The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-06-14
ENLISTMENT QUESTION N rHr HOUSE OF lords.


Of the Earl Of Egn the production Of the correspond
enee concerning the transmission OF British troops the
provinces Of North America
In the course OF this debate Lord Panmue the Minister
Of War, admitted that The original thought Of the British
government WAS "to add TO the force at present in the
British North American provinces and that colonial
Ju on mpera, grounds" This expression nnplNdy ad-
its that the British did order the troops 10
the provinces with a view 10 the United States.
II appears however in this case in that of the ships
ordered the West Indies last October in precisely the
same view of acting upon negotiation by military menace
that the British government has repened Of its original
purpose and reduced the amount Of troops TO be sent here
from regiments to five just as in the other case II
duced the number of ships ordered to the west Indies In
both cases there was the for aserbng to the
operation either ordinary special object the
Of events might suggest to be expedient
To those who entertain the least doubt the propr
city of the pursued by this government COM
mend the careful perusal of the speeches of the Earl Of
Elgin, the Earl of Clarendon, and Earl Grey.
The Earl Of Elgin poneiy condemned the whole tenor
of Lord Carcndons arguments in his dispatches of July
and September in the following words: E
Hc also deprecated me rontinuance Of these angry dis
cussons he thought that with reference to the dis
putes pending between the two governmen tey (the
British governmen had been led by their controversial zeal
10 positions Numerically opposed to those which
Of their real and permanent interests would
have induced them occupy 1t interest for in
stance that neutrality laws of the United States should
receive the widest interpretation that the dispositions which
existed In portions Of the population Of the United
States to carry their account should be
checked that the government Of the United States
should be led recognise the obligations which owed to
the Of the world but in our late contro
versy with the United States had been led to contend for
the narrowest Interpretation Of the neutrality laws hea
hear had been led TO maintain the right OF resi-
dent the United States to enter into the service Of foreign
begerents their will and that it not fair subject
for that dipomasts of high rank should make
themselves parties to such proceedings"
The remarks of Earl Grey equally emphatic &c
says;
He certainly thought that in the first instance, her
ajesys committed great error with refer
ence TO enlistment in the United States lie did not how
possible that diplomatic servants Of the British Crown
could employed with reference to recruit
ing in North America without aordDg justification for
the that had been made by the United States
eminent. lie thought if the proceedings OF Mr. CHAMPION
the British consus had been confined to making known
desire Of the British to raise force for the
Russian the British provinces Of North America that
even If the precaution had been taken, still such
would have been virtually nfracton Of the laws
the United States and infringement Of the neutrality
Of those Sta
"He knee would have been the feeling excited In
this country w Russian ambassador and the Russian
us in Prussia had been allowed spread information that
Immediately beyond the frontier of Prussia depot had been
opened at which who could lind their from
Prussia would be enlisted in the Russian service and that
was case which seemed him to differ very slightly
what had been attempted by agents in the United
States He also thought that at the commencement OF the
discussion the of the dispatches OF her Mesys gov
eminent not concatoy il ought to have been In
his opinion, the manner In which the maxim cirttas
e. quoted and indeed the whole tone OF the
despatches anythng but conciaory TO the United
States" H.....
Be 1t observed Earl Grey distinguishes between viola
ton of the laws of the United States and infringement Of
the neutrality Of the United States.
He says that, even if Mr.. Champion bad done nothing
beyond making known the desire Of the British govern
obtain recruits still that would have justified the
complaints of the American government
He declares explicitly that the hole of Lord Claren
dous successive dispatches excepting the very last
AM thing but conciliatory to the United States
The observations Of Earl Grey also afford a complete
answer to the only objection which has been made any
time 10 the manner in which Mr.. Marcy has conducted
the negotiation. II has been said once or twice that
he has occupied much space in the discussion Of
the legal relations Of the subject This objection Tor
gets that the discussion Of questions of law was
forced upon Mr.. Marcy by Lord Clarendon Who in his
first despatch OF july and In his elaborate one
September presented the whole controversy Of
law instead OF dealing with IT, he did 10 bis despatch OF
May, a diplomatic political question OF the respective
political rights Of Great Britain aud the United States
Earl Grey regards the subject in this Its only proper
pec and casting behind him those considerations Of tech
nca law which Lord Clarendon had relied condemns
the whole proceeding being whether technically not
still at any rate virtually violation Of the rights
the United States IT. at the outset the British govern
men had viewed the subject In this light as II ought "a
have done II would have avoided all controversy with III,
United States
Earl Grey places this part Of the subject 10 the most s
king relief by the question he asks What the British gov
eminent would have said II the Russian ambassador and
the Russian consuls in Prussia had adopted the sam,
TO draw Russian recruits from Prussia rs IN,
British minister and consus did TO draw British recruits
from the United States
While thus fixing attention upon these remarks Of IN,
Earl Of Egin and OF Earl Grey for the reason that they
Justify in the competcs and decisive manner tn,
Of the American government feel bound 10 add
that the speech of the Earl OF Clarendon highly credit
able him lie does not he cannot deny The force Of
vbs, is said by the Earl Of Elgin and Earl Grey He
speaks throughout In the tone OF Of honor con-
make MI the rparaiion which possible consist
emily with scifrespect
Our Impressions Of the character OF Lord Clarendon