
therefore, change their ground upon this question:
Hear, hear.
Sir Robert Peel wished to ask the noble Lord a
question relating to material fact He believed that
in the expedition which had been foI med for the de-
sIucton of the Caroline, certain officers who he'd
in Her Majesty's army and navy were
concerned in that affair and that of these OIL
GERS had, in the execution of the orders which were
issued received wounds.
The question he wished to ask was, whether Her
Majestys Government had thought proper to award
pensions to those officers corresponding in amount
with those which usually granted for wounds re-
ceyed in the regular service of Her Majesty
Lord John Russell said he was not aware of any
pensions having been granted to those officers who
were wounded in the expedition against the Caroline
Mr.. O'Connell was sorry that his honorable friend
(Mr, Hume) had taken such a course, because he
Mr.. OConnell) thought that upon this subject, at
all events there ought to be unanimity of feeling
(hear, hear) He thought that every exertion should
be made to have Mr.. Mcleod saved, he had acted
under the command of the officers of Her Majesty
Government and it in the strict performance Of
his duty that he had incurred the danger with which
he was threatened-( hear, hear.) Whether those or
ders had been tight wrong, this Government was
bound to give him every protection possble-( cheers
from oil parts of the House.)