The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-01-20
CONGRESSIONAL.
sENArE-DrcENnEn %.

SEIZURE OF AMERICAN PROPERTY.
Mr.. BARROW presented memorial
from Tue New Orleans Insurance Company.
He stated that II related 10 a matter of
much Importance which must necessarily
create a great excitement throughout the
nation. The memoriallst stated that last
year vessel sailed from Richmond, in the
State of Virginia, bound for New Orleans,
aud that they had insured thiriy.eight
slaves against capture, seizure, or delea.
ton of The property. While the vessel
was on is way, il was obliged, by stress Of
weather, TO put into The port Of Nassau,
New Providence, 10 the British Colonies.
While moored at that port, The vessel was
boarded by persons dressed II, the Unllorn
OF British soldiers, and the slaves we're
taken away contrary 10 the proteslallons Of
the crew aud the passengers on board.
Something like a Judicial proceeding was
there had, which resulted IN the liberation
Of the slaves. These slaves belonged TO
Mlr. Templemau, who VAS removing irom
! Virginia TO Louisiana, aud were insured by
two several companies. Que Of the com.
peaiss had Paid the insurance, but the 9TH
or, from which this memorial came, had
refused 10 DO SO aud 10 consequence, Mr..
( Templeman had brought suit against Il
7 for The recovery Of tic money due for The
insurance against risk, capture, eszure, or
detention Of property. lie was satisfied
4 that this subject iuvolyed the question OF
peace or war between this country and
Greal Britain, and il was important that
/ the matter should be taken up by Congress
aud acted upon al once, SO that It might be
settled whether The British Government
had right to DO what they who lived 10
the South daned TO their own Goyerumen,
and that was the RICH! Of suppressing the
slave trade between the States. lilo there.
J fore moved that the memorial be printed
and referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations.
Mr.. CALHOUN called the attention Of
the Senate aud the country to the impor-
lance Of this subject. The Senate would
well remember tho case o. the Enterprise,
With regard to which be bad moved Sc
ries of resolutions, asserting tue right ol
nations; aud which were passed unanimous
ly, With the exception Of single Dissenting
voice. There was more special Gaze o
The SECURE OF property 90 board the " Gre.
o!s," which was the mosi dangerous sublec
that had come into con.esta,iou between Tho
American aud British Governments. AnC
vet, strange 10 tel, in al the Presidents
late Message. the searching of vessels OF
the coast OF Africa, as well as tue Name
boundary, had received less attention than
any other subject II was iinc, however,
that this slave question should be settled,
aud the nation informed whether the Go
yerument would extend protection to It's
property or not. As full discussion
would come up on this subject, ne woulC
not pursue The question at the present time
but ho trusted that the Committee on For
eign Relations would give /, careful con
sideration, so that they might know where
, they stood.
Sir. KING said that the British Gov
efnmen, had conc on, step BY step, 10 reiu
r sing to be responsible for the acts oil bel
citizens who had been engaged 10 iht
capturing and Iiberating American proper
". A case lately occurred, in which ii up
reared that slaves in state Of mutiny were
sen, TO ono oil the British Islands 10 proven
their return 10 their owners. lie hopet
tina, the Committee on Foreign Kela
tons would look into the matter, and asl
: the State Department for the correspon
dence ~hich may have taken place between
the two Governments, 10 order TO ascertain
how far the rights of American citizen
, were to be protected. II was such acts a
{ these thu, the British Government endeav
. ored To withhold our territory and, unles
that Government should reirace her steps
! the ,lmo was not far of when the question
s Of war must inevitably orisc.
:, Mr.. PRESTON admitted the quessio
10 bo of great importance, nnd he ielt IN
Q necessity of looking at II with The creates
attention; bu, he could not say that o
considered il 10 DO cause for serious col
J. lslon between the two countries, Tor W
reason that the dictates OF the law oil ma
tons would almos, forbid such const
ouence and. as The British Gosernmer
had lately fallen 10 the care OF new MAJ
lsiry, he thought that there was som
reason 10 believe that tie decisions OF IN
former British Cabinet with regard TO IN
- seizure Of slaves, would be reversed,
Mt least some modification would be mad
tina, would avoid collision between the "
countries. Although he knew that u
temper Of the nation was exasperated,
k. would moi permit himself to believe that u
t Enlightened nation of Great Britain, e
ih desimies of which were in tho hands oil u
% eral ministers, would ever come into coll
"A sion with thus country on points not douu
II. ful and on points which could be reconcile
We A hostile collision, 10 his opinion, was vel
p, remote; but while he desired to presor'
amicable relations between The two Cover
ments, he should not permit these ,mpre
SONS TO prevent him from entertaining
- ;pst y,ew of the entire subject and he no