Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-08

The same reason which made IL our duty TO
withhold the papers then, would, of course,
make il equally our duty 10 refuse TO give them
piece in the manner proposed blythe hon
orable and learned gentleman. | said then,
and repeat now, that j trust that very short
time will elapse before we shall be in condi-
ton 10 lay the whole of that correspondence
before this House, and then it will be able to
Judge whether her Majestys Government and
its officers in the United States have done that
which ought to expose them to its censure, or
whether, ON the other hand their conduct has
been such as 10 enlitle them to receive its sup.
port
| therefore cannot now follow the honorable
and learned gentleman through those details
into which he has entered. All | can say is,
that it was the desire and instruction of her
Majesty's government that nothing should be
done which should be at variance with the
laws of the United States Hear The hon
orable and learned gentleman says that giving
information to persons who might be willing 10
go to our provinces that they would there be
enlisted if found fit; that the offering any in
ducemenf TO leave the United States was a vio-
lation of their municipal law Sir, the United
States is not the empire Of Russia. Cicids
no career est.
The United States is free country like our
own, and would not impose upon any man the
slightest restraint to prevent his quitting its
boundaries for his own advantage. Cheers.
/ will not now argue a question which will be
more properly examined when the papers, with
| out which it would lie unbecomng to enter
upon it, are before the House; but this will
say that during the course Of the transactions
offers were repeatedly made to her Maesty's
| officers in the United States by persons whose
/ oh 10 ham, mt
which might afterwards be construed into a
| violation of the municipal law of the States.
| Hear, hear.
| A conspiracy was got up Tor the purpose Of
entrapping and misleading them, and inducing
| them to do that which might afterwards be
| fastened upon them as violation of the ma
| tional laws. As to the trial which had been re-
| ferred to, | think that, when the details are
| made public, the House will not be disposed to
bestow upon the statements which were made
| upon it so much Importance as has been given
| to them by the honorable ard learned member.
The honorable and learned member says that
the apology made to her Majestys government
was insincere and lreacherous. The truth of
That assertion | utterly deny. Cheers
utterly and entirely deny that we made that
apology intending TO continue the violation of
the law for which it professed to be the salts
faction. Sir, We had given direction that these
proceedings, which might give umbrage to the
United States, should be discontinued.
The assertion made in the last despatch from
the American government is that after these
directions were given, and after the explana
ton was rendered, some Of these proceedings
were continued. The truth OF that assertion
remains to be ascertaned If such were the
case, the proceedings were clearly against the
intentions and without the knowledge of the
British Government. Cheers. Irepeat that
! that explanation, that statement of orders, re-
| yoked. that expression of regret--not regret,
as the honorable and learned gentleman says
| that the laws Of the United States had been
| violated, because we did not believe that such
a violation had occurred-but regret that any
/ thing should have occurred which could be
| considered by the American government to
amount TO such a vioiation--was received by
the American minister al this Court with an
expression on his part OF belief that it would
be deemed satisfactory By his government.
! AS proof that such was his belief, ! may
mention that he sometime afterwards received
a despatch directing him to make second re-
monstrance, and that he put that despatch into
his pocket and abstained from communicating
it to this government, because he believed that
the communication which he had previously
forwarded to his government would be deemed
satisfactory. Cheers.
Sir, ! am forced to make these statements,
premaurely perhaps, because they belong to n
part of the question which cannot be fully ex-
plained-by the extraordinary conduct of the
honorable and learned member Cheers. |
The fact, then, is, that considerable time
after our communication, stating that we had
discontinued these proceedings, and express
ing our regret il anything had happened which
was contrary to the laws of the United States,
the American Government re-opened the ques.
ton, and it now stands in the undetermined
position which have described.
| Under such circumstances, IL really is very
difficult for person in my situation to deal
with All honorable member who pursucs such o
course as the honorable and learned member
Mr.. Roebuckl has adopted Cheers. lie
knows that this question is still pending be
tween the two governments he knows that
her Majesty's government has received q com
munication from America, calling upon them
to do things TO which none but the most valid
reasons would induce them 10 consent; he
knows that we are waiting to receive from off
GERS in America report upon the grounds on
which those demands are founded; he knows
that but a short time will elapse before a re-
port will be received, and final answer one
way or other be gwen TO these requlstions
he knows that this question deeply concerns
the feelings and the interests Of two great ma
tons hear, hear; he must know that to
triae with such feelings and such interests is a
course unbecoming any man who belongs TO q
great national assembly like this cheers and
yet knowing all this, he rushes with hasty i'm
patience to interpose between the two govern
ments, and, if it be possible, to prevent that
amicabe arrangement which on matters Of so
delicate a nature cannot be come to unless
both governments are left TO their own action
without being swayed one way or the other
either by popular clamor or by the expression
Of national feeling.
These are differences which will only be set.
tied in an honorable way by the two parties ex.
aiming, with dispassionate judgment, their
respective cases; yet, in regard to them, the
honorable and learned gentleman rushes with
this impatient haste to deliver himself Of opin.
ions formed upon an imperfect knowledge Of
the facts, and without the full statement Of the
whole case between the two countries, Of which
he might be in possession in fortnight OF
three weeks, IL indeed so long time should
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