Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-01-09

:, termined, without involving in seriou.
danger the friendly relations which it i
the interest of both counties TO cherisl
: and preserve. 1t win afford me sincere
t qualification il future efforts shall resul
o in the success anticipated heretofor,
with more confidence than the aspec
a of the case permits me now 10 enter
: tain.
1 RECRUITMENT.
: One other subject Of discussion be
tween the United Sales and Great Brit
ain has grown out Of the attempt which
J the exigencies Of the war in which she
e is engaged with Russia induced her tc
; make, to draw recruits from the United
States.
Il is the traditional and settled policy
e of the United States, to maintain impair
tiaL neutrality during the wars which
from time TO time occur among the great
powers Of the world. Performing al
, the duties of neutrality towards the re-
t spective helligerent States, we may reas
f onably expect them not to interfere with
, our lawful enjoyment of its benefits.
Notwithstanding the existence of such
hostilitieS, our citizens retain The individ.
ual right to continue all their accustomed
pursuits, by land or by sea, at home OF
abroad, subject only to such restrictions
in this relation as the laws of war, the
usage Of nat ons, or special treaties, may
impose /; and it is Dur sovereign right
that our territory and jurisdiction shall
not be invaded by either of the belliger
ent parties. for the transit of the armies.
the operations of their fleets, the levy of
troops for their services, the fitting out
of cruisers by or against either, or any
other act or incident of war. And these
undenisble rights of neutrality, indiyidu-
al and national, the United States will
under no circumstances surrender.
In pursuance to this policy, the laws
of the United States do not forbid their
citizens to sell to either Of the belligerent
powers articles contriband Of war, or to
take munitions Of war or soldiers on board
their private ships for transportation !;
and although, in SO doing, the individu-
al citizen exposes his property or person
to some of the hazards of wal, his acts
does not involve any breach of national
neutrality, nor of themselves implicl ate
the government. Thus, during the prog
ress OF the present war in Europe, our
citizens have, without national response
bility therefore. sold gunpowder and
arms to all buyers regardless of the des-
~tinatioa Of those articles. Our merchant
men have been, and still continue to be,
largely employed by Great Britain and
France. in transporting troops, provisions
and munitions of war to the principal
seats of military operations, and in bring
ing home their sick and wounded sol
diers /; 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, in accordance
with the law Of nations, peremptorily for
bids, not only foreigners, but cur own
citizens, to ut out, within the limits of
the Uuited States, a vessel to commit hos
tiilies against any State with which the
United States are at peace, or to Increase
the iurce of any foreign armed vessel in
tended for suc hosliliIies against a friend
ly State.
Whatever concern may have been felt
by either of the belligerenI powers lest
private armed cruisers, or other vessels,
in the service of one, might be fitted out
in the ports of this country to depredate
on the property of the other, all such
fears have proved 10 be utterly ground.
less. Our citizens have been withheld
from any such act or purpose by good
faith. and by respect for the law.
While the laws of the Union are thus
peremptory in their prohibition of the
or armament OF bellIgeren'
cruisers in our Forts, they provide not
less absolutely that no person shall,
within the territory or jurisdiction of the
United States, enlist OF enter himself, or
or retain another person to enlist or
enter himself, or to go beyond the limits
or jurisdiction of the United States with
intent to be enlisted or entered, in the
of any foreign State, either as a
or as a marine or seaman on
board of any vessel OF war, letter of
marque or ~privateer. And these enact
ments are also in strict conformity with
The Law of nations, which declares that
no State has the right to raise troops for
land or sea service in another State with
lis consent, and that, whether for
hidden by the municipal law or not, the
very attempt to do it, without such con-
sent, is an attack on the national sover.
Such being the public lights and the
municipal law Of she United States. no
:olicitude on the subject was entertained
BY this government, when, a year since,
he British Parliament passed an act 10
for the enlistment of foreigners
the military service of Great Britain.
on the face of the act, or in its
public history, in,lica'ed that the British
government proposed 10 attempt recruit
neRt in the United States /; nor did it
,vor give iniimation Of such intention to
his government. Il was a matter of S
surprise, therefore, TO find, subsequently,, I
hat the engagement of persons within
he United 5 ates to proceed TO Halifax g
n the British province of Nova Scotia, I
md there enlist in the service of Great 7
was going on extensively, with
title or no disguise. Ordinary legal
were Immediately takentoarrestand q
'unish parties concerned, and SO put an c
nd to acts infringing the municipal law S
nd derogatory to our sovereignty I
suitable representations on i
he subject were addressed to the British n
v
Thereupon it became known, by the f
of the British government it. v
elf that the attempt to draw recruits
Iom this country originated with it, or o
1 least had its approval and sanction 1
mt ii also appeared thatthe public agents S
in it had stringent i~nstruc a
MOI to violate the municinal law e