The true Democrat., 1856-01-15

the two governments to overcome all obsta- | cles to a satisfactory adjustment of the sub- ' ject.
 Assured of the correctness of the construc ton of the treaty constantly adhered to by this government and resolved to insist on the rights oi the United States, yet actuated by the same oesire which Is avowed by the British govern- menu, to remove all causes of serious misunder- standhS between two nations associated by so many 'leS oi interest and kindred, it has appear eo to me proper not to consider an amicable so- iulIoh oi the controversy hopeless.
 mere ls' however reason to apprehehd that With Great Britain in the actual occupation of the disputed terrtorles, and the treaty therefore practically null, so far as recards orr rigbts this international difficulty cannot long remain undetermined, without involving in serious danger the friendly relations, which it is tbe interest as well as the duty of both countries to cherish and preserve. It will afford me sin cere gratifcation, if future efforts should result in the success, anticipated heretofore with more confidence than the aspect of the case permit me now to entertain.
 RECRUITMENT.
 One other subject of discussion between the United States and Great Britain has grown out of the attempt, which the exigences of the war in which she is engaged with Russia induced her to make, to draw recruits from the United States
 It is the traditional and settled policy of the United States to maintain impartial neutrality during the wars, which from time to time oc- cur among the great powers of the world Per forming all the duties of neutrality toward the respective belligeyant States, we may reasona- bly, expect them not to interfere with our law full enjoyment of its benefits Notwithstand- ing the existence of such hostiIites our citi- zens retain the individual right to continue all their accustomed pursuits, by land or by sea- at home or abroad, subject only to such restric- tlons Tn this relation as the laws of war, the usage of nations, or special treaties, may i'm pose; and It Is our sovereign right that our territory and jurisdiction shall not be invaded by either of the belligerent parties for the tram sit of their armies, the operations of their fleets the levy of troops for their service the fitting out of cruisers by or against either, or any other act of incident war. And these undeniable } rights of neutrality individual and national, the !, United States will under no circumstances sur ; render.
 In pursuance of this policy, the laws of the United States do not forbid their citizens to sell to either of the belligerent powers articles, con- trabrand of war, or to take munitions of war; or soldiers board their private ships for tram , sportation; and although in so doing, the indi- vidual citizen exposes his property or person to some of the hazards of war, his acts do not involve any branch of national neutrality, nor of themselves duplicate the government Thus, during the progress of the present war ill Europe, our citizens have, without national re- sponslbility, therefore, sold gunpowder and arms to all buyers regardless of the destination of these 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 military 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 compromit our neutral relations with Russia. , But our municipal law, ill accordance with the law of nations, peremptorlly forbid, not only
 foreigners, but our own citizens, to fit out within the limits of the United States a vessel to com init hostilitleS against any State with which the United States are at peace, or to increase the force of any foreign armed vessel intended for such hostllltes against friendly State.
 Whatever concern may have been felt. by either of the belhgereMt powers lest private armed cruisers, or other vessels, iu the service of one, might be fitted out in this country to } depredate OH the property of the other all such fears have proved utterly groundless. Our ci- tiZens have been withheld from any such act or purpose by good faith, and by respect for the law.
 While the laws of the Onion are thus De- remptory in their prohibition of the equipment br nf I,lli they provide not less absolutely that no person shal within the jurisdiction of the United States enlist or enter himself. ar to go beyond the jurisdiction of the United States with intent to be enlisted or entered, in the service of any foreign State, either as a soldier or as a marine or seaman on board of any vessel of war, letter. oi- marque, or p.ivateer And those enact meutS are also in strict conformity with the law of nations, WAicn declares that no State has the right to raise for land or sea service in another State without its consent, and that, whether forbidden by municipal law or not, the very attempt 10 dO 1t, without such consent. is an at tack on the national sovereignty
 Such being the public rights and the munich pal law of the United States, no soIicitude on the subject was entertained by this government, when, year since, the British Parliament pas sed an act to provide for the enlistment of for eiguerS in the military service of Great Britain Nothing on the face of the act, or in it's public history, indicated that the British government proposed to attempt recruitment in the United States; nor did 1t ever give intimaton of su,h intention to this government. It was matter of 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 ot Great Britain, was going on exten- slvely, with little or no disguise Ordinary leoal steps were lmmedlate y taken to arrest and pun lsh partles concerned, and so put an end to acts infringing the municipal law and derogatorv to our sovereignty. Meanwhile suitable represen- tatlons on the subject were addressed to the Brj- tlsh government
 I'hereupon 1t became known, by the admis- sion ol the DrltlSh government itself, that the attempt to draw recruits from this country ori- glnated with it, or at least had it's approval and sanction; but It also appeared that the public agents engaged in 1t had stringent instructionso not to violate the municipal law of the United States.
 It is difficult to understand how it sbould have been supposed that troops could be raised here by Great Britain, without violation of inc municipal Jaw. The unmistakabc object of the law was to prevent every such act. which II performed, must be either in violation of the law, or in studied evasion of it; and. in either alternative, the act done would be alike iniu rious to the sovereignty of the United States.
 ln the meantime, the matter acquired addi- tonal importance, by the recrutments in the United States not being discontinued, and the disclosure of the fact that they were prosecu- ! ted upon systematic plan devised by official authority; that recruiting rendezvous had been . opened in our principal cities, and de; ots for the reception of recruits established on our } frontier; and the whole business conducted un- der the supervision and by the regular CO., operation of British officers, civil and military. some ill North American provinces, and some in the United States The complicty of those officers, i'll an undertaking which could only be accomplished by deiying our laws,- throw , Ing suspicion over OFT attitude of neutralitv