Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1842-03-22

vessel, with slaves lawfully on bOadr,
we're to be captured BY a British cruiser
as belonging 10 some belligerent while
the United states were at peace; suppose
such prize carried into England and the
mentality ofthe vessel fully made out in
the proceeding in Admiralty, and a res.
toration consequently dscreed-in such
case, must not the slaves be restored ex-
actIy in the condition in which they were
when the capture was madei Would any
one contend that the fact Of their having
been carried into England BY force set
them freei
No alteration Of her own local laws can
either increase or diminish, or any way
affect, the duty of the EnglishGoVernment
and its colossal authorities in such cases,
as such duty exists according to the law,
the country, aud the usages of nations
The persons on board the "Creole could
only be regarded as Americans passing
from one part Of the United States to an
other, within the reach Of British author
ity only for the moment, and this only by
force and violence. To seek to give Ell
ther to persons or property thus brought
within reach an English character, OF to
impart TO either English privileges or TO
subject either to English burdens or liza.
bilities, cannot. in the opinion of the Gov.
ernment Of the United states, be justified.
suppose that by the law Of England oil
blacks we're slaves, and incabable Of any
other condition: if persons Of that color,
free in the United states, should, in at
tempting TO pass from one port to another
in their own country, be thrown by stress
Of weather within British Jurisdiction, and
there detained for an hour orr day, would
it be reasonable that British authority
should be made to act upon their cOndi-
ton, and to make them slaves! Or sup.
pose that an article Of merchandise, OPT
um for instance, should be declared by the
laws of the United states to be a nuisance
poisen, thing in which no property
could lawfully exist or be asserted, and
suppose thatan English ship with such
cargo on board, bound from ono English
port to an other, should be driven by stress
Of weather, or by mutiny Of the crew, in
10 the ports Of the United states, would
il be held Just and reasonable that such
cargo should receive its character from
American law, and be thrown overheard
and destroyed by the American auihOr-
ties! II is in vain that any attempt is
made to answer these suggestions by ap-
psaling to general principle of humanity.
| This is a point in regard to which nations
must be permitted to act upon different
views, under actually existing condition,
andyst hold commercial Intercourse with
one another, or not hold any such inter-
course at all. II may be added, that all at
temPts by the Government Of one nation
TO force the influence Ofits laws on that
of another, for any object whatever, gen.
orally defeat their own purposes, by pro-
ducIng dissatisfaction, resentment, and
evaporation. Better is it, far better in all
respects, that each nation should be left
without interference or annoyance, direct
or ndirct, 10 its undoubted right of exer-
cising it's own judgment in regard 10 all
things belonging to its domestic interests
and domestic duties.
There are two general COnsldeFat ions,
Of the highest pratical importance, to
which you will, in tho proper manner, in
vite the attention Of Her MsieSty'S Gov
ernment.
The first is, that, as civilization has
made progress in the world, the intercourse
Of nations has become more and more
independent of differeut forms Of govern
ment and different systems Of law and re-
ligiOn. II is not now, as it was in ancient
times, that every foreigner is considered
as therefore an enemy; and that as soon
as he comes into the country, he may be
lawfully treated asa slave; nor is the mod
ern intercourse OF states carried on mainly
or at all, for the purpose Of imposing, by
one nation on another, new forms Of civil
new rules Of property, or
new modes of domestic regulation. The
great communities Of the world are regar-
ded as wholly independent, each entitled
to maintain its own system Of law and gov.
eminent; while all, in their mutual inter.
course, are understood to submit to the
established rules and principles governing
such intercourse. And the perfecting Of
this system Of communication among ma.
tOns requires the s.riCtest application Of
doctrine Of non Intervention Of any with
the domestic concerns ofOthers.
The other 10, that the United states and
England, now BY far the two greatest COM
meTcicl nations ia the world, tOnch each |
other by sea and land at almost innumsr-
able points, and with systems Of general
jurisprudence essentially alike, yet diff
ferng in the forms Of their Government |
and in their laws respecting personal ser.
vitude; and that so widely does this last
mentioned difference extend its influence,
that without the exersise TO the fullest ex-
tent Of the doctrine Of nOn-int erferenCe |
and mutual abstinence from any thing al