Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1843-03-11
From: me Washington City Spectator.
THE l1NWRlTTEN WORD


Tho speech Of Sir ROBERT PEEL has
produce quite sensation. lie in terms
denies tho Interpretation put upon the
treaty by Tic American Government
We had been made to believe, that in con-
sideraton Of the stipulation to keep Il
squadron on the coast Of Africa. we had
purchased an exemption from the right,
or rather wrong. OF visitation for five
years. Bad as this was, it has not been
conceded TO US. Sir ROBERT tells us that
the British Government yielded and in
tended to yield nothing. and that the stipu-
ls;ipn referred 10 was voluntary and
sratuitous concession on our part. We
must prepare for more backing ont. AL
ready we are told that the general right
of visitation is II very innocent and Gus
iomary thing, and that the British claim
no more than we arc willing to grant, or
rather 10 submit TO. The spirit ofthe ma
tion is failing with its fortunes.
The right Of visitation rests on the
same grounds as that OF search. Both arc
purely belHgercnt rights. They do not
exist in time Of peace. Even the grca.
champion Of English maritime privileges,
Sir w. ScoTr. thus states the law:
''lhe RICH, Of visiting and searching
merchant ships on the high seas, what
ever be the ships, the cargoes, or the des.
tlnaiions. is an incontestable right of The
lawfully commissioned cruzers Of the
bciHgerent nation. say, be the ships,
the cargoes andihe destination what they
may, because, lii they are visited and
searched, it does not appear what the
ships, or the destination are; it is for the
purpose Of ascertaining these points .ha,
the necessity Of this RICH, OF visitation
and search exists. This right is SO clear
in principle, that no man can deny it who
admits the right Of maritime capture; be-
cause, if you ere not at liberty to ascer-
tain by sufficient inquiry whether there
is property tina. can be legally captured,
i, is imp,s siblc to capture
Thus it viii be perceived, that the Eng
lish judge couples the twd claims, and
supports them by the sans reasons, arr
sing exclusively out Of a state Of war. -
The true doctrine is simply this: There
is no distinction in international law, be-
tween visitation and search. They both
rest upon the same principle A ship is
q Scratched or floating portion Of the
counii;s 10 which she belongs, and no
foreign ..aicer can set his foot upon her
deck upon any pre;ext, or for any pur,
pose, whatever. \ British officer has 40
right 20 enter al. American vessel TO ex-
anime whether he. papers correspond
with her flag, on the coast oil Aisica or
anywhere else. lie can oniy do SO, when
confident that the vessel is not An.arlcan.
and when called to account, he mus. sho~
that the circumstances were such as to
justify the mistake. Ills only excuse is, a
natural mistake, as when police officer
searches an individual, or breaks into
house The British p.etcnsion is, to
make the mere presence Of q ship in Ger.
toin latitudes, or the fact that the Ameri-
can flag Is sometimes abused, claim for
general visitation. This prctenson is
both recent and preros,erous. 1t has
been properly characterized as an inter-
po'ailon Of the law Of nations. II cam
not be submitted TO by nation which has
the iaintest sense Of It's dignity and into
rest.
This is the frs. frui, Of anti Slave trade
alliance. II also shows the importance
OF trusting IN negotiation to nothing but
what is written. We cannot look for its
interpretation beyond tic treaty /. din
ner.table conversations. Should Il: qges.
ton Of yeracily'' arise between Lord
AsHBuaToS and Mr.. WEBSTER. every can.
Gld American must decide In favor of the
former. His Lordship is a man Of un-
spotted character. Whatever may be the
faults Of England. she never trusts her
honor to uen utterly degraded il, public
aud private estimation. We anticipate
also similar question between Lord
ABERDEEN and Mr.. EVERETT. Here again
we shall be reluctantly constrained 10
give superior weight 10 the assertions OF
the BRUSH states,naG-lor the conduct of
our Reverend Minister on The Abolition
/ question was such as to forfeit the esteem
OF the men OF honor who were induced
to vote for his confirmation bv political
considerations. This we have from good
authority. Alas Tor the honor OF our yir-
gin republic, that her lair fame should be
! III such hands!
It's cUccfs.-i female was taken ont nj