Washington sentinel., 1856-06-03
Mr.. Marcy to Mr.. Dallas.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

relative to the questions which have arisen be-
tween this Government and that of Great
Britain on the subject Of recruiting within the
United States for the British army, and has
directed me to present to you his views thereon
for the purpose of having them made known
to her Majesty's Government
He has been much gratfed by the concilia-
tory spirit of that note, and by the desire mani
tested by the Earl of Clarendon to adjust the
existing difficulties, and to preserve and
strengthen the friendly relations between the
United States aud Great Britain. The vast in
terest which the Government and people Of
both countries have in upholding and cherish
ing such relations cannot be more solemnly
impressed upon her Majesty's Government
than it is upon that Of the United States.
The unequivocal disclaimer by her Maiestys
J Government of any intention either to in
fringe the law or to disregard the policy, or not
to respect the sovereign rights Of the United
States" and their expression of regret :" if con-
trary to their intentions and to their reiterated
directions, there has been any Infringement Of
the laws Of the United States" are satisfactory
to the President. The ground of complaint, so
far rs respects her Majestys Government, is
thus removed
But the President extremely regrets that he
cannot concur in Lord Carendon's favorable
opinion Of the conduct of some of her Majestys
officers who were, as this Government believed,
and, after due consideration of all which has
been offered in their defence, still believes, i'm
plicated in proceedings which we're so clearly
an Infringement of the laws and sovereign
rights Of this country. In respect to such OF
these officers and agents as have no connec.
ton with this Government it has nothing to
ask from that Of her Majesty; but the case is
different in relation to Mr.. Champion, her Ma
jesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary to this Government, and the
Consuls Of New York, Phiadelphia, and Gin.
cinnati. The President is gratifed to perceive
that her Majesty's Government would not have
hestated to comply with the request to with
draw these officers from their official positions
if it had entertained the views here taken of
their conduct in regard to recruiting contrary
to the laws and sovereign rights Of the United
States.
| scarcely need say that in making this re-
quest no interruption of the diplomatic rela-
tions between this Government and that of
Great Britain was anticipated; but the
contrary, the President and is sincerely de-
sirous to keep them upon a most friendly foot
ing. Mr.. Crampton's withdrawal was asked
for expressly upon the ground that his con-
nection with that affair raising recruits in this
country for the British service has rendered
him an unacceptable representative Of her
DrltanHlc majesty near lniS OOVernment.
For the same reason the withdrawal of the
three British Consuls was also requested.
These officers we're, as this Government conf
IDENTITY believes deeply implicated in proceed
ings contrary to the law and sovereign rights
Of the United States and contrary, as it now
appears, to the intentions and reiterated in
structons of their own Government 1t was
their personal acts certainly not the less OBJ
jectionable for having been done contrary to
the direction Of her Maesty's Minister'S which
rendered them, in their Official characters and
POSITIONS unacceptable to this Government,
and induced the President, for that cause, to
solicit their recall, believing that by this course
he was contributing TO the common interest
and harmony of the two Governments He
has not after the most mature deliberation,
been able to change his view Of their conduct,
and cannot, therefore, change his purpose in
relation TO them. Though their conduct re-
lated to and in fact originated difficulty which
disturbed the cordial harmony and good under
standing between the two countries, il consti.
tuted decided objection to them Of a personal
character, which loses none of its force by the
satisfactory adjustment of that difficulty.
The only embarrassment which attends the
case is the difference Of opinion between the
two Governments as TO the completely Of these
officers in illegal proceedings within the United
States.
In reviewing this subject, the President was
disposed to avail himself of any reasonable
doubts which could be raised in his mind in
order to bring his opinion in this respect into
conformity with that Of her Maiesty's Govern.
ment; but, after, careful reconsideration of the
case, be has been unable to change the conclu.
sion to which he had previously arrived.
This difference of opinion may be, in some
degree, ascribed to the difference in the views
of the two Governments in respect to the neu.
trality law and the sovereign rights OF this
country.
IL is not proposed, however, to continue the
discussion upon that subject. The conclusions
of the President stated in my despatch of the
2Sth OF December, to your predecessor, in re-
gard TO the construction Of that law and the
character and extent of those rights, remain
unchanged, and be cannot forego the duty Of
using all proper means to sustain and vindicate
them.
The main cause Of this difference Of opinion
is the different appreciation Of the proofs by
which the charges against her Majesty's diplo-
matte representative and consuls are sustained.
Lord Clarendon asks this Government to re-
gard the bare declarations of these officers as
OF sufficient weight to countervail the evidence
against them. Their denials as presented in
his despatch OF the Both Of April-and that is
all which has been communicated to this Gov.
ernment on the subject-seem TO be special
and do not traverse all the allegations against
them. They deny that they have infripeed
our neutrality law, by enlisting persons within
the United States for the British service. o,
hiring or retaining persons to leave the United
States for the purpose Of being enlisted in lha,
service. The charges against them are much
broader, and embrace the offence Of violating
the laws and sovereign rights Of the United
States by setting in operation, within our terri
tory, and conducting an extensive system Of re
cruting, which was not and could not be carried
into effect without infringing our laws ant
rights; by employing numerous agents 10 engage
persons, for pecuniary other considerations
to leave the United States for the express por
pose Of entering into the British army. and b,
keeping these agents in this employment afte
III well known that fbau ,,ora