The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-05-31
The Report Of the COMMITTEES or Fo-
reign Relations ON the British ous-

RACES.
Tho Senate COMMITTEES Of Foreign Relafionf'
through its Chairman, Sir. Mason OF Virginia, mas
made report relative TO the late uuiawini BOARD
Ing Of American vessels by British cruisers Inc
committee rehearse the outrages cemp'a'heo Oh
aud say:
II has occasionally happened heretofore, uhael
circumstances of msapprehepsiop,o or HiseVn'. y, !.
ton Of orders, or from other and like causes .nas
vessels Of the United States have oeen
by the armed force Of foreign power TO vistatson
and search, in violation Of international Jaw an
10 derogation of the independence OF our nag, anu
In sucl, isolated cases the honor OF the country
may have been sufficiently indicated oy a'seia
mer of intended wrong or by rebuke OF she oiiseI
ofssnaing gnt the contiguous and persevering
character Of the aggressions now broaght 70 .ne
notice of the country, committed by power witn
whom We are at peace, and almost wnhin sish. VI
our Shores is sufficient to arouse the just ih9sha
tion of the country, aud calls, Ia the opinion OF
the committee. for the most prompt and emcieh,
measures TO arrest at once. and 10 end hnaily ana
forever. the commission of like indignties to our
flag. A..
The documents accompanying the message dis
close the fact that these acts of visitation ana eA
Animation of American vessels were sought TO DC
justified under the plea Of necessity for the sup
pression of the slave trade, supposed TO Dc or &c
tuslly carried out, between Africa and the isiano
of Cuba.
reference to such alleged necessity IL snnciehs
for them to know that the assent OF the oniteI
States, although often invoked. mas never peen
Welded 10 any such system OF police on the seas.
They rest on the position, not to be controVerted,
that nv no principle Of international law can
vessel under the flag of its country be visited or
detained on the high seas in time OF peace by any
foreign power under any pretext, or Tor any pur-
pose whatever, without the CONSENT Vi those o'ei
whom the flag waves.
Without going at large into the questions hereto
fore Involved as TO the right Of independent nations
on that common highway OF the worid-the open
seattle committee deem this, nevertheless, mt
occasion to declare the principles always main
tanned by the United States as regulating the use
OF the open or high in time of peace. and
from which are derived rights to the people OF the
United States admitting no restraint or qnahhea-
tion and to be maintained at whatever cost.
There is no right of visitation, far less or search,
to be exercised ia time of peace by any nation on
the ships or vessels of other nations. nor can
there be- long the laws of the civilized world
touching the freedom of the sea are respected oy
civilized men. Such claim therefore, having no
foundation in law or in the comfy OF nations, can
never be tolerated by an independent power but in
derogation of her sovereignty. Neither Is there
aay distinction to be drawn in the claim OF r'9ht
between visitation at sea by the armed vessels OF
a foreign power when unattended by examination
and search, aud such visitation when 30 attended
The offence aud violation of public law consists
in the uisitdti0n without regard TO Its purpose
II.
party subjected to it. Were it otherwise, there
would follow of course, the correlatiVe right to
and detain the vessel until the visitation is
effected.
The committee find these principles admitted
aud enforced by the opinions aud the decisions OF
the most eminent judicial authorities, beth in this
country and 10 Great Britain.
The case of the ''Manana Flora" in the Su-
preme Court of the United States, reported in ii
Wheaton, page l. Aud in England. the case oil
al To o,x dad hxyT ord in
reported in Dodson's Admiralty Reports, vol. z,
page 30.
They are founded in two simple elemental prin
ciples of public law: First, in the equality OF all
independent States and, second the common use
by all recognised States of the open sea as high
way in time of peace.
Such are the rights and immunities of our citi
gems navigating the ocean, which have been fla
gravity violated and outraged by armed vessels oil
a foreign power in time of prGfoundpeace, and IN
some instances almost within sight of our own
shores.
Indignant as the American people are, and
ought to be, at the character and persistent repe
titon of such aggressions, yet their occurrence
and gravity will opporiuuely supply the occasion.
and to end, now and forever, all future question
as to this right of visitation at sea between the
United States and the offending Power. And tbs
committee refrain only from recommending at
once such additional legislation as would be most
ehectual to protect the commerce of the country
from aggressions of the character thus brought to
the notice of the Senate, from the fact that the
President (as shown by the letter Of the Secretary
of the Navy accompanying the message) has al
ready ordered all the disppsable naval force of the
country into the infested qIsrter. with orders "to
protect all vessels of the United States the high
seas from search or detention by the vessels-of
war of any other nation" These are preventive
measures only, aud temporary in their character,
but, in the judgment of the committee. go to the
full extent of the power of the Executive in the
absence of legislative provision. 1t is believed,
howe er, they will arrest for the present further
like offences in the quarter whence they have pro-
ceeded.
1t appears further from these documents that
the altered state of the relations between the Uni
ted States and Great Britain, which must arise
from this aggressive conduct of her armed vessels
has been already brought to the notice of that
power, by communications from the Secretary Of
State, addressed both to the British Minister here
and to the Minister of the United States at Lon
don.
1t cannot be known until the result of these
communications is laid before Congress how far
the acts in question will be avowed or disclaimed
by the government held responsible. 1t is the
earnest hope of the committee that the course that
government may adopt will be of a character to
satisfy the just demands of this government and,
at the same time, to furnish guarantee against
the repetition Of the offence Nothing short of
this, in the opinion of the committee will be COM
path" with peaceful relations between the two
Gun riss.
In the present posture of the affair, therefore,
the committee forbear from recommending any ad-
ditonal legislation to enable the President to pro-
tect American vessels on the high from the
aggressions of foreign powers. But they will not
forbear the declaration that such legislation must
be promptly supplied should the result show that
it is needed to afford instant and full immunity to
vessels engaged in lawful commerce on the high
seas from all arrest, molestation or detention,
made under any pre,ext from any quarter.
In conclusion. the committee recommend the
adoption of the following resolutions:
Resolved, Gas the judgment of the Senate,) That
American vessels on the high in time OF peace,
bearing the American flag remain under the Juris-
diction of the country to which they belong, and
therefore any visitation, moestation detention of
such vessels by force or by the exhibition OF iorce
on the part Of foreign Power is in derogation oil
The sovereignty of the United States.
Resolved, That the recent and repeated violations
1f this immunity, committed by vessels OF war Pc
longing to the Navy of threat Britain In the Gulf OF
Mexico, and the adjacent seas, by firing n'o inter
rupting. and otherwise forcisly OBTAINING them on
their voyage. requires in the Judgment OF the Sc
a ta, such uneQuvocal and hnal disposition u the
subject by the government of Great Britain and the
United States touching the rights involved as shall
preclude hereafter the occurrence OF ike aggres-
Ii oIved, That the Senate fully approves the &C.
ion Of the Executive in sending naval force into
he infested with orders ITO protect all vessels
If the United States the high seas, from search
detention By the vessels of war of any other ma
And the oPnGn e, M sban
be supplied in aid of the Executive Power, will
make such protection effectnal.
THEArRE-That really wonderful boy comedian,
Alfred Stewart, commences another week at the
theatre tonight. We have only to reiterate the
opinion already expressed, that he is an extraor
binary child, and barring the inches" il fully
equal to Barney Williams or Florence. He APP
pears tonight in "Brian 0Linn," most amusing
piece, in which he is said particularly to excel
60 d., M.
CALIFORNIA MANS 1t is stated that the conven-
lion of representatives of railroads along the
Southern seaboard, have agreed on a schedule by |
which the California semi.monthly mail will be |
,arried over that route to Charleston, thence by
he Fernadlna route to New Orleans, and thence to
California. The time from New York to New Or |
cans will be only eigAtysight hours, leaving |
LIBERAL time for connections. In a letter IN the |
of,pateh nom Weldon, N. O., allnsion is made to
Aange 10 the running arrangement, which, We
fr,ra tha tiki