The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-02-26

loo al authorities have placed their emit in
respect to the mutineevs still held in imprisonment
What Is to be done with them How are they 10
be punishedl The English Government will pro-
baby not undertake their trial and
Of what would il be to send them to the United
States, separated from their ship, and at period
so late as that If they should be sent, before pro-
ceedings couli be instituted against them, the
witnesses might be scattered over hall the
globe. One OF the highest offences known to hu'
law is thus likely TO 60 altogether unPunished
In the note Of Lord PslmerstoR to Mr.. stevenson,
above referred to- his Lordshp said, "that, slave
ry being now abolished throughout the British en-
pire, there can be no well.founded claim for com
pensation in respect Of slaves who, under any cir
cumstances, may come into the British colonies,
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 Govern
ment of the United States sees no ground TOT any
distinction founded alteration OF British law
in the colonies We do not consider that The
question depends at all the state Of British law
Il is moi that sach the active agency OF Bril-
ish law 10 Invoked and refused; II that uniriend
ly interference is deprecated, and those good OH
ces and friendly assistances expected which go
vernment usually affords to citizens OF a friendly
power when instances occur Of disaster and dis
tress ALI that the United States require. IN these
cases, they would expect in the ports Of England,
well as in those Ut her colonies Surely, the In
huenee Of local law cannot affect the relations Of
nations in any such matter AZ this Suppose an
American vessel, with slaves lawfully on board,
were to be captured by q British cruiser, as be-
longing to some belgersnt, while the United States
were At peace; suppose such prize carried into
England, ana the neutrality Of the vessel fully
made out in the proceedings in Admiralty, and
restoration consequently deere ed-in such case,
must not the slaves be restored exactly in the
dItion in which they were when the capture was
made! Woaid any one contend that the fact OF
their having been carried into England by force
set them free9
No alteration of her own local laws can either in.
crease or diminish, or any way affect, the duty of
the English Government and its colonial authorities
In such casss such duty exists according TO the
law, the comfy, aud the usages of nations. The
persons on board the Creole could only have
been regarded as Americans passing from one part
Of the United States to another within the reach OF
British aahorty DULY for the moment, and this
only by fierce and violence. TO seek to give either
to persons or properly thus brought within reach
and English character, or to impart to either Eng
lish privileges to subject either to English bur
dens or liabilities, cannot. in the opinion Of the 60
verument Of the Uaited States, be justified. Sup.
pose that by the law Of England all blacks were
slaves, and incapable Of any other condition; per
sons OF that color, free in the States, should in
attempting to pas: from port to another in their
own country, be thrown by stress Of weather within
British jurisdiction, and there detained an hour
day would be reasonable that the Brtish authority
should be made to act upon their condition, and to
make them slaves2 Or suppose that an article Of
merchandise, opium for instance, should be de.
clared by the laws of the United States to be q
nuisance, poison, thing in whica ne property
that an English ship with such q cargo board,
bound from one English port to another, should be
driven BY stress of weather, or by mutiny Of the
crew, into 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
anthoritiesg 1t 10 in vain that any attempt made
principles Of humanity. This is a roint in regard
to which nations must be permitled to act upon diff
feren, views. if they entertain diff rent views, un-
der their actually existing condition, aud yet hold
commercial intercourse with one another, or not |
hold any such intercourse at all II may be added,
that all attempts by the of one nation
force the influence Of its laws on that Of another
Tor any object whatever ssas!.iy asfea. their own
purposes by producing dlssatisaction resentment,
and evaporation. Better 10 il, far better a all
spects, that each nation should be left without in
reference or annoyance, direct or indirect, TO its
undoubted right Of exercising its own judgement
in regard to all things belonging to its domestic in.
terests and domestic duties.
These are two general considerations, of the
hiyhe 1t practical importance, to which you will, in
the proper manner, invite the attention of Her Ma
jesty's Government.
The first is, that civilization has made pro-
gress in the world, The intercourse Of nations has
become more and more Independent of different
forms Of government and different systems of law
and religion. 1t 10 not now, it was in ancient
times, that every foreigner 10 considered there
fore an enemy; and that, soon he comes into |
the country, he may be lawfully treated as slave;
mainly at all, for the purpose Of imposing, by
one nation another, new forms Of civil govern |
ment new rules Of property, or new modes OF do |
nestle regulation. The great communities Of the |
world are regarded as wholly independent. each |
entitled to maintain its own system Of law and
government, while all, in their mutual int ercourse,
are understood to submit to the established rules
ana principles governing such intercourse: and
the perfecting OF this system OF communication
among naliens requires the strctest application Of
the doctrine of sen-intsrvention Of any with the |
domestic concerns Of others.
The other is, that the United States and Eng |
land, now by far the two greatest commercial ma
tions in the world touch each other boto by and
land at almost innumerable points, and with sys-
TENS OF ljurisprudence essentially alike, yet
differing in the FERNS Of their Government ana in
their Ia respe citing personal servitude; and that
so widely does this last mentioned difference ex
tend its influence, that without the exercise to the
fullest extent Of the doctrine OF non intcrference
and mutual abstinence from any thing afs citing
each others domestic regulations, the peace Of the
two countries and therefor the peace ofthe world,
always will be in danger.
The Bahamas british possessions) push them
selves to the shores of the United States and
thus lie almost directly the track OF that great
part OF their coastwise traffic, which, doubling the
Cape Of Florida, connects the cities Of the Attain
tic with the ports and harbors on the Gull Of Next
GO, and tho great commercial emporium on the Mis-
sissippi. The seas in which these British posses.
sions are situated, are Of shallow water, fall
Of reefs and bars, subject to violent action Of the
winds, and to The agitations caused by the Gulf
Stream. They must always, therefore, be of dan.
yerous navigation, and accidents must be expected
ieqnently to occur, such ~ will cause American
vessels to be wrecked on British islands, or compel
hem to seek shelter in British ports. 1t is quite
essential that the manner in which such vessels,
heir crews, and cargoes, in whatever such cargoes
;onsis are to be treated in these Of nisfor-
uns and distress, should be clearly and fully
Known
You are acquainted with the CORES pondence
which took place few wears aT0. between the
American and English governments, respecting the
:ases OF the Enterprise, the Comet, aud the Enco.
mum. call your attention TO the Journal OF the
Senate Of the United States, containing resolutions
adopted BY that body respecting those
Eases. Thess re- solutions, believe, have already
been brought to the notice Of Her Majesty's Go.