Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-07-13
THE AMERICAN FLAG.
rRoM rHE a1cHmosD waIs.

RICHMOND, wHIG.
The New Orleans Bulletin has series of arti-
cles upon this subject, in connexon with the late
enterprise against Cuba. They are written with
great power, and are evidently the work of man
well versed in the theory and practical workings of
the following extract:
has been contended that the recen, orders issued from
washington to ships of war; to intercept the expedition
uDa' ana all supplies and enfocemens going to it,
anu that ihe Government had control such
aef u mad eh the jurisdiction of the United States,
even aumtng had been fitted out in violation of the law
OF 1915 which latter the parties concerned contend was NOT
the iac In reply to this will observe that among the
immunies claimed tor the American flag on the ocean we
never before heard that them was nrocon
the proceedings of our Government IL nnhl;c af
ter was to escape on board Of the packet shps from New
ork ior Liverpool would there be any egay f the Gov
eminent to take him out from the on the high seas bv
ship OF war; which might have been dispstched in nurst
for the purpose Do not the laws the United States
cognzance of and punish any offence committed ON the biub
seas on board of an American vessel Why then should
not these laws in like continue with have uris
dcon over vessel on the ocean in the where those on
board have been guilty of any violation of them Every
vessel on the certainly anenabe the laws of some
country and It is the first time have heard the doctrine
boached that the moment American citizen leaves the
rtorla jurisdiction OF the United States american ves
SELL he is no longer subject to the laws of his country nor
can we understand why if the Government had the right to
detan such expedition and the parties concerned
up the county, cannot
same thing when it is found the high under the Ame
rican flag If it is said that in the former case il would be
done by regular legal process issued through the courts
whereas in the latter it would be the of naval officer
acting under the orders of the Executive and without Judi
cial authority, would in reply that the very nature
OF the case prevents the possibility of having judicial auho
ry and the of thus using physical force the high
seas is merely with the view of bringing them within the
Jurisdiction OF the courts where legal proceedings be in
stuted, and the law the applied for the acqutta Of
the accused innocent, their condemnation if guilty. the
same they had been originally detained in port. AT
any rate the objection merely to the form of exercising
the right OF the nation of its vessels the
the right ITSELF which is all contendng for remains
the same, and the difficulty the fom if there is any
difficulty in the case, would presume be corrected by the
ship having deputy marshal board, with legal auho-
ry from the proper We would further observe on
this point that the law in question authorizes the employ
ment Of the naval force of the United States in cases Of un
lawful expeditions and the naval force would certainly
not be required for the purpose in the ports of the couny
he only inference is that intended by the law to be
employed on the ocean,"
We certainly cannot see how the position here
assumed can be successfully controversial
The bulletin next attacks position assumed
against the right of the Government to interfere
with the late expedition, viz that as encourage
ment is given TO foreigners TO expatriate themselves
and become American citizens, so American citi-
zens possess the right to expatrate themselves It
admits this right, remarking at the same time that
the persons who were engaged in this expedition
did not exercise it, and renowned their citi-
zenship. Still it says they had no right to expa-
trlae the American flag, or, in other words to get
another flag; for, as expariaed citizens they had
no right to use the American flag. IT, however,
they still used American vessels, and of course the
American flag, the fact that they were no longer
American citizens did not render them the less
liable to the operation of our laws while on board
such vessels; for foreigners on board American
vessels at sea equally as liable as citizens to
American laws, and would be tried for any offence
committed on board at the first American port, lust
as American citizens would be. The Bulletin then
avs:
This idea Of expa,ration, however involves another alb
surdly on the part Of those who advance it. The parties
they say would thus be fee from all jurisdiction Of or &C
to the United States and yet in the same breath
contended that they under the safeguard and potec
ton OF the American flag and that the Spanas would have
had no right to modest njure them, unless they caught
them engaged in hostile operations within their jurisdiction
They begin by denatonaizng themselves and enouncng
all eay or allegiance to their country ard the time
claim The protection of the flag American citizens They
are either TO oc considered foreigners citizens and GER
ainy cannot be both at and the same time They
surely cannot expect after renouncng their country and
carng that they longer belonged her. 10 come forward
and claim her protection, and insist her espousing their
quarrel and throwing her protecting shield them when
hey, as foreigners, had failed in unlawful attempt upon
The territories OF friendly nation and fallen into the hands
of heir enemies -
We believe that every good citizen will concur
N the sentiments of this paragraph, which con-
,ludes the number:
III 1t was or is intended in any future attempt OF the
Kind to go upon this expaatng pan lie, be done fully
md completely lthere really any Americans unwor
ny OF the be willing renounce their citizenship
ct them also at The time the protection OF their
lag but do not let them the unmany part of orswearn
heir country in order avoid the consequences Of violating
Ter laws, and at the time claim the protection of the
lag for their personal safety Of failing in their una-
u attempt If they assemble expatriaed citizens in Yu-
a'an elsewhere without the United States for the purpose
f organizing expedition against Cuba Porto Rico Ja-
naca, Hay let them select the vessels Of some he MAJ
than these of the United States embark upon their en-
eprise lie; them put their bark aoa blue water under
he Mexican Brazilian flag, under ST. Georges cross of
England, the color of France and they can pass under
he very muzzes of Sarnacs Paxhans or the Germantown
md Albanys hirywo FOUNDERS without let or hindrnnce
the stars and Stripes whatever deep feelings of regret or
notification they might experience when viewing the to.
ous flag OF their late country floating the bret re before
hem, that they were not sailing under its broad folds in
awful enterprise against its national enemies"
AWFUL OccuRRESCE-SIx CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH.
he Montreal papers bring the following melancholy in
diligence of The destruction by fire Of almost an entire family
tended with circumstances of no ordinary character Smiths