The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-09

eminent this Union 10 that Of Great Britain for the
andrghts ofthe United States cannot deprive me state
Of New York Of her undopbtes right q yindicalng
through the exercise Of her judicial power Improperly
and lives Of her citizens. You have very properly 70
garded the alleged absence Of Mr.. Mcleod rom 1ne
scene Of the offence at the time when Il was commit
ted as not material TO the decision Of the present ques
ton That is amatter 10 be decided BY legal evidences
and the sincere desire Of the President is that Il may
be satisfactorily established THE destruction Of the
Caroline was public act Of persons IN her Majesty
service obeying the order OF their superior autnorue
this fact has not been before communicated % the Coz
vernment Of the United States by person authorized
TO make the admissions and It will be for the court
which has taken coenzance Of the offence with which
Mr. Mcleod is charged, 70 decide upon its validity
when legally established before It.
The President deems this TO be proper occasion 70
remind the Government Of her Britannia Majesty that
the case ofthe Caroline has beenong since brought
to the attention other Majesty principal Secretary Of
State for Foreign Affairs who up 70 this day. has not
communicated its decision thereupon. Il Is hoped
that the Government of her Majesty will perceive the
Importance Of no longer leaving the Government Of
the United States unnformed Of its views and lnten-
tons upon a subject which has naturally produced
much evaporation, and which has led to such grave
consequences
! avail myself Of this occasion to renew to you the
assurance Ofmy distinguished consideration.
N
H s. Fox, Esq, &c, &C., sc.
Mr.. AFFORD said he was happy that be had
moved the reconsideration and that he now salts
fed having heard the papers read, that they ought
10 be printed. HewAs satisfied that the answer Of
Mr.. Forsyth was good State Rights paper and he
should think that hsinstincts Of justice were bunted
by party spirit, if he capable Of doing injustice
to that officer under any circumstances He (Mr.
A., hoped that the party strife which had just passed
III cd ha of ~
Wing party of the United States, nor Of the State
Rights party of which he had lived an humble mem
Der, and of which he hoped to die member He
satisfied that the rights Of the Empire State Of
New York had been indicated by the Secretary Of
State in an able and dignifed manner; and he was
sorry to say that this the only paper coming from
that Department that he could commend in that light
As regarded his sympathy towards the Northeastern
territory, he, Southern man, had not more than
he ought to have; buthe did know that the Lion Of
England had been growing for his prey on that
Northeastern boundary long ago. As an American
citizen, he felt humbled at the reflection that under
the administration of Martin Van Buren,, the Eagle
of his country had covered under the Lion Of Eng
land; he felthumbed that country which, even in
the days Of the Revolution, was strong enough to de-
fend its rights should new permit the Queen of Eng
land to deprive them Of every thing. Aggression af
ter aggression had been committed and it would con-
tinue to be so so long as the head Of Executive
Government failed to defend the doctrines contained
in this document
Mr.. A. then withdrew the motion to reconsider
Mr.. STANLY renewed it.
Mr.. HOLMES, of South Carolina, said he was
quite delighted with this debate; not however because
the incidental question Of State rights had been in
troduced, for that was about the same thing the
Constitution, which every man construed according
to his own taste. But he was delighted because the
gentleman from Georgia had given his approval to at
least one act of the Administration. He was glad
that member of the opposite party had the gene
rosity TO acknowledge them in the right for cnce.
The gentleman had, however touched on the very
important subject of the Northeastern boundary
He had said thatthe Lion Of England had growled,
while we paid no regard toit etc Now, he (Mr. q. }
wished to know whether the remarks made hy thai
gentleman weret be considered omnous Of the flu
;uTc action Of the 3iir,in2 stralion1 Were we
not to Judge from the remarks made by one Of its
friends that we to be precpitated into conflict
with this mighty power prepared and armed at every
point, and that, too, for a line of demarcatlonF
they to rush into the confictif the South was
be FRUSTRATED he was thankful that gentlemen had
shown their hands, that the South might know that
Of the results attending the triumph of this great
party was question of territorial war.
Mr.. Afford replied to these remarks and said
that he had not spoken in behalf Of the coming Adj
minstration He had it not in his eye his mind
at the time he spoke he knew nothing of its secrets
nor its intentions. He had no conference with its
friends had his advice been asked He spoke
for hmself-he spoke the sentiments of his heart
when he said that the Lion of England had growled
for its prey the Northeastern boundary. What
ever might be the opinion of the gentleman from
South Carolina, Mr.. Holmes,] he (Mr. A.) would
express his belief that if ever the issue Of which the
gentleman spoke did come the State of South Caro-
lima would be seen in the first ranks, CALAMITY de-
Tending the honor, and maintaining the rights of the
nation. This much he could say--he being one of
the first horn Of notification out of South Carolina
that South Carolina would be the last to hide her
Al -
with Britain. His own wish was, that we never
might have with her this or any oherquestion,
if it could be honorably avoided.
For the part which he had taken in the recent VIC
torious struggle, he claimed honor distinct from
his colleagues and his country and in characterzing
as he had done the communication of Mr.. Forsyth,
he (Mr. A. had done only that which sense of JUS
tice dictated.
Mr.. CUSHING said the matters contained in the
correspondence just read were sufficiently grave in
themselves and they had acquired additional gravity
incidentally from the remarks of the gentleman from
Georgia, (Mr Afford, and of the gentleman from
South Carolina, Mr. Holmes y and he Mr. CO. had
a few words to say on both points
Mr.. G. said that the correspondence contains the
first distinct official avowa on the part of the British
Government, that the attack the Caroline au-
thorized by the Government Mr. Fox says it is well
known to have been authorized. Mr.. G.. denied
this 1t was about two years since Mr. Stevenson adj
dressed earnest letter of remonstrancc and demand
of explanation to Lord Pamerston on the subject; to
which Lord P stood mute to this day, neither avow-
ing dsavowng, justfying refusing to justify
the outrage. Mr. Forsyth was correct in his alluson
to this part of Mr. Fox's letter as a novelty 1t was
true that the British Government had indirectly
tanned the act by bestowing honors and emoluments
on the parties engaged in it, such McNab and
Drew but direct official declaration of the attack
on the Caroline having been previously authorized by
the British Government had been made before this to
his Mr.. CO knowledge.
Mr.. G. said he concurred entirely with Mr.. For
syth in opinion of the inadmissbity of Mr. Foxs de-
mand for the release of Mcleod He was arrested in
New York by the legal authorities to be legally tried
for alleged act of murder and committed in
New York-let him be tried by the laws of New York
Il. = -. Al L