The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1843-03-17
RIGHT OF VISITATION.

We had supposed it hardly possible that any
State paper could he more plain, explicit and in.
tolsb.e in lis language ilrun the late message Of
the President, relative 10 the pretended ielt Of
Visitation. Yet it seems hat portion Of il !,
thought susceptible of misronsiruclion, which
would be the more strange ard forced Us it is con-
sFlenl with Tie whole objec, and tenor Of the mess
age,
The President says:
"'!o seize and dc'an a ship, upon suspicion Of
piracy. WM nyOirh}e cGrrc Gri in royi E,;b
affords 10 just gr0und -:.- i'.~ pam. on lnc
part oIthr nnlon whose lag she bears, or claim Of
indemnify On the Pa'r Of the owner. The unNer
sal Law sanctions, an! the common good REQUIRES,
the existence Of such rule. The ririn under
such circumstances, not only to ,iSil and delain,
but 10 search ii ship, is a perfect right, aud in.
wolves neither responsibility nor indemnify"
| Mr NFes, IN his remarks in the Senate on
Thursday, expressed fear that his language might
be construed into an admission TINT mere susulrjnn
OF piracy wouId jas;Iy the detention and search of
a vessel on the high seas. But tho l'rr,i.rn, SAYS
expressly that the Suspicion must be "wh prob
able caUsc IN good !,ilh'-nol mere prrlrM or
srOnndcSs suspicion Certainly this Is q most ma
lcrIaI qualification.
We cannot claim such immunity rai orr flag rs
would make it a cover for piracy; MOI would We
interfere TO protect oGG Of on own vessels cn.nr.
cd in piracy. Il pirate Is an OulIhv-- under The
protection If 10 na;jon 1t Is no insult or injury
10 us To arrest or seize vessel which has fratdn.
leny made use Of our llg.
Eu, i. vessel, ish.uIy bearing orr nic, /. de-.
tanned upon the high seas, in time OF prace, and
no sufficient cause can be shown for the detention,
We may claim not only an apology for the outage
done to opr nlg, bat indemnify ioc an njn,, eus.
tanned by the uwncrs Of the yrs.ri. And nah,r
ii vessel rjghDru'iy bearing our lag may, if she
can, and chooses, resist any attempt to Visit and
dean her, IN Time Of pearG wilhaHt suhiau;;nr
herself 10 any pcna'iy. The mere fact Of her re-
s-tancc could not be ur;ci against her ~ causn
of suspicion. ANY lorc.hie v'siln'ion or detention
Of our vessels ia lime of peace il Il yrima facic
aggression, for which ample cause must be shown.
" atoncment made. Il * precisely the same a., il
our territory were invaded by an armed force.
fthc claim Row in dispute between the two
| Governments were nothing mere than a rirht Of a
nation To arrest vessel under any nag u1nn wei
founded suspicion Of piracy W. should merely
have 10 wonder at tie sudden zeal aud peracy
with which the British Government insists rrnn IN
universally adm ltcd rshl. VIA disputes III,
right o! any and every nation 20 punish piracy -
! And how could piracy ta detected or runishrd 4
pirilical vessel could shelter Itself merely ly
hosting particular flag
But this is not the claim which the British
Government seeks To establish; ncr wrud it 'ah,
so much pains TO Prove tr.i III. The light which
| il claims is right to ascertain amt verify the rr.
tlonaty Of vessels and is jhas distinctly stated in
the speech of SIR Robert .ecl
! Search il hcliigcrelt right and not 10 hc ever.
ciscd in time Of peace, except when il il has hr,n
/ conceded by Treaty. TIE right ct search extends
not only 10 tho vessel. bni 10 IN cargo also. he
right TO visit is quite distinct moan il.s though H.,
| two are uirn cnnluuuipi TIC right rr search,
| with respect to American vessels, We entirely aul
utterly discluim, may. uo.e il We knew iha, IN
American vessel vas furnished a.;i III the M &c..
rails requisite Cor ;hc slave trade, If Sc l,acw i5r,
the decks were prepared 10 receive hundreds If
human beings within space in Which LIE l. 3D..
most impossible, sill 'Tn shaud he bound 10 ~
that American vessel pass or. JVi III Tich 80
clain, IS 10 know Tiai-r q ,sssd yi5'sa3,as -
be .fmaricrh, q ~ h5iaiia- &c lmeritaa jGg, ts
bona fI, .qmsricG4. iiIoar. hear.)
how, il is t,iis pretended ti-hi 10 ascertain tho
nationality Of vessels on the ,igh sras IN tine If
oearr. which We tcciafa 20 ac who'll, rnluunhrHl
in reason OF precedent, and which our n,crnmcr,
could no more admit no Mailer 'yh hat qu1lif.
cations or restrictions. than it cudn recognize tho
rich, Of The British Government, in time vi pc, cr.
/ 10 send a Gcei Of ships 10 New York, and land
detachment o: troops, under the prrieNt &c seeking
for fugitive criminals. 1t Is the Iolen'ct strange
n, IS and aniacity OF this clnr nnI this claim ard
the deliberate distincErss with which il Is reilcr-
nted, which constituted the whole importance or
Sir Robert Pecl's speech. and called fo,ih tho
Presidents message; and ccrianl, there is not a
s,nence 10 the letter which can be understood ty