IS THE ALABAMA A BRITISH PIRATE? 17 After the treaty of 1794, the efforts of our government to prevent infractions of its neutrality were still increased. In 1803 (President’s Message, October 17), Mr. Jefferson said: “We have seen, with sincere concern, the flames of war lighted up again in Europe; and nations, with which we have the most friendly and useful relations, engaged in mutual destruction. * * * In the course of this conflict, let it be our endeavor, as it is our interest, to cultivate the friendship of the belligerent nations by every act of justice and innocent kindness; to receive their armed vessels with hospitality from the distresses of the sea; but to administer the means of annoyance to none; to establish in our harbors such a police as may maintain law and order; to restrain our citizens from embarking, individually, in a war, in which their country has no part, and to punish severely those persons, citizen or alien, who usurp our flag not entitled to it.”* In 1805, still greater vigor was announced. Mr. Jefferson, in the annual message of that year, says, after reciting certain infractions of our neutrality arid sovereignty : “These enormities appearing to be unreached by any control of their sovereigns, I found it necessary to equip a force, to cruise within our own seas, to arrest all vessels of this description found hovering on our coasts within the limits of the Gulf Stream, and to bring in the offenders for trial as pirates.” (Am. State Pap., For. Rei., vol. 1, p. G6.) In 1817, Spain was engaged in a contest with her colonies. The proximity of the scene of conflict, the sympathy which our people naturally held with the struggling colonies, and the adventurous character of our seamen, all combined to make interference feasible and attractive. Many attempts were made, the better to prevent which, we passed the act of 1818, alluded to by Mr. Canning. A voluminous correspondence took place between Don Luis de Onis, the Spanish minister, and the State Department, touching these armaments, a critical examination of which will show that the charges now constantly made by the English press, that our government was derelict at that time are not well founded.f Some vessels escaped, perhaps, in * It in well known that the “Alabama” usually approaches her victims under the English flag; see papers in the matter of the “ Brilliant,” published by the New York Chamber of Commerce, 1802. J The Spanish minister complained to our government that hostile expeditions were being fitted out in Louisiana, to aid the insurrectionary parties in Sou h America. The complaint was immediately referred to the proper person, in New Orleans, and 2
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=