Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-26


,ossesson Of those slaves by unctonares Of the r.,
.i,.b Government" This admission is broad enou.,
!, covcr the case of the Creole, If lis crcumsanc.
,r, correctly stated. But 1t docs not extend - wa,
u. consider the true doctrine, according TO the as
and p,aass of nations and therefore, cannot be acqg
asced IN as the exactly correct general rule APPEAR
- ,b;s Government that not only is no unlriendy
reference by the local authorities 10 be allowed bl
,b,t aid and succor should be extended IN these II
other cases which may arise, affecting the Interests ii
citizens of friendly States.
We know no ground on winch u is just 10 sag ta.
these colored people had come WITHIN ana were viii
IN British territory, in such sense as that the laws
Enoand affecting and regulating the conditions Of n.
sons could properly act npon them As has been
,.,d said they were not there voluntarily. ~ human
beinr belonging to the vessel was "ithih bf>htfie;
n Ina own accord except the mutnerfs. There b-4,
no irpportation nor intent OF importation, What r:t
had the British authorities to inquire INTO the cary
the vessel or the condition OF persons on ooard iae-
persons might be slaves for life; they mght be s,iSr.
for term of years under system OF apprentices
they might be bound to service by ther own re1r.
tary act; they might be IN confinement lot crimes cc
mltted they might be prisoners oil war OF my me-;
he free How could the British authorities !o3a III.
and decide any OF these questions: VI, '"'t'c VII,
duty or power, according to the principles q nl'aa
intercourse had they TO inquire at all; H. ia.st
without unlriendly interference, and notmrh,2a.
ing the fulilrnent Of all their duties OF comfy aaG
sisiance By these authorities, the master % 'hr Htss
could not retain the persons nor prevent ter ec4.e
then it would be different question altogether, aa,
Their resort could b. had to British tribunals, Or r PSI
a. NJ ,hs Government in any Of its branches, 70 c0Ng-
their apprehension and restoration. No one complain,
that English law shall decide the conditions Of 81 IL,
sons actually Incorporated with British population lc
less there be treaty stipulation making other rossa
for special cases. But IN the case Of the "Creoe IL
coored persons were still on board an American ye>.
-. 1.l,.nt ptftIt ila
her voyage by mutiny the master desrn. s 10 rcsl,
Il and calling upon The Consul of his Government
dent at the place aud upon the oca authorities . cniuc
hun so TO DO, by freeing hun from ihe Imprisonment
to which mu,iny and murder had subjected hiu Al.
furnishing him with such necessary az anu a>',.
ance as usual in ordinary cases oi disaster o. ~
These persons then, cannot be regarded as beng MAs.
with the British people, or having changed Their cu.
racter at all either in regard 10 country or ieT>
condition Il was more than just 10 consict' "
vessel still her voyage and entitled 10 tie sEee1;
due 10 other Of distress, whether ARISING lr" 81
cdent or outrage. And that no other view ot the st
iect can be true is evident from the very awkward H.
siton in which the local authorities have placed te.
Government in respect 10 The mutineers still he!a
imprsonment What is to be done with ihenr H.
are they to be punished The English Goyernmea;
viii probably not undertake their trial or pnn'shnc
and of what use would 1t be TO send them 10 the
separated from their ship, and at period so late
he instituted against them the witnesses might b.
tered over half lhe globe, One Of the highest oterc
known to human law thus likely 10 60 altogether
punished.
In the note of Lord Palmers,on 10 Mr.. Steyensor.
above referred to- his Lordshp salt hat slavery be
now abolished throughout the British Empire, there
can be no well founded claim for compensation :,
spect of slaves who, under any circumstances, u.
come into the British colonies, any more than tIt'e
would be with respect 10 slaves who might 10 broG1
into the kingdom" ! have only to remark upon o.
that the Government of the United States lour
for any distinction founded on an alteration Of 'nta
law in the Colonies We do not consider that the que.
ton depends al all on the state Of British aw It
not that in such the active agency Of British a.
is invoked and refused; II is, that nnirIcndiy nicfs
renee is deprecated and those good Offices and iFcn
assistances expected which Government usually s.
fords TO citizens of friendly power when instance
occur of disaster and distress. All that tie n's
States require, in these cases, they would eaqe"
in the ports Of England, well as IN those Z
her colonies. Surely, the influence OF local las cat
not affect the relations of nations in any such nai'f'
as this Suppose American vessel, with slaves !aHi4
~ board, were 10 be captured by British cfus'
as belonging to some beligeren', while the | ~,'r
at peace; suppose such prize carried into England, a.
the neutrality of the vessel fully made out N The II
ceedIngs III Admiralty, and restoration conseqHen
decreed-in such case, must not the slaves be tsIs
exactly in the condition IN which they were wheH i
capture was made: Would any one contend that
fact of their having been carried into England hy ~
set them free.
No alteration of her own local laws can either
crease or diminish or any way affect the duty .; Z,
English Government and it's colonial authorities ~ ~.
cases, such duty exists according to the la@, y
comfy, and the usages OF nations. The rei'rns
board the "Creoe' could only have been regarc'd
Americans passing from one part Of the United Sta'r
another, within the reach of British authority 81
for the moment, and this only by force and vott.,
To seek TO give either TO persons or property u
brought within reach English character or 70 %
part to either English privileges TO subject ehe'
English burdens liabilities, cannot, in lie opinion
the Government Of The United States be justified /
Suppose, that by the law of England, all back
were slaves, and incapable of any other condition
If persons of that color, free in the United sac
should, in attempting to pass fro., one port 70 aa
Their in their own country, be thrown by sires'
weather within the British jurisdiction, and iha'
detained for an hour or day, would II be Fea'o'
able that British authority should be made 10 act u.
their condition, and TO make them slaves OrsuP2'
that article of merchandise, opium tor insi4h.1
should be declared by the laws OF the United State
be nuisance, poison, thing III which no pfoit
could lawfully exist he asserted and suppose ~.
an English ship with such cargo on board, O21a.
from one English port TO another, should be driven
stress of weather, by mutny of the crew, into "
ports Of the United States, would il be held 0st ~
reasonable that such cargo should receive is chat1'
from American law, and be thrown overheard aho ~
troyed by the American authorities II Is N vaia W
any attempt is made To answer these suggest
by appealing TO general principles Of humanity. -
is point in regard to which nations must oe +
mitted to net upon different views, II they en'ria
different views, under their actually existing condi'
and yet hold commercial intercourse with one ano'
not hold any such intercourse at all Il may pe ~
ed, that all attempts by the Government oio ~.
t. force the Influence Of another for any ub"cl ~.
ever, generally defeat their purposes, by ~.
ing dissatisfaction, resentment, and exaspera,'on
ter is IT, far better IN all respects, that each nation ~
be left without interference or annoyance, difeciI
direct TO its undonbtcd right exercising is own W
ment in regard 10 all things belonging 10 - Go"'
interests and domestic duties.
There two general considerations Of tie h-.
practical importance, to which you VIII, IN The =.
manner, invite the attention OF her Majesty ts's'
ment.
The first is, that, as civilization has made progfF''
the world, the intercourse Of nations has become 2
and more independent Of different forms of Gove'rr
and different systems Of law and religion. ltisno'0
as it was IN ancient times, that every foreigner -
dered as therefore an enemy; and that, a. soon .
comes into the country, he may be lawfully treat.