Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-08

the, United States, known or believed to be
snch. But we still maintain, and will exer-
cise when necessary, our right to ascertain
the genuineness of any flag which suspected
vessel may bear. If in the exercise of this
right either from involuntary error or in
spite of every precaution, loss or injrry
should be sustained, prompt repars ton
will be afforded; but that we should entertain
for single instant the notion of abandoning
the right itself would be quite impossible
(Hear. hear.) maintain still that IL is quite
impossible 10 abandon the right thu, laid d6,cn.
(Hear, hear.) If the noble earl reserves that
right, he docs all that | ever pretended to do;
If he gives mp more than that the result.
cannot but thiuk, will be that IL will become
impossible to maintain the police of the seas.
(Hear1
The British Government, then, so long ago
as 1s4i, explicitly renowned all pretensions
to visit and search American vessels in time
| OF peace But the right to ascertain the
| genuineness of any flag which a suspected
vessel might bear, was maintained and in
sisted on. Has tbs right-the right to stop a
i vessel. American other, upon the British
seas for the purpose of ascertaining whether
! the flag hoisted by such vessel is one which
it is entitled TO use-been yielded by the
British Government? Not at all. In this
very debate the Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
in reference 10 this right, said:
Il do not gre mp his right which. on the
contrary, is a well established right; but at
the same time we havethoueht ii desirable TO
fix the responsibility upon the officers exer-
cisirg it,"
To the same effect spoke the Premier:
The Earl of Dtrby.-Thcre seems to me, in
point of fact, TO he only an imaginary diff
ference between the views expressed on both
sides of the House. Nobody contends for a
gle moment that this country or any other has a
riyh to bodrf and 10 vEsa tie ships Of another
mutton. On the other hand. nobody denies
| that this country or any other has right,
upon well-founded suspicion, to ascertain the
nationality of vessel carrying particular
flag. The question is, however, in what
| manner is that right to he exercised, and
| what proceedings are to be taken in pursuance
of in Now, as long as there is no definition
as to the course to be taken in such cases. you
are always liable for the errors or indiscre-
| ton of the particular officer engaged, and in
| point of fact. although he may have ascer-
tanned that there were plausible grounds for
] suspecting the flag. it is quite clear he has
| commit t. an infractiOn of international law
| should that suspicion turn out to he ill-found-
| ed Nevertheless. it is admitted that under
| such circumstances, where there exists rea-
sOnable ground of suspicion. and proceedings
are taken accordingly. that is an infraction
| of the law for which no country would de-
mand redress. But the object OF my noble
! friond-and hope ne will succeed in effect
| ing its TO come to distinct understanding
between the French and American govern
ments, are the government of this country
Tor the purpose of avoiding any cause
of difference, for the future, arising
ont of a visit paid hy the commander
OF cruiser in order to ascertain
and to verify the nationality of vessel.
That was the sole object my noble friend had
in view; but he has neither abandoned any
right which this country coul3 claim, nor has
he asserted any right to which we were not
previously entitled.
The British Government, then. has made
no conc ssion whatever? 1t has abandoned
no pretensions which it did not renounce in
the most explicit language in lS4l, and it
claims to exercise now every right which it
claimed then. The only result of the recent
negotiations is a proposition TO this Govern
ment from that of Great Britain, to come to
some distinct understanding, if practicable
as to the manner in which the right which the
latter still claims and will not abandon, to
ascertain the nationality Of any vessel carry
ing oar flag, when there are good grounds to
suspect that such vessel is not entitled to use
it, shall be exercised That is oil that has
been effected by the alleged energetic diplO-
macy of the present Administrations simple
proposition from the British Government to
devise and mutually agree upon the manner
in which British cruisers may stop vessels
bearing the American flag, when they have
reason to believe that such vessels are not
American in order to verify their nationality !!