18 ENGLISH NEUTRALITY. spite of our vigilance. One case, which occurred in Baltimore, has been related to me by a gentleman who was cognizant of the fact. A suspected vessel had been seized, and, to prevent her going to sea before the matter could be investigated, her sails were taken from her and packed in a warehouse. After a time, the captain, who persistently asserted his innocence, asked permission to take the sails to spread them for drying, they being in danger of mildew. The port officer, a confiding, and not over-shrewd person, consented, and in the night the vessel slipped away, leaving the simple official to make the best settlement with his government that he could. Upon the final adjustment of the respective claims between Spain and the United States, it was not denied by us that we were liable to make compensation to sufferers by armed vessels, which we might have stopped; but, on the contrary, we took from Spain a release from all claims of this character, as part of the consideration for the concessions which we then made. (Treaty with Spain, 1819.) Andon December 7th, 1819, President Monroe declared to the world, (annual message,) referring to Spanish matters: “ It is gratifying to have it in my power- to state, so strong has been the sense throughout the whole community of what is due to the character and obligations of the nation, that very few examples of a contrary kind have occurred.” In 1838, our government was again zealous in the enforcement of what had by this time become its traditional policy; and used its most vigorous efforts in endeavoring to prevent the result was, that our own officers were set to work, without Spanish aid, and succeeded in breaking up almost entirely the system. Many persons were prosecuted and seven vessels seized, of which, three being found guilty, were condemned. Nine or ten prizes were libelled and restored to their Spanish owners, on the ground that the capturing vessels had been fitted out and armed, or had their forces augmented in the waters of the United States. Mr. Dick, the United States District Attorney, says, “ It is notorious, that to no one point of duty have the civil and military authoriti^ of the United States more strenuously, or, it. is believed, more successfully, detoted their attention, than to the discovering and suppressing all attempts to violate the laws in this re-peit. Such attempts have never been successful, except when c nducted under circumstances of concealment that eluded discovery and almost suspicion ; or when carried on at some remote point of the coast, beyond the reach of detection or discovery. In every instance where it was known that these illegal acts were attempting, or where it was afterwards discovered that they had been committed, the persons engaged, so far as they were known, were prosecuted, while the vessels fitted out or attempted to be fitted but, have been seized and libelled, under the act of 5th June, 1794; and when captures have been made by vessels thus fitted and armed, and their force augmented in our waters, and the prizes brought within our waters, or even found upon the hi<)h seas by our cruisers, they have been restored to the Spanish owner, and in some instances damages awarded against the captors.” Niles’ Reg., p. 63.
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