The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-01-24

Inc incidentAi advantages attending thts ar
rangoment, In the support and protection which
the presence OF American squadron will give
to our growing commerce the coast of Africa
commerce susceptible of the most beneficial de-
velopments, through the civilized colonial settle
ments already established there-constitute an inn
portant additional recommendation Of IT, This con-
slderaton early attracted the attention Of the proper
department; and see from the report Of the Sec
Rotary OF The Navy at the Of the ses-
sion, that he proposed to enlarge materially the num-
Der OF vessels employed on the African station, as
well in reference 10 this object, for the suppress
sion of the slave trade. The extent IF the squadron
stipulated 10 be maintained there, is probably not
greater than the Secretary would have deemed ex-
pedient in any event. and the expense will be amply
repaid in resulting benefits to the commerce OF the
country.
The last stipulation in the treaty which remains to
be noticed, is that by which the parties agree mutu-
ally to surrender fugitives from justice in certain
cases An arrangement Of this sort between neigh
boring States, whose territories border each other
through an extended boundary-presentng to Often
ders great facilities of escape from jurisdiction
INTO the other-seems to be urgently demanded by
the interests Of pc ce, law, and social order. So
just and proper it in ITSELF that some writers OF
high authority the law of nations have regarded it
as a matter of absolute obligation, independently OF
treaty stpulatiOns The modern and better opinion,
however, considering how diversified, and often ar
Ditrary, is the penal legislation of different countries
Is, mat there no obligation to surrender fugitives
from the criminal justice of one country taking re-
iuge IN another but in virtue Of positive and precise
compact. The want of some conventional arrange
ment OF this sort between the United States and
Great Britain has been particularly felt in the States
OF the Union adjacent to the Canadas and other
British possessions the continent where the pros.
pect Of the easy impunity gained by ssng from one
side to the other OF the boundary line has been found
to operate great temptation and encouragement
[ a OT Sfnfa how mo fast cd
an earnest desire for such reciprocal arrangement
between the two Governments. The stipulation in
the treaty, will be seen; is confined exclusively to
crimes OF an aggravated character against life or
as murder, robbery, piracy, and some
two three enumerated offences carefully prefer.
mitting all political offences and lest
foreseen abuse or Inconvenience should arise in the
practical administration of the agreement, the right
IS reserved to either party to terminate it at will
This article closes the circle of matters embraced
by the treaty. There are other questions Of much
interest to both counties, which have formed the
subject of an important COZ respondence between
the Secretary of State and The special minister of
Great Britain. This correspondence las been laid
before the Senate with the treaty and must necessa-
ry enter into their consideration in dsposing of the
treaty itself 1t has, therefore, attracted the careful
attention of the committee; and they have seen,
with pleasure, that there has been an amicable and
honorable understanding, important advance
to such an understanding ultimately, on each of
the questions which formed the topic of that
pondence.
The first OF those questions that present them
selves to view is the affair of the ST. amboat Caro-.
line, captured and destroyed some years ago. with
in the territorial limits of the United States, and
forming part of the arrears of an unsettled dipo-
matte account which the present Administration in
herited from the last. 1t is no part of my purpose
(said Mr.. X to cast censure unnecessarily anywhere
questions which now come before us for grave and
calm deliberation But, as gentlemen have seen fit
to indulge IN very Unsparing denunciatons of the
course pursued by those now IN power, in regard to
this affair, and have given the rens to their magma
tons in the most boundless and gratutous praises of
the course of the late Administration on the same
subject, 1t becomes indispensable to just under
standing of he question, to restate facts in the ma
kedness Of their historical truth.
The seizure and de struction of the Caroline OCCUR.
red at Schosser, on the Niagara frontier, in Deem
Der, 1887 being the first year of Mr.. Van Buren's
administration. 1t led to brief correspondence be-
tween Mr.. Forsyth and Mr.. Fox, at Washington
and Mr.. Stevenson, our Minister at London was inr
structed to make formal representation to the Bri-
fish Government on the subject, and to demand re-
dress This representation was made by Mr. Steven
son, in note to Lord Pamerston dated the 22d OF
May, 1888. His note remaining without any other
answer than mere acknowledgment Of its receipt
for more than twelve months, MIR. Stevenson, very
properly wrote TO Mr.. Forsyth, in July, 1899, stat
ing that he regretted to say no answer had yet been
given to his note in the Of the Caroline" and
desiring to know "if it the wish Of the Govern
ment that he should press the subject again and il
so, with what degree of urgency In answer 10
this communication, Mr.. Forsyth, in September
1889, replied that instructions were then required
for again bringing forward the question Of the Caro-
line that he had had frequent conversations with
Mr. Fox IN regard to the subject-one Of very recent
date and "from its tone, the President expects the
British Government will answer your Mr.. Steven
sons application in the case without much farther
delay" But in point of foe the Presidents expec-
tation was not fulfilled; the British Government
gave answer to Mr.. Stevensons duplication in
the and so the matter stood-the formal repre-
sent alton made by Mr.. Stevenson remaining wholly
unnoticed by the British Gov, rnment for eighteen
months longer, and down to the close of Mr. Van Blu
ren's administration For three long years Mr. Van
Buren, patiently acquiesced in this silence, and slept
over an olt age which gentemen-bis friends and
eulogsts on this ioor-would persuade US, in the
lofty flight Of their chivary and elJquence they
buried to avenge by an instant recourse to arms.
What advantage has been naturally taken OF this
most extraordinary acquescence Of the last admins
tration, to embarrass any renewed demand for re-
dress, strlkngly shown in the following passage Of
note addressed ny Lord Pamerston to Mr. Steven
son on the I'd of September last which is now before
me
cit appears, then, that for nearly three years. the
United States Government acquiesced in. the silence
of her Majestys Government on the subject for
though in September, 1882 Mr.. Forsyth stated as a
reason for not pressing her Majesty's Government
for an answer, that the President had been led by
some conversation of MIR. Fox to expect the British
answer without any further delay, yet that reason
necessarily ceased with the further lapse of time
and could not be said to have held good as long as till
the beginning OF 1s40. Mr.. Stevenson, moreover
specifically states, in his note Of the 3lst ultl-
mo, that during the whole interval between
the date of his note of May, 1885, and the
time when the arrest of Mcleod became known in
England, IN February, lS4l, no communication ever
took place between himself aud the undersigned on
the subject of the Clrolme Now, as neither Mr..
Stevenson nor the late President Van Buren, have ever
shown themselves deficient in watchful and active
attention to matters in which the just rights OFT the
United States concerned the undersigned consi-