Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-03-26


privilege though the flag Of the United States
may Fly yatelrther,m mast heats. But they do
deny the'right Of any such cruisers to search
their vessels, and here lies the ROOT of the
whole natter Certainly, il u British or French
frigate encounters vessel al sea, which is as
suredly British or rFrcnchvessel, enGeavuring
to conceal their nationality, under the Amcri-
can iag suuh frigate is justified in boarding
her, and in dtsposng of her as the laws OF the
country may provide. But this is done at the
risk of the boarding ship. If the result proves
that the suspicion was we'll founded, then the
commanding officer will be scathelcss. IIc
will have done his own government, and 10 in
jury to another. But If he has-suiared himself
TO be deceived, then he has violated the rights
of foreign power, and his sovereign must be
responsible for the consequences. He may still
have done. his duty to his own government.
That will depend upon the strength of the evil
dence upon which he acted. But he has COM
mitted an injury against another, and for that
injury, atonement may bc demanded But
general principles, and it is that branch oi'thc
subject alone, which is worthy of serious con-
sderatiun.
The two British Statesmeu attenr,rto sup
port their position ny pushing principles to
their extreme. This nlay do Oin TIE schools,
but It's place not in active life, and least ofall
in the affairs Of Hlticus. a British officer
meets a vessel bearing American flag, but
which he has the strongest reasons TO suspect
! TO he British, and engaged in the slave trade.
lie boards her, conducts himself with perfect
popriety, asccrtains his error, and rctires,
without any injury. lie is a trcspasser, but no
/ government would ever think OF complaing in
such case \ perpetual right To stop, 10
search anu toeei2e, is one thing. A casual act
of trespass. conceded to be such excused by
peculiar circumstances, and Immediately ac-
knowledged and atoncd for, another, The lat
ter niaype pardulicd. The tormer is intolcra-
bic. The commander OF the boarding vessel
-iaPreciseiy in the condition Of n sheriiis Off
GER who, with 4 writ against \. arrests Is.
/ Now, on a trial in an action OF trespass, which
b might institute for this assault and battery,
WHIST weilld be the measHrc Of damages which
an intelligent jury would apply to the cusc
They would adopt precisely TIE same rule We
hase.already laid down III the case of,he com
mander. If the officer had strong reasons to
mistake the indcntty of b, and to suppose he
was \, and If lie had conducted himself with
/ perfect proprety, and had really committed nc
/ injury, he would be dismissed with nomina
damages-damages which. while they asserted
the great principle OF liberty, would yet be per
.tectly vaueless in their amoiMt, leaytag tio al
advised complainant to pay the costs.
We are no STAKEHOLDER. We never have
been, We never shall be. We dcprecate it
exlstanCe in principle, and pray for lis neboi
ton every where, where this can be eilecte,
Justly, and peaceably and easily for both par
ties. But we would not carry fire, and de
,gaststian, md murder, and ruin into a peaceful
community, To push on the accomplishment .
the object But after having visited the three
Sasriers Of the cid continent, we say before Go,
and the world, that we have seen far more, am
more frightful misery, since we landed in Eu
rope, and we have not visited lrela,d. yet i!,aI
we nave ever seen among this class of people
in the United States. Whatever may be said
thereis much. of the patrlarchal relation be
Atween the Southern planter and the slave
And as to the physical distress, which isse.i
in Europe, resulting from, want of food am
from exposure TO rigorous winter, wlthou
adequate clothing, we believe it TO be So rsre
as not to form just elementin the considerable
of this matter. But the subject Of the emanc
, nation OF two millions and u half of human be
rlgs, living among another population ofdfiieI
ent race and color, and with different habit
and feelings, IS one Of the gravest question
, which can be submitted to society to solve. !
can be safely left only to those who are 10 b
4 SO seriously affected by it and there it is Lei
, by the Constitution ofthe United States. Iii
"a matter with which the general goyernmel
! has no concern.
s And so with respect TO the slave trade.
e is traffic which can be traced back 10 til
n umeof Jacob, whose son was sold into Egypt
i and,down, in some form or other, during th
h successive ages which have intervesed, tG Il
c last century, when ytreatysr!angemeLt lis wi
{. Spain, England obtained, as great CONNIE. CT
favor, the privilege Of Supplying the S,ant
p colonies with slaves, and to present, when
2 ter many years ofhitter opposition, the. Engll
4. parliament voted the abolition of the sla