The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-27


will bave chance, at length, OF seeing our
nuniOipsi afaiss administered by honest and
competent hands.
Losu ANessu~<~s ssd shs Risn4 ., eeaycA-
kAssecBAo Rsvel-ssons snd lplb,lsnaaslo DIV
1kAAsaSsAs~
OF Lords on the 26th ultimo, respecting the
question Ct the right of visit, statement was
made by Lord Aberdeen with regard to tho dis
eussioas which took place on that subject be-
tween the gOvernms nts Of Great Britain and Of
the United States in lS42-43, which csaaot bat
arrest the attention Of the American reader.
Lord Aberdeen, it will be rec0liectad, was the
Englirh Secretary for Foreign Affairs at that
time, and was largely engaged in tho discussions
Of this much vexed question Dir. Webster was,
at the same time, the American Secretary Of
State, under the administration Of Mr.. Tyler.
1t Was Lord Aberdeen who, in q letter Of 10th
December, I84l, to Mr.. Everett, then American
Minister At London. while disavOwing the right
70 seasch American vessels, as such in time Of
peace, re-asserted the absolute chain of the
British government, in all cases of reasonable
svspioiop, to board vessels bearing theAmericaa
hag In order to be satisfied Of their nationality.
He not only announced this prcsension to the
American Minister, but communicated to him
the instructions which had been given to her
Majesty cruisers as to the mann,r Of boarding
and bringing TO suspected vessels under the
American flag
About the date of this letter Lord Ashburton
arrived in this country, commissioned to treat
of all questions then in controversy between the
two governmental His mission terminated by
the conclusion Of the treaty of Washington, in
August, 1912. 1t was in reference to the COM
munications which passed between Lord Ash
burton and Mr.. Webster, pending that negosia-
ton, that Lord Aberdeen makes the remarkable
statement alluded to above. He is represented
to have said
psco between tho american Minister Of that day my
self Mr. Webster or the part OF the American govern
ment declared over ana over srn % the Ate Lord Ash
burton that TIE matter bad been satisfactorily sottled.
And again, in another part of his speech,
be says
A. the time 70 which allude the question was at iss
height created ouch interest than does now,
acc Assumed . much moro serious character. have
no intention OF renewing discussion upon the Subect;
ana 10 the less necessary for 10 do So because my
because the Secretary Of declared more than once 70
the Britifh Peepotentary a Warrington that tho
pAnasicn was entirely satisfactory.
Lord Aberdeen then stated the explanation
which had been given by him Of the British
claim which amounted to this: That they made
no pretension to interfere with American YES
sells, knowing or believing them to be such, but
maintained their right, in cases of suspicion, to
60 on board vessels bearing the American flag
to ascertain their nationality; that II, in the
exercise of this right, mistakes should be COM
mitted and loss or injury be sustained by an
American vessel 30 visited and detained, re-
circumstances, would the right be abandoned
The original acquieecence Of Mr.. Webster
and Mr.. Tyler in the British claim of the right
of visit, thus stated by Lord Aberdeen, will,
doubtless, strike most American readers with
surprise; but 10 those who followed the course
of the discussions at the time with closeness
and attention, the revelation contains nothing
new. On the contrary, the public official re-
cords Of our own country afford the strongest
confirmation Of its truth. Il was certainly very
remarkable, as stated by Lord Aberdeen, that
his letter Of Goth December, 1s4l TO Mr..
Everett, reasserting the British claim Of the
right Of visit, should have remained for more
than year unanswered. But this was not all.
President Tyler, in his annual message to
Congress II December, 1912, had referred TO the
treaty of Washington, in its bearing on the
British claim Of the right Of visit, in such
terms as to induce Sir Robert Peel then Prime
Minister Of England to declare in open Parlia-
ment that the British government had not by
that treaty abandoned Its claim 10 the right
Of visitation A despatch was, moreover, sd-
dressed, on the 18th Of January, 1S43, Ivy Lord
Aberdeen to Mr.. Fox, the British Minister ut
Washington, which be was instructed to read
TO Mr.. Webster, declaring that the British GO
vernment ''had not receded and would not re-
ceds' from its claim Of the right of visit, as
previously laid down in the correspondence be-
tween the two governments, which claim he
proceeded to reitcrate in the terms already
cited. On the I'D Of February, 1sis, resolu-
ton was adopted by the House of Representa-
tives calling on the President for information
"a 70 any correspondence or communication
which may have been received from the British
government respecting the construction of the
treaty lately concluded at Washington, 90 far
as II concerned an alleged right 10 visit Ameri-
can vessels.
In answer to this resolution, the President, on
the 9Th Of February. 1913, transmitted to Gen.
gress the substance Of the despatch just men
tiapsd Of Lord Aberdeen TO Mr. Fox, and ac-
companied it with remarks, giving the views Of
the Executive with regard to the matters In dis
cufsion and the doctrines of public law applica-
BILE to them. He intimated, with reference TO
the right of visit claimed by Great Britain,
that "the apparent difference between the two
Oovernuents WAS ono Of deflnition rather than