The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-30
WASHINGTON CITY, SUNDAY, MAY 80, 1858.

such right for the first time general scale since
the lsstwm should have followed soon after dis
nct ysit upo0 the part Of this government 10 enter
tain such proposition. 1t Idle To say that these
British o6ss actsd upon their own responsibility; they
always receive their Instructions from the Admiralty Of
fcs, and tIcngh thst ftom tbs home Sovsrnment aad
wo have sght to presume that they act according to
their instr0hl1ons A cAlamitous between the
United States and Great Britain would bo-united by
such ties - they and equally cherhing the liberties
Of Magma Chart& and the religion M Chrisyet he would
w willing 10 the responsibility Of checking these
outrsgus Immediately. If for other motive he would
take such eosrse for the motive of policy for there
was more saeer IN suffering sggressions tamely than
there was h promptly resentng them, He rejoiced that
the Serstayof the Navy had promptly responded to
the general Smtamsnt Of the country by sending all the
disposabs s of thu navy to those waters No British
cruiser vod attempt exercise this right Of search In
the ps1fpsuf - American armed vessel they would
rn1nmt <mG of thet pgennncs guAxantae that the
vessel 10 " AaichAd engaged IN lawful ccransrcs
but that did n far enough Secretary Of the Navy
had given ors for ships to find out who had fred
into American vessels, and to bring the offenders Into our
ports 1t would have been something tangible And he
also regretted that the force sent there inferior
it almost rdiculousy inadequate to right wrong OF
this character
Mr. HALE moved to amend the resolution that was
proposed be stckenout by inserting clause declaring
chat these belligcren In their character and
should resisted at all hazards and by all the power of
the country Mr. H. remarked that this was not SOL
ary Of aggression, but hore continuous sores
Of aggrcssions upon commerce, "a decided BY tho
highest judicial tribunals Of this country and Great
Britain. What did such conduct require-argument
He thought not The mattsr had been discussed long
enough aud the facts stated In the report of tho Com
mittee ON Foreign Relations be correct and their
ing sound, Us no believed they were this government
ought to take decided position and characterize these
acts they deserve The report and resolutions say
that these acts require unequivocal and final dspos
ton Of the subject by tho OF Great Brain
and the United States He disscnted from that opinion
1t was not for tho action Of Great Britain it
for the action Of this government alone. He
thought had better not ask the government of Great
Britain whether they ready to apologize but we had
better put ourselves in position for them to ask to
apologies they feel aggrieved at action The only
position which this country could take consistently
with dignity and honor, to treat this as act OF
war; and meet it SUCH with force against orcc Then
there will bc negotiation, and shall know for all
coming time whether the right Of search is to be insisted
upon by the government of Great Britain. While he
should look upon with Great Britain as ono Of the
greatest clamites that could befall the cvised world
he should regard the lowering of the national dignity
and submission TO such assumption AZ this upon the
part Of Great Britain, greater calamity than war IT.
self The way to maintain peace and TO maintain our
rights nviolate is to let Great Britain know that upon
this subject have argument to make and no
remonstraRoe to utter. Her officials have committed
acts Of war upon commerce. Let us meet them
as such and il the British government dsayows
them very we'll I; and if 1t them, it is
case demanding the action of this government, and
not arguments or remonstrance. He, therefore, sim
ply asked the Senate to declare what every knows
to be tue that these acts are belligerent in their
character; and that being admitted, it follows mat
ss tst hcliigcseut acts ought to be resisted by
the power and not refuted by the logic of the country
Mr.. MALLORY withdrew his amendment. He had
offered it under the impression that these joint
olutions taking action but nasmuch they not,
but merely expression OF opinion, his amendment
would be out of place here.
Mr. TOOMBS said that this government wanted some
thing than pledges securities that begerent acts
should not be committed In futdrewe want satisfaction
for what has been done already If these proceedings
have taken place under the sanction of British authority
should resist them by force and do it without delay
If they without the sanction of that government
should punish tho offenders Therefore he would vote
for resolution not only to send force there to
these things in future but to seize these vessels
with without the authority Of the British government
He believed the military force Of the country should be
placed tho disposal Of the Executive, and that
should either sink these aggressors upon rights
seize them and bring them TO condign punishment He
would be satisfied with nothing short of that.
Mr.. SEWARD expressed his entire concurrence with
tho general sentiment which is pervadng the Senate,
Congress and the country with regard to these outrages
which have been committed upon our commerce in the
Gulf of Mexico The Committee on Foreign Relations,
as had already been stated unanimous in the adop
tion of these resolutions. For himself he needed no
books judicial decisions to instruct his mind in
gard the rights Of nations upon the great public high
ways nation to be governed by similar rules
that would be applied to an individual IT, because there
thieves and robbers in society," private citizen
10 stopped and searched in the street by who
that nation has right to constitute itself police
upon the high for the purpose Of ascertaning the
honesty integrity and good conduct of other nations
but there Is no such right anywhere is claim found
cd In force and not in right. The United States have
recognised this right and will and it has
been practically abandoned by Great Britain since
the close of the last Tho true principle s this
there may be pirates at sea- we'll culpits land
any person who may choose to challenge another be-
ing unjust and dangerous person may either arrest
detan him but he does it at his peril II the person
proves to bc a cupr he IL abandoned to the hands of
Justice but If he turns out to be innocent then tho
person arresting him Is an aggressor and Is bound to
give satisfaction This principle ia applicable to nations
we'll ndivduals and this principle ought to
demsnd satisfaction from the government of Great
Britain.
Mr. DOUGLAS stated that he concurred in the general
tone of the report but he would mako reservation
Instead Of contenting ourselves with expression of
opinion that this thing must stop, he believed
should bring forward practical legislation and
thoripe and empower the President to stop it, He could
in These resolves We resolved upon the sub
eCt forty years ago. and have resolved SINCE
when these rights have been violated. England has
bocn informed formally and socmnly ii is in the
power of ono nation to inform another, that this nvA
sion Of our rights must cease, and not that we shall
resist by force What good has done England had
violated this right thirty times he believed within
the Last four weeks and shall say that If she
docs II dozen times more, thirty three times more
shall not like It! He presumed that England know
that did not like it. What good will it do now
to resolve again that this Is violation of rights
that It ID offensive TO u.s. and shall not submit to IL
He believed that there direct way OF getting