The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-24

would be with respect To slaves who might be brought
into the kingdom | have only to remark upon ~,
that the Government of the United States secs no
ground for any distinction founded on an alteration of
British law in the colonies We do not consider tAat
tn question depends at all on the state OF BtishN
IL ~ that in such the active cy of British
law is invoked and refused il Is, thai unirieAdy IN
reference is deprecated aud those good offices and
friendly assisiancfs expected which Goyefnm,m
usually affords to citizens Of friendly Power when
instances Of disaster and distress All hat the
United States require, in these cases, they would "a
pect in The ports OF England, well as IN those Of h,r
Colonies Surely, the influence OF local law cannot
Affect the relations Of nations in any such mater \,
tins. Suppose AN American vessel, with slave. law
fully on board We're to be captured by British cruiser
as belonging TO some begerent, while the UuneI
States were at peace; suppose such prize carried nt
England, and the neutrality Of the vessel fuily me
out in the proceedings in Admiralty and a restoration
consequently decreed-n such case, must MI M,
slaves be restored exactly ia the condition IN Nbi4
they were when the capture wa made Woud.ahg
one contend that the fact Of thor having been cafrie
into England by force set them free :
No alteration of her own local laws can either n.
crease or diminish, or any way affect, the duy of the
English Government and its colonial authorize, II,
such cases such duty exists according to the Jau
the comfy, and the usages of nations. The pers,n
on board the " Creole could only have been regard
ed as Americans passing nom one part OF the nted
States to another, within the reach Of British autbo
rlty only Tor the moment and this only by force and
violence To seek to give either to persons or pry-
perry thus brought within reach AN English charas
ter, or to impart to either English privileges or L.
subject either TO English burdens or liabilities can.
not, IN the opinion of the Government of the United
States, be justified Suppose that By the law of Eng
land all blacks were slaves, and incapable of an,
other condition; if persons of that color free IL tl
United states, should, in attempting 10 pass (romon
port to another IN their own country be thrown n
stress Of weather within British jurisdiction MA
there detained for an hour day, would il be "a.
sonabe that British authority should be made IL ict
upon their condition, and to make them slaResi Oh (
suppose that an article of merchandise, opium Tor ID.
stance should be declared by the laws Of the United
States to be nuisance, poison, thing in which no
property could lawfully exist or be asserted and
suppose that an English ship with such cargo on
board bound from one English port to another Should
be driven by stress of weather. by mutiny OF the
crew. into the ports of the United States, would be
held just and reasonable that such cargo should re
ceye its character from American law and he
thrown overheard and destroyed by the America
authorities 1t is in vain that any attempt is made
to answer these suggestions by appealing 10 general
principles OF humanity This is a point in regard y
which nations must be permitted to act upo. differ
ent views, if they entertain different views, under
their actually existing condition, and yet hold COM
mercal intercourse with another, or not Iold
any such Intercourse at all. 1t may be added that
all attempts by the Government of nation 10 force
the influence Of its laws that Of another for any
object whichever, generally defeat their own pur-
poses, by producing dissatisfaction, resentment, ana
evaporation Better is it, far better in all respect,
that each nation should be left without interference
or annoyance, direct or indirect, to its undoubted
right of exercising its judgment in regard to All
things belonging TO its domestic interests and domes
tic duties
There are two gcnctal considerations Of the highr
practical Importance which you wilt IN the proper
manner, invite the attention Of He'd Majesiys Gov
eminent.
The first is that, cviliz ttion has made prosre-
III the world, the intercourse of nations has becole
and more independent of different forms Vi GOV
eminent and different systems Of law and religion.
II is not now, 1t in ancient times, that
foreigner is considered therefore eneuy aud
that as soon as he comes into the country he may tee
lawfully treated as slave; is the modern inter
course of States carried on mainly, at all tDr tic
nnrDnse Of imposing, by one nation another
forms OF cl~i government rules of property or
new modes of domestic regulation The great coa
munities of The worldar regarded wholly indcPcn:
dent, each entitled TO MAINTAIN its own system II aw
and Government, while ALL in thtdr mutual ni6c
course are understood to submit to The established
rules and principles governing such intercourse. All
the perectng OF this system Of communication anioh-
nations requires the strctest application of the d1t
rlne OF nom nerve nDn of any with the dualtstta VI
concerns OF others. .|
The other is, that the United States and Eng4nI
now by far the two greatest commercial nations in the
world touch each other by and land almost III
Vulnerable points, and with systems of general ul5,
prudence essentially alike, yet differing il The 9a,
of their Government and in their laws respecting
sonal seivltude; and that so widely does tlJ.|a4
mentioned difference extend its influence thD Ma
out the exercise the fullest extent ofthe iocsW0.}s
non-ineierencc aud mutual abstinence from aS llua
affecting each others domestic regulations the Jr
Of the two Countries and therefore the le,tgt o.I
world always VIII be IN danger. :..
The Bahamas (BItsh possessions )pusA ilaa
selves near to the shores of the United State a
thus lie almost directly the track OF that ur,a r5t
Of their coastwise traffic which, doubling die Ca4
FLORIDA, connects HE cites OF the Atlantic with lTe
ports and harbors the Gull of Mex Co anj 1o
great commercial emporium on the Miss sipll, at
seas in which these British possessions are situt,rE
are seas Of shallow water full OF reefs and bars
ject to violent action Of the winds and to the nli
tlons caused by the Gulf Stream. They must alN5
Therefore be OF dangerous NAY lgation, and accJ,
must be expected frequently TO occur, such as "
cause American vessels to be wrecked en- Br
Islands or compel them to seek shelter in Brl
ports II is quite essential that the manner IL MI
such vessels their crews, and calgocs, in Witness
such cargoes consist To be treated, in ,hosc n
OF misfortune and distress, should be clearly u.alua
known.
You are acquainted with the correspondence Hrifb
took place few years ago between the Ameta'l
and English Governments respecting the cases Of GA
Enterprise, the Comet, and the Encomlln. rpi
your attention to the Journal Of the Senate OF Va,
United States, containing resolutions unanlmlNst
adopted by that body respecting those cases hes
resolutions, | believe, have already been brought
The notice of Her Majesty Government, but II may
be well that both the resolutions themselves and
debates upon them should be again adNcrled to. \
Will find the resolutions, % course among the d9sa
mcnts regularly transmitted TO the Legation, and ~
debates IN the new paper, with which 1t has bcel
pied from this Department
Youwi ayall yourself ot an early opaoduullf
communicating to Lord Aberdeen III The aan
which you may deem most expedlrnt, The ,uhstu
Of this despatch and you Will receive further ins re
tions respecting the case OF the Creole, unI,-,
shall become the subject of discussion at WashlngHn
In all your communications with Her MAJESTY.