The Nevada Democrat., 1858-07-07
British AggresslOns In the Gulf OF Mexico
Congressional Action.

Mr.. Mason of Virginia, from the Committee
on Foreign Relations, TO whom was referred the
resolution inquiring whether additional legs-
lation is necessary TO place certain power IN
the hands of the Executive, submitted report,
of which the substance is that the official state
meDts show q succession Of acts of aggression
by the British cruisers in the Gulf Of Mexico.
so marked and extraordinary as has awakened
the indignation of the country; vessels under
our flag. pursuing lawful commerce, have been
fred into, stopped, and examined as to cargo,
destination, crew. etc. No less than fifteen
American ships in the harbor of Sagua lie
Grande, and six on the high seas, are officially
reported as having had to submit to to the ag-
gressOns of British cruisers, and each addition
al arrival brings fresh accounts of aggressions
by the same power on our flag. 1t has hither-
to happened in isolated cases. Where similar
aggressions have occurred through miscOncep-
tion, the United States has been con.ented to
accept disclaimer of the intent; but the con-
tinued and persevering character of these out
RACES is such as to arouse the indignation Of
the country, and to require to arrest at once,
and to end at once and forever, the continuance
of such indgnities The slave trade is alleged
as the excuse. The committee will not discuss
that. 1t is suffc ent that the United States,
though often invoked to do so, refuses to recog-
nize the right Of police. They rest on the prin-
ciple that the marine under their flag cannot be
visited or questioned without their consent, and
the committee deem this ft occasion TO de-
clare it as principle of the United States, ad
mitting of no reserve or qualification, and to
be maintained at any cost. They admit no
right Of visitation and far less of search. Such
matters have no foundation in law or comfy
and cannot be tolerated by any sovereign pow
er without derogation from her sovereignty.
The infraction of sovereignty consists in vista
tion; the best American and English AuthOri-
ties (Stowell for instance) so decide, founding
the decision on two principles: firstly, the equal
ity Of all independent States, and the commu-
nifty of the sea as highway.
Indignant as the American people are, and
ought to be, at these akgressious, yet their oc-
currcnce will afford an opportunity to end them
at once and forever; and the committee refrain
from recommending further legislation only
from the reason that the President has ordered
all our available navy to the infested waters,
with orders to protect our flag 1t is believed
that this measure will be servieeable for the
present in stopping outrages The subject has
alse been brought TO the notice of the offending
power, both through the Minister at London
aud the Minister at Washington; and we can
not, therefore, until we receive reply from
Great Britain, decide the measures that will be
q guaranty for the future, for nothing short of
that will satisfy the American people. There
fore, while refrsinng from recomm ending pres
ent legislation, the committee have unani-
mously
Resolved (as the Judgment Of the scnate That Ameri
vessels the high in time Of peace bearing the
American flag remain under the jurisdiction Of the
try which they belong and therefore any visitation
moestaon detention Of such vesses by force or by
the exhibition Of force, the part Of foreign Power is
In derogaton of the sovereignty OF the United States
Resolved That the recent and repeated violations Of this
immunity committed by vesselsof belonging to the
navy Of Great Britain in the Gulf of Mexico and the ada
cent by firing into interrupng, and otherwise for
chilly OBTAINING them their voyage, requires, in the
judgment of the Senate such unequiVOcal and final dispo
ton OF the subject by the governments Of Great Britain
and the United States touching the rights involved, AZ
shall preclude hereafter the of like aggresons
Resoiued That the Senate fully approves the action OF
the Executive In sending naval force into the infested
with orders ito protect all vessels Of the United
States the high from search detention by the
vessels Of Of any other nation" And is the opin
ion Of the Senate that " become necessary such add
tional legislation should be supplied in aid Of the EIecu
tive power as will make such protection ehectual.
On the 29th the resolutions came up when,
Mr.. Mallory proposed an amendment, that
American people cannot permit such aggres-
sons, aud therefore legisatc to enable the Ex-
ecutive to adopt measures at once to prevent
the continuance Of such indignities.
Mr. Mallory, although recognizing that the
mission of the United States and England
should be for the prescrv alton Of peace he could
not sacrifice the rights or honor of the country
to any issue whatever.
He could not consider that this succession Of
outrages vas the mere act Of individual naval
officers They were owing, doubtless, to the
orders Of the Englsh Admiral at Jamaica, who
in turn had received orders from his govern
ment.
II was a suspicious circumstance that these
outrages commenced immediately after the re.
fasal by this government of certain demands
made by England respecting the slave trade.
Mr. Hale moved to amend the amendment to
the effect that the acts Of the British are bellg
erent in character, and should be resisted by
all the power Of the country. He considered
the acts Of the British should be met by acts,
aud not by arguments.
Mr.. Mallory withdrew his amendment in IA
vor of Mr.. Hale's.
Mr.. Toombs was in favor of Mr.. Hale's amend
ment, aud further, that the British war ships ia
the Gulf should be seized and brought to our
own ports, or sunk, aud that VIC should be sat-
isHed with nothing short OF this.
Mr. Seward of New York gave his concur
renee and the concurrence of the minority Of
the Committee In the spirit of the resolutions.
The assumption Of Great Britain is founded on
force, and is claimed by no other than the Bri-
tish or such az. like her. asserted the mastery of
The seas But the United States get out with the
intention to be equal with any nation, and can
not permit an afiectatiOn of superiority by any
power, even in the modified form Of "visita-
tion"-the right Of search and visitation being
terms synonymous. The principles of police at
see are identical with those on land. Any one
may seize pirates at sea, or culprits on shore.
but he does il "at his peril" If the arrested
party be culprit he is abandoned TO justice.
If not, it is an aggression. and the aggresscr Is
Liable to make reparation. This nation will
never permit its flag to be prostitutcd to pur-
poses of piracy, but it must resist every aggres-
sion on its peaceful commerce.
He had not looked in the law books for tech
nical objections to the right of search. 1t is
enough that it cannot be permitted; that 1t is
an attempt to exercise superiority over this ma
tion. There are seven members on the Com
mittee of Foreign Affairs, and naturally some
difference of opinion as to the terms existed,
but the substance of the resolutions was salts
ractnrx To all Each Ia ready TO accent any