Polynesian., 1851-04-12
mo. 4S..

He did not understand the nature of the laws
he was talking about. There is no such
penalty anywhere imposed on the captain or
vessel; and &c the gallies " are refinement
ofPrison discipline that has never yet reached
any part of the United States.
The Ministry, while they defended the
circular, acquiesced with little reserve in the
opinions ofthe opposition. Admiral Roman,
Minister eff the Marine, admitted, without
question, the accuracy of the account given,
Of the operation of she laws. and made
fiourishing speech upon the resolve of France
that French citizens shall be received
every where with respect, whatever be their
color-a threat which may well be laughed
at, for its impotence, as for its impudence.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, General
Laftte, joined in with the denouncers of our
laws, as 60 barbarous and unjust, {" and avow-
ed his intention to make every effort to obtain
concessions from those governments. which
have thus put themselves sc outside Of the
laws of nations"
If this means anything it means that the
French government has demanded the inter-
ference of the Federal government of the
United States to annuI these laws, either by
its own proper power, or by its influence
over the states. The effort will be vain, as
it is unjusti6able, under any law of nations.
or any constitutional power of the Federal
government. France, at this time, maintains
police system which keeps every American
citizen under constant surveillance He
cannot enter into the Republic, or pass from
place to place, without passports duly viseed;
and if he attempts it, he is seized by the gems
d'armes and put into a prison, no better than
hn frao o.k,
The right thus to keep every foreign subject
or citizen under the eye of the law, to pre-
vent them from interfering in the domestic
affairs of France, is the same, in principle,
as that of the southern states, in keeping in
custody those whose presence might cause
a disturbance among our own population
The stranger must be subject to the laws
which are enacted for the internal protection
of state, and the right TO enact the laws is
as absolute as that of establishing quaran-
line against infection. The right of The TO
reign stranger to complain of such restric-,
lions, is, in our case, less tenable, because
we treat the immigrants from states within
our own Union, exactly as we do those from
France or England The rights of French
nan or an Englishman, under the law Of
nations, can be no greater than that of
New Englander in southern ports. If such
hings be, under treaty, it would only fol-
ow that the treaty is a derogation of rights
hat ought not to be infringed. The COM
,laint of France that her negroes are not
'eceived in ports of the United States, as she
links they ought to be by her treaties, will
lave 10 be met, if that pretension be admit
ed. by an abrogation of such treaties. The
light of protecting themselves, by such po-
ice regulations as these, is not only inherent
n States, and not to be alienated, but is so
that it cannot be resigned.
Ihe United States must recognize it under
III circumstances, and shape its own course,
t home and in its foreign relations, so as to
bserve it rigidly.-.N. p. Pic.