Democratic banner., 1848-06-05

points, however, of general interest, ar
worthy Of passing attic ntion. Among thes
were two questions of vital importance
the country, and involving the fundament
al principles of the Constitution for discus
sion. In their progress, they cast upon tn
Government a heavy responsibility, an
great trouble and labor, and where watch
ed with a jealous solicitude by the who'll
community, which was divided in opinion
respecting the points involved in their so
luton. Happily, by the wisdom and firm
ness ofthe patriot then at the head of tn,
Government, and by the good sense of til.
nation, they passed away, without leaving
behind them any effects injurious to oul
institutions. These controveIted subjects
are the questions which arose in Georgia,
respecting the relative rights of the Indi,
ans and of the States, within whose juris-
diction they live, and that which arose in
South Carolina, respecting the power Of
the State Legislature to nullify an act Of
Congress.
In 1886, Gen. Cass left the Department.
of War. 1t is well known that he enjoyed
the full confidecc of Gen. Jackson, WHO
was anxious he should retain his seat in the
cabinet, till the expiration of the admins
t~ration, But his health having been bro
ken down by his official labors, he could
not remain, and he retired, with the deci.
Sive proofs of the good feeling and satisfac-
ton of the President. One was a warm
letter, thanking him for his services, and
expressive of the kindest sentiments to-
wards him personally; and the other was
the mission to France which he was APP
pointed. During bis residence at Paris
arose the question Of the quintuple treaty.
one of the most Portentous subjects which
has ever threatened our honor or interest.
England, from professed philanthropic-
but from really interested motives-was
seeking to establish a new principle of
maritime police, by which she could search
the vessels Of all nations traversing the o.
BY persevering efforts, she had OBJ
tanned separate treaties with various pow
erS of Europe, some great and some small
nothing is too high or too low for hu-
man ambition-by which the right ofsearch
was granted. She then said, through her
secretaries, Lord Palmerston and Lord
Aberdeen, that as she could not execute
these treaties without searching the vess-
els of all nations to ascertain to which they
belonged, she should assume that right,
and stop and board the vessels of the
United States wherever they might be
found.
And to give more moral weight to her
p%retensions, she projected another treaty
with the four great powers of Europe, en-
bracing in it the right Of search, and inten-
ded to make it the law of the ocean. The
treaty was signed before public attention
was much turned to it, but fortunately it
was not ratified; and it was of vital impor-
lance to the United States, and all other
powers interested in the freedom of the seas
that it should not be ratified by France
1t was, of course, well known, that from
the nature of their governments, the rati-
tications of Russia, of Austria, and Of Prus-
would not be withheld. But France being
a constitutional monarchy, and public O.
pinion operating powerfully there upon the
administration, it was hoped the nation
might be induced to act upon it, through
the Chamber of Deputies. And it was OBJ
vious, from the state of the maritime world,
that if France could be withdrawn from
this confederacy, no new principle could be
created, to which she and the United States
should refuse their sanction. A quintuple
treaty would be dangerous; but a quadru-
pei treaty would be without the least ef-
feet or influence. To produce, therefore,
result, was an object If the highest i'm
portance; aud the American minister att
Paris, finding himself without instructions
his government, had to depend upon
his own resources, and to act upon his own
responsibility. His operations were two
fold. First, to operate upon public SEN.
tImcnt, and then directly upon the govern
ment.
His pamphlet upon the right of search
was the measure he adopted to effect the
first object, and his formal protest against
the French ratification of the treaty, the
second. The phamphlet was published in
English, in France, and in Germany, and
was distributed throughout Europe. Its
effect is well known, and we need not dwell
upon it here. The appeal by protest to the
French government was successful. That
paper has been published, and our readers