The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-31

destructive fire broke out in this place this morning
which destroyed nearly the entire square Court
and Pine streets including the post Office The loss is
estimated at about 100000, which is only partially
insured
The Arrest OF British Subjects In South
Carolina.
From the London Times. March II
II may be in the recollection of readers that We
drew attention months ago to the of Isaac
Bowers British subject who. tho sole ground Of his
locked in the town gao during the ships stay In
Iort This public notice of the subject followed up
by inquiries in the House of Commons and eventually
by application the part of government that
Of the United States The has assumed a com
hard to what confusion be generated by the
action Of this unlucky incident the internal politics
the Union and the commercial relations between that
country and this II should be understood that dis
nct authorities osnd To be interested in the qus
ton, and corresponding division Of responsibility
of involved The treaties regulating the inter-
between Great Britain and the United states and
contracted between her majesty's government
hand and supreme government Of the Union on tha
other to the citizens Of each of the contracting
powers the free right Of entering departing, and
sidng unmolested within each others boundaries and
II was ON the strength Of this stipulation that CO.
rernmcn demonstrated against the gratuitous incar-
ccraon Of of its subjects The Independence how
ever of the several States composing the American
Union has only been partially surrendered to the federal
government; and IL in the exercise of right as-
sumcd to be legally reserved that the local Legsla-
turc OF South Carolina enacted the ordinance unicr
which Isaac Bowers was imprisoned The Caroinss "a
u slayehOllng NJ "
such jealousy do they guard their institutions that
sppcsrance Of free black Ia their towns Il absolutey
forbidden and hercc the law providing for the incar-
ceraon Of Nil such during the stay o the which
shall have brought them to the country On the one
hand therefore. by plain treaty engagement between
the two countries Isaac Bowers free to enter re-
side and dcpar. any point Of the American territory
without moiestation or annoyance; the other. by
known local laws he was aInenable to improvement Il
Charleston, in respect of his skin
The first application of the British government
made Of course. to the cabinet Of Washington the
aafu
with foreign States Mr Clayton. in reply acknowledged
the violation of the treaty in the act plancd Of bu,
charged the upon the peculiar character of
the federation which rcmitted 70 constituent state
certain private sovereignty in virtue whereof the law
in question had been passed. Whether this reply
made entirely in good faith with the wish to clule
troublesome controversy. shall not attempt deter
mine but the results have been singular In the
On the receipt Of Mr Clayton's unswcr, by which "
were virtually referred for ssflc ion % the govern
mcnt Of South Carolina Mr. Matthew the British cpnstl
al that port. instructed to make his appeal accord
ingy and he forthwith addressed polite communica-
ton on the subject to Governor Means who nckn)~-
lodged hs note with equal courtesy and laid the matter
a. once before the Legislature Of the State
There seems little calculated to disturbance in
the proceedings We have here described The British
government made it, appeal In the proper quarters
Transferred upon proper recommendation to others
The government Of South Carolina accepted thr
srancc in good spirit is there any 70 doubt
that some adjustment viii be attempted between tn,
assumed interests Of the State and the plain rights
British subjects. The conseq however have been
most remarkable The circumstance Of correspondence
between o foreign consul and local government has
been seized and denounced precedent Of .h,
most dangerous kind. tending TO nothing less than the
Establishment a provincial sovcrcgntics dcrpgatou
the federal power In ordinary seasons, the ccc, ~
such assertions would perhaps not be very serious but
happens al this moment the reader will remember,
that the Southern States have been astating
luton Of the Union and the incident In question i
camorousy quoted overt step In the direction OF
independent sovereignty inasmuch negotiations with
foreign powers h one Of the privileges expressly reserved
by the constitution 10 the federal government aionr
Such therefore in this view has been the excitement
occasionci that vehement calls have been made upon
the executive To revoke the er,guqi Of consul IA
consideration of his proceeding a1 to withdraw fDm
hun that warrant of recognition under wach he actsa
measure which would be equivalent to the abrupt ds
mis- of an ambassador from friendly court Failing
this imme date step the cabinet l. ii with im-
parchment AZ oaning itself to secession disGnon and
trca.on."
This defamation indeed. might perhaps have f.v re-
suit, hut more remains behind In rcmting Lord Pa
mcrston's application to the Legislature Of south Caro-
lima. the American government Is understood have
added than default of redress statcit would
be optional with British government to receyc notice
for the abrugation Il the treaty thus isring,d This
treaty u nothing lees than the instrument under the
provisions ~ which our commercial intercourse with the
States now conducted and its abrugatnn would
open an infinite question of duties tariff. In this
way the mere political question Is complicated not only
hy the intcrnnahlc topic of slavery, but by consd
tens of local interests and advantages The Nortacrn
states are not only aboitionsts. but manufacturers
anJ. moreover. protcctionl~,s wi,hai They have
lately been agatng for protective tariff especially Ia
respect of iron and they seek In this incident for IA.
vornble devcopemen ~ those chances which they
cciye Themselves TO have gained in the frtutous
sion u the present executive to power They not
Unwilling therefore. TO push government to IA A.
tcrnatiyc of eitlr silently dropping it, plan. or
nnnung treaty which they would f.n see superseded
bS different understanding The Southern states,
the contrary are both anxious for the recognition II
local sovereignty In the settlement of the Imprisonment
question and dcsrouS In the extreme 20 preserve those
advantages which they well aware ~ enjoying under
the present treaties. We may mention indeed as one
of the remarkable points brought out by The pending
dscussion. that the Caronas confess thing very
like mn obligation to Great Britain for tho conditions
under which sir produce 4 imported into this country
letter on the subject attributed Ia well known dgni-
sy plainly intinntes that our supplies arc only lrann
20 exclusively from Americsn ports In consequence o. our
own Indifference misconceptions and that |! his
trymcn crsis, in huggna The conviction that rc. and
cdton, equally good and of sufficient quantity. cannot be
procured elsewhere than from the United states. thy
would live to see and regret their error W. recon-
nd this observation which have literally trancrib-
ed 90 the notice II those who think hopeless 10 ok for
cotton m0rkcts In India Australia.
Those acquainted with the dashing style Of American
urnali-m viii not be surprised 20 hear that the whole
embr0nent has been traced % the nsluous perady >
our Foreign Office as an integral portion of scheme fpr
discovering the Union In point of fact IN,
Immediately involved. cxctp, ~ far Il y imp)a.
slide 70 contemplate without concern the breaking NJ
lsons like those which subSist between the coun-
tics. We should. doubt. extend every consideration
q government 20 situated that Of south Carolina,
but the question Il bcsct with difficulties II T. doubt
ful IN the hrst place whether any Satisfactory aus,
m NJ may be found practicable between the broad claim
cfthe British Government behalf Of it, subjects AMI
thc nvctcrate tcnacity ~ the southern States tn
int Of their institutions In the next place u
rain whether this independent action ~ local
ycrnincnt will b. permitted. while " may be taken
icontosable that the state Ia question will not submit
to the Intervention ~ the federal power in respect ~
Law regarding the management control a slaves The
matter therefore. l. obviously resting with two ds
tnct sutlurities-that of the Legislature ~ south Caro-
Inns before which the question has been laid and that of
the supreme government which will probably be driven
60 cancel its decision Great Britain Ia the meantime
being absolutely reduced 10 pcrcmptory demand Such
q the evils ~ Slavcryani every years expert
tends 20 prove that there l. scarcely any aair of
Government state which l. not liable to be conpl
cetcd and embarrassed by the influence q this cverpre
sent institution.
A.ri-slavsnr rrruss y Rrsrrcxv Tho Msysviie