The Evansville daily journal., 1856-01-04


been, and still continue to be, largely employed
by Great Britain and by France in transport
ing troops, provisions, and munitions OF war
to the principal seat of military operations,
and in bringing home their sick and wounded
soldiers; but such use of our mercantile marine
is not interdicted either by the international,
or by our municipal law and therefore does not
compromise our neutrality relations with
Russia. --
But our municipal law, in accordance with
the law of nations, peremptorily forbids, not
only foreigners but our own citizens, to tlt out,
within the limits of the United States, YES
sci to commit hostilities against any State
with which the United States are at peace, or
to increase the force of any armed vessel in
tended for such hostilities against friendly
State. s--
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 of purpose by good faith
and by respect for the law.
While the laws of the 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 OF jurisdiction
of the United States, with intent to be enlisted
or entered, in the service of any foreign State,
either as soldier, or as mariner or seaman
on board Of any vessel of war, letter of marque
or PIiyaseer. And these enactments are IN
strict conformity with the law of nations,
which delares that no State has the right to
raise troops for land or sea service in another
State without its consent, and that, whether
4I,o thax
attempt to do it, without snch consent, is an
attack on the national sovereignty.
Such being the public rights AMI the munic pal
law of the United States, no sohcitude on the
subject was entertained by this government
when year since, the British Parliament
passed an act to provide for the enlistment of
foreigners 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 recruiting in
the United States; nor did it ever give intima-
tion ofsuch intention to this government II
was matter of surprise, therefore, TO find, sub
sequently, that the engagement of persons
within the United States to proceed to HAh-
fax, in the British province Of Nova Scotia and
and there enlist in the service Of Great Britairl
was going ON extensively, with little or ne dis
guise Ordinary legal steps were Immediately
taken to arrest and punish parties concerned
and so put an end to acts infringing the muni-
eipal law and derogatory to our sovereignty
Meanwhile suitable representations on the
subject were addressed to the British govern
meRt. rr f-...i
Thereupen it became known, by the admis
sion of the British government ITSELF that the
attempt to draw recruits from this country or.
iginated with it or at least had its approya
and sanction; but it also appeared that the pub
lie agents engaged in it had Stringent in
Structions" not to violate the municipal law o
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 o
the municipal law. The unmistakable objec
of the law was to prevent every such act
which, if performed, must be either in viola
ton of the law, or in studied evasion it; ant
in either alternative, the act done would b.
alike injurious to the sovereignty Of the United
States. q .rp
In the meantime, the matter acquired ad
ditional Importance, by the recruitment in The
United States not being discontinued, and the
disclosure Of the fact that they were prosecuted
upon a systematic plan devised by officia
authority; that atrecruiting rendezvous had beer
opened in our principal cities, and depots fol
the aeeeption of recruits established on oul
frontier; and the whole business conducted
under the supervision and by the regular CO
operation of British officers, civil and military
some in the North American provinces, anC
some in the United States The completely
of these officers in an undertaking. which
could only be accomplished by defying ou
laws, throwing suspicion over our attitude o
neutrality, and disregarding our territoria
rights, is conclusiyely proved by the ewidenc
eelicited on the trial ofsuch of their agents al
have been apprehended and convicted. Som,
ofthe officers thus implicated are of high off
cial position, and many of them beyond ou
jurisdiction, so that legal proceedings coulC
not reach the source of the mischief @-
These considerations, and the fact, that th
cause ofcomplaint was not a mere casual oc
currence, but deliberate design, entered upo1
with fall knowledge of our laws and nationa
policy, and conducted by responsible public
functionaries, impelled me to present the case
of the British government, in order to secure
not only cessation of the wrong but it,
reparation. The subject is still under dis
cussion, the result of which will be communi
Gated to you in due time. fr1--,-r afs esl
BRITISH RELATIoNs-cONTINUED r--s.t
repeat the recommendation submitted tC
the last Congress, that provision be made fol
the appointment of a commissioner, in con
nexion with Great Britain, to survey and es
tablish the boundary line, which divides the
Territory Of Washington from the contguou;
British possessions. By reason Of the extern
and importanee fthe country in dispute, there
has been imminent danger of collision betweer
the subjects of Great Britain and the citizen.
of the United States, including their respective
authorities in that quarter. The prospect o
speedy arrangement has contributed hitherto
to induce on both sides forbearanee to asser
by force what each claims as a ripht Contin