The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-18
THE RICHMOND WING AND THE SEARCH CUES
TION.


tits quite impossible, we apprehend to convince
che Richmond Wing, the New York Evening Post,
and hclf-dozen more republican Journals, that
Great Britain has abandoned the Fight of search,
Nevertheless, we propose to state few facts the
subject to wlich Respectfully call the attention
of the papers referred to-
/. The British government through Lord Nialmes>
bury, their Secretary of Foreign Affairs, have dis
finctly notified Gen. Cass that, III obedience to the
decision of the law officers of the Crown, they had
abandoned forever the pretension of visitation OF
search. We will be explicit The law officers re,
fencd to adhered to the opinion of Lord Stowell,
that search and visitation could only be exercised
q belgerent right.
II. The British Government, after having aban-
dened its former position, above stated, proposed
to General Cass, in lieu of search and visitation that
the two governments should come to some distinct
understanding by which the nationality of their re-
spective merchant vessels could be determined and
10 this end that their war ships should be authorized
20 visit such vessels upon the high 1t is due to
this branch of the subject to say that the abandonment
of The pretension of search embraced in the first
proposition in wise made to depend upon
the answer which might be returned to the second
This is shown by thepublished correspondence by
the avowed basis of the surrender of search which
the opinion of the law officers of the Crown, de
claring it tortous and unauthorized by the nature of
the case, the question being of law, and by the
repeated declarations of Lord Mamesbury and the
Under Secretary, In the House of Commons
III The President of the United States, in his an
nual message to Congress, on the first and second
points, says:
The British government promptly avowed its reeog-
milton Of the principles of international law apon this
subject laid down by the government OF the United
States in the note of the Secretary OF State the British
minister at Washington OF April TO- 1883 which secure
the vessels of the United States upon the high seas from
visitation search in time of peace under any crcum-
stances whatever. The claim haas been abandoned in
manner rejecting honor the British government and
evncng Just regard for the law of nations and cannot
fail TO strengthen the amicabe relations between the
two countries.
Tho British government at the time proposed
TO The United States that mode should be adopted
by mutual arrangement between the two countries of
character which may be found effective without being
offensive for verifying the nationality of vessels suspect
cd on good grounds OF carrying false coor They have
also invited the United States to take the initiative and
propose measures for this purpose Whilst declining to
assume grave responsibility, the Secretary of State
has informed the British government that we are ready
to receive any proposals which they may feel disposed to
offer having this object in view, and to consider them in
an amicable spirit
We thus present to our incredulous and unbelievne
cotemporaries complete historical record of what
has been done. We might go farther and refer 10
the elaborate discussion of tho whole subject in the
British and French journals, not one of which has
expressed doubt Of the complete surrender by the
Queens government of the Eretension of search
Inc comments of those papers, we admit, should not
be invoked, at so early day, even to sustain the
Obvious facts we have recorded In The face of this
complete historical record, the increduous Richmond
Wing INDUCES in these comments
g After all the democratic Buncombe speeches and edi
toras on tho subject of the permanent settlement of the
right search question with England, it appears that
the question is not only not settled but further from
beng settled than The British government haze MOI
reQMhed the right Of searc the President gravey an
nounced In his message And this conclusivey proved
BY the official correspondence itself between the British
government and our own, which is published in the
New York Herald, and which shall lay before our
readers in day two The fact too, that it has not
been renquhed has been practically demonstrated bv
the recent boarding of the steamer Washington in the
Nicaraguan waters AN Outrage calling for the immcdi-
ate and energetic interposition of our government
We append to this extract from the letter of Capt
Aldham, commanding her Majesty's ship valorous,
explanatory Of the visit to the steamer Washington
and leave the reader to determine what motive
can influence the Wing in thus perverting aud mis-
representing the simplest and most obvious hstori-
cal facts:
. The Washington had been boarded by the United
States ship Savannah previous to my sending boat
to her, and, she had been permitted to enter the har.
bor 1t evident Judging from the declarations the
United States government against al Illegal invaders
that she not employed by the fllibusters for in
that she would have been forbidden to enter the
port.
q After the Washington had anchored in this port
RES and obtain followed. No prohibition OF
passenger vessels and her Maestys ships had been made
peace among all civilized nations and is objected
to by her Majesys Officers when practised by United
Stotes men-ofwar to English merchantmen.
Rccollecting that we have to deal with men habit
ually blind to the merits of the democratic party,
its administration and its men, for the purpose of
saving time shall anticipate their complaints
against the "outrages' committed upon the Ameri-
can schooner Catharine Maria by Captain Vain.
wright Of her Majestys ship Leopard, by adding
Captain Aldhams account of that extraordinary Gin
yasionp Of the rights Of our flag Perhaps the Rich
mond Wing regards ceremonial and complimentary
visits from British TO American ships as offences
against the authority of the United States. But we
trust we have said enough to relieve the anxietios