The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1856-01-08


Whatever conc.In may have been fell Sy
tiIler Of he beIligcrent powers. le,t pri-
vate armed cruisers or other vessels 10 he
service Of one might predale on the prop.
ery Of the other. all such fears have prov
cd To be perfect grounless. Our citizens
haze been Withheld from any such act or
purpose by good f.ith and by respect for
the law. Willie tie laws of HE Union are
thus per-mptory in lie prohibi ION of he
equipment ar Armament Of bcliigerent
armed cruisers in our ports, they provide
not less absolutely that no person shall, in
The territory or jurisdiction Of The UiiIed
J,at,s, enter or enlist himself. or hire or
retain Ano'her pc son TO enlist or enter
himself or 10 70, beyond the limits or iu
risdiction Of tie United States with intent
TO be enlisted or entered in the service Of
any foreignS ate, either as a soldier. or as
a marine or SEAMAN On board of anyrves-
eel Of war, letter of marque. or pnvnteer;
and these enaclments are also N strict
conioFHaace- with thelaw Of nations wlirh
declares that no State has right 10 raise
troops for land or sea service in another
State without its consent and that, whether
forbidden by the municipal law or not, the
very attempt to do il with ut such consent
is an attack upon national sovereignty
Such being the public rights OF the muni-
cipsl law of the United States, no solici-
tude on the subjects was entertained by
this government when. year siuce, the
British Parliament passed an act for the
enlistment Of foreigners into the service
of Great Britain. Nothing on the face Of
the act, or in it's public history. indicated
that the British government proposed to
attempt recruiting in the United states
Nor did it ever give intimalion of such in
tent to this government. IL was a matter
Of surprise, therefore, to find subsequently,
that the engagement Of persons within the
United States to proceed TO Halifax. in tn
British province of Scotia, and there enlist
in the service of Great Britain. was going
on extensively. with little or no disguise.
Ordinary legal steps were Immediately
taken to arrest and punish parties so con-
cerned, and put an end 10 acts SO infring-
ing the municipal law. and dcrogaory 10
our sovereignty. Meanwhile, representa-
lions on the subject were addressed to the
British government. Thceupon it be-
came known by the administration Of the
British government itself. that the attempt
to draw recruits from this country origina-
I'D with it, or at least had its approval or
sanction; but il also appeared that the
public agents engaged in it had strong in
structions not TO violate the municipal law
of the United States. Ii is difficult to
understand how il should have been sup
posed that troops conld be raised here by
Great Britain without violation of the mu
nicipsl law. Tie unmistakcable object of
the law was 10 prevent every such act,
which. ii performed. must be either in
violation of the law, or in studied evasion
thereof. In the meantime, matter accru.
ed of additional importance, by the re-
cruirments in the United States moi being
discontinued, and tie di closure Of The
fact that they Were prosecuted upon
sysiema ic plan devised by official au; hor-
iy: hat recruiting rsnd,Zvous had been
ope ell in our principal cities. and dopa,s
for he reception of r,cru 5 established an
our frontier. and thc whole bu u.iness con
duo cd under he supervision and by The
regular cooperation of British ofh'eis.
C val. and military --some in he Prirish
N"r'h American pr,inces and some in the
Uui,-d 5 aics. The compiciIy'of ,Lo,c
ntlicrr> in an undertaking winch only could
b. accomplished by defiance at our laws.
throwing suspicion over our aiiiuIe of
nrnrnli y aud di,i.gar'!iny our teiri'o'i.
al ii his. WIS con,nlsi,ely proved hy the
e,ii,n,c eliei,e in he trial of such of
ihrir agents as have tcen spprehtnded
and cnnvirlcd. Some h the Officers thus
implicated are, of tighofficisl position. nnd
many Of them beyond our juaisdicli"n, so
thai legal proceedings could not reach the
source of The mischief. These consil-ra.
lions, and the ct that the cause of cum
plaint was not mere casual occurrence.
but u deliberate design entered upon with
full knowledge of our laws aud national
policy. and conducted by responsible pub
lie funcIionaiies impelled me 10 present
the cause to the British government. in or
der TO secure not only cessation Of the
wrong. but its reparaiior. The subject is
still under discussion. the result Of which
will he communicated TO You in due time.
| present The Recommendation. submit
ted to The last Congress. that provision be
made for the appointment ofa commission
er. in connec ion with Great Britain. 10
survey. and establish the boundary line
which divides the Territory of Washington
from the contigous British possessions. -
BY reason of the importance of the coun-
try in dispute. there has been imminent
danger Of collision between the subjects Of |
Great Britain the ciiizeas of the United
States. despite of their respective author.
tiles. on that question. The prospect of
n speedy arrangement has contributed
hitherto TO induce. on both sides, forbear-
ance TO assert by force what each claimed
as right. Continuance Of delay on the
part of the two governments TO act in the
matter will increase the dangers and diff
culIies of the controversy. Nisunder-
standing exists as 10 the extent. character,
and value OF the possessory rights Of the
Hulson's Bay Company. and the proper
~ Of the Pugel's Sound Agricultural So
ciciy, reserved in our treaty with Great
Britain relative to The Territory Of Oregon.
have reason 10 believe that a cexsion of