The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-03-06

Clarendon has been vacillating, contradictory,
unsatisfactory, unmanly. The fact is demon
strated beyond all doubt, that the recruiting
business was authorized by the British, that
our laws were violated by agents of the Govern
ment, that in the violation of those laws and ia
the offence against our National Sovereignty,
the British Ministers and other functionaries
of the Government of the United States, under
these circumstances, the plain duty of the Brit
ish Government was, not only to express regret,
but to withdraw those gentlemen from posi-
tons in which they could no longer remain,
without an apparent endorsement of their acts.
Having failed to do this, Mr.. Marcy closes his
calm, clear, and convincing letter OF February
LIST, 1856, with request which the national
honor demands, and the judgment of men of
both countries, who will read the correspond
ence, must sanction.
"When the President presented the case to
the consideration of her Majesty's Government,
with the assurance that he had such informa.
ton on the subject as compelled him to believe
that British officers, in eminent stations, were
implicated in a scheme which had resulted in
an Infringement of the rights of the United
States, and violation of their law, and asked
for some satisfaction for the wrong, he certain
ly did not expect that the conduct of these Off
GERS would be justified upon principles which
impair the sovereignty of the United States as
an independent nation, and by an interpreta-
ton of their law which makes it entirely inef-
fective for the purposes intended.
"Some satisfaction for the injury was conf
IDENTITY expected, but nothing that can be re-
garded in that light has been offered; and this
Government is compelled, in vindcation of its
rights and laws, to take course which it sim
cerely hoped her Majesty's Government would
have rendered unnecessary
"Her Majesty's Minister to this Government,
Mr.. Champion, has taken a conspicuous part
IN organizing and executing the scheme of
recruiting for the British army within the Uni
ted States. Were it possible, with due regard
to the evidence and disclosures in the case, to
assign him subordinate part in that scheme,
even that would not allow the President to
change the course which he is obliged, under
the circumstances, to pursue toward him. Any
participation in the project, as it has been de-
veloped, OF raising recruits in this country for
the British service, was incompatible with his
official relations to this Government. His con-
nection with that affair has rendered him an
unacceptable representative of her Britannia
Majesty near this Government, and you are d.
rected by the President to ask her Majesty 8
Government to recall him.
Mr.. Rowcrof, the British Consul at Cincin-
matt, and Mr.. Matthew, the British Consul at
Philadelphia, are implicated in the recruiting
project and you are further directed by the
President to ask for their removal for that cause.
The persons connected with the British
consulate at New York have been actively en-
gagged in furthering the recruiting scheme. Mr..
Stanley, the assistant or clerk of the Consul,
has taken more open and effective part than
the Consul himself, and is now under an ndict-
ment for violating the law against foreign re-
cruiting. The Consul Mr. Barclay, could not
but know of Mr.. Stanley's conduct in that mat
ter, but he still retains him in the consulate.
Besides the responsibility that rightfully at
taches to Mr.. Barclay for the improper conduct
of an employee in his office, and under his i'm
mediate and daily observation, this Govern
ment is satisfied that he has himself not only
favored the recruiting for the British army, but
has participated in it. Moreover, the improper
conduct of Mr.. Barclay, in the case of the barque
Maury, has justly given offence to the CONNER
mercial community in which he resides, and
with which he has official connection.
For these reasons, this Government deems
1t proper to instruct you to ask the Govern
ment of Great Britain to withdraw Mr.. Bar
clay from the post of British Consul at New
York."