The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-06-06
HAD RIGHT TO SELL
MIR. HAYS VERDICT ON BRITISH
HORSE TRADE.
CHALMETTE CAMP MATTER.
AUTHORITIES AND PRECEDENTs
ARE CITED.

Col. CrOwder's Report Forwarded to
House With FOrmnI Message by
President, Accompanied by Secre-
tary Hays Letter ohsthe Subject to
GOV. Heard of LOuisiana-The
Right of Sale to BeIligerents
Maintained in the Past-Treaty of
Washington Does Not Forbid Open
Sale OF Arms or other Supplies.
Washington, June 5.-The President
to-day sent to the House the report
of Col. Crowder, who made the inves-
tigation of the charges of Gov. Heard
of Louisiana, that the neutrality laws
We're being violated at Chalmette, La.
The message of transmittal is purely
formed. 1t encloses a copy of a letter
| written by the Presidents direction to
Gov. Heard, dated June g. which sums
up the main facts as found by Col
! Crowder and also gives the rules of in
ternational usage respecting the sale of
goods to parties at war. Mr.. Hay
says the serious point in the charges.
| submitted by Mr.. Pearson and by the
Boer Legislature committee of Phila-
delphia, was that the British authori-
ties had enlisted men in this country
for service in South Africa. The gov
| eminent made particular efforts to find
out if there was any basis for this
charge, but Mr.. Hay says that Col.
| Crowders report shows that not
single instance could he discovered by
him. Hr. Hay says that this charge
must be considered mot only as I'M
proven, but as having been made with
out the slightest pretense of justifica-
ton or proof. Continuing, he says:
MIR. Hays Conclusions.
What has been found is that GER
| tain officers of the british army, act
ing in the capacity of purchasing
agents, and inspectors, have been en-
gagged in the work of buying, collect
| ing and inspecting horses and mules
at different places in the United States
and shipping them from Chalmette
/ to South Africa. There have been thir-
teen of these officers. The British gov
| eminent some time since ordered the
recall of all of them The men en-
| ployed under them have all been Amer
! leans. The shipments of mules and
! horses have been continuous month af-
| ter month since the outbreak of the
war. The vessels in which they were
shipped We're of private ownership and
! not under the control of the British
| government and have not the charac-
| ter of military or naval transports.
| Chalmette was not a military camp or
| post. nor a base of military supplies
/ as the terms are defined by standard
| military authorities; nor in any sense,
| save such as would make a Touring
| mill or a packing house a base of
| military supplies, if flour or canned
meat were shipped from either through
! series of months to any belligerent
! power. Chalmette was simply ship
! ping station for the loading and ship
| ping of mules. Physically, the sta
ton consisted of half of set of build
| ings which did not differ from the
! other half of the same set which
was not hired by the British govern
ment, the buildings of this unhired
half being continued in their former
use"
Mr.. jefferson Quoted.
Mr.. Hay next addresses himself to
the law in the matter and says our
duty has been laid down again and
again He quotes from the declara-
tion of Thomas Jefferson when Secre-
tary of State, at the time of the hos
tilities between England and France:
our citizens have been free to make
vend and export arms. To suppress
/ their callings because a war exists in
foreign and distant countries in which
we have no concern would hardly be
! expected"
| Similar declarations by Alexander
Hamilton. President Pierce, Chief Jus
| tice Chase and President Grant are
cited.
.tA- CO.. 49, +roo+,, 30 vua-L.-..a.. >,
Mr.. Hay says. those who allege that
it has any bearing upon the present
| situation have not taken the trouble
| to read the published dispatches of
Secretary Fish on behalf of President
! Grant to Minister Schenck at London,
at the time of the ratification of the
treaty"
The dispatch of June 10, 1871, states
that 1.-The President understands and
insists that the second rule of Article
does not prevent the open sale of
arms or other military supplies, ETC."
Had Perfect Right to Sell.
In conclusion, Mr.. Hay says:
THE President regards it as evil
dent, in view of the quotations given
above, that what was asked for by
Mr.. Pearson was the reversal of the
consistent policy of the United States
since the formation of our government
Inc right OF our cltlZenS TO sell horses
and mules and to ship them from New
Orleans to any other port is as I'M
doubted as their right to ship -four
and meat, whether for the use of civil
! ians or soldiers Of the country of either
belligerent. There is no shadow of
excuse for the claim that there has
been any violation of the duties and
obligations of neutrality on the part
of this nation"
Col. Crowder's report is an elaborate
! presentation of the conditions existing
at Chalmette. He sums up his find
ings of fact under six heads, which
are substantially as follows
First. The British remount COM
mission, officers of which are operat-
ing and directing purchases and ship
ments of supplies in the United States,
is a bureau of English army admins
tration.
Not n Military Camp.
Second. As organized by these ON
GERS Chalmette station is a government
tai shipping agency for but one class
Of military supplies. and It has rot the
character Of a base Of military supplies
nor that Of . military camp or post.
Third. No attempts 10 recruit 10
the British army have been made at
Chalmette station. nor does The evil
dence disclose any such attempts at
other points in the United ftates. A
few muleteers were recruited, but this
was against the orders Of the British
government.
Fourth. All shipments have BEEN