Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-06-06

Insrotorv judicial proceedings of April and May at
NV York and Philadelphia, yet he persisted in carry
~! nm the scheme until August, when its obstinate
,mDrosecuton had at length brought most pleas
t controversy between the United States and Great
Britain.
ooainst Mr. Champion that by his acts of commission
=; this business or his failing 10 advise his govern
roont of the mpractcabty of the undertaking in |
which he embarked and the series of illegal acts
which it involved, and in negecing 10 observe the |
General order of his Government and stop its recruit
mo here the moment its illegality promo unced
Nv the proper legal authorities of the United States.
And he was reckessly endangerng the harmony and
neace of the two great nations which by the charac
fer of their commercial relations and by other con- |
sideratons, have the strongest possible Inducements
10 cultivate reel proca amity.
The foregoing considerations substantially apply |
n the conduct of the British consus at New York |
philadelphia and Cincinnati. Though of subordi- |
nate official character they are not less responsible
than Mr. Champion. The continuous violation of
laws proceeded within their respective consuates,
month after tn, under their eyes, not only with
out any apparent effort their part to stop it, but
with more or less Of their active participation there
in.
The consulate at New York appears 10 have been
the point at which the largest expenditures were
made and it is proved by documents herewith trans
mtted that the payments at that consular office to
some of the recruiting agents continued to be made
bv the secretary of the CONSUL in the consuEs pre-
sence from time to time down to the beginning of
January, of the present year.
The President, as has already been stated by me,
cannot admit the force of the objection now urged
of the alleged want of responsibility on the part OF
some witnesses by whom these facts were proved,
ana as 10 whom prominent cause OF such alleged
want Of responsibility seems 10 be in the fact that
their evidence has inculpated their accomplices in
violation of law.
The testimony which most directly nculpates the
British Consul at New York, as will be perceived by
the enclosures herewith sent, is in the aidavits of
the very persons relied on by Her Majesty's Govern
ment for proofs in this case and whose derostions
accompany Lord Clarendon's note TO you on the 3Oth
Of April.
The Earl Of Clarendon perfectly well understood
that in Great Britain well in the United States
it would be impossible to administer penal justice
without occasionally receiving the evidence of &C
completes.
In Great Britain not only is evidence of this class
received continually in State trials well as in in
feor matters, but rewards and other inducements
held out such witnesses by few provisions of the
acts of Parliament. The competency of such persons
in given and their credblity are in both coun-
ties questions upon which the and jury, in their
respective spheres Of Jurisdiction, ultimately pass.
In The present case conclusions have been established
on documentary proofs and other unmpeachable evil
denCe by the proceedings before the proper tribunals
of the United States, by the verdict of jures and by
the rulings of Judges, which must be held final in
The estimation of the President
The Earl OF Clarendon suggests consideration
pertinent to this question that the ministers and con-
5us had no means or opportunity of rebutting the
charges thus indirectly brought against them in the
trial OF the inferior recruiting agents. In regard 10
the ConsOls the Earl of Clarendon in supposng
that they had not full means and opportunity, they
fit TO appear and TO confront and contradict any
accusing witnesses. They not allowed TO in
trfere in the trials by letters written for the
occasion, which indeed they could not have done
lawfully, had there had been such prohibition
but If conscious Of their nnOcense and that the par
ties on trial, and that their own acts, would bear
animation it alike their duty and right TO ap-
pear and say so on oath and to contradict, by their
testimony, whatever alleged against the British
officers agents, if known to them to be untrue
Nor is it any ust of complaint that evidence
was received upon these trials impugning the acts
OF Mr.. Champion. 1t was in due course of the pro.
ceedngs required to be shown against the parties
on trial that the recruilments, in which they were
engaged were for the service of foreign government.
MIR. Champion was himself privileged from trial
for a violation of municipal law, but the persons
whom he employed were not for that cause to go
punished nor was the administration of penal Justice
10 be indefinitely suspended on account Of his posi-
ton and The diplomatic mmunites which that con-
ierred On the contrary, it was peculiarly proper
that the facts by which he was implicated, but for
which he could not be tried, should be verified in
due form of law, for the information of his own gov
eminent as well as that of the United States.
The Earl of Clarendon remarks in his letter of
the Both April that:
The intentions of the British Government and
the arrangements made to carry those intentions into
execution not concealed from the Government
of the United States. These intentions and arrange
ments were frankly stated by Mr.. Champion to Mr..
Marcy in conversation on the 22d of March, 1855
and the only observation which Mr. Marcy made in
reply was that the neutrality laws of the United
States would rigdly be enforced, but that any num-
Der of persons who desired it might leave the United
States and get enlisted in any foreign service"
1t is incumbent on me to say that in this respect
the Earl Of Clarendon abors under serious misappre
hension, which, while it in part to explain
how it happened that the enlistments for so
many months in manner contrary to the intentions
and express orders of the British Government also
seems to increase the weight of Mr. Champions re-
sponsbility in this respect.
repeat now with entire consciousness of It's accu-
racy, what stated in my letter of the 28th of Deem
Der last that at that interview on the 22d of March,
the only ever had with Mr.. Champion, as he adj
mits in which the recruiting business was alluded to,
he (Nr. Crampton) had satisfied me that his govern
ment had connexion with it and in way respon-
sbe for what doing in the United States to raise
recruits for the British army.
But | am quite certain that on no occasion has he
ntimated to me that the British government or any
of its officers had been in any way concerned
sending agents into the United States to recruit
therein, TO any inducements for that purpose
Nor did he notify me that he was taking or in
tended TO take any part in furhering such proceed
ngs. Such a communication timely made would
probably have arrested the mischief at its commence
nent.
II he had then apprised me of the system of re-
Culung which had at that time been already ar
Langed and put in operation within the United States
British agents and under his experimenting direc