PERIOD FROM 1818 TO 1836. 349 



I shall not fail to communicate, without loss of time, the whole of 

 the papers relative to this matter to the Admiral commanding his 

 Majesty's naval forces at Halifax; and in so doing shall strongly 

 recommend that a full and impartial investigation be made into the 

 merits of the various cases therein reported, the result of which shall 

 be forthwith imparted to you whenever it comes to my knowledge. 



Meantime, sir, I must inform you that a report of those very oc- 

 currences, of a nature very different from that made by the individ- 

 uals to you, has reached me from Rear- Admiral Lake, of whose letter, 

 together with its inclosures, I have the honor to transmit to you copies 

 herewith. 



It is therein made to appear that the fishing vessels above men- 

 tioned were detained by the Dotterel solely on account of their having 

 been detected in the commission of a direct infraction of the treaties 

 existing between the two nations, having, in fact, been found pursuing 

 their occupation without the boundaries assigned to them by the terms 

 of the convention of 1818. 



On this point, however, the parties are at issue, each stating his 

 case according to his own view of it. Thus far, therefore, there is 

 ground for a candid and impartial investigation on both sides. Such 

 I have recommended to Admiral Lake, and such, I trust, you will also 

 cause to be instituted here. 



But there is another point, sir, on which I lament that there should 

 be no ground for doubt or hesitation as to the course which I have to 

 pursue. 



By a perusal of the inclosed documents 3 7 ou will perceive that, after 

 the detention of the Reindeer and Ruby by the master of the Dotterel, 

 and while on their way to St. Andrew's, " an attack was made on those 

 vessels by two schooners and an open boat, under American colors, 

 full of armed men, with muskets and fixed hayonets, amounting to 

 about one hundred, headed by a Mr. Howard, of Eastport, who is 

 said to be a captain in the United States militia, in consequence of 

 which the master thought it most prudent to surrender to such supe- 

 rior force." 



This, sir, is an outrage of such a nature as to leave me no other 

 alternative than to make a formal demand from the American Gov- 

 ernment for the inflict ion of punishment on the ofl'endcrs. 



Whether tin' vessels were legally detained or not, such an act of 

 violence will bear no justification. If individuals are permitted to 

 expound the stipulations of treaties for themselves, with arms in 

 their hands, the preservation of harmony and good understanding 



between nations can no longer be hoped for. 



I am di po ed (no per On can be more so) to act fairly and Openly 



by tin- citizens of this Republic, wherever they have just ground of 

 complaint against British authorities, and shall accordingly take 

 every measure for a certaining whether the detention of the vessels 



in quest ion was legal or not. 



[i it was not legal, yon have abundant proof . sir, in your own hands 

 of the disposition 01 his Majesty' Government i<> afford (he most 

 prompt and equitable redre i<> (lie parties aggrieved. I allude to 

 the case of the American chooner uharU 9, detained and employed 

 as a tender last year by his Maje ty's sloop Argus. That act, you 

 will recollect, was condemned as illegal by his Majesty's ministers, 



