Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-14

II LORD STlRLING
/ The October number of the North American Re-
view, just received, contains the suboined article
on subject which has attracted good deal Of In
tercst during the few months past:
yndcaton Of the Rights and Titles Political and Terri
toria OF Alexander Earl of Strlugg and DouGn, and
Lord Proprietor Of Canada and Nova Scotia BY John
L. Hayes Counsellor at Law. Washington, 1858, 8vo,
4 pp o. as.
Sir WILLIAM ALEXANDER the philosopher and poet the
brilliant in the court Of James vi of Scotland
followed his King to London and thenceforth renounced
letters for politics He created Scotch peer with
numerous titles, Of which the Earl OF STIRLING Is the
convenient for use He had previously received in
1921 grant of Nova Scotia with the title of Hereditary
Lieutenant. This grant was confirmed by Charles l. on
accession to the throne and three years afterward
was augmented by the charter Of Canada, including
fifty leagues of bounds both sides Of the river St Law
and the great Lakes In addition to admnisra-
tive powers almost without limit he authorized to
appoint hundred and fifty barones and nearly fifty
of the present baronets in Great Britain actually hold
their rank In virtue of patents granted by him. he de-
voted his entire fortune to the colonization and defence Of
his domains and when Nova Scotia fell into the hands
of the French he received nominal grant OF 10000
sterling to indemnify him for his losses. This sum still
remains unpaid. During the subsequent political trou
bes CT the seventeenth century the Stirling estates in
Scotland passed into other hands, while the transatlantic
claims OF the family necessarily in allegiance during
the French occupation of the American provinces Short
after the restoration of Canada and Nova Scotia to the
British Crown the last male heir Of the Stirling family
died, leaving his rights by the Scottish law confirmed by
express provision in the royal charters to the eldest f
male heir She died unmarried and her sister and legal
heir married William Humphreys Of the Larches, county
of Warwick, and became the mother of Alexander who
claims the titles of his usrous ancestor and de-
mands, his legal and equitable due some considera
ton for the lapse of his territorial inheritance and the
suspended debt due to his family BY the proper pro-
Of law he established his title in the Scottish courts
and from 1926 to 1887 he voted peer of Scotland
He recognised Earl Of Stirling at various times by
the Lord Chancellor, the Chief Justices of the Kings
Bench and the Court Of Common Pleas, and the Pryy
Council 1t certain that his htular bonors would
have been left undispued had he not in 1882 in petit
ton to the King preferred his claim for the debt incur
red by Charles to his ancestor, amounting, with inte-
rest to cll0000 This claim was no doubt regarded as
the precursor to still formidable demands and from
that time the Crown officers for Scotland commenced
series of hostile measures designed to brand the claimant
with gnominy fraudulent pretender Their master
stroke prosecution for forgery. The principal
charge related signatures bearing date 1905 10 and
17l2, appended to documents endorsed upon map,
known to have been first published in l103, but the IN
crimna copy of which has the inscription Par Gull
aume de PIsle premier Geographic du Roi,'' title which
not conferred upon De PIse by royal patent till 1913
This anachronm the point chiefly relied upon for
the prosecution. Experts pronounced the questioned
writings and signatures genuine At the same time
shown to be at least highly probable that the De
Ise had assumed the title of first geogrnpher before
formally conferred upon him. That he did SO IS now
beyond dispute for there exists in this country full col
lection Of his original maps less than thirteen OF
which, published between 1903 and l7l8 the title Pre
mier Geographic du Roi is inscribed The jury acquit
ted Lord Stirling notwithstanding the strongest efforts
of the and the officers of state to insure his convc
ton and the verdict received by the people OF Edin
burgh with strong demonstrations of enthusiasm that
he escaped with difficulty from being made the hero OF
trumphal procession and popular ovation.
The domains granted the first Earl of Stirling ncud
ed in addition to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince
Edwards Island and Canada, considerable portion of
Maine Michigan and Wisconsin, together with strip of
lop chi fha nj
the Gulf California and the lands and bounds ada
the said Gulf the west and SOUTH whetherthey
be found part Of the continent mainland or an island
it is thought they which is commonly called and
distinguished by the of California or course, the
immensely of these claims is alone sufficient to defeat
them Such grants in almost every case inevitably
futile for the nature of things impossible for
individual subjects to extend and maintain acts of own
ershp the paper empires which Kings as Ignorant
they were reckless, were ready to cede for song
nt the present claimant is indeed as we believe him
be the legal Of the first Earl there can
be no doubt that he is morally speaking entitled to the
principal and interest of the debt secured by royal bond
his ancestor and that 1t would not be unworthy the
magnanmity Of both the British Government and own
to tender him some honorable consideration for the entire
loss to his family through the fortunes OF war; OF reve
and benefit from the bona fde and for the times I'M
mense outlay of his ancestor in the colonization OF the
Western wilderness He is in this country, engaged
in measures preliminary to the further prosecution of
such of his alleged rights as he can hope to see
ed The book before written by one OF his legal
advisers and characterized by lucidness of statement
and cogency Of reasoning We have also our table
manuscript opinion of Mr. Rcverdy johnson, expressing
his entire with Mr. Hayes as to the facts
and principles of law stated in his argument and clos
ing as follows:
Athough Lord Stirling account of the vasness Of his
legal rights has failed thus far to secure their full recogn
on of opinion that when his case is fairly presented
for compromise British Government cannot wisely or
honorably him liberal for the surrender OF
his vast rights privileges including besides the right to
MANY millions Of acres public land in the colonies the
right of fishery on the of Canada, Nova Scotia and
New Brunswick the rights of vceroyay and the extraor
binary privilege of creating baronets all secured by
ed confirmed by the highest Judicial and official
sanction" -