Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-01-17


IL the Senate Of tie L $.
have received resolution Of the Senate o! the 9Th
Of December, III the following terms:
"Reso'ced, That the President be requested to inform
the Senate # compatible with the public interest, vine
Their the oaintupe treaty for the Suppression o! The
slave trade has been communicated 10 The Govern
ment Of the t. ) IN aoy form whatever: And, II So
hy whom f.. what purpose: ana what answer may have
leen returned 10 such communications Also, TO com
municate TO The Senate all the Information which may
have been received by the Government Of the u ) {,
going show that tito coarse whtch MtS Goreramtnt
msht take IN rotation 10 Satd heatyhdS ccted no smaH
degree Of attention and discussion IN Erope Also, TO
inform the Senate how far the ',carm aHtmadrtrstons
and the great poicai excitement winch this treaty has
caused III Europe have any application or reference 10
the U 5. Also, 10 intofm the Senate what danger
there was tina, fhc iacS and The obEgaccS ot the U
s. in relation to the suppression OF the slave trade
would be sc1ccuted In otsrS if did not rcm0rc the
preto1t and aottrS for rto'ane flag and erccmtng
oRr iacS, be entering into tie stpuaiions Tor The AF
can squadron and The demonstrating embassies which
contained in the Sth and 9t articles OF The late
British treaty Also, HAT the President be requested 10
communicate TO the Senate all such information upon
the negotiation Of t:c African Squadron articles As Will
show the origin of such articles and the history and
progress OF their information.
informed the Senate, the message transmitting
the treaty with England OF the 9th Of August last, that
no application request had been made 20 this Go
vernment TO become party 10 The quinuple treaty
Agents Of the Government abroad, regarding The sig
nature ofthat treaty political occurrence o some I'm
portance obtained, uno.c;ay, copies of IT, and Trans
miied those copies to the Department OF State, as other
intelligence communicated Tor the information OF the
Government The treaty has not been communicated
10 the Government of the United States from any
other quarter n aoy other manner or Tor any otaer put
pcse.
The mex, request expressed in the resolution is IN
these words:
"Also, 10 communicate 10 the Senate all the infor-
nation which may have been received By the Govern
pghnt fnut fla d
which this Government might take in relation TO sad
treaty has excited small degree OF attention and
discussion in Europe. Also, TO inform the Senate how
far the warm animal. rsons and the great political
excitement which This treaty has caused IN Europe
have any application reference to the U. ,.
The words quoted in tins part Of the resolution appear
TO be taken from my message above mentioned. In that
communication | said
"No application or requcs. has hscn made TO this
Government b, party to tnis treaty but lie
course might take IA regard 10 has excited no sn"i!
degree of attention and discussion III Europe, as the
principle upon which il founded, and the spulacns
which il contains, have caused warm anmadveTslonS
and great political excitement.
ain my message al the commencement Of the present
session Of Congress- cndeavored 10 state the prime pies
which this Government supports respecting The r@ht
OF search and the immunity OF nags. DESTROYS oil
maintaining those principles fully al the same time that
existing obligations should be fulscd, have thought
il most consistent with the honor aud dignity I'll the
country that IL should eAccae IT'S own laws, aud perform
It's own obligations, Ivy It's own means ana lis own
power. The examination or visitation OF the merchant
vessels of one nation by the cruisers Of another for any
;urpcses except those known aud acknowledged by
The law of nations under vhaeve. restraints q! egua
tons may take place may lead 20 dangerous results
It's far better by other 10 snpersede any supposed
necessity or any motive for such examination or visit
Interference with merchant vessel by an armed
cruiser is always delicate proceeding, apt 10 tonch
the pon, Of national honor as well Us TO affect the
interests OF individuals. II has been thought therefore
al ncss,t nIaf Jnn
of the treaty of Ghcnt but at the time removing
all pretext the part of others for violating the immu
mites Of the American flag upon the seas as they exist
and are defined by The law Of nations to enter into the
articles now submitted to the Senate.
"The treaty which now submit to you proposes no
alteration mitigation, modification of the rules OF The
Jaw of nations 1t provides simply that each OF The two
Governments shall maintain on tie coast OF Africa
sufficient squadron 10 enforce, separately anG respec-
vely the laws rights, and obligations OF the two coun-
tries for the suppression ofihe slave trade.
These opinions expressed by ne officially upon
the occasion Of making Ia the Senate communication
ofvery great Importance 1t IS not perceived how the
accuracy Of THIS general statement can be doubted oy
those who are acquainted with the debates OF public
bodies in Europe the productions OF the press and he
other modes BY which pGblic opinion is manifested IN
an enlightened age. j. is not 10 be supposed that ex
cited attention to public and national transactions or
General political discussions Europe subjects open
10 all the world, known oaly IL consequence oil
private information communicated to the Government,
and feeling strong persuasion that would be improper
in the Executive 10 80 INTO any discussion or argument
upon such subject with the Senate, have no further
remarks TO make upon tbs part Of the inquiry.
The third inquiry s
"What danger there was that che laws and The obli
cations OF the L. III relation TO TIE suppression oi
The slave trade would be executed by oilers, Il We did
not remove the preteXt and motive for violating our
flag and executing our laws.
have already quoted from the message the entire
.,agraph par, Of which this portion of the inquiry
is supposed to refer
AS 10 the danger there was that The laws and the OBJ
Iiracns Of the u 8 in relation 20 the suppression Of
the slave trade would b. executed b. others, if DID
not the prctext and moti"c Tor violating our
nag, and provide for executing our laws might say
that this cnets upon notorious facts and occurrences
If which tho evidence has been ~ various terms be
,ore The country, ard al TIE branches .! tie Govern
Inent.
When came TO occupy TIC Executive chair, could
not be ignorant OF the numerous complaints winch :ad
been made account OF alleged Interruptions al Anne
rican vessels engaged n lawful commerce on the coast
III Africa by British cruisers, on the ground oil their
being engaged the slave trade could not be 'gFo.
rant at The time, o.. The we'll grounded suspicious
which pcvaded the country, that some American VS..
SO Is were enua I'D ~ that odj.U aDd u"!a~iu taic
there were two dlr GERS II 10 bc n1fdcG aganS; the
one that this traffic would continue 10 Be carried Oh N
American ships and perhaps much incFt Gsfd. uaifss
some new and vigorous effort should Ie mlct ter ii.
suppression the other that ccqr'cscence N the cnpu'e
oil American Vessels Ho'"tlo's save "N"i'S' ~ ''
cruisers might give counenancct TO seizures and decn-
ton Of vessels lawfully employ cd on light grcunditss
buspcions And cases had arisen, n."cE The Admins
,ration Of those who preceded mr., we'll calculated to
SHOW the extern, and magnitude Of this latter danger:
and believing that very serious consequences might IN
lime grow Of The Obvious tendency and progress OF
things felt it 10 be duty 10 arrest that progress,
10 rescue the immunity Of The American flag from The
danger which hung it; and to do ibis by recon
mendng such provision for The execution Of our own
laws as should remove all p!e,encc for the interference
OF others
Among the occurrences TO which have alluded, i,
NAV be useful to particularizs one case.
The schooner Ca,l,arnc, an American vessel owned
by citizens OF The United S.aics seized on The coast
Of Africa BY he Britlsh cruiser called The Dolphin aud
brought into tie per; q New York N the Summer OF
is32 Upon bong troagl1 nj" P"rt, Beng + Batter