Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-07-17
TERMS OF ADNERr1sING.
J 10 ,WI.t[FlI8 IL 7 7 wv
The ROmba rdment of GreytOwn.

( The b BBomba ariment Of GreyttoywTn, .s-'1
I By the last Liverpool, steamer We received full
treport of hedebate which took place in the British
House OF Commons on the 18th ult on the lombard
ment oil Greytewn] ,1n reply 10 the nterfogaories
i OF Lord Hamilton 10 what steps her Msjesty's
Government had takento obtain compensation for the
British subjects residing at Greytown when that town
was bombarded in 1854" Lord Paimerston said
d" He was bound to say that the TRANSACTION was
one which must be characterized as a very violent
and cruel proceeding. :! 1t was, however authorised
by the Government of the United States, though
whether they meant it to be carried out with such
severity as took place, whether the officer, (who,
he believed. distinguished and honorable Off
Ger in the United States servce) mistook his instruc
tions, he could not say but he bound to state
that the severity which was exercised reflected no
credit on The Government which ordered or on the
officer which executed it. [Hear, hear.l But the
question which her Majesty's Government had 10
consider was the International law which bore upoh
that point. Now, 1t was an unquesonable principle
of international law, that when one Government
deemed it right to exercise acts of hostility against
any part of The territory of another power,
the subjects or citizens of third power,
who might happen to be residents in the place
so attacked, had no claim whatever upon the
Government which, in the exercise of it's natural
rights, committed those acts of hostility. When, for
instance it was deemed necessary by US to destroy
the town of Setastopol although there might have
been there Germans Spanards, Portuguese or Amer
leans, none OF those parties had any ground what.
ever upon which to found claim either upon the
English or the French government for compensa-
ton for the losses they might have sustained Those
who went 10 foreign country must abide the chances
which might befall that country. If they had any
claim at all, it must be upon the country in which
they were but they had certainly no claim upon the
government which thoughtt right to commit the acts
of hostility. Her Majestys government had, there
fore, been advised (and he thought rightly that Brit
ish subjects had no ground upon which a claim could
be made upon the government of the United States
Tor compensation for the in uries which they had suf
tere1 in that attack upon Greytown. They might
think that that attack was not justified by the cause
which was assigned for it, but we had no right, as an
independent State 10 judge Of the motives which
might have actuated another Independent State to
sert rights to vnuicate injuries which its citizens
or subjects might have been supposed to have sus.
tanned. 1heIe was no'hlng toO in the relation be-
tween Great Britain and GreYtown which gave us an
exceptional right 10 interfere. Greytown a part
of the Mosquito territory, which was under pro.
tectorship. That was proecorship which carried
with 1t an obligation to protect the country from con-
quest, but IL did not give right 10 interfere in
any dispute which mig arise between that country
ard any other. There were two sorts of protector
ships There was of the kind which we
exercised over the lonien islands, where nothing was
done except by the advice and counsel Of British
representative. In case like that where we were
responsible for everything DONE entitled to
require redress for any injuries, and to vndicate
any attack. Not with regard TO Greylown.-
Greytown was administered by a self-constued
and sell. elected municipality, consisting of Amer
leans, Engishmen, Frenchmen Italians and Ger.
mans. They acted upon their responsibility {;
and they must, therefore, be considered responsi
hle, and not we Tor any dispute in which they
might be involved Well, there was dispute between
: two rival American transit companies of which
was patronz by The selt-constu ed government,
and the other by the government of The U"ted
States and out OF the rivalry of those two AmerIc n
companies arose tie transact ons to which the noble
ord had 'eered. Communications had undoub eIly
passed between the British and American govern.
ments with view 70 ascertain what the ent ons IF
he American government Re, and they found that
the American government resled upon the plincpie
OF international law to which he (the noble Vlscounl)
had aiVerted-ther light, namely, 10 take those
measures which, in their Judgment, they deemed ne
Ces>dry-anI tn. Y determined not 10 give any com
pensati0n even to their citizens. He was not
aware whether any demand had been actually made
by the subjects OF the other powers, but know
that they dd not mean to give any compensation. to
the French, Germans Spaniards, persons of any
other nation who settled al Grevtown ut The
bombardment. Her Maesty's government, acting
under the advice of those who were competent 10
give opinion, and acting also in accordance with
their own opinion of international law not pre-.
pared to resist upon compensation for those who
were unfortunate enough 10 have suffered from the
bonbardment The noble Vscount then proceeded
; to appeal to Sir D. Norreys not to press motion
which he had on the paper with reference to the
; proceedings in committee of supply. ,.El ai94