The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-03

Whatever concern may have been felt by
either of the belligerent 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 to be utterly
groundless. Our citizens have been withheld
from any such act or purpose by good faith, and
by respect for the law.
While the laws of this Union are thus per-
emptory in their prohibition of the equipment
or armament of belligerent cruisers in our ports
they provide not less absolutely that no person
shall, within the territory or jurisdiction of the
United States, enlist or enter himself, or hire
or retain another person to enlist or enter him
self, or to go beyond the limits or jurisdiction
of the United States with intent to be enlisted
or entered, in the service of any foreign State
either as soldier, or as marine or seaman
on board of any vessel of war, letter of marc ue
or privateer. And these enactments 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, without its consent; and that whether for
hidden by the municipal law or not, the very
attempt to do it, without such consent, is an
attack on the national sovereignty.
Such being the public rights and the NUM-
cipal law of the United States, no solicitude Oh
the subject was entertained by this Government
when year since, the British Parliament pass
ed an act to provide for the enlistment Of for
eigners in the military service of Great Britain.
Nothing on the face of the act, or In its public
history, indicated that the British Government
proposed to attempt recruitment in the United
States; nor did it ever give intimation of such
| intention to this Government 1t was matter
of surprise, therefore, to find, subsequently,. that
the engagement of persons within the United
States to proceed to Halifax, in the British
Province of Nova Scotia, and there enlist in
the service of Great Britain, was going on ex-
tensively, with little or no disguise Ordinary
legal steps were Immediately taken to arrest
and punish parties concerned, and so put at an
end to acts infringing the municipal law, and
derogatory to our sovereignty. Meanwhile, suit
able representations on the subject were ad-
dressed to the British Government
Ihereupon 1T became known, by the admis-
sion OF the British Government ITSELF that the
attempt to draw recruits from this country
originated with it, or at least had its approval
and sanction; but it also appeared that the
pubic agents engaged in it had "stringent in
structions not to violate the municipal law of
the United States.
1t Is difficult to understand how it should
have been supposed that troops could be rails
ed here, by Great Britain, without violation of
the municipal law. The unmistakable object
OF the law was to prevent every such act,
which, If performed, must be either in violation
OF the law, or in studied evasion of it and, in
either alternative, the act done would be alike
injurious to the sovereignty of the United States
In the mean time, the matter acquired addi |
tional importance, by the recruitments in the
United States not being discontinued, and the |
disclosure of the fact that they were prosecuted
upon systematic plan, devised by official au.
thority; that recruiting rendezvous had been
opened In our principal cities, and depots for |
the reception of recruits established on our |
frontier; and the whole business conducted nm |
der the supervision and by the regular co-ope- |
ration of British officers, civil and military some
IN the North American provinces, and some in |
the United States. The completely of those of. |
hcers in an undertaking, which could only be |
accomplished by defying our laws, throwing
suspicion over our attitude of neutrality and |
dlsregarding our territorial rights, is conclu.
sively proved by the evidence elected on the
TRIAL OF such OF their agents as have been an
pretended and convicted. Some of the officers
thus implicated are of high official position.
and many OF them beyond our jurisdiction, so |
that legal proceedings could not reach the |
source of the mischief
These considerations, and the fact that the |
cause OF complaint was not a mere casual &C. |
currence, but deliberate design, entered upon |
with full knowledge of our laws and national |
pohcy, and conducted by responsible public |
iunctionaries, lmpelled me to present the case
to the British Government in order to secure.
not only cessation of the wrong but its repa,
ration. The ect is still under discussion.
the result of which will be communicated TO
you in due time
repeat the recommendation submitted to
the last Congress, that provision be made for
the appointment Of Commissioner, in connec.
ton with Great Britain, to survey and estab-
llsh the boundary line which divides the Ter
ritory OF Washington from the contiguous Brit
lsh possessions. BY reason of the extent and
Importance OF the country in dispute, there has
been imminent danger of collision between the
subjects of Great Britain and the citizens of
the United States, including their respective
authorities In that quarter. The prospect of a
speedy arrangement has contributed hitherto TO
induce on both sides forbearance to assert by
force what each claims q right. Continu-
ance of delay on the part of the two Govern.
ments to act In the matter will increase the
dangers and difficulties of the controversy.
Misunderstanding exists as to the extent,
character, and value Of the possesQory rights of
the Hudson's Bay Company, and the property
OF the Pugets Sound Agricultural Company,
reserved in our treaty with Great Britain rela-
tive to the Territory of Oregon have reason
to believe that cession of the rights of both
companies to the United States, which would
be the readiest means of terminating all cues
tons, can be obtained on reasonable terms
and, with view to this end, | present the sub.
ject to the attention of Congress.
The Colony of Newfoundland, having enact
ed the laws required by the treaty of the 9Th of
June, 1854, is now placed on the same footing.
IN respect to commercial intercourse with the
United States, as the other British North Amer.
lean Provinces
The commission, which that treaty contem-
plated, for determining the rights of fishery in
rivers and mouths of rivers on the coasts of
the United States and the British North Amer.
lean Provinces, has been organized and has
commenced its labors {; to complete which, there
is needed further appropriations for the service
of another season.
SOUND DUES
In pursuance Of the authority conferred by a
resolution of the Senate of the United States
passed on the Sd of March last notice was Civ.
en- to Denmark on the 18th day of April, of
the intention of this Government to avail itself
of the stipulation of the subsisting convention
of friendship, commerce, and navigation, be-
tween that Kingdom and the United States
whereby either party might, after ten years
terminate the same at the expiration of one
year from the date of notice for that purpose.
The considerations which led me to call the
attention of Congress to that convention, and
induced the Senate to adopt the resolution re.
ferred to, still continue in full force. The con-
vention contains an article, which, although il
does not directly engage the United States to
submit to the imposition of tolls on the vessels
and cargoes of Americans passing into or from
the Baltic Sea, during the continuance of the