Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-03-04
PRESIDEN rs MESSAGE.
To The House Of Representatives.

the House Of Representatives OF the 22d
inst, requesting IN; 10 communicate TO
the House whatever correspondence or
communication may have been received
from the British Government respect
ing the Presidents construction Of the
late British treaty concluded at Wash.
ingtou, as 1t concerns an allcdged right
10 visit American vessels" | herewith
transmit report made TO me by the
Secretary of slate. have also thought
proper Ia communicate copies Of Lord
Abcrdecns letters Of the 10Th Decem
Der, 1911, 10 Mr. Everett; Mr. Everett's
letter Of the 23J December, iu reply
thereto; and extracts from several let.
ters OF hr Everett 10 the Secretary Of
State.
cannot forcgo the expression Of my
regret at tho apparent purport OF part
Of Lord Aberdeen's dospaca to AR Fox.
| had cherished the hOpc that all posi-
bility of miSundr standing as to the true
construction OF the eighth article Of the
treaty lately concluded between Great
Britain and the United sta es, was pre-
cluded by the plain and well weighe d
language in which il is expressed. The
desire OF both Governments is to nut an
end as speedily as possible TO the slave
trade, and that desire, | need scarcely
add, is As strongly and as sincerely felt
by the United States ns il can be by
Great Britain. Yet il must not be for
gotten tina. the trade though now repro.
bated, was, up 10 a late period, prosecu
BY all who chose To engage IN ii; and
there were unfortunately Tut very few
christian powers whose subjects were
not perIRiIteI, aud even encouraged. To
share ia the profits of what was regard
Ell as perfectly Legitimate commerce..
II originated AT period long before he
United States had become independent,
and was carried on within our torders
IN opposition TO the nIst earnest remon
stranccs and xpostulaIions Of some Of
the colonies in watch i: was most active
ly prosecuted. LIS character thus fix
ed by common consent ana general prac-
tlce, could only be changed by the com
mon cJRseRt and general practice could
only be changed by the p siiive assent
OF each and every nation, expressed Ell
Their in the form Of municipal law, or
conventional arrangement The United
States led the way in Efforts 10 suppress
1t. They claimed no right TO dictate to
others, but they resolved, without wait
ing for the CO operation Of other pow
ers, 10 prohibit it TO their own citizens,
and to visit its perPretrution by them
with condign punishment. may safe
" affirm that IT never occurred TO this
Government that any now maritime
right accrued To it from the position it
had thus assumed in regard TO the slave
trade. lf, before our laws for its sup
preston, the flag Of every nation might
trave rse the ocean unquestionel by our
cruisers, this freedom was not, in our
opinion, liz tho least abridged by our
municipal Legislation. Any her doc
trIne, II is plain, would subj ect 10 al mr.
birrary and ever varying system Of mar.
iIlmc police, adopted at vii. by The great
naval Power for the time being. the
the trade of the world IN any PAGES, or
in any articles, which SUCH power might
see III to prohibit to its own subjects or
cllIzcns. A principle Of tins kin could
scarcely be acknowledged. without sub
lectlng commerce To the risk OF constant
and haI RAISING vexations. The attempt
10 justify such pretensiun from the
right TO visit and dsiain ships upon rea.
sonablc suspicion Of piracy, would de-
seryeGiy be exposed TO universal con-
demnntlon, since il would be an attempt
10 convert an established rule Of mari
time law, Incorporated as a principle in
Ia the International code by the consent
OF all nations, into rule and principle
adopted by single nation and enforced
only by its assumed authority. To seize
and detain n ship, upon suspicion Of pi-
racy, with probable cause and in good
faith, affords no just ground either for
complaint on the part Of the nation
whose flag she bears, or claim an m
demnlty on the part Of the owner The
universal law sanctions,a and the common
good requires, tho existence Of such a
rule. The right, under such circum.
stances, not only to visit and detain, but
10 search ship is a perfectright,a an in
wolves neither responsibility nor indem.
nifty. But with this single exception no
nation has.in time Of peace,a any authOn.
~ to detain the ships Of another upon
the high seas, or any prcteXt whatever.
beyond the limits Of territorial jurisdic.
;ien. And such am happy to find, is
substantially tho doctrine Of Great Brit
tain HERSELF in her most recent dec ara
iions,and even those now communicated
to the House These declarations may
we'll lead us to doubt whether the appa.
rent difference between the two govern.
ments is not rather one Of definition
than one Of principle. Not only is the
rIrht o. Senrch. nrnnnrlY so cnllcd dis.