Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-03-25

lbolnd 10 lei that vessel pass on" Ard that our Go
yernment knew these views, distinctly stated oy INT
President in his Message, who says that Lord Aberdeen
expressly dsclaimcd all right TO dctan an American
ship en- tie high seas, even if found with cargo
slaves on board and restricted the prcension 10 mere
claim 10 risi and cnqure This claim, The Preslden
adds was regarded the right OF search, presented
ony in new form and expressed in different words; ant
therefore feel il my duty 10 declare, in ny annua
Message 10 Congress- that such concession could bt
made and that the L S had both the ability and IN
c!jnalion 10 enforce their laws, sc. repeat
then what other point remained TO be adjusted uPoI
this general subject, but this very claim of visitation
and if this was mol adjusted, it is now clear IL wa
not wha, ''adu.meni' did take place; And why wa
The spula ion introduced into the treaty, though WE
could rot keep squadron tic coast OF AFRICA ahc
execute our laws, without binding ourselves, IN
solemn convention: with Great Britain, 10 Go so And
all this YOU intimate. without even request on her
part. A., -.
rcspondcnce by few remarks upon the serious posi-
ton in which country is now placed. II affords me
no pleasure TO find that all foretod, respecting the
course Of the British Government in relation to this
nrecnsion TO search ships, has been sgnaly con-
frmed bv the recent declaration o! Sir Robert Peel
The Accomplishment; has soon, too soon followed the
nrediction | said, in my letter 10 you Of February
18th. 1912, as have already stated that England
rarely if ever, abandoned a preienson, and that, in
nv oninion, she would enforce this And in my letter
bilily that she would carry into effect her doctrine,
said "That she will DO when her interest requires it,
have 10 more doubt than have, that she has already
given abundant proofs that the received code oil public
law is but feeble barrier when 1t stands IN the way
NJ mower and ambition Both Lord PamerstoE and
Lord Aberdeen tell us she will" And now, greater
than either has said So, and, as the London Times
expresses H. he has SAID In the most cnPhac man
ner And what, then, is our position Slr hooert
Peel has declared, that the British Government never
10;
il rsitatioa and the London Times" the great ex-
ponen OF the principles and purposes OF the English
Government and arsocracy, said on the 3lst oil last
December 4 month before this declaration, mat Eng
land had not abandoned title OF her claim ito search
our yesscls) The Treaty does not afford the smallest
nrcsnnption that she has - and said further, that the
| United States would find that the right would continue
TO be unfnchngy, taye, that IS the word unlinchnsy
exercised And adds that this essential right oil the
British Nayy:' would never be relinquished Sir no
bert Peel is cautious Statesman lie does not zeal III
distractions lie does not make declarations ID the
face Of the world remain imperative, particularly
when such declarations are chcercd by both sides Of the
House in manner to show, beyond doubt, that lhey
are responded to by the public feeling oil the country
And the Times - we'll informed of the views OF the
Government month before these were communicated
to the nation would have said, that the right ~0utd
he ,ndiachasiu exercised if it were 10 remain dead
letter.
We all know 10 what this pretcnslon leads, and 10
| what III IntCnCeu 10 ledu-udt IL VIII
cct our whole commercial marine 10 the English Navy
II is an insult 10 the OF the world, 10
talk about difference IN their effects between search
for one purpose and search Tor aBothcr ana 10 CAL
search ascertain the character OF vessel and 10
carry her in for condemnation, al the will OF Mdshp
man perhaps if he believes affects 10 believe she
belongs 10 one country, and claims TO belong 10 an
othcr-to that great gulph, always ready 10 swa-
low American rroperty-a British Court oil Ad-
miralty, 10 CALL say, such search rssltatloh
fin Tho nratp
all this was reserved for the nineteenth century For
what is e.visitaton: 1t is enough TO look at the
flag; for any "buniing, as Lord Palmerston calls H.
may be hosted. IL - not enough TO look at the men,
for all marines contain foreigners well as natives
not enough look at the papers; for these may
be simulated il is not enough TO lock at the log DOCK
for that may be false forged ls not enough 10
look the cargo; for that proves nothing But 1t is
obvious that all these viii be looked at 10 satisfy the
nauisitor and his nquisition The London Sun, said
last wear very Justly f the Americans sanction the
examination OF their ships for the mere purpose OF as
certaininr if vessel bearing the American flag IS
bona fde American vessel, they sanction rlgio
examination of the vessel herself ana u IS 70 DC
borne mind, that the right TO examine, presuPposes
the right send in, if the examination IS rot satsac
tory 10 the officer; and to condemn If not satisfactory
10 the Judge What follows, let our history IRON I9o
TO 1915, tell.
But this is the least injury sought 10 be entaie upon
u.s. Heretofore, agreeably 10 her own doctrine, En-
pIand could only impress seanen IN Tune OF war;
for she claimed the right TO board vessels merely rs
belgeren right which ceased when she was al peace
And she conceded, and said the Prince Regent, IN
his celebrated declaration of January oh, lc3 IN an
swer to the manifesto Of the American Government,
that British cruiser could not board an American
ship for the purpose of mpressment, but having once
entered under legal right, then the boarding ofhcer
could seize whoever he pleased TO be transferred 10
foreign navy, there TO fight agans! his own country
Now the British Government has devised plan, ny
which our vessels may be boarded time of peace, AND
thus the whole seamen of the IT, States may be placed
at the disposition of England, in peace and war we
now understand the full value OF lmpressmen', ano
gby Lord Ashburton would not relinqulsh II; and we
understand what the London Times means, when II
says that this right OF visitation, which IS to be "un
Anchingly exercised" is "cssental to the British
navy.
randly than this II is but wear two since Lord
S,nwell the well known English Admiralty Judge,
solemny decided, that 'no nation can exercise lhe
right of risc;ion (mark that word) and search upon
the common and unapProPr'a'ed part OF inc ocean,
except upon the bellIgeent claim And si'l later inc
Duke of Wellington said in the House OF Lords, "that
there vas one point 10 be avoided than another
that relating to the visitation OF vessels belonging
10 the 1Amercan1 Union The first time we heard OF
this preension serions claim was from Loro rai-
mers,on on the 9th of August 1874 and the next was
from Lord Aberdeen on the 18th of October following
and il was then put forth "ndispensabe and justin
sole" in the execution of certain slave trade treaties
formed with the estates of Christendom Now, inc
British Government claim that it has become settled
part of the law of ualions And, ships are 10 be
searched SAYS Sir Robert Peel TO ascertain if 'grle
ous wrong has not been done TO the American flag.
This is really, of the most extraordinary assump
lions Of modern days Our flag is TO be violated, 10
zee If it has not been abused. The whole country
knows where the "grievous wrong would be, II tins
principle we're carried into practice.
There n thousand reasons founded upon common
ancestry, upon language, upon institutions, and upor
interests why should earnestly desire peace will
+ the Engsh people. But will their Government perm'
. il This doubt. England has great power and she
is not slow to exercise it, She has great pride, ant
she is not slow indulge it. We are in the way
both of her ambition and of her interest; ard ambition
and interest need march far III search oil pretex
for
!. becomes every American to ask, if he is prepared
10 yield This right of search Far myself, think II II
better defend the outworks than the ciladel-to hgh
for the first inch of territory rather than tor The last
maintain honor when attacked, rather than Il
wait til we have none TO be attacked maintain