The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1843-03-10
PR ESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
To The House of Representatives;

to communicate 10 the House whatever correspon
dence or communication that may have been re-
ceved from the British Government respecting III
Presidents conSl' uclon Of The late British Treat
concluded at Washington, AS concerns an alleg
cd right 10 visit American vessels, | herew
transmit report made 10 me by the Secretary o
State. have also thought proper to colnnuni
cate copies Of Lord Ahrrdeen's letter of the 2Ol
December, 1871, to Mr. Everett; Mr. Everell's let
ter OF The 23d December, in reply thereto; AM
extracts from several letters Of Mr. Everett to thu
Secretary of Stale.
cannot iorego the expression Of my regret n
the apparent purpoIl OF part of Lord Aberdeen
despatch to Mr. Fox. | hId cherished the hop,
that all possibility of misunderstanding us To lht
true construction of the eight article Of he Treat,
lately concluded hetween Great Britain and tn,
United Sia,cs,waS preclude1 by the plain and well
weighed language in which it is expressed. The
desire of both Governments is To pat an end as
speedily rs possible to the slave trade, aud thai
desire need scarcely add, is rs strongly and sin
cereIy ist by the United States. us il can be bv
Great Britain. Yet it must not he forgotten that
The trade, though now universally reprUbled, was
up Ia late period prosecuted by all who chose to
engage in il; and there were unfortunately but
very few christian powers whose uhjrats we've not
permitted, and even encouraged, to share IN the
profits of what was regarded as a perfectly legi-
mate commerce. 1t originated al II period long he
fore the United States hld become independent,
and was carried on within our borders in oppos-
tlon TO the most earnest remonStraneS and expos
tuaions Of some of lhe colonies in which il was
most actively prosecuted. Its character, lhus fly
ed by con0non consent aud general practice could
only be rhlnged by the positive assent of each and
every nation, expressed either in the form ormuni
4
ted States led thu way in efforts 10 suppress it,
They clniled M righ In dictate ID others, hut they
resolved, without waiting for the co.nperaion Of
other p,wcrs, 10 prnhibi, 10 their own cliz,ns and
10 visit lis perprrrali"u by them with condsn pun
iShnrn' may safely affirm that it never occur
red 10 This Government that any new maritime lgh,
accrued IN it FROM lhi position il had thus assumed
III regard In The slave trade. lf, before our laws
for lis supp e|sIon the ll,g Of every naIion might
traverse The Deem unqneSIinnrd by our cruisers.
this rcr'lnni was not, in our npunr, in the least
abridged by onr municipal legislation.
Any other doctrine, it i! plain, would sub eci to
an arbitrary aud ever varying system of mri'imn
policy, adopted a will ty the great naval mower
for the line being, the trade of the world in any
places, or in any articles, which such power might
zee III 10 prohibit Ia is own Subjects or rizrns,-
A principal oflfs kind could scarcel, be ncknow
edged, wililnut Suhlccing commerce TO the risk Of
constant AMI hirlS'ng vrynilons. The attempt To
justify such preienSinn fam the rgh To wish and
d tain ships npnn reasonable suspicion Of piracy,
wonid 'shrvcdiy b. exposed to universal condeu.
n 1ll'n, sine would he IN aiiCmp, TO cOhvprl an
n''ah 'hcd ru'n of maritime law. Incorporated ms
prIuc p'" mln the International code nv the consent
of a. nations ,nloA rule and priuripll adopted BY
n sin ,lh nt,lnn, and enforced only by Us assumed
Inn .iy, nd dat, Ia ui,i
pi'inn of piracy, with probable cause AN | in good
faith, affords no just ground either for complaint on
the p'rt of the owner. The universal law
s,nrll1ns. and the common good requires the r>-
i'lenre Of such rule. The rahi under such cir
eamSlInrns, not only to wish aud deluin, bu, to
search ship II perfect right, and involves heilh
or responsibility or Indemnity. But wi'h this SIN
gle eSrrpnn. no ni'iun hls, in time ofpcacc, any
10 dclain The ships of another upon The
high sens. M an, pretcSt whatever. beyond the
Limits Of the territorial Jurisdiction. And surh
nm happy 10 lird, j. substantially the daclrlnr Of
Great Britain herself. in her nlost recent oiiri,l
declarations and cren in those nnw communicated!
IL III, House These declarations MA, well lead
u. 10 doubt wlunhrr the apptrcn, difference be-.
w 'rn the two Governments is not rather one tf
dcGn4Iion than Of principle.
No, only il the righ, Of search, properly so call.
ed dis'ained by Great Britain, hut even that Of
mere VISIT ana inquiry T. asserted WIN gnaihra
tons Inconsistent with The idea Of perfect 'i.h
W me hr,pn''h "l iord Aberdeen 10 Mr E'PieU. |
III The 2oh Dec. ISL, MS also IN that just received
ny Inc Brush Minister IN Tins country, made TO
Mr. Fox his l.nrdShp declares That II, III spite o'
nil prcchn'Inn wleh sh''l he used !" prevent such
occurrences, an American ship, by resrn oil an,
v.il or detention by British cruiser, "snnld sui
Fer ln'' and nlnry,l' would be iolowed by prompt
iHd ample rennnera,ion.' Aud in order 10 make
mora m ,nllesl her intentions in this respect, Lord |
Aberdeen, in despatch Of the 2OIh Dee. makes
known 10 Nlr Everett the nature IF the instructions
given to the British cruisers. That Government
i', III SEVERN c'sc'' '','''e" he' promises IN ms
p"'cuar'"l making adequate r'p'ra''"" '"r "ah'-
~" none !" our rn,''''@rrr' u seems obvious J."
remark 'h'' rili' wh''n i "h'y 10 nc exercised