Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-03-10
27TH CONGRESS- SESSION.
MONDAY, Feb. 81.


chandse from shipwrecks free Of duty in certain
cases, and amending the law regulating imprison-
| ncnt Tor debt in the District, were passed. A long
debate, extending to 10 O'Clock at night, sprung up
on the bill for printing the Journal of Congrcssion
| al debates.
to offer resolution providing that the next va
cancy on the IT, S. Sup. Court bench shall he fill
ed from the free States. The General Appropri
ton bill was amended SO rs to provide for COM
missioner in the Sandwich Islands, and consul
| at Beyrout and reported 10 the House. The Pres
dent sent in the following Message
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT.
10 The House Of Representatives;
In compliance with the resolution of the House
! OF Representatives of the Odd inst. requesting me
to communicate 10 the House whatever cores
! pondcnce or communication may have been
Ceived from the British Government respecting
! the Presidents construction of the late British
! Treaty concluded nj Washington, MS it concerns
All alleged right 10 visit American vessels here
| with transmit report made to me by the Secieta
ny OF State. have also thought proper to com.
muncale copies Of Lord Aberdeen's letter of the
ooh December, lS4l, to Mr.. Everett Mr. Ever
ctts letter of the 23i December, III reply thereto !;
and extracts from several letters of Mr.. Everett to
| the Secretary OF State.
| cannot loregO the expression of my regret ut
the apparent purpOrt Of part of Lord Aberdeen's
despatch To Mr.. Fog. had cherished The hope
construction OF the eighth article of the Treaty
! lately concluded between GrCal Britain aud The
| United States, WAS prCculed bv the plain and
well weighed language in which it is expressed.
/ The desire of both Governments is 10 put end
speedily possible to the slave-iradc aud that
desire, need scarcely add, is strongly and sin.
ccrely fell hy the United States rs it can he 10y
! Great Bran. Yet it must not he forgotten that
the trade though univ orsally reI,rob ted, was
! up TO a late period, prosecuted by all who chose
| 10 engage in II; aud there were unfortunately but
v, ry few Christian powers whose subjects were
not permitted, nud even encouraged. 20 slnre ia
the profits Of what was regarded us perfectly le-
| climate commerce.
1. ri,luntrtl nj a nrriod long before the United
States bcciu1e iutlrucndput ana was carried ON
within our borders in ouuOsiou TO the most ear
nest strnuces mad exuos,ulntions of son,e of
,I,, rolonies in which il was most nrtvelv nrosc.
! c,t,d' Its cbornrrrr inns 6xcd Inv ronuIon cnn
| Som oud ,,arernI ur,riice roud oulv he chnnred
hv ,Lp uositiyn assent of each and every nntion
eXurn.sed either in the form of muujcipnI law or
conventional arrangements The United STATES led
, the ,yov in rfinrts 10 supprcss it, They cIaimrd
! ro rinEt f., dirto,e IN others. hut thev resolved
>yi,I,nut wntr, for the co oDerntion ofotber now
crs IN urohih, II to heir own cuizens and 10 VS.
!, is Incarceration by them with conGipn punisl-
, mont may safely affirm TINT if never Incurred
-, tIi C,ovpi,,,ueui tlat any ncv ,noro,in,a ri,bt
ncc,,a, ~ il from the posiIi1n i, had inns nss,7r
l il; r,,rI IN tho sl,ve trade If harore our l., ,,s
! c i, ,,,.,ssi,,n tI,. O,,, nf avarv ,o,o, ,,I,
,rn,n~sa ,hc OCEAN uuourstioued Lv our crnis'.rs
Ills rropdou, was not in our ouiuion in the Ieos,
| ,I,ri,lrnI bv arr u,uniciunl lroislution Anv OH
w. I,r;a' !, - ,nin ,,'ould s,bie,, IN NJ, rrh;,a
~ nvJ nvcr vnrving system of maritime Malice
I,,,,od at will nv n 1r1nt NntionnI power for ,L
Xxx h,;n, ,ba ,,ado or tho ,vo,d IN ,nv ,ioooa
ss,,,cIos which such mower r,;,I, soo e.
- r,ah;lit n i,s own subjects or ci,iaens ~
4 rrincinle orthis kind could scnrceIv be no.
"'r ~ ,.L,s,,n, md embarrassing vevn,ions Tha
o,,nnt IN i,,srirv sch nrelension from the r;rh,
r., VII, onI dn,,ir Sims nuon .osouobe srsu;c1on
or n;rocv. wouId deservedly be exposed to uniyer.
sal condemnation since il would he nm attempt 10
| convert an established rule of marane law in
| corporaed as Il princne into the international
code by the consent of all nations into IL rule and
| principle adopted Ivy single nation, and enforced
! only hy It's assumed authority. To seize and de-
| tain shin upon suspicion of piracy with proha-
BILE cause and in good faith, affords no lust ground
either Tor complaint on the part oil the nation whose
| flag she bears or claim of indemnity OH tho mart
! of the owner.
The universal law sanctions and tho common
| good requires the existence of such a rule The
! right under such circumstances, not only TO visit
and detain, but search ship, is perfect right.
aud involves neither responsibility nor indemnity.
| But with this single exception nation has in
| time OF peace, any authority to delan the ships of
! another upon the high seas, any other pretext
whatever, beyond the limits of the territorial iurs.
! diction And such, am happy to fluid, is sub
stanlially the doctrine OF great Britain herself in
! her most recent official declarations, and even in
those now communicated to The House. These
| declarations may well lead us to doubt whether
! the apparent difference between the two Govern
mcnls Is not rather one Of definition than of prin,
! cipe. Not only is the right of Search properly SO
! called, dlSclumeL by Great Britain hut even that
! of mere visit and inquiry is asserted with quah-
! cations inconsistent th the idea of perfect right.
In the despatch OF lord Aberdeen 10 MIR. Ever
EFT, ofthe 20th December lSil also in that Just
| received by the British Minister in this country
made to Mr.. Fox, his lordship declares thu, it, in
/ spite OF all the precaution which shall he used TO
/ prevent such occurrences, an American ship by