Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-03-02
TwENry-sEyEsT1I cosGREss--ad Session
IN SENATE,


and passed; and the question being the adop-
lion OF the title TO the bill,
MIR. BENTON rose and moved 10 recommit the bill
with instructions to strike out 50 much of the appopr
ations as related TO the African Squadron
The CHAIR remarked that the bill vas now passed
and The question was merely on the title: and it would
therefore, be necessary 10 reconsider the vote on The
passage OF the bill before Tie motion to recomm could
be considered.
The motion was then made reconsider, and carried
| IN The affirmative; when
| MIR. BENTON remarked that the point Of inquir,
was, whether The Government of the United States
had received any intima!ion Of different construction
having been put upon the treaty by Great Britain
iao; 10 tie right of visit, s0m .ai given 10 il by thu
Government As 70 whether the despatch Of Lord
Aberdeen had been replied to not, although il
might be point of some moment between the parties
concerned, it rot however, the po;ut to which he
directed his inquiry There did appear TO be, in
the despatch .! the American minister from London
(from which Mr.. b. here read exIraci,) single
word upon the subject Of the construction given 10 the
treaty by the British Government in reference to the
r'gh, Of visitation and srarch THIS was tue point o
inquiry which he desired to make
Mr. ARCHER observed that, as the honorable Sc.
major had sguiliei hs intention 10 make inquiry,
Without anticipating the nature Of tia, inquiry and,
lnasmuch as a despatch had been snce received
he (Nlr AZ deemed it but fair and proper that the
attention OF the Senator should be called 10 that de.
spscl, that he might be the better able TO shape his
inquiry.
MIR. BENTON said, perhaps the gentleman would
60 step farther, and tell him at what time the Govern
ment of the U S would favor them with an answer
the inquiry. little gentleman would do this he would
confer nm additional obligation.
alr. ARCHER requested tie honorable Senator dis.
;inc.!y 10 rcpca, his inquiry.
Mr. BENTON said he would rend from an English
newspaper Published at Liverpool, eAtract purport-
ing TO be speech Of Sir Robert Peel in which ii was
1i maa refIn ttan
MON, of the right Of visitation III American ships upon
the coast Of Africa; that the late treaty conceded
thing upon this point: ead that Great Britain Tould
adhere 10 the principle which she had assumed in
ference TO that subject.
Mr.. ARCHER said the honorable Senator from
Missouri would recolcct that il had not been assumed
by the Executive Of tie U. s, in the message counu
ncatng The treaty 10 the Senate at the last OF
Congress- that Great Britain had renounced her right
OF visitation. AS 10 the rgh, OF search that had been
renounced according the distinct declaration Of Lord
Aberdeen.
Tilr A read from the Presidents message
He asked Tie particular attention OF the Senator
the passage And he asked the honorable Senator hnw
he could affect 10 suppose that il was contempa-
tad, the part Of the executive Government Of the
u. S., that there had been any announcement of the
right Of visitation the part of the British Govern
menl, How that gentleman, with the message OF
the President Before him, authorized 10 suppose that
there had been any such expression the part of
this Government, OF remuneration on the part of the
British No; only this plated,
serted upon The formation Of the treaty, but it ex
pressy stated in than part of The message,
that the keeping OF squadron upon the coast Of Africa
was OF ITSELF 10 pu, an end to The occasion Tor the right
Of visitation. II not possible 10 obtain from either
party direct and explicit remuneration of this light
and il was not considered advisable, III such case that
the Government Of The u O.. u hich well MS Tie
British negoliao he'd earnestly 1T heart to adust, ne
far as practicable all the pon,s IN dspue) because
they could not come 10 arrangement which would
be absolutely satisfactory upon this point, should as
the S.naior seemed to imply by his remarks, not at
temp, To do thing. remuneration Of the right Of
ysu not having been obtained IL was thought advisable
10 obtain what considered the next best thing
And accordingly, an arrangement was made which
tended remove the necessity for the exercise OF That
right. We had many so guns dispersed IN small
v ssels upon the of Africa; and he put to the
Senator from Missouri to say whether there was pro-
liability that there would be any for The
else at tina, right Although Great Britain might be
unwilling to abandon the right; although we could not
cy,inruis the claim Of Great Britain TO the right Of
visitation Tie exercise Of which obnoxious to
ns-l was highly improbable that any occasion would
ar.e between the two Governments for the exercise
of the right Of visit, for any collision upon that sub
ject
I II was he thought, question for the consideration,
no, of this Government only, but OF the people oil the
C. S, how far we should draw the line OF distinction
|
which the British Government has disclamed; how far
the line Of distinction should he drawn under the prln
cpIcs of International law. He supposed the Senator
from Missouri would agree with hun that, whilst we
claimed exemption for all vessels calling under our
aur IL was not unreasonable the part OF the British
Government TO require that we should give sort
of security against the abuse oil that flag We had nct
as many gentlemen supposed, followed in the footsteps
OF Great Britain reference 10 this natter but we had
gone pari passu with her. II was TO the signal honor
o this Government that had been the first TO put The
brand Of piracy upon the slave trade and had been the
meons az cnusnr the Government Of That country 10
MT the brand of piracy upon it, Suppose one oil our
own vessels depu,ed TO carry out our own policy, haa
seen al port in Cmba, elsewhere, vessel destined
for the slave trai:ics suppose our cruiser meets th's
vessel at sea- and she runs up the lag oil some oher
nation: would the honorable Senator contend mat We
had no right 10 make inquiry as to the real state
ri The case, Was not reasonable therefore, that We
should afford some means OF ascertanins whether
vessel purpor,ing TO be American, was SO IN reailty
Il was true that the American flag ought 10 pro'ec
every spot over which was raised but he wou!a 't
the honorable Senator i; should be really the American
| dag, ard not counterfeit
He could inform the Senator that complaints had neef
brought To the State Department OF the interference o.
onr cruisers with vessels suspected OF being engaged W
the slave trade the papers OF which vessels actually
Thai thew had be- en- SO engaged md, If he
rightly informed, than one investigation was no"
on foot in reference TO such vessels.
He made these observations merely TO show that
Wills, II is true remuneration had been mace OF
The part of the British Government IN regard TO iie
right of visitation, yet, nusmuch as The conflicting
claims of the two Governments were oil such nature
as from necessity render them extremely d,icuit
adjustment it was high meri! en- the part OF The 20
yernment OF the u. S, that finding itself unable u
come To any satisfactory adjustment with the bn'ss
neroa,or they had done the next best thing TO put al
end TO all prc,cnsons the part of the BRUSH io
rssortinu AGAIN TO the exercise of that right. lie
thouri. ;hs in doing this, the Government had actee
wisely. and that il deserved The commentator oil TIE
Mr.. BENTON observed, tina, The extract rcac
FROM his place by the chalrma oil The COMMITTEE OF
Foreign AiIars, Mr. Archer,l only referred to sub
ordinate ,iu, OF SIR Robert Peels letter;hat OF The
neglect 10 answer Lord AbcTdecn's tesrnci! oil De
ceGbcr, 1911 The extract read only referred to 'ha
point; while hiss inquiry was wholly directed to the
ancson of difference difference on The esseniia
point Of meaning Of the treaty. Sir Robert Feel Dc
clares hat difference, and Processes himself doubij
panied to say that the Presidents message not Ger
rect lie says the right of visitation is not gwen up
that ENGLAND will moi concsde IL the President, IN hi
MESSAGE OF last December, informs the two House
tia, search, visit, and visitation, al obvlaed by Tn
treat and conpratulaies the country upon i. This