The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-29

Prlncpai cities Mhen iaumatOns thrown out that
British consnls In the United States encouraging and
aiding such enistments Mr. CsAnplOn her Brilannie Ma
Jesty minister al Washington exhibited 10 the Secretary
of State the copy Of letIer which be had addressed 10
Of these consu dsappOsing Of the proceeding and dis
c0anisnancing il violation the neniFality laws Of
The United Sate After this very proper coRauct the
part OF Mr.. LrAmpon, II confidently believed thai
these attempts 70 military forcTs within the territory
OF Beutr nation from whatever they may haEs
originated, would II have been abandoned This
reasonable expectation has been realized, and e
fJrts raise recruits within the United Stakes for
the British army stu prosecuted with energy,
thoGgh chiefly in somewhat different form To
course Of proceeding which seriously comPrumtled the
neutrality oi the nation in the existing prosecutions
Instituted by order of lhe American government
against the offenders This led Developments establish
ing the fact that the euteaAn governor II Nova Scotia
has had direct agency in attempts violate The neatral
ity laws Of the United Stars This win appear from the
copy Of notification issued by that fancaopary GAsd
uine copy Of which the undersigned has now the
honor 10 communicate 10 the Earl Of Carendon. Tnis
notification has been published in the newspapers Of
the United States. 10 consequence, ii is believed, Of
this document purporting be Official the practice OF
recruiting still proceeds with yigor notwithstanding the
legal measures adopted by the officers Of the United States
suppress il. The American government constantly
receiving information that persons leaving and have
left the United States under engagements contracted
within their limits TO enlist soldiers in this British army
their arrival in the British provinces These persons
provided With ready of transit TO Nova Scotia
in consequence OF the express promise d the lieutenant
governor Of that province to pay to Nova ScoAn and
rating q her kgisg shipped from Philadelphia
New York, or Bostou."
The disclosures made within the very last month upon
Judicial investigation AT Boston, report Of which Is
before the Undersigned afford good TO believe
that extensive plan has been organized by British func
tonares and agents and Is in successful operation in
dfreat parts Of the Union 10 furnish recruits for the Brit
ish army.
All these acts have been performed in direct violation Of
the second section Of the Of Congress of the 20h April
1915, which provides, That any person SHALL within
the territory jurisdiction Of the United States enlist
enter himself hire retain another person to enlist
enter himself go beypnd the limits jurisdiction Of
the United States with intent TO be enlisted entered In
the service OF foreign prince State colony district
people, soldier, marine seaman, board Of
any vessel Of letter Of marqDe prvateer every per
offending shall be aeuied guilty OF high misce-
meanor, and shall be fined not exceeding thousand
dollars and he imprisoned exceeding three yea1 Se
The plain and imperative duties d neutrality under the
law Of nations require that neutral nation shall not SUI
fer lis territory 10 become the brGre which Of the
belgereDts might raise armrs wage against the
which this wOnld manifest in favor Of begtreBt
the prejudice Of the other, could not m 10 produce us
complaints the part OF The injured begerr and might
eventually iRyolFe the neutral party ia the
The government Of the United States however, did Eo
leave the enforcement of its neutral obligations
alone the aw Of nations Al early period 0f lie
history in June 1854, under The administration OF Gen
Washington act Of Congress Iass-d defining and
enforcing is neutral duties and this act bss been applied
extended and enlarged by the act already referred and
in force OF the 20h April 1878. Tnder both these
acts the very same penatiss are nposd Hpon all persons
implicated whether the seGal eusEnsb AkrS place With
in the territory Of the Unisd STATES whether
gAgeuent entered into 10 beyond the limits 5ur
dcon Of the United States with intent 10 bs ENLISTED
entered in the service OF any foreign prince &c- &c
Without the latter provision, the former might he easily
evaded in the proposed by the lieutenant governor
Of Nova S-Utia II the Law permitted any individual
whether ofcAl unofficial engage persons in PhilA-
ssphia, New York, and Boston in the British
army, and into contracts TO transport them
Inl,fsI there complete tbefona Of enlistment thea
il manifest thai this law 10 very great extent would
become = dead letter.
The undersigned i happy 10 know that in this respect
the policy q tie British government Is identical with hzi
Of the Uuiitd SlAes The foreign enlistment act t59
Geo , On 69) like the sct q Congress iufcts the
pssaiues upcn any individual who shall within the Brit
ish dominions engage any person prrsons Whatevrr
@to 20 agree 20 embark from any part Of his
Maus dauinious for The purpose or with intent TO be
enlisted though The enlistment hsd actually taken
place within the same
And here Il may be- worthy Of remark that neither The
ioregu-snIistmru act The Of Congress n eounsd
The enlistment egaEeulent oi riish subjects
American oitizens respectively bur rghuIly extends
individuals Of al naong-tO any person whAisger7 The
reason manifest The fuury the Deutral principally
consists n the violation Of it. territorial Sovereignty y
begersut tUr the purpose q raising armies aud this
tbt matter what ay Be- the national character Of
the persons " ho mzy agree 70 enter the service.
Toe government 81 the Cuted States lock bark with
satsactioa the manner in which Il has performed lis
neutral duties 81 every period Of it, hiEtcry-aBd this
often 81 tbe imminent risk uf ttiug involved IN war
10 be early stage ~ the present the Bsh govern
meat very properly tanned ia attention towards the
traliiy Laws Of the United Satss aud particularly the
pTovsions which fod The fitting and manning prrs
for foreign service Any remissness IN enforcing
such provisions woB8 haze teen justly regarded b. thai
government violaion of the neutral rslatoas q
The United States Il Is not deult couciurs in What
light the coBduet o the American government would have
been viewed ~ the allies had IL deuOauced and resist
ed any atiemp the part q their Ssemy send its
agents into the ports Of the United SA'ss e. priva
terTs and engage sailors 10 them But would the
government Of the United less censrAhy neglect
m Of the duties Of Bsatraity II suffer one q
the allies 70 recruit armies within itt borders than "a would
have been ad Il permitted the otber beEgrrpnt resort
70 American seAors for The purpose 81 orEznizing Pr
vatosr force 70 take part 10 fbe present war;
Ia view q s these consideration the President has IN
strBci the unctgnGd 20 ascertain Otn The Earl II Ca
reBdon bow far persons in Octsl stnoa ruder the Brit
sh guvernurut haze acted whether with or wihout s
spprshstion either u enlistng persons within TIE Cnted
Safes, engaging thrm proceed from theucs 10 The
British provinces for the purpose o b-ng there enlisted
and whst measures sny, hare been taken restrain
their unjnstihzbs uobauCt.
The President viii BE- much rratifpd 20 learn that her
Nass E0vsrnu1enf has R1orin6 these proceedings
bet las conacmnea She conaac u its officials snRaced
therein and hss visited them with its marked asplessarp
well taken decisive put stop 90 coaduc
contrary The Law q uaors the laws or the Tnftsd
States and the ooity which ought ever 70 prevail in The
nteruoarse between two friendly poucrs
The undersigned has The honor 70 20 tire Earl ~
Clarendon s cf bic distinguishes consdsra-
ton JAMES BUCHANAN.
NJ Wgrrv n NJ Bsc6oasr
TEo Io1l DEPlkTxrvT OF STATE
Washington, July T. 1855.