The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-03-13
Monterino, FEB. 2, 1856.
Erom the ". !. Times.
The Recruiting Question.

1foH "s ~. l. iWcS.
The Recruiting Question.
The publication Of the correspondence
between Mr.. Marcy and the Earl OF Clarcn.
don, unless VIC are greatly mistaken, will
modify very essentially public sentiment in
England, as well as in the United States,
upon one of the points in dispute between
the two nations. 1t has been said, by the
English press and in the English Purlia-
ment, that Great Britain dcsistcd from her
scheme OF recruiting her armies within the
United States the moment she had reason
to believe it did no: meet the approval of
our Government; that she had since n,:ul..
the most ample and complete apology for
this violation of our laws; and that what
is now asked by our Government is in the
highest degree unreasonable and offensive.
We think that just aud fair-lnindrd Eng
li,hmcn will conccde that every one of these
positions is concluaivcly di>provcl by Mr..
Marcy Ill this correspondence, and that the
course of Lord Clarendon has been shut
fling and evasivc, unworthy Of his position,
and indicating anything but confidence in
the justice of his cause. lie began, in his
letter Of July lG, after acknowledging tha,
the acts complained Of were ain many in
stances undoubted violations of the law Of
the United States" by declaring, in the
most emphatic manner, that the persons ly
whom they were done chad no authority
'ch"fcucr for their proceedings from any
British agents, by aI of whom they were
promptly and uncquiv"cally disavowc,"
Aud ill the face Of this disclaimer he pro-
ccc,is to argue, in lis despatch! of Nov lG,
that these acts were not violations of inter
national law, and the American Govern
mcnt has no ground OF complaint in the
premises. His LordShip is guilty of the
most remarkable Inconsistency in the course
Of his correspondence and fails utterly to
cStabI'sl, the pr"pricty Of The acton taken
by the British, Government.
There is also a very marked difference il,
the one of the communications of the two
parties. Throughout all Of Mr.. Marcy's
letters, there is not nj expression nor Il SEN
tlmcnt disrcSpccttul in tn, !..:,st degree to
The british Government. Ills relnonstran-
ccs are emincntly courteous and consider
ate, and he evinccs throughout the most
entire reliance upon the good faith and
open dealing Of the British Ministry
Lord Clarcndons letters abound in express
slons of the most offensive character. In
stead OF confining the disc,l! ,ion to The poin
involved. he resorts to rccr,lination, and
charges the American Government with hav-
ing resorted to unusual and unjn>t:fiahle
modes of obtaining evidence with seeking
to excite public clamor against Great Bri.
tain, and with having permitted Irish enlist
mcnts to SO on in this country against Great
Britain with entire impunity. In his letter of
November lG, indeed, he charges Mr.. Mar
cy with dcrciclion i'll his official duty, for
not having notified Mr.. Cramp:on that these
proceedings would be unlawful ,-Lcturc he
had any reason whatever to suppose t!a,
they were in progress. 1t is difficult 10
explain the evident irritation and the very
undignilicd temper in Which Lord Carcn-
'lons letters were written, with his acknowl-
edged diplomatic ability, and the ordinary
propreties of such a correspondence.
The English press will see with some
surprise that there is not the slightest
foundation for the statement made in Par
lament, rs well as in the London Times.
that ample acknowledgements and apollo.
gies have been made in this case by the
British Government. Nothing Of the sort
can be detected i'll the correspondence. On
the contrary, the conduct of the Govern
ment and Of its agents is sought to be JUS
titled from the very beginning. The near
est approach to an acknowledgment is
found in the statement, that the busincs;
of recruiting was ordered to be discon-
tinued as soon rs it WAS found that the
American Government disapprovcl of it
and the force of this is somewhat weak.
ened by the f;,ot that tho statement proves
to be untrue.
Our Government has asked the recall Of
the British Minister and tho other British
agents connected with this affair. We
think public sentiment in the United States
will sustain the demand. 1t will probably
be refused. All that will remain, therefore,
will be for our Government to exercise it,
unquestioned rights and send them their
passports. Mr.. Crampton will probably be
promoted in his diplomatic career-his col
leagues will receive distinguished mark, of
gratitude from their Government, and our
own national honor will have been vindca-
ted. The feeling which this incident will
engehder between tho two Governments
may embarrass negotiations upon the Cen
tral American question: but Of itself it can
not possibly lead to any serious consequen-
ces. But whatever may be tue issue, thus
far we think our Government is clearly in
the right.
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