Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1858-06-09

LEGATION or the UNITED STATES,
Paris, February IL, 4S42
SIR: ho recent signature of treaty,
having for It's oliebt the suppression Of
the African slave trade, 10y five of the pow
crs ofEurope, and to which France is
party, Is fact Of such general notorietv
that it may be assumed rs the basis of any
diplomatic representations which the sub.
ject may fairly require.
The United States, being no party TO
this treaty, have no right to inquire into
the circumstances which have led to it,
nor into the measures it proposes TO adopt,
except so far rs they have reason to be-
lieye that their rights may be involved in
the course Of its execution. Their own de-
sire to put stop to this traffic is every.
where known, as well as the early and con.
tinued eilortsthe have adopted to prevent
Their citizens from prosecuting it. They
have deem invited by the government Of
Great Britain to become a party to the
treaty, which should regulate the action of
the combined governments upon the sub
jcct. But, iOrreasOns satisfactory to them
selves, and believe satisfactory to world,
they have declined this united action. and
have chosen to pursue their own measures.
and to act upon their citizens only, with.
out suhjecting these to any kind of for7
egn jurisdiction.
In communication from Lord Palmer
ston, her Britannia Maiesty's principol
Secretary Of State for Foreign Affairs. tr
Mr.. Stevenson, the American minister nt
London. dated 9th August, 1871. Lord
Palmerston claims right for the British
cruisers, and ayows the intention of hi,
government TO exercise it. TO search
American vessels at sea in time of peace,
with view TO ascertain their nations!
character lie adds that this examina
ton of papers Of merchantmen suspected
of being engaged in the slave trate, evcr,
though they hoist a United States flag, j.
proceeding which is absolutely necessar,
that British cruisers employed in the SUI
preston of the slave trade should contin
ue to practise" &C., &c.
In a communication from the successor
of Lord Aberdeen to Mr. Stevenson, dated
October l3, 1871, the views and determ.
nation announced in the first are confirm,
ed and Lord Aberdeen thus states the
ground upon which rests this pretentior
to search American vessels in time oi
peace: "But uttheundersigned must observe
that the present happy occurrence of the
States Of fChristendom in this great obiec.
(the suppression of the slave trade) not
merely justifies, but renders it indispensu
bic, the right now claimed and exercised
by the British governments" :" that is tU
say, the right Of entering and examining
American vessels to ascertain their nation
aIity.
1t is not part Of my duty to offer any
comments upon this pretension, nor upon
the reasons advanced in support of it.
And if it were, should find the duty far
better performed for me than could per-
form it for myself in the annual message
of the President Of the United States
to Congress of December I, 1911. In that
document will be found the veiws of tho
American government upon this subject
and it is thereemphaticllly declared that,
"howcycY desirous the United States may
be for the suppression Of the slave trade,
they cannot consent to interpretations into
the maritime code at the mele will and
and pleasure of other governments. We
deny the right Of any such Interpolation
to any one or all the nations of the earth,
without our consent. We claim to have q
voice in all amendments or alterations of
that code; and when we are given TO un,
derstand, as in this instance, by foreign
government, that its treaties with other
nations cannot be executed without the
establishment and enforcement of new
principles of maritimepol to be applied
without our consent, we must employ Ian
guage neither of equiyocll import nor sus-
ceptible of misconstructlon.
You will peceiye sir by these extracts,
that the British government had adyanc.
ed pretcnsion which it asserts 90 be in
dispensable to the execution of its treaties
for the suppression Of the slave trade, and
to which the President Of the United
States has declared that the American
government will not submit This claim
of search. it will be Observed arising, as it
is asserted. out of existing obligations, has
relation to the insulated treaties for the
abolition Of this traffic which were in force
at the date of the communications OF
Lord Palmerston and of i nrd Aberdeen.
It'll, now known that the combined treaty
upon this subject is more extensive in its
operations and more minute in some Of
the details otits exclusion than the sepa-
rate treaties with France which preceded
it, and equally indefinite in the duration
Of its obligations, OF course, measures
which were not only 'justifable, but in.
dispensable" for the execution Of the lat
ter, will find equal Justice and necessity in
| the obligations of the former. With this
previous declaration made 10y one of the
parties to this quintuple treaty, concern
ing its operations, the American govern
meut cannot shut their eyes TO their true
position. The mosal effect which such a
union Of five great powers, two Of which
are eminently maritime, but three of which
have perhaps never had a vessel engaged
in that traffic, is calculated to produce up
on the United States, and upon other ma
tons who, like them, may be indisposed
to these combined movements, though it
may be regretted, yet furnishes no JUS
cause for complaint. But the subject as
sumes another aspect when they are told
by one Of the parties that their vessels are
10 be forcibly entered and examined, il