Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-16

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and he adds that it is wholly mmateria whether the
vessels detained equipped fer actually engaged
in, slave traffic or not
With regard to the allegation of damages done to the
carroes Of these vessels the undersigned begs to re-
mind Mr. Stevenson, that the papers which he trans
mtted to the undersigned show that in the OF the
"Iago," the money which lost, was stolen by the
crew of the "iago," while the master was absent on
shore and that was distracted by the crew OF the
OBTAINING vessel And il is fair to presumed that the
chronometer and the watch, which also lost on
board that vessel were takenby the persons who
stole the money.
With regard to the damage said to have been done
TO the cargo of the Hero, during the search OF that
vessel the undersigned has requested the Board OF Ao-
miraty cause inquiries to be made upon that matter
and he will acquant Mr.. Stevenson with The result
With respect TO the justification which the British
officers had for OBTAINING these American vessels, with
regard to the detention of which Mr.. Stevenson says
that there is shadow Of pretence for exercising
much less ustifyag the right Of search or detention OF
vessels under the United States flag by vessels OF her
Maesty's Navy" the undersigned has TO state that
formal agreement was entered into on the I'm March,
1870 by the commanding officer of her Majesty ships
on the coast Of Africa and the officer commanding the
vessel sent by the United States Government TO sup
press the slave trade of the United States on the Art
coast and by that agreement those ohcers Tor the
purpose of carrying into execution the "orders and
views of their respective Governments respecting the
of the slave trade, requested ench other
and agreed" to detain all vessels under the United
States flag found be fully equipped for and engaged
in slave trade and it agreed that such vessels
should eventually be handed to the United States
cruisers proved to be United States property and TO
British cruisers il proved TO be Spanish Portuguese,
| Brazilian, or English property.
/ The undersigned would therefore submit that the
commanding officers OF Her Majesty vessels haa no
reason to suppose that, when giving effect TO this
agreement by OBTAINING vessels bearing the u b flag
and engaged in slave trade, they doing thing
which would be dsagreeable to the Government OIL the
U. States
With respect to the "Iago" the undersigned has to
observe that that vessel fully equipped Tor slave
trade that the papers found on board oil her were oil
suspicious character that all her crew but TWO were
Spanish And her Majestys Advocate General, 10
whom the case was referred has reported 1t to be lis
onin;on that the Commissioners at Sierra Leone would
have been justified in proceeding 10 The adjudication oil
the vessel and that, if the case had been investigated
| by them, sufficient proof would have been afforded
that the vessel was in reality Spanish, and not Ame
can property and that consequently she was liable to
condemnation.
The undersigned trusts that the foregoing statement
will show that there good reason for doubling that
any wilful damage done TO the cargo Of either
of the two vessels in question by the Of the de-
tanning ships; and that, although it is ndispu,able
that British cruisers have right, as such, to search
and deain vessels which the property Of citizens OF
the United States, though such vessels may evil
IDENTIFY be engaged in slave trade yet in these cases the
British naval officers acted in pursuance of special
agreement with naval officer Of the United States;
and they were, therefore usthcd in believing that in
stead OF doing any thing whclLwouid be complained Of
by the Government of the CE'ted States, they were
furhering the views and forwarding the wishes Of that
Government.
| Such cases, however, cannz happen again; because
positive orders sent By tho Admiralty, IN febrn-
AIRY last, TO all Her Majestys cruisers employed for the
suppression of the slave trade, not again TO detan
NEEDLE with the United States vessels engaged in the
slave trade These orders have been sent by Her Ma
iestys Government with great pam and regret bni
an act due BY them TO the rights of the United States
Her Maiesty's Government, however, cannot bring
themselves 10 believe thet the Government at wash
ngton can seriously and deliberately intend that the
flag and vessels of the Union hall continue to be- as
they are the shelter under which the Indicators
of all countries perpetrate with inpunity, crimes which
the laws Of the Union stgmatze piracy and punish
with DEATH
But unless the u S. Government shall consent TO
make with the other Powers of Chrlsendom, some
agreement of the nature Of that which their naval 9TH
GERS on the Of Africa spontaneously entered into
with the British naval commander on that statIon
these abuses will only continue TO exist, but Will
increase in magnitude every day; and the end Will be-
that the slave trade will be carried on exclusively un
der the shelter Of the fag and by the special protec
ton of the Executive Government Of that nation,
whose Legislature among the first to pronounce
the crime Infamous, and TO aix TO the severes Pc
nalties.
The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to
renew to Mr. Stevenson the assurances of his disn-
! guisled consideration PALNEhS ioS.
A. Stevenson, Esq, &c.
P S. return to you, according TO your request, the
original papers enclosed your note Of the 9Th Of Fe-
| bruary last, on the subject Of the "lago'
Mr. Stevenson 10 Lord Paimcrston.
70, UPPER GRosrESoR STREET, Aug. 9, lS4l.
My Lord On my return 10 London, after Temporal
~ absence Of few days, found the two communica-
tons which your lordshp did the honor to address
to me- under date of the 9th ns answer to my notes
of the 18th Of November, the 9th of February, and
the ls of March las,, complaining OF the seizure and
detention of three American vessels the douglas,
"lago" and "Hero," and the ill-treatment of their
crews by Her Majesty cruisers employed on the Airl-
can coast in suppressing the slave trade
Having, in my previous communications, SAID all
that deemed important the subject OF these re-
peated Impressions upon the vessels and commerce OF
the u S. and the rights of our flag, can have no IN
ducement at this time trouble your lordshp with any
further remarks and shall therefore content myseii
with transmitting to my Government, at The earliest
day, copies of your lordshps notes. WIN wnoI II wiz
rest to decide upon the suciency Of the explanation
which they contain in justification of the conduct OF
the commanders of her hajesys briggs Of war, the Ter
magant and Lynx.
II is nroper how ever that should seize the earliest
opportunity acGuant your ordshp that IN relation
TO The AGREEMENT which it is alleged entered into
between the commander Of the British squadron on
African coast and the officer in command OF the vessel
sent by the Government OF the United States TO sup
press the slave trade, allowing the mutual right OF
searching and OBTAINING all British and American yes
sells found trading slaves have other information
than that communicated in your lordshps notes. and
have no 10 suppose that such authority had been
conided by the American Government 10 any OF It's OIL
GERS. :.
pray your ordshp to accept assurances of my dis
e"s u's"e0 ''"s''' '"''' 49, A STEVENSON.
Lord palnnerston to Mr.. Stevenson.
FoREIos OFFICE, Aug. IL, 1871:
viscount Pamerston presents his compmentsto MI
Stevenson, and with reference to Mr. Stevenson nole
of the 9th inst, has the honor to transmit hefew "
MIR. Stevenson, copy of the agreement entered into
between Capt Tucker, of her Majesty's soop sWol,
verine," and Lieut. Payne, of the u s. ship OF war
"Grampus," which was referred to in the notes aa-
dressed by Yiscount Palmerston to Mr. on
Tho h inst nm The sub.ct Of the detention Of the yes-
sells the "Donglas, the "Iago," and "fero'' BY Der
Maiestv's cruisers
A