Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 4 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 4 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
Mr. LEIB, from the committee, appointed on the 20th instant, to inquire
into the expediency of providing by law for the exclusion of foreign
armed vessels from the ports and harbors of the United States, made
report; which was read, as follows:
"That, in the opinion of this committee, such an interdiction
is within the just and neutral rights of the United States,
and, under other circumstances, would be highly expedient and
proper. So long as a neutral nation shall confine itself to
strict measures of impartiality, allowing no benefit to one
belligerent, not stipulated by treaty, which it shall refuse
to another, no cause whatever is afforded for exception or
complaint. The right to admit an armed force into a neutral
territory belongs exclusively to the neutral; and when not
guarantied by treaty, as is oftentimes the case, such admission
compromises the neutrality of the nation, which permits to one
belligerent alone such an indulgence.
"As a measure of safety as well as peace, it is incumbent
upon the United States to carry into effect such a provision.
So long as we are without a competent force to protect our
jurisdiction from violation, and our citizens from outrage, and
our flag from insult, so long ought no asylum to be given, but
in distress, to the armed vessels of any nation. The committee
will not bring into view the many injuries and insults which
the United States have sustained from the hospitable grant
of their ports and harbors to belligerents; nor the facility
which has thereby been afforded to them to lay our commerce
under contribution. It is sufficient to remark, that great
injuries have been sustained, and that imperious duty requires
arrangements at our hands to guard our country in future from
similar aggressions.
"The United States are, at this moment, under no obligation to
withhold restraints, within their power, upon the admission
of foreign armed vessels into their ports; but the committee
are too strongly impressed with the propriety of avoiding
any legislative interference at this time, which, by any
possibility, might be construed into a desire to throw
difficulties in the way of promised and pending negotiations.
They are desirous that a fair experiment may be made to adjust
our differences with the two belligerent nations, and that
no provisions be interwoven in our laws which shall furnish
a pretext for delay, or a refusal to yield to our just and
honorable demands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account