Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-06
From he National Intelligencer June 80.
The Right OF Visitation at Sea-End
Ofthe Controversy.

From The National InteLIigencer, June 80.
The Right of Visitation at sea-End
Ofthe Controversy.
The arrival at Halifax of the steamer Ara
bia, with Liverpool dates of the 10Th instant
was announced in our paper of yesterday
| The most interesting intelligence vet com
municated by this arrival is a sketch of a
debate in Parliament on the subject of the
! right of visitation at sea. which we copy
below. The spirit of this debate, it will be
seen. is decidedly favorable in all that con-
Germs American interests and feeling as invol-
we'd in the late Irregularities of British
cruisers. The admission of the Earl of Nal
meSbury, that las question of international
| law England was lot entitled to insist upon
the right of search is at once proof of the
friendly sentiments and sense of justice which
now pervade the English Ministry. All that
remains for discussion involves no ''point of
honor" and may easily be settled by the
| parties in charge of our diplomacy. The
hint that Spain is losing the moral support
| from England which had heretofore encour-
| aged her in resistance of the supposed wishes
of the United States to annex Cuba is signiii-
| cant, and may not be without its uses in
| inducing the Spanish authorities to put an
| end to the slave traffic. which now finds its
| only market in that prolific island. The sem
| IlueHtS Vi OAHCE pIOHHlleuJ IeeTS were altO-
| gether of pacific character. and their con-
| currcnce in the opinion that Spain owes it to
herself to break up the great slave mart
shows that this subject also is tending towards
| satisfactory solution" There is one point
however, upon which the minds of English
Statesmen should he disabused and that is
that any considerable portion of the Ameri-
can people desire 10 renew the slave trade, or
have an eye to the acquisition of Cuba for
d.
and unmstakable indications, not only from
official sources. bat from the leading statesmen
and journals of the South, that such traffic
is abhorrent TO the feeling and spirit of the
age. Here is the debate alluded to:
In the House of Lords, on the 18th instant,
the Bishop of OXiordp resented petition from
Jamaica touching the Spanish slave trade,
and called the attention of the House gen
orally to the question. He cOntended that
the present threatening aspect of affairs in
the West was occasioned by having so long
permitted Spain to break her treaty engage
ments and to continue Cuba as provocative
of dangerous eXtIemities. If Spain would at
once give up the slave trade and convert Cuba
into colony for employing free African
labor, the desire which many persons in the
United States had expressed to annex the
island would be removed.
Lord Brougham supported the petition and
Earl Maine sbury deeply regretted that the
efforts of England to suppress the slave trade
has not been seconded by other nations
With regard to the late unhappy differences,
he had admitted to the American Govern
ment. as IA question of international law that.
England was not entitled to insist upon the
right of search; but had also put it strongly
to the American Government whether they
would continue to permit their flag to he
INT. a fha nf and h..
had urged the necessity of an ocean police,
and that some understanding should be come
to between the different maritime nations
which would enable the nationality of vessels
to be clearly verified without any danger of a
breach of international law. He had every
reason to believe. from a conversation he had
with the American Minister, that some such
arrangement might be made. With regard 10
Spain, it was notorious that hitherto the
moral support which she had received from
England had materially aided her in resisting
the wishes of the United States to annex Cuba;
but if she still persisted in supporting the
slave trade, it was highly probable that the
present anxiety of Great Britain would be eX-
changed for indifference.
Earl Grey was sorry there should be any
attempt to renew the slave trade. He thought
the United States and France solely response
BILE for the renewal With regard TO the
question of international law, so far as he
understood it, an American vessel filed with
slaves might leave Africa without England
being able to interfere with her, notwith-
standing perfect knowledge of her charac-
ter.
Earl Aberdeen said this definition of inter
national law was quite correct.
Other Peers spoke on the Subject when
the petition was ordered to lie on the table.
The same subject was incidentally discussed
in the House of Commons on the 18th In
slant:
Mr.. Fitzgerald, in reply to Mr.. Bright,
stated that the Government had received no.
further information in reference to the alleged
outrages. 1t was quite possible that the
commanders of some vessels had exceeded
their duties; and, if they had, the Government
would be ready TO make an ample and frank
acknowledge 1t was obvious that the
ases when had been published were grossly
exaggeratco. La proc # this he read several
cases and added that the American flag had
been abused by those who were not Ameri-
cans for the vilest purposes. He had entire
confidence that when these circumstances
were known. and when the disposition of
this country was known, all the difficulties
would be amicably Arranged. The Govern
ment. acting under the advice OF the Crown
lawyers, had given up the right of search and
OF VISIT in time of peace; but the Government
had invited America 10 JON IN maintaining
an ocean police. IL was under consideration
whether the squadron should be withdrawn
from the Cuban waters and replaced on the
coast of Africa, aud stringent Instructions had
been sent 10 commanders OF cruisers enjoining
The strictest prudence and caution.
Mr.. Roebuck thought the statement of Mr..
Fitzgerald most conciliatory and satisfactory,
but the disposition had not been initiated 10y
America The language used in the Ameri-
can Congress was UNIV rtby of a great couu-
try. They had always assumed that Engla
wished TO insult them, but he hoped they
would now learn that she had no such desire.
Lies had been told in the American papers
for the purpose Of pandering to bad habl
aud he would not believe that the commaii-
ders had done any thing to call for the ecu
sure OF our own Government.
Lord John Russell said IL the Government
conducted the affair la the temperate spirit
manityst Il by the Under Secretary, there
could be no doubt that the House of Commons
would not hesitate tor moment TO give them
it's support.
Lord Palmerston said the cruisers had been
sent into the Cuban waters in consequence Of
the wishes OF Parliament and OF Populations
TO the Government and also ia compliance
with the wish of the American Government
ITSELF lie hoped her Majesty's Government
would urge the American Government 60