Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-01-03

VI blC uAoHutC0 lEttAlOllNS, anu TIC treat
therefore practically null, so far as regard
our rights, this International difficulty cannC
long remain undetermined, without inyol,
ing in serious danger the friendly relation
which it is the interest as we'll as the duty {
both countries to cherish and preserve. j
will afford me sincere qualification, if fntur
Efforts shall result in the success, anticipate.
heretofore with moro confidence than the q.
pect Of the case permits me now to entertain
REcRUIrNENT.-One other subject of discu,
sion between the Usited States aud Great Bri
ain has grown out Of the attempt. which the ex
geneies of the war in which she IS engaged vi,
Russia induced her TO make, to draw recruit
from the United States.
1t - the traditional and settled policy of III
United States to maintain impartial neutralit
during the wars which from time to time occu
among the great powers ef the world. Perform
ing all the duties of neutrality towards the D,
speetlye belligerent States, we may TeasOnabl
expect them not 10 interfere with our lawful eT
jOyment Of its benefits. Notwithstanding the eN
istence of such hostilities, our citizens retain tn
individual right to continue all their accustome
pursuits. by land or by sea, at home or abroad
subject only to such restrictions i'm this relation
as the laws Of war, the usage OF nations, or spe
cial treaties. may impose; and it is our sovereigl
right that our territory and jurisdiction shall no
be invaded by either of the ~belligerent parties
for the transit of their armies, the Operations 0
their fleets, the levy of troops for their service
the fitting out ofcrnisers by or against either. O
any other act or incident of war. And these un
deniable rights of neutrality, individual and ma
tiOnal, the United States viii under no circum
stances surrender.
In pursuance of this policy, the laws Of IT,,
UAited States do nOt-foFbid their ~citizeDs e
sell to either of the belligerent powers articles
contraband of war, or to take munitions O
war or soldiers on board their private ships
for transportation; and although, in so doing,
the individual citizen exposes his property OF
person TO some of the hazards of war, his
acts do not involve any breach Of national
neutrality, nor of themselves implicate the
government. Thus, during the progress of
the present wal in Europe, our citizens have,
withour national responsibility therefor, sold
gunpowder and arms to all buyers, regardless
Of the destination of those articles. Our
merchantmen have been, and still continue to
be, largely employed by Great Britain and by
France in transporting troops, provisions, and
munitions of war to the principal seat of mil
itaiy operations, and in bringing home their
sick and wounded soldiers, but such use of
our mercantile marine is not interdicted either
by the international, or by our municipal law,
and therefore does not compromise our neu-
trail relation with Russia.
But our municipal law, in accordance with
the law of nations, peremptorily forbids, not
only foreigners but our own citizens, 10 fit
out within the limits of the United States, a
vessel to commit hostilities against any State
with which the United States is at peace, or
to increase the force Of any armed vessel in
tended for such hostilities against Il friendly
State.
Whatever concern may have been felt by
either Of the belligerent powers least private
armed cruisers, or other vessels, in the service
of one might be fitted out in the ports of this
country to deprecate on the property of the 9th
er, all such fears have proved TO be utterly
groundless. Our citizens have been withheld
from any such act of purpose by good faith and
by respect for the law.
While the laws Of the Union are thus pr.
emptory in their prohibition of the equipment or
armament of belligerent cruisers in our ports,
they provide not less absolutely that no person
shall. within the territory or jurisdiction of the
United States, enlist or enter himself, or hire
or retain another person TO enlist or enter him
self, or to go beyond the limits or jurisdiction of
the United States with intent to be enlisted or
entered, in the service of any foreign State, Ell
Their as a soldier, or as a mariner or seaman on
board of any vessel-of.war, letter of marque, or
privateer. And these enactments are in strict
conformity with the law of nations, which de-
~clares, that no State has the right to raise troops
for land or sea service in another State without
its consent, and that, whether forbidden by the
municipal law or not, the very attempt to do it.
without such consent, Is an attack on the ma
tional sovereignty.
Such being the public rights and he munich
pal law of the United States, no solicitudc on
the subject was entertained by this government.
when a year since, the British Parliament pass
ed an act to provide for the enlistment Of for
eigners in the military service of Great Britain.
Nothing on the face of the act. or in its public
history, indicated that the British government
+ roposed to attempt recruiting in the United
States: nor did it ever give intimation of such
intention to this government. 1t was matter oil
surprise, therefore, to find, subsequently. that
the engagement of persons within the United
States TO proceed to Halifax, in the British pro-
vince Of Nova Scotia. and there enlist in the
service of Great Britain, was going on extern
sively, with little or no disguise. Ordinary le-
gal steps were Immediately taken 10 arrest ard
punish parties concerned, and so put an end 10
acts infringing the municipal law and derOga-
tory to our sovereignty. Meanwhile suitable
representations on the subject were addressed to
the British government.
Thereupon IT became known, by the admis-
stOu Vi the DIiiiSu government lJStli, lndI the
attempt TO draw recruits from this country orig
mated with it, or at least had its approval and
sanction; but it also appeared that the public
ag ints engaged in it had stringent i~nstruc-
tons not to violate the municipal law of the
United States.
1t is difficult to understand how it shOuld
have been supposed that troops could be
raised here BIZ Great Britain, without viola
ton of the municipal law. The unmistak-
able object of the law was to prevent every
such act, which, if performed, must he either
in violation of the law, or in studied evasion
of it; and, in either alternative, the act lone
would be alike injurious to the sovereignty
Of the United States.
In the meantime, the matter acquired adj
ditional importance, by the recruitments in
the United States not being discontinued,
ami the disclosure of the fact that they were
prosecuted upon a systematic plan devised by
official authority; that recruiting rendezvous
had been opened in our principal cities, and
depots for the reception of recruits establish
ed on our frontier; and the whole business
conducted under the supervision and by the
regular cooperation of British officers, civil
and military, some in the North American
provinces, and some in the United States.-
The completely Of those officers in an under
taking which could only be accomplished by
defying our laws, throwing suspicion over our
attitude of neutrality, and disrcgarding our
territorial rights, is conclusively proved by
the evidence elected on the trial Of such of
their agents as nave been apprehended and
convicted. Some Of the officers thus impli.
cated are of high official position, and many
of them beyond our jurisdiction, so that le-
gal proceedings could not reach the source of
the mischief.
These considerations, and the fact that the
cause Of complaint was not a mereeasual occur
renee, but a deliberate design, entered upon with
full knowledge of our laws and national poll
cy, and conducted by responsible public func-
tlonaries, impetled me to present the case to the
British government, in order to secure, not only
a Cessation Of the wrong, but its reparatiOn.-
The subject is still under discussion, the result
OF which will be communicated to you in due
time.
BRITISH RELATIoNs-coNTINuED.-l repeat the
recommendation submitted to the last Congress.
that provision be made for the appointment of
a commissioner, in connexion with Great Brit
tain, to survey and establish the boundary line,
which divides the Territory of Washington from
the contiguous British possessions. BY reason
Of the extent and Importance of the country in