New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-01

ts,rl
rsS. danger the. sseedly relations which Il "a The
Nrvs, a. well e. tn xuty of 10th countries to CHERISH
srl ,s>ssfvc> n~sll aaori me sincere grsishc"t'on
sssrs ehNts shall Wsuh IN the success sn'Nila 20
AsNScksc wSh Mo,c confidence than the aspect VI "'
esq pcrui,s eac now 10 entertain
RECRUITMENT.
An, ,,rr ,uh,cc, Of discussion between the ue'ted
xsss,. e,sl ,;ya, Britain has grown out OF the aeup
uAs-h tn rxiccucics Of the war IN wmon 81 70 ,n
~ns,,a vsh Eu<sa induced hcr 10 make, 10 ara" IT,
ss.,,e. An, Tho United States. -.
sS, ssl and settled policy OF the United
sSss,a a, maintain impartial neutrHIuy during .uo
vArs which rVm time 60 time occur auVuS tnv 49,
vSss,rs at The world. Performing All tae uaas'' ~
s,,sN,> toward the respective behgerent states we
-, s~naahlv sNpcci them nH 10 Interfere WIN our
l.~al .uSoy,nent al its benefits. Noswfhashdihg the
rx,.s,r,N IL such hoSsihes, oar cihfcas retain tue
.aiv,dus night 70 continue an ,hor S"I
l A., srcA restrictions this RELATION "a the laws on
~.n The usage OF nations, OF special treaties may nm
rx.. and is sovereign right that our teirilory
ard jurisdiction shall not BE- invaded Wy eInei "
a., Slh,,rrnt paEties for the transit oi their armies,
As o,xrSsous of their fleets the levy OF troops Tor
tArx serNcg the fitting out OF cruisers Oy or ssnst
,kr " any Other act or incident OF war Ana these
uslcuiAhle rights 81 neutrality, individual ana ma
,,onsl Tho United states win under no circumstances
-1rpRdeT, -, -, r A. t,o;,d
SStcs Do net forbid their citizens to sell 10 tter Vi te
A.lhrr,rnt powers articles confraoanu oil WaI, w 10
az munitions Of war soldiers ON board Their pm
1si slips foy transpotation and although IN so do
ne N, individual citizen exposes his property or per
san 10 sOme oi the hazards of war, his sc's 90 not
rvolve any breach Of national neutrality, nor OF
,A.n,selv,s impicate the Government. Thus, during
Sh prccss Of the present in Europe our citizens
Have wi,loat national responsibility therefor, SOFA
surpowicr and 20 all buyers, regardless Oi the
destination Ot those articles. Our Merchantmen nave
h~,n and s,;l continue 20 be, largely employed by
Grsi Britain ard France. in Transporting troops pro-
visions and munitions Of war to the principal seat OF
military operations and IN bringing home their sex
ard wounded soldiers: but such use OF our mercantile
marine is not ntercted either by the International or
hy ovy municipal law aud therefore does not copro-
NIT cur neutral relations with Russia.
But our municipal law, in accordance with the law
a nations percmptorily orbids, not only foreigners,
bst cur own citizens, TO t out within the limits OF the
Crited States vessel 20 commit hosties against any
Stste with which the United States at peace or to
increase the force of any fOTegnaned vessel intended
sr such hosiilities against friendly State.
VIA ever concern may have been felt by either of
the belcerent powers lest private armed cruisers,
ether vessels in tine service OF one, might be fitted out
IN the ports OF this country 10 depredate on the prop
srty Of the other, all such fears have proved TO be ut
terry groundless. Our citizens have been withheld
from any such act or purpose by good fath and by re-
speCt for the law.
While the laws of the Union are thus peremptory in
their prohibition Of the equipment or armament of
begerent cruisers in our ports, they provide not less
absolutely that person shall within the territory
Jurisdiction of the United States enlist enter him.
III.
himself or 20 90 beyond the limits jurisdiction of the
United states with intent to be enlisted entered, III
the service of any foreign State, either as soldier, or
a. a mar seaman on board OF any veSsel-Ofwar,
litter Of narque, privateer And these enactments
are also in strict conformity with the law OF nations
which declares that State has the righs 10 raise
troops for land service in another State without
ns consent, and that, whether forbidden by the NUM-
eipal law OF not the very attempt to do it, without
sgch consent is an attack the national sovereignty
Such being the public rights and the municipal law
Of the United States socitude on the subject was
entertained by the Government when, year since,
The British Parliament passed act to provide for
the enlistment of foreigners in the military service of
Gpeat Britain. Nothing the face of the act, or in
Ms public history, indicated that the British Govern
merit proposed to attempt recruitment In the United
states; did it give intmation of such nten-
ton TO this Government IL was matter of surprise,
therefore to find subsequently that the engagement
of persons within the United States to proceed to Hal
iaI in the British Province OF Nova Scotia and there
enlist in the service of Great Britain, going on
extensively with little disguise. Ordinary legal
,teps were Immediately taken to arrest and punish
p,Ities concerned and put end to acts infringing
The municipal law and derogatOTy 10 our sovereignty.
Meanwhile suitable representations the subject
were addressed to the British Government.
Tbereupon it became known, by the admission of
the British Government itself, that the attempt to
draw recruits from this country originated with it, at
least had its approval and sanction; but 1t also APP
peered that the public agents engaged in II had strn-
gent instructions not to violate the municipal law OF
The United States
II il difficult to understand how il should have been
supposed that troops could be raised here by Great
Britain without violation of the municipal law The
unmstakable object of the law was to prevent every
,uch act which, If performed, must be either i'll viola
fon of the law, in studied evasion of II; and, in
either alternative the act done would be alike pjuri
ers 10 the sovereignty of the United States.
Meantime, the matter acquired additional import
ance by the recruitments in the United States not be-
ING discontinued and the disclosure of the fact that
they were prosecuted upon systematic plan devised
NV official authority that recruiting rendezvous had
been opened in the principal cities, and depots for the
reception of recruits established on our frontier and
the whole business conducted under the supervision
and by the regular cooperation of British officers, civil
and military, some in the North American provinces,
and some in the United States. The completely OF
those officers in undertaking which could only be
accomplished by defyng our laws throwing suspicion
over our attitude OF neutrality and disrcgarding our
territorial rights, is conclusively proved by the evil
dence ehcted on the trial of such of their agents
have been apprehended and convicted. Some of the
officers thus implicated of high official position,
and many of them beyond our jurisdiction, 80 that
legal proceedings could not reach the source OF the
mischief.
These considerations and the fact that the cause of
complaint was not a casual occurrence, butts
deliberate design entered upon with full knowledge
f our laws and national policy, and conducted by re-
spousibe public functionaries, mpeed me to present
the case to the British Government in order to secure
not enly cessation of the wrong but its reparacn.
The subject is still under discussion the result of which
will be communicated to you IN due time.
l repeat the recommendation submitted to the last
Congress that provision be made for The appointment
cf Commissioner in connection with Great Britain, to
survey and establish the boundary line, which divides
the Territory of Washington from the contiguous
British possessions. BY reason of the extent and I'M
portsnce OF the country in dispute, there has been in
minent danger OF collision between the subjects Of
Great Britain and the citizens of the United States,
intending their respective authorities in that quarter.
The prospect of aspeedy arrangement has contributed
hitherto to induce on both sides forbearance to assert