The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-01-14
AN INTERESTING CASE.

Southern Citczen gives the following ac.
count Of very curious case, which may
occasion considerable diplomatic trouble to
the United States and England:
The AshLerton trcaty-the same that
provides by its eighth and ninth articles
that each, the American and British Gov
ernmcnts, shall keep fleet of eighty guns
on the coast Of Africa, with view to the
prevention of the Slave trade-providcs by
its tenth article for the cxtradi,ion by the
two Governments, respectively, of fugi,ivcs
from justice, charged with murder, arson,
robbery, forgery, &c. In May last, a Mr..
James, of Davidson County, in your State,
had two negro boys, who, -Ly means Of
forged paper, (purporting to be the wri-
ting of their master, but in fact their own.)
procured certain articles Of merchandise
from dealer in Nashville, and Immediately
thereafter fled to Canada. Supposing them
selves secure from pursuit in that remote
and free territory, one Of them dared to ad-
dress his master, from the town of Chatham.
Mr.. James, being thus advised Of their
whereabouts, proceeded at once to charge
them in form of law, with the forgery they
had pc'petratcd. The affidavit preliminary
to the issuance of a warrant in such cases.
was made before Esquire Raworth, of NASH
vile, which being properly certified by the
Magistrate, and authenticated by Governor
johnson and Secretary Cass, the rcquisi-
tion contemplated by the treaty was formal
ly made.
Mr.. james proceeded to Canada, fully
prepared to establish the forgery. Arriving
at Chatham, he called upon the Mayor, who
is invested with all the powers of a Justice
of the Peace, and demanded the issuance
of warrant. with view to the return Of
the fugi'ives as contemplated by the treaty.
lhe negroes were apprised of the visit of
Mr. James and his companion and immcd;-
ately proceeded to call their friends both
white an black into the streets by the ring
ing of a bell and the cry of "kidnappcr."
The Mayor not only positircly refused 10
issue the scarramt bat admonishe,I Mr..
James that his life was in peril from the
mob, and that he had better leave the place.
as no effort was made either to restore the
fug'tives or protect the life of Mr.. James,
he did leave, feeling that upon British soil
and in the presence Of British official, the
treaty afforded no protection of the life of
an American citizen, whose only offence
was that he asked compliance with that
treaty, and this too, with the sanction and
by the authority Of the American Govern
ment. Mr.. James returned to Tennessee,
and recently submitted statement of the
whole transaction to the State Department
Gen. Cass has addressed Lord Napier upon
the subject. Up to this time the British
minister has done no more than acknowl-
edge the receipt of Gen. Css' communica.
tion, and to state that q letter had been ad.
dressed by him to the Canadian Governor,
making inquiries about the matter. Up to
this day, (l6th December,) the State De-
partment is not advised that any reply has
been received by Napier from Canadian
authorities.
From this narrative of facts you will per-
ceive that one or two very nice questions
are arising out of the case. First, will the
British Government, in violation of its
pighted faith, sanction the refusal of the
Chatham dignitary to issue warrant for
the arrest and detention, or extraditon
rather, Of the two fugitives? Or if the
British Government do not this, but rather
to manifest pretence of purpose to have
the treaty observed, shall in diplomatic
correspondence, censure the Chatham May
or, and say that the fugtives shall be arres-
ted and surrendered, may not they have
notice and escape before warrant can be
executed, and in that event, will that gov
ernment make the reparation which is one
not only due to the American government,
but also to Mr.. james? In other words,
will England pay Mr.. James $4,000, the
value of the two fugitives which she has
in violation of her treaty obligations, shicl.
ded from arrest9 If the fugilives are not
surrendered have every reason to believe
that not only may this reparation be insis-
ted upon, aye demanded, but Congress will
be asked to regard This infraction of tho
treaty as substantial abrogation of the en-
tire instrument, and then-and then into
what other seas will the fleet of eighty guns
now cruising on the coastsof Africa be or
dered gsA sa
It is said tNsk sswoslRy minister in In
diana, who had ma somewhat mixed
up in land spscut ascently announced
to his congfsp his text would be
found No. tleho the Corin-
thia95S Sfss. west!''
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