Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-03-26

any more than there would be with respect
to slaves who might be brought into the
kingdom" ! have only to remark upon
this that the Government of the United
States sees no ground for any distinction
founded on an alteration of British law in
the colonies. We do not consider that the
question depends at all on the state of Bril-
fish law. 1t is not that in such cases the
active agency of British law is invoked and
refused; it is, that unIriendly interference
is deprecated, and those good offices and
friendly assistances expected which Gov.
eminent usually affords to citizens Of a
friendly Power when instances occur of
disaster and distress.
All the United States require in these ca
ses, they would expect in the ports Of Eng
land, as well as in those Of her colonies.
Surely, the influence of local law cannot
affect the relations Of nations in any such
manner as this.
Suppose an American vessel, with slaves
lawfully on board, were to be captured by
a British cruiser, as belonging 10 some bel
ligerent, while the United States were at
peace; suppose such prize carried into
England, and the neutrality Of the vessel
fully made out in the proceedings in Admi-
rally, and restoration consequently de-
| creed--in such case, must not the slave be
restored exactly in the condition in which
they were when the capture was made?
Would any one contend that the fact OF
their having been carried into England by
force set them free.
No alteration Of her own loca! laws can
either increase or diminish, or in any way
affect, the duty of the English Government
and its colonial authorities in such cases, as
such duty exists accor ling to the law, the
comfy, and the usages Of nations. The
persons on board the "CreoIe'' could only
have been regarded as Americans passing
from one port of the United States to ano-
! other, within the reach OF British author
! ity only for the moment, and this only by
| force and violence. To seek to give either
to persons OF property thus brought within
reach of an English character, or to impart
to either English privileges. or to 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 England all blacks were
Slaves and incapable OF any other condition;
if persons of that color, free in the United
States, should, in attempting to pass from
one port to another in their own country.
be thrown by stress OF weather within BrI-
fish jurisdiction, and there be detained for an
hour or day. would it be reasonable that
British authority should be made to act
upon their condition, and to make them
! slaves.
Or suppose that an article of merchan-
disc, opium for instance, should be declared
by the United States to be nuisance, a
poison, a 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 ano-
Their, should be driven by stress Of weather
or by mutiny Of the crew into the ports oil
the United States, would it be held just and
reasonable that such cargo should receive
its character from American law, and be
thrown overheard and destroyed by the
American authorities? 1t is vain that any
attempt is made 10 answer these suggestion.
by appealing 10 general principles OF hu
msnity. This is point in regard to which
nations must be permitted to act upon dit
ferent views. if they entertain different
views, and under their actually existing con
dtion. and yet hold commercial intercourse
with one another, or not hold any such in.
tercourse at all. 1t may be added. that all
attempts by the Government Of one nation
to the influence Of its laws on that OF anO
Their, Tor any object whatever, generally de-
feat their own purposes by producing dis
satisfaction, resentment and evaporation
Better is il, far better in all respects. that
each nation should be left without interior
ence or annoyance, direct or indirect, to it:
undoubted right of exercising lis own
f Judgment in regard to all things belonging
, to its domestic interests and domestic du
ties.
= There are two general considerations oftht
! highest practical Importance, to which yoI
will, in the proper manner, invite the at
+ tention of her Majesty's Government.
The first is, that, as civilization has mad
f progress in ihe world, the intercourse o
+ nations has become more and more indie
e pendent of different forms of government
r and different systems OF law or religion
Y 1t is not now, as it was IN ancient times
e that every foreigner is considered as there
n fore an enemy, and that, as soon as h
e comes into the country. he may be Lawful
:. y treated as a slave; nor is the modern IN
0 tercourse of states carried on mainly, or a
= all, for the purpose OF imposing, by one nc
n ton on another, new forms OF civil govern
r ment, new rules of property, or new mode
$ of domestic regulation. The great con
e munities of the world are regarded as who
T. ~ independent, each entitled to maiHtal
J. its own system of law and Government
l. while all, in their mutual Intercourse, ar
d understood to submit to the established rule
n and principles governing such ntercours
il And the perIecting OF this system OF con
Is munication among nations requires II