The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1843-03-10
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE. ANDTuE
RIGHT OF VISITATION.

or course, ~ Regarding su"l, II document ns n
message Of the President or the United States TO
Congress, giving his views upon great naionnl
question. we are bound Ia sci aside all party feel
lnr--uIl political pref idica--and To speak Of rs
an .1mericap .ns IN cnlhns;isir repubiican shon'G
speak, Of doe, lines intimately affecting the name,
manor, aud dignity Of his corniry.
Locking NJ it IN this light we feel proud OF the
message Of Prcsiden, TYLER 10 the House, CHE
essence Of which we published Yesterday fur
nislling in answer to lis request, his construction
Of thai portion Of The British treaty which touches
mon an alleged right 10 risW American vessels-
Il j. Of precisely the riahl Stamp. 1t is n di-paS-
snnalc. philosophical, and s'd;csman.lIle review
If The subject. courhcd in language ut once eul-
pliaic and inielligibe. IL sentiments are truly
rrpuhlican and M man, however 'ipcnt his po-
iiilcnl nnlipnies, however illiieral his political
creed. can Gil 10 admire il, without niiordiny Us
abundant reason to suspect his patriotism.
Lord Ahedeen, in his despatch 10 Mr. Fox,
seems To declare that the British government does
no, 50 understand The eighth secinn Of the Trraiy,
~ 10 conceive ha, it valves what the British are
pleased to term the 'Ighl" 10 visit American yrs.
sells in search If slaves The President contend.
that such Is the construction of the sncllon alluded
To-: that it i. expressed in piin and well.wcIheh
not exist, and Iar while willing TO put in use its
Whole naval force il necessary, f' the suppress.
sion vt the slave llnde. our sovcrnmen, cnn never
subm;, ~ the exercise of surveillance over its 4 g
by any other nation.
This j. good doctrine. Lord Aberdeen, IN his
drsp,chcs. expressly declares that If, in spite Of
MI prnrnulion. and American ship shond suffer by
n visit from British cruiser. prompt and amp'"
remuneration for damages should follow from hi'
government. This very "qnairaiinn' proves.
uhe President contends. )iha, the 81 chcd"rialu,"
even Of visit and inquiry, j. not II perfect rigH,
bat n mere assumption; and he maintains that. ex-
repi in cases where vessels are seized 'on suspi
zion nr piracy. with probable cause, and in good
C,iih," no nation has in tine Of peacr,an author
iiy 10 dclain The ships Of another upon the high
seas on any prlelcAi whatever, hey ond the lin
lis nl the territorial jurisdiction
We are glad To see the Executive take such
high, di.nifrd and iIulv American ground. We
have hecn opposed 10 The British Treaty, from The
beginning, Cor We feel ashamed Of the concessions
il made to a naughty pnwer-we feel ashlned OF
The useuio apology / accepts for the Caroline out
rnge-nnd we feel indignant that in purchasing a
pe9cc on such Illuminating terms, other national
differences were moi settled. that mny some day
require still more degrading measures to maintain
Us in our pacific realinns.
Disgraceiul aa The Treaty was. still il was some
consolation 10 think that we had postponed war
for a, least FIVE wears. BIT now, even that poor
hope i. gone Sir Rober, Peel and Lord Abcr-
deem coolly tell ia that we are mistaken. They
politely insinuiie TIN, the Stipulation in relainn In
The right Of search or visitation. was grninlions
concession Of our own. They suggest that. ms n
general rule, "vsiiaiion" is u ypiy innocent and
cus,omary tbnu: and that in claiming the right 10
indulge in il. they claim Just what they understood
we were willing 10 submit 10.
This il certainly pleasant. The idea that A.
rnerican vessels are 10 be slapped upon the high
seas. and visited, perhaps insnltingly. by british
cruisers under the prelenre of ascer'nlnng wheil'-
er or not they are engaged in the slave trade, is a
mons,rous ono, and shocks every feeling Of pairi-
o,ism. And then the arrogance Of lj''lo islsnl