Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-03-06
From the New York Herald Of Feb 29th.
Important from Washingfon-OurR ela-
tiOns with England.

United States yesterday, by the President, pertain
ing to the difficulty pending between this country
and Great Britain, the subject of the enlistment
in the United States of soldiers for the British army
We present below brief historical summary Of
the whole matter, with running commentary upon
the papeis:-
Immediately after the declaration of war by
Great Britain against Russia namely on the 2lst Of
April, 1854, Mr.. Champion, the British Minister,
writes Mr.. Marcy, the Secretary OF State that he
has received orders from his government to inform
the American government that Great Britain will
for the present authorize the issue Of letters OF
marque, and will in the interest of neutral nations
restrict within the narrowest limits the exercise OF
bellgerent rights; for which reason Great Britain
and France confidently trust that the neutral gov
ernments will sincerely every effort to enforce
upon their subjects or citizens the necessity Of
observing the strictest neutrality; and that the
United States especially will give orders that no
privateers under Russian colors shall be equipped
victuaed in the ports Of the United States; and
that the citizens of the United States shall vigor
iousy abstain from taking part in ornaments of
this nature in any other measure opposed TO the
duties of strict neutrality.
To this Mr.. Marcy replies, April 2Sth, 1854, and
after commenting on the questions presented, he
declares that the United States while claiming the
full enjoyment Of their neutral rights, will strictly
observe their neutral duties; that the laws of the
country severely punish not only its own citizens,
but all persons within its territory who shall equip
pyivateers or enlist men therein for the purpose OF
taking part in any foreign war; and that the Presi
dent will not fail to his whole power inforce
those laws and 10 maintain the neutral attitude Of
the United States.
Bearing in mind the solemn and emphatic warning
thus given TO the British government, our readers
will recall to memory the fact that nine months
afterwards in December, 1854, act OF Parlia-
ment passed for the express purpose of raising
troops in foreign countries for the service OF Great
Britain, thus necessarily violating herself that neu
trality which in such lofty she had callei on
the United States to observe towards Russia.
On the 22d Of March, 1855, Mr.. McKeOn United
States District Attorney for the Southern district
Of New York. gave notice, by letter to Mr.. Marcy,
that handbills had been issued in New York for
recruits for foreign region about to be organized
by the British government in Nova Scotia
This communication, on the day OF its receipt,
March 23d, was referred by Mr.. Marcy to Mr..
Attorney General Cushing, on the same day by
express direction Of the President advised Mr..
McKeOn by letter that such enlistments plainly
contrary TO the act of Congress; that il for service
against Russia they were in violation Of our neu-
traty; aud, for whatever purpose intended, they
WERE at all events, in violation Of the sovereign
authority OF the United States Mr.. McKeon was,
thu reiOre, directed TO bring to punishment all per
sons engaged in such enlistments in his district
Three days afterwards March goth, the AttOr-
ney General, by direction OF the President,
closed copy of the letter and instructions TO Mr..
Keen, 10 Nr. Van Dyke, United States District
Attorney for Eastern Pennsylvania, and requested
him to procet against all parties engaged in such
enlstments within his district
All at once, about this time tn is recruiting BUSH
ness sprang up in Cincinnati and Boston, well
as in New York and Philadelphia; and for a period
of six months the United States District Attorneys
and Marshals in all these cities earnestly and
laborously employed in trying to put stop TO it,
by public advertisements of warning, by personal
notice parties suspected, and by numerous crimi
nal prosecutors. All this fully appears by the
correspondence between the Attorney General and
the District Attorneys, from March to October,
1855 inclusive.
After this recruiting business had gone on for
several months in defiance of all the efforts made to
suppress it, being well known from the beginning
that Sir Gaspard LefMarchant WAS the Ostensibe
director of it, and facts appearing which implicated
certain British Consuls in the United States, the
necessity had plainly arisen for making it ques
ton between the two governments. Accordingly
Mr. Marcy, by despatch eff the 9th OF June, 1855,
to Nr. Buchanan, set forth the facts in full. He
points out the especial enOrmity of the commission
of these acts in behalf Of Great Britain, III view OF
the circumstance that she had with so much severi
and acrimony denounced the people OF the United
States on the false assumption Of their disregard
of neutral rights, embarking in private military
terprise, especially as regards Cuba. In concln~
sion, he saws that government expects that the
conduct OF the officers engaged in this business
will be disavowed by the British governmenment;
and that they will be visited with its marked dis
pleasure; and that decisive measures will he taken
to put Il stop to a procedure alike illegal and dis
respectful to the Uniued States
On the 9th of July, 1855, Mr.. Buchanan ad
dressed a letter to Lord Clarendon, based upon
these instructions OF Mr.. Marcy
On the 9Th of July, and of course before hear.
ing from bis letter of June 9th, Mr. Marcy address.
ed another letter to Mr.. Buchanan. As long pre-
vious MAY, Mr. Champion had communicated
note from Lord Clarendon to himself to Mr. Marcy
Ia this note he assumes the non-participation Of
Mr. Champion in the business, declares his approval
oil that, and gives assurace that the British gov
eminent would on account run any risk OF in-
ringhg the laws Of the United States. Ii seems
that Mr. Marcy bad placed some trust in this as
surance; but finding that nevertheless, the recruit
ting continued with increased vgor and success,
by the efficient sd of officers of the British gov.
eminent, Mr.. Marcy very naturally grew more Saw
age upon the subject, and called upon the Brush
government TO disavow these acts and TO punish
the offenders; be demanded that prompt and efiec.
tive should be taken to arrest the proceed
| ing. He explicitly required the discharge from
service Of all persons who we're enlisted in the
United States who left thu United States for the
| purpose Of enlistment. He says the United States
will not permit any discussion OF the question
! whether Great Britain shall employ officers aud
| agents to recruit her military forces within our
limits in defiance Of our laws and OF our sovereign
| rigts
1t so happened that on the very day following
the date Of this despatch-that is on the 10th o.
July-Mr. Buchanan received a note from Lord
Clarendon, in which he expresses the regret OF his
| government if the law OF the United States had
been in any way infringed by persol acting with
or without their authority, aud says that any such
infringement contrary TO the wishes and TO the
| express instructions of the British government
He then proceeds state that the British govern
| meut had received information that many subjects
! Of the Queen IN the United States, and also many
! foreigners were anxious TO take part IN the war;
and that, therefore depot for their reception had
been established IN Nova Scotia, but with stringent
instructions not to violate the neutrality law Of the
4 United States lie admits that various persons
had undertaken the recruiting business Ia the name
! Of the British government, whose acts, were, in
many instances, undoubted violations Of the law OF
the United States, but asserts that such persona
/ had no authority Whatever from any agent OF GreAs
/ Britain. He quotes at length, and comments upon
/ an opinion given by Judge Kane, Of the DisIric
/ Court OF the United States for Eastern Pennsyva.
MIA, on the 22d Of May previous, in some preiimi.
nary proceedings ia the Of three recruiting:
| agents indicted in Philadelphia, viz :-Bueknell,
| Perkins and Heriz-which opinion be erroneousl
snpposes justihes the course Of bis government.
| He says thai Mr.. Crampton Was directed 10 lssu
strict orders TO British Colsnls h the United State
to be careful rot 10 violate the Law. Finally, Ia,
| conclusion, he says that Ihe British government
having reason 20 think that no precautionary meas
ures eoald sifeeIually guard against some real o.
apparent infringement Of the Law, had determine
that all these enlistment proceedings should be P0i
/ ga end TO- and had given orders 10 that elect bs'
/ r.. -. -, "a ~. Roehan.ot. nnta Thfs Dc