The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-06-22
OUR NEUTRAL POLICY.
The War steamer United states.

In the review which we have already
published of the Executive and Legislative
| policy of our Government, from its forma-
ton, in regard to our neutral duties, we
invoked the high authority of WASHINGTON
and MADISON as the authors and advisers
of the Legislation Of 1894 and 1918. We
might also have cited the correspondence
OF Mr.. JEFFERSON, when Secretary of
State to President WASHINGTON, as we
did cite the letters addressed by Mr.. Mon
ROE, while occupying the same position in
the Cabinet of President MADISON, to the
chairman of the Committee of Foreign
Relations in the House of Representatives
1t Is sufficient for our present purposes to
add, that with all his sympathies for repub-
lican France, Mr.. JEFFERSON fully con-
Cured in the policy which was recon-
mended to the first President by an unani-
nous Cabinet; and his letter of the 10th
August, 1893, addressed to Mr.. NORRIS,
then our minister at Paris, reviewing the
conduct towards our Government of MIR.
Citizen GENET, contains matter which
makes it at the present moment docu-
ment OF very commanding interest. In
this letter, written prior to any legislation
OF Congress on the subject, Mr.. JEFFER-
SON says: owe hold it certain that the
law OF nations and the rules of neutrality
forbid our permitting either party to arm in
Our portS." In this letter he alludes to
the case of the ship Jane, an English mer-
chant vessel, which had sought to increase
her defenStve armament in one of our ports.
Finding that the Jane" writes Mr.. JET
PERSON, chad purchased new gun-car-
rages to mount two or three additional
guns which she had brought in her hold,
and that she had opened additional port
holes for them, the carriages were ordered
to be relanded, the additional portfolios
stopped, and her means of defence reduced
to be exactly the same at her departure as
at her arrival. THIS pas done on the gene
raj principle Of allo,Oing no party TO arm
Ditiin oar ports"
In the same letter, complaining of the
course Of Citizen GENET, Mr.. JEFFERSON
particularly mentions the case of the Little
Sarah, or Little Democrat, as that of YES
sci which had been armed, equipped, and
manned, in the port of Philadelphia, under
the very eye of the Government, /" and as
If meant TO insult it" This vessel having
) fallen down the river, and being evidently
on the point of departure on a cruize, Mr..
Genet was desired by the President to de
tain her till some inquiry and determine
ton on the case might be had. Three OIL
four days after, she was sent out under
orders from Mr.. Genet himself. "The
| Government, thus insulted and set at de-
hance by Mr.. Genet"-to use the words OF
Mr.. JEFFERsoN-had no course left but tC
consider him as acting against bis instruc-
tons, to give assurance TO the British
5 minister that prizes made by vessels thu,
violating the orders of our Government
should be restored or compensated, and I,
: notify Mr.. Genet that the indemnity thu
promised would be fair matter of accoun
b. against his nation. So stringent indeed
was the policy pursued by the Cabinet o
7 WAsHrNcToN for the preservation of oul
!. neutrality, that Mr.. GENET, in a violen
and insolent letter, dated September IL
: 1893, addressed to Mr.. JEFFERSON, state
5 that when he applied to the Secretary o
II War, at the request of the government
). of the Windward Islands, "to receiv,
y promptly some firearms, and some can
i non," the Secretary had the {" front" 4
: answer with "an ironical carelessness
5 that the principles established by the Presi
:, y dent did not permit him to lend us so mUc
p as pistol
e So much for the policy of Presiden
> WAsmNGToN's Administration, adopted
D, in the light Of the law of nations alone
The "crimes" act of 1894 was passet
byCongress TO carry out that policy. Tn
= additional act Of 1913 was passed at tn,
= recommendation of Mr.. MADISON, to rem
$, der that policy more efectual. Both thes,
acts have been the subject Of judicial in
; depreciation. We propose to present
b brief analysis of reported case undo
!, each act, TO show that the late Secretary
y Of the Navy, Mr.. Mason, will probably
find no judicial authority but that 0
4 Commodore PERRY to stand between hin
r and the grave charge Of having open
Nv and recklessly violated NOT only In,