The true Democrat., 1856-04-01
Frum the bVs.On S-ateslnaH, Mafch IT, Ioob
 Enlistment Question Cores o,dence between the Go vern- ments of the United States and cYeat Britain.

~ondence between the Co vern.
 ,ents of the United States and E Great Britain.
 m, documents submitted by the President ts senate relative to the enlistment ques-
 o ,re very volumnous, but interesting and
 -,rtant: and on the part of our country, very EnPanJ triumphant They strongly remind
 ,be early controversy which the illus
 o' Jefferson carried on in behalf of the neu-
 lJu risbts with Genet; and they constitute
 .her brilliant chapter of American diploma
 Wecan hardly see how any candid inquir- IE.o fail to come to the conclusion, that these
 rnents contain a demonstration that the
 It is with the American side in this contro- Isery.
 Let us attempt to go over, as brief as we
 'r the main points of this subject.
 Tbe war between the allies and Russia was
 ,.ared on the part of Great Britain March 28, Is54. and Mir. Crampton, by direction of his
 ,yornment April Fl, writes to Mir. Marcy in It,;nc him of the fact of war: that her ma- | .tr and the emperor of tEe French had re- red. for the present, not to authorse the is- vo of letters of marque; that in thus restrict ,,, within the narrowest limits the exercise of ,5er rights as beligerents, the allied govern | ssnts confidently trusted that the governments ! ,f other countries remaining neutral, would exert every effort to enforce upon their sub- ;scts or citizens tue necessity of preservinq the | ,4,,fest neutrallty;" and that the British gov | .mment entertained the confident hope that The government of the United States would \ pre orders that no privateer under Russian CO., Ios should be equipped or victualled, or ad- rtted with it's prizes in the ports of the Unit | d States; and that the citizens of the United | States should "r1gorO@sly adstain from taking ,qt in armaaaents of tis nature, or in any other rsr,ue opposed to the duties of strict neutrah- It'
 Secretary Marcy's reply to this communica- Ifon dated April 28 It relates first to the prin- IeDe that free ships make free goods. On this | ptint the secretary cordially welcomes even the partial recognition of the great principle that | flee ships make free goods, for which tine U nit | el States have always contended and ex- dresses the hope that 1t may be incorporated | permanently into international law. On the nout of violation of neutral rights, MT. Mar |eg writes
 That the United States, while claiming the Ifll enjoyment of their rights as a neutral pow le, will observe the stricteSt neutrality towards each and all the belgerents. The laws of this Icuutry impose severe restrictions not only up Ion its own citizens, but upon all persons who Inay be residents within any territories of the United States, against equipping prvateers, re- Ice wing commissions, or enlisting men therein, |tr the purpose of taking part in any foreign war It is not apprehended that there will be ay attempt to violate the laws, but should the Interpretation of the President be disappointed, De will not fail in his duty to use all the power with which he Is invested to enforce obedience t them. Considerations of interest and the Obligations of duty alike give assurance that te citizens of the United States will in no way cumpromit the neutrality of their country by Participating in the contest in which the prnci bal powers of Europe are now unhappily en- glged."
 Here we have, as starting point, the fact that our government in frank and dignitied manner reciprocAted the desire expressed by Mr. Cmmpton, that our citizens should rigor- olsy observe strict neutrality. This the Jn.ted States were bound to do, even without express provisions of municipal law; but, in or der to maintain the duties of neutrality, con- gess had provided severe penalties for viola ton of this principles; Lord Clarendon knew what they were; and pronounced them "not ouly very just but very stringent" This ap- pears from a letter, which. in the course of the month of May, 1855, Mr. Champion delivered tO Mr. Marcy, being a letter from Lord Claren don to MT. Crampton:-
 "Foreign Oftce, April 5, 1855.
 SRI entirely approve of your proceedings, a areported in your despatch No. 57, of the l2th rt, cith respect to the prQposed enlistment ln tue eues's se,Uice of foreigners and British subjects "a tie United States.
 The instructions which 1 addressed to you on this subject, and those which were sent to the governor of Nova Scotia, were founded upon the reports from various quarters that rached her majeSty's government of the desire felt by many British subjects, as well as Ger mans n tie United States to enter the queens Service for the purpose of taking part in the war in the east; but the law in the United Sates with respect to enlistment, however con- dlcted, is not only very just but very stringent, acording to the report which is enclosed in your despatch, and her maiesty's government would on no account run any risk of infringing this law of the United States
 CLARENDON. . J. F. CHAMPION, Esq, etc., etc, etc." ] This was the period when the movements of British recruiting agents began to attract public attention and official action. On the 22d of March 1855, Mr. McKeon, of New Yord, had given notice to Mir. Marcy of the handbills posted in New York for a foreign legion, and received orders to prosecute all violators of the laws This official action we allude to, in or Der to show that an occasion had arisen de- handing the attention of the government. On the 9th of June, 1855, Mr. Marcy made these proceedings the subject of despatch to Ar. Buchannan. After stating the fact that l Ian was on foot to enlist soldiers within the limits of the United States to serve in the Brit ih army; that places of rendezvous had been opened; and delineated the character of these acts, he advises Mr. Buchanan as follows ot Mr. Crampton's courSe:-
 1 "When ntimations were tn rown out that the British consuls in this country were aiding and encouraging ihis scheme of enlistment within our limits, Mr. CramptOn, her Brltannic nVestys minister to his goUernment, saotced me tte copy Of a letter Uhch he hud d1dreSsed to one ef them, disapproying of the proceeding, and dis- cptateHqacing tt aS C Ui0lation of our LaUs. Ali fer this act on the part of the British minister, D was confidently believed that this scheme, AyNeNeI lJ may nave OTI9ildteu, anu "i'' Whatever countenancc it might have at first been looked on by British functionaries, would at once have been abandoned. This reasonable Expectation has not been realized; for efforts to raise recruits within the United States for the British army have not been intermitted, but ale still prosecuted with energy. To arrest course of proceedings which so seriously com- .pomitted our neutrality, prosecutions, by the .order of the government, were instituted against the offenders. This led to develop .ments which established the fact that the gov .emor of Nova Scotia, apparently with the Knowledge and approval of her majesty's gov, ernment had direct agency in this illegal proceeding"
 Mr. Marcy directs Mir. Buchanan to ascertain how far British officials acted in the first in- stance with the appreciation of the British gov emment, and concludes in the following man. her:
 "The President will be much pleased to learn that her majesty's government has not authorised the proceedings herein complained of and has condemned the conduct of her off cials engaged therein, called them to account,