The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-03-01
British Recruitment in the United
- States.


The subjec. Of 'British recruitment In the United
states seems first to have occupied the diplomatic
sttention OF our Government on the 9th June, 1855
IN ietter under that date Mr.. Marcy advises Mr.
buchanan that at had some time since become
known that plan was on foot to enlist soldiers
Within the limits of the United States 10 serve In
tne British army" When, however II had been
intimated that British Consuls were implicated In
tnis business, n seems that Mr.. Champion, the
British Minister In Washington, had shown to
Mr.. Marcy the copy Of letter disappearing OF
the proceeding and dscountenancing it as a viola
tion OF our laws, and was consequently expected
by the United States that the scheme would at once
have been abandoned This expectation, says Mr.
Marcy, has not been realized and Mr. Buchanan il
accordingly instructed TO inquire of the British
Government how far its functionaries In this coun
try acted In the first instance in this matter with
Its appreciation, and what measures IL any, It has
since taken to restrain their unustifiable conduct
On the following 18th of July, Mr. Marcy writes
to Mr.. Buchanan that as the recruiting still con.
tinues IN the mode before specified, and Is still
prosecuted by British officers and agents within the
United States, the President instructs him fMr
Buchananl ITO say to her Majesty's Government
that he expects 1t will take prompt and effective
measures to arrest their proceedings, and to dis.
charge from service those persons now in 1t who
were enlisted in the United States, or who left
the United States under contracts made here to
enter and serve as soldiers in the British army"
10 TINS remonstrance on the part of our Govern
ment Lord Clarendon replies expressing ''the re-
gret OF her Majestys Government If the law of the
United states has been in any way infringed by
persons acting with or without any authority from
them" and declaring that "any such infringement
is entirely contrary to the wishes and to the posi-
tive instructions of her Majesty's Government" 4"
Lord Clarendon further states that Mr.. Champion
was directed to issue strict orders to the British
Cousuls in the United States to be careful not to
violate the law, and that "Mr. Champion was en-
Joined above all to have no concealment from the
Government of the United States"
This reply OF Lord Clarendon was deemed sat
istactory by Mr buchanan. On the 9Th Septem-
Der, 1850, MT. Marcy wriIes however, to Mr.
Champion that "the International aspect of the
case had been overlooked by Lord c." The pro-
ceedings OF the British functionarie6 in the matter
are charged to have been "a violation Of interua-
tonal law and an affrout to the sovereignty Of the
United States" as well as al Infringement of our
legislative enactmonts.
This renewed ground of complaint being brought
to the notice OF the British Government, Lord
Clarendon regrets that his former explanations
had not proved as satisfactory to the Government
Of the United States as they appeared to be to Mr.
Buchanan, and declares that any person en-
ployed by the British Government has offered an
affront to the sovereignty of the United States,
It was wholly contrary to the iE1entions of her
Maesty's Government. Lord G. adds that /" her
Majesty's Government Fave no reason to believe
that such has been the conduct of any persons in
the employment of her Majesty"
Cnuer QaLe OF OctODer Mr.. Buchanan
explains to Mr.. Marcy that when he expressed his
satisfaction with Lord Clarendons reply, he had no
knowledge of Mr.. Crampton's completely in these
affairs. This explanation, he adds, he deems ne-
cessary to place himself rectuS an curia''
On the Both of October, 1855, Mr. Marcy repeats
his complaints, and adds d" This Government has
indicated the satisfaction which it believes it has
right to claim from the British Government in my
despatch to you of the 18th of July last
Under date of November 2. 1855, Mr.. Buchanan
L-ll
on the subject, in concluding which Lord c., he
says, remarked, In q sincere and emphatic mar.
ner that nothing had been further from the inten.
ton of the British Government than to violate the
of the United States or to give them
cause of offence"
In despatch of November Is, 1855, addressed
to Mr. Champion, but also communicated to the
Government of the United States, Lord Claren.
don contests the propriety of Mr. Marcy's urging
the charge of violation of sovereign territorial
rights as seperate and different charge from that
of violation of the municipal laws of the United
States, and also denying that the municipal law had
been violated by the ORDERS and, far as they be-
eve, by the officers of her Maesty's Government !;
to which Lord G. adds, that both her Majesty's
Government and her Majestys Minister at Wash
ington gave reiterated orders to all concerned
fully to abstain from such violation and if the
British Government did not purposely cause the
United States law to be violated then the terrific
rial rights of the United States whatever they may
ted by Great Britain as nation" even ifit should
be shown that the municipal law of the Union was
infringed"
To this despatch of Lord C.s Mr. Marcy replies
at great length in letter under date of December
2eth, 1855 As this letter is winding up of the
whole controversy, we invite the special attention
of our readers to its date-the 28th December 1855
This was while our House of Representatives was
engaged in the contest about the election of
Speaker-too much engrossed in that struggle to
han1 q a of Our fnrQ rails
In this despatch Mr.sMarcy reviews the whole
subject in dispute and after specially controvert-
ing the positions last assumed by Lord Clarendon,
closes by stating the demands on the part of the
President We quote from the conclusion of Mr..
Marcys last despatch as follows:
''This Government maintains that in every in
stance where person, whether citizen foreign
er, has been brought to the determination to leave
this country for the purpose of entering into for
eign service as soldier sailor by any Inducements
offered by recruiting agents here the law of the Uni
ted States has been violated.
There certainly can be no doubt of the violation
of the law of the United States in every case where
party the recruit has been induced by the terms
offered to him actually TO leave the United States,
vice. and the other party has furnished the means
and borne the expense of taking him to a foreign de-
pot, in the expectation that he would sonsummate
at is the solemn duty of the Government of the
United States to maintain this construction of their
neutrality law, and the attempt to set up and sustain
III
has been done by friendly Government, with which
the United States most anxious to maintain and
strengthen the relations of amity the of deep
regret
"When the President presented the to the con.
sideration of her Maestys Government, with the
surance that he had such information the subject
compelled him to believe that British ofhcers in
eminent stations, implicated in a scheme which
had resulted in Infringement of the rights Of the
United States and violation OF their law, and asked
for satisfaction for the wrong, he certainly did
not expect that the conduct of these officers would
be justified upon principles which impair the sove-
regnty of the United States independent nation
and by Interpretation Of their law which makes
il entirely Ineffective for the purposes intended.
Some satisfaction for the injury confden tly
expected; but nothing that be regarded in that
light has been offered, and this Cove is com
PEELED, in vindicaton of its rights and laws, to take
course which it sincerely hoped her Msjesty's Gov
ernment would have rendered unnecessary.
"Her Majesty's Minister to this Government Mr..
Crampton has taken conspicuous part in organizing
and executing the scheme of recruiting for the Brit
ish army within the United States. Were it posi-
ble with due regard to the evidence and disclosures
in the csse, to assign him subordinate part In the
scheme, that would not allow the President TO
change the which he is obliged, under the cir
eunlstances, to pursue toward him. Any psrtcipa-
tiop in the project has been developed, of rails
ns recruits In this country for the British service
incompatible with his official relations TO this Gov
ernment. His oonnexion with that affair has render
ed him sable representative OF her Britain
pc Majesty this Government, and you direct
"A hy the President to ask her Maiesty's Government