The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1858-06-09
British Aggression.

Auc JcGSut HSSYSccioAo VI OiissoN "At
steamers upon our merchant vessels in the
Gull, it is now clearly shown are Of such .
character az can not be submitted to. The
Government have taken with promptness the
proper steps, by sending into the Gulf SER
vice several ships of war to protect the
American merchantmen IN that quarter,
and also by making demand Of the British
Government reparaton Of the wrongs and
injuries done. This is all as it should be-,
and we doubt not that the matter will be
adjusted without difficulty and at an early
day.
The fright Of search" or as it is sometimes
called "the right of visitation and search"
claimed by Great Britain was formerly a
fruitful source of trouble between the two
nations. 1t was in fact the cause of the war
of1sl2. British seamen were much in the
habit, anterior to that time, Of DESERVING from
British ships OF war and engaging them
selves in our merchantmen. The British
Government arrogated the right of searching
our merchant vessels with the view OF re-
covering their 4eserters whenever such were
found She used this assumed right with
great rigor and in some instances in a most
fragrant violation of the rights of American
citizens. American seamen were in many
cases taken by them from American vessels
under the pretence that they were British
subjects. The war Of 1912 was brought on
by this cause. At the conclusion of peace
in 1915 no definite stipulations were made
on the subject of search and it appears to
have been, up to the period of the Ashbur-
ton Treaty 1--WE believe in ls45) an adjourn
ed question. In the negotiation Of the treaty
that was then entered into by tae two Govern
ments, and which is now IN force, the
British Government were given to under
stand distinctly, that the right of visitation
and search would not be submitted to IN
der any circumstances or pretense whatever;
that the American flag should protect the
vessel sailing under it from all aggression of
the kind.
We may remark in this connection that
the American Government has in common
with several Of the great powers Of Europe
placed the African slave trade on tn. footing
Of piracy, and by the Webster Ashburton
treaty, expressly bound itself to keep con-
stantly off the coast of Africa, naval force
that shall be equal to eighty guns, to cap
ture or keep off slavers-This force to CO.
operate with the vessels of Great Britain
engaged in the same service.-The Ameri-
can Government, in order to bring that of
Great Britain to an unconditional waiver of
the right Of visitation and search as to
American ships, had expressly or implicitly
to bind itself to sec that the American flag
was not prostituted to the promotion Of the
African slave trade. Thus then the matter
now stands. The African slave trade is now
rife in the Gulf of Mexico. A vast number
Of Africans are annually brought to Cuba
alone. 1t is said that the American Govern
ment had been re,niss in this matter of keep
ing at all times the eighty gun force off the
coast of Africa, and especially SO in present.
ing its flag from affording protection to yes
sells transporting Africans. If this be the
case, it would seem to be nothing more than
right, that our Government should fulfil its
stipulations in there respects with honor. As
We ask justice we ought to do justice.