The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-09-23
From the Richmond Enquirer.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM Ex-
PRESIDENT TYLER.

ell prulOuuu stcuCc III FeghIu " ntt PabhS
political discussions since the close OF my
at6cial residence at Washington. yetit seems
to me to be not only proper. but in some
measure required OF me to vindicate an act
of nv administration, for which posterity
win hold me accountable. against public at.
tack made upon it. Such an occasion has ocs
cured 10 the published debates Of the recent
Commercial Convention at Knoxville, where.
in member is stated to have declared the
provision in the Treaty Of Washington. stipu- |
iating on the part Of the United States for
the maintenance Of feet OF eighty guns for |
the suppression Of the slave trade under the
American flag, was an act Of di.courtesy and
insult to the South, as reason tor its aoro-
CATION. The declaration thus made seems to
have met with the countenancs OF large
majority Of the Convention in the final vote
upon the subject. propose to do no more.
Messrs. Editors, than revive with the public
q recollection Of the incidents which led to
the incorporation Of that provision in the
Treaty, and, having done SO. shall be con-
ten, 10 leave the matter to the arbitrament Of
the proper tribunal. ] shall, however, be
pfemitted TO observe, that the remarks re-
ported to have fallen from members OF the
Convention, in debating the main subject,
are 20 entirely variant from the popular sen.
timent entertained throughout the Southern
States, as / believe, in ls42, as to occasion
me no little surprise. Who. in iS42, even
dreamed that there would be. as early as
1857, q proposition seriously made to revive
The slave trader certainly entertained no
such idea. nor did, am quite sure, any one
of the able and patriotic statesmen who were
nv constitutional advisers. really thought
and often declared that the Southern States
were more opposed to the slave trade than
any portion OF our people. They had voted
with singular unanimity for the act OF Con.
sress ahich declared that all citizens Of the
United States engaging in that trade should
be regarded. and, il convicted, punished as
pirates. How il happens, then, that pro-
vision introduced into treaty TO enforce
law, Tor which the South had voted. can be
.rightfully regarded as an insult to the South,
must say passes my comprehension. Ger
tainly such an idea never entered into my
head or heart.
Nv principal desire, however, 10 to call the
attention of the country. 10 brief, to the facts
% they existed Immediately antecedent TO
the treaty Of Washington. The British Gov
eminent had insisted upon the right. in vir-
tue Of various treaties with other nations, to
visit ships on the coast Of Africa, sailing IN.
der the American flag, for the purpose Of as
pertaining the true nationality Of the ships.
Englsnd had even ventured TO put their claim
into practice. This called strong remon.
strances from Mr.. Stevenson, who was then
our minister al London, and most able argu-
ment in pamphlet form appeared soon alter
from the pen Of Gen. Cass, who was our min
lister at Paris. The conduct Of our represen.
tatire q. PTsis in this particular, was fully
approved BY the administration. and, in my
annual message to Congress, took decided
ground against the claim preferred by Grea'
Britain, and made the occasion 10 say, that
as the United States Government was the
FIRST TO declare the slave trade to be piracy.
90 Ear a. the citizens Of the United States
were concerned, 50 il was fully able to en-
force its own laws without the aid Of British
cruisers.
Thus, the two governments remained for I
time antsgonized on the question. Grea
Britain urged that she ment no insult TO thu
American dag, but that il was impossible
without visit 10 the ship, TO ascertain whe
Their she belonged to the nation whose faI
she bore, or had assumed that flag merely Z
deceive, thus seeking immunity under III,
American dag, when the vessel, officers ant
crew nigh The French, Portuguese or Spanish
or zone other nation, intent on the slave trade
whose treaty engagements had given Grea
Britain the right to visit and search. Grea
Britain also urged on our government as
consideration for g1iescence on our part y
the matter, that if vessel visited SHOULD
torn out TO be truly Americas, bound. on
peaceful mercantile voyage. she would in
dsmnify all loss, and every damage sustained
As had been honorsbly done in all preceding
cases. Lord Ashburton was possessed wit
full power to negotiate on this, as on othe
sutherland upon conference ] reiterstet
nv declaration made in nv annual message
that the United States Government was abl'
20 enforce its own laws. and that ] should
see to their enforcement. treaty or 10 treat,
under the obligations Of paramount duty. :
then suggested, BY way If discharging thi
daiy on my part, that We should keep upol
the African coast naval armament sufficient
" great 70 visit all ships that might hoist III
United States flag, and fall under suspicion
but that We could not permit another natlo
10 do 80.
Upon this basis the stipulation in the treat.
has, IN my mind. always rested. Certain
10, that for the after time Of nv service, .
visit. mach less search, Of an America
vessel. occurred on the part Of British cru
ser. What has taken place since, will ~
undertake 70 say. have nothing to do wit
what the Government Of this country ma
deem il proper u do IN regard TO that stpul,
N.an has All. 4 s.ill saofurs % IN eaV III,
repeal when il pleasss that provision OF y
treaty, il will still End II necessary for u
enforcement Of the laws Of the United State
10 well D for the protection Of the traffic
merchant vessels on that coast--a traffic ever
year increasing 10 value, and destined, 10 d
end, 70 be q vast msgnitude--to msintsin
1est Of al least eighty guns on the coast
Africa II might bev0rthy Of consideration