The Washington union., 1858-06-27
THE SEARCH QUESTION SETTLED.

THE SEARCH QUESTION SETTLED
On the 10th Of April last Gen. Cass addressed =
.stter to Lord Napier the subject Of the ciai Of
the British government to search ot visit American
vssssls upon the high seas, saying aaa
The President Of ths United States. in his annual
message Congress- in December l84l denounced this
netesAsn 10 dstain and examine American vesls
interpolation into the maritime so1o Of The world TO
which tina United States would not gAbmt Ihe yeaS
which have pa~sd Ace this autAostativc declaration
marked they have been by repeated circumstances
against those asxios, while thoy have added nothing
20 the strength Of ts claim have served but to confirm
the government In their determination TO oppose No
change Of change the illegal character of tho
assumption search visit 1t 10 equally assault upon
che indspendouce of nations = i'a
Weregarded it as fortunate that British cruisers in
the West India waters had exercised over American
trading vessels the right Of visitation because, in
doing, the important question Of law involved in the
matter was the more likely to become of practical
Importance, and thus demand on the part Of the two
governments it, definite settlement. Gen. Cass, in
explicit terms and with district reference to the
despatch Of Lord Aberdeen, in ls42, disavowed the
right of her Msjesty's cruisers to visit American
merchant chips declaring such an act to be can
sault upon the Independence of the nation"
+ is not our purpose to run through the negotia-
tions which have taken place between General Cass
and Lord Napier in this city since the 10th of April
1t is enough to say, as we understand the present
aspect Of the question. that Lord Malmesbury now
declares that H. NJ government recognize the prin.
clple Of international law as laid down by General
Cass in his note Of the 10th OF April aud that moth
ing in the treaty Of 1912 (thc Ashburton treaty.
snpsrsedes that law. aa3
Thus by the acts of British cruisers this ques.
ticn Of search has become one of practical char
acter. As such it was met by the President by the
prompt denial of the right of visitation and denoun-
cling its exercise violation of the sovereign urs-
dcton of the United States their own merchant
ships, and by the despatch to tho West Indies Of
competent naval force instructed to repel every ef
fort to visit or search such ships
It is, then, with no ordinary qualification that we
announce tho Anal settlement of this long standing
and Troublesome dispute by the prompt and manly
disayoyal of any such right by Lord Malmesbury,
and his distinct recognition Of the principle Of in
ternational law 80 explicitly laid down by General
Csss to Lsrd Napier.
We need not say that this auspicious conclusion
Of a subject which, perhaps more than any other
within the range Of our foreign relations has excited
and agtatcd tho public mind Of America, is in the
highest degree gratifying to national PRIDE as
we believe it to be honorable to both nations had
become evident to the least thoughtful observer Of
the two countries that what the United States
clamed-immunity to her flag upon the public wa
terscould not be resisted without endangering the
peace Of the world and as this question was pre-
sented on the basis Of violation Of that immunity,
the government Of Great Britain had either to Justify
the of its cruisers, or on the other hand, at
once and forever accode to the principles of inter-
nstcna law laid down by the American government.
Lord Malmesbury in the most prompt and honorable
manner adopted the latter course. We congratulate
the country at this most auspicious conclusion.
Il is thus seen how the high interests Of the ma
ton are promoted by intrusng to the hands of such
statesmen James Buchanan and Gen. Cass the dis
charge Of executive duties.