The Republican., 1891-06-12

SD luI d9 b'StoS ICCblu0s S'''So ""'
not punished, though "punishmenc
was energeticaIly demanded by an !
injured power. OF course the Com.
modOre'4 conduct was disapprOved.
but punishment is a thing very dif-
ferent from disapproval from super
ior authorities.
There Is still another case in point
which caused very serious uneaslness
at the time of its occurrence. The |
Mcleod. Caroline affair. The facts,
succinctIy stated, are: In 1887. a
serious outbreak, amounting almost. |
if not quite, to rebellion, took place
in upper Canada along The borders of
New York. Naturally there was
not only sympathy, but assistance to
the rebels from the American side.
No doubt a number of our citizens
passed over to take part with the
Commosionsts. A steamboat known
as the "Cdroline," owned by an
American. was known to have been
actively engaged in carrying over
persons and materials in aid of the
rebels. The British. Canadian author
tiles organized military expedition
t. capture and destroy the Caroline,
which had been in the habit of land
ing at Navy Island, on the Canadian
side. 1t was expected TO find the
boat at this point, but not 81. She
had crossed over to her own side
before the force arrived. So anxious
was it to take the boat that the off,
GERS did not hesitate to disobey or
exceed orders, and thereby invaded
American territory, and there seized
the offending boat and destroyed it
by firing it and sending it adrift
down the st. Lawrence, destroying
one or more lives. This occurred in
December, 1887.
Here was clear case of invasion
of our territory in a time of peace by
a foreign power withOutjuStification.
1t was admitted on our side had the
vessel been taken while on her Illicit
busipess in Canadian waters the cap
ture would have been proper and un-
Objectionable. Promptly a demand
was made upon the British govern
ment for an apology for this invasion.
A long and entangled correspondence
| nnctp1 pAnrinn hn tr,hnla fitnn nf
VanBuren's administration. The
English government admitted the
act, but in an indistInct manner,
claiming it was justifiable in self-de.
fense. Our government could not
view it in that light, admitting, how
ever. that In a case where there is
danger so imminent and overpower-
ing. admitting of no delay or hesita.
ton. the nation so endangered may
step upon the territory of another in
self-defence, but such was not the
case of the Caroline, which. when
seized and destroyed at midnight,
was at its mOOringS entirely uneIn-
ployed.
At the time Harrison became Pres
ident in 194l, Mcleod, the hero of
this diplomatic drama, rough. hlus-
tering Canadian. came oyer to New
York, and while drunk bOsstfu!ly
proclaimed he was one of the party
that destroyed the boat. WhereupOn
he was arrested by the civil authoii-
ties and lodged in Jail and promptly
indicted for murder and arson. This
step brought the droWsy question to
active life. The British government
at once made a formal demand
through Minister Fox for the "im-
mediate release" of Mcleod upon the
grounds that if he did do the act
complained of denying it however)
he did it under the orders of his gov.
ernmeut which he was bound to
obey, and was not therefore response
BILE to the civil misunderstanding
him in the position of a soldier u2-
der orders to do military acts. This
avowal, it was claimed, was not dis
tinctIy made prior to the arrest by
such an official as had authority 10
make such ayowal. At any rate,
President Harrison and his cabinet,
including Webster, upon this new
ground, did not hesitate to admit
that Mcleod ought to be released and
the British government held account
able, but the National government
had no control over the courts of
New York. 1t was hoped and likely
advised, the Governor (Seward)
would enter mol pros, but he did
not. The fact was the people in that
State were very much excited. Just
ds they were in New Orleans. The
case went to the Supreme Court of
New York. where it was decided his
defense was not sufficient in law and
that he must take his trial. nOtwith.
standing the pending demand for his