"think fit to shelter themselves under the flag "of the United States. Mr. Stevenson observes “that this is a misapprehension on the part of "the Undersigned; and he declares that, in denying the right of interfering with vessels "under the American flag, he intended to limit "his objection to vessels bond fide American, "and not to those belonging to nations who might fraudulently have assumed the flag of "the United States. But it appears to the Undersigned that his former statement is by no means satisfactorily controverted by the

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man on board, had leagued himself with some of these desperate men, and concerted with them to rise upon the captain and officers in the night, and murder them, together with those of the crew who should refuse to join the mutineers. The brig was then to be sailed as a pirate, and to cruize on the packet line between England and America, plunder everything they overpowered, murder the passengers and crew, and sink the vessels. Through the imprudence of the midshipman, this villany came to the captain's knowledge, who, having collected every proof the case admitted of, arrested the ringleaders, and put them in double irons. But uncertain how far the mutiny extended amongst his men, and perceiving symptoms of a break-out, and believing it was questionable whether he could maintain the command of the brig until he had conducted his prisoners to the United States, he consulted his officers, and they, entertaining the same opinion that he did of the extreme danger to which their lives were exposed, as well as of that terrible one, of the brig being converted into a pirate, unanimously concurred with him in the necessity of putting the midshipman, and two of the most desperate of his confederates, to immediate death. The decision

"declaration of Mr. Stevenson's. How is this "bona fides to be proved? Must not Mr. Ste"venson either be prepared to maintain that "the flag alone is sufficient evidence of the "nationality of the vessel, which, in the face of "his own repeated admissions, he cannot do; or "must he not confess that the application of "his arguments would really afford protection to every lawless and piratical enterprise?

"The Undersigned had also expressed his "belief that the practice was general, of ascer"taining, by visit, the real character of every "vessel on the high seas against which there "should exist reasonable ground of suspicion. "Mr. Stevenson denies this; and he asks, What "other nation than Great Britain had ever

was no sooner announced to them than it was executed, the whole three being hung at the fore yard-arm, after receiving the confession of two of them.

It is difficult to believe all that is reported of the intentions of the persons who were executed, but if this monstrous villany had been consummated, there would have been an American national brig, reputed to be the best sailer in their navy, on the high road of the commerce of the two nations carrying desolation of the worst kind wherever she went. Ofttimes, no doubt, before her atrocities had awakened suspicion of her true character, would she, if the jealous principle contended for had been admitted, have been enabled to defy our cruizers, and continue her career of blood, by the simple act of hoisting the American flag, finding immunity under the protection of a punctilio that can be intrinsically valuable only to freebooters.

"asserted, or attempted to exercise, such a

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right? In answer to this question, the Under

signed can at once refer to the avowed and "constant practice of the United States, whose "cruizers, especially in the Gulf of Mexico, by "the admission of their public journals, are "notoriously in the habit of examining all suspicious vessels, whether sailing under the

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English flag, or any other. In whose eyes

are these vessels suspicious? Doubtless, in "those of the commanders of the American "cruizers. But, in truth, this right is quite as 'important to the United States as to Great “Britain; nor is it easy to conceive how the "maritime intercourse of mankind could safely "be carried on without such a check.

"It can scarcely be necessary to remind "Mr. Everett that the right thus claimed by "Great Britain is not exercised for any selfish 66 purpose. It is asserted in the interest of “humanity, and in mitigation of the sufferings "of our fellow-men. The object has met with "the concurrence of the whole civilized world, 'including the United States of America, and "it ought to receive universal assistance and 66 support.

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"It is undoubtedly true, that this right may be abused, like every other which is dele

"gated to many and different hands. It is "possible that it may be exercised wantonly "and vexatiously; and should this be the case, "it would not only call for remonstrance, but "would justify resentment. This, however, is " in the highest degree improbable. And if, in "spite of the utmost caution, an error should "be committed, and any American vessel should "suffer loss or injury, it would be followed by prompt and ample reparation. The Under

signed begs to repeat, that with American "vessels, whatever be their destination, British "cruizers have no pretension in any manner to "interfere. Such vessels must be permitted, "if engaged in it, to enjoy a monopoly of this "unhallowed trade; but the British Govern"ment will never endure that the fraudulent use of the American flag shall extend the iniquity to other nations, by whom it is abhor"red, and who have entered into solemn Trea"ties with this country for its entire suppression.

"In order to prove to Mr. Everett the

anxiety of Her Majesty's Government to pre"vent all reasonable grounds of complaint, the "Undersigned believes that he cannot do better "than to communicate to him the substance of "those instructions under which the British "cruizers act in relation to American vessels "when employed on this service.

"If, from the intelligence which the officer "commanding Her Majesty's cruizer may have "received, or from the manœuvres of the ves"sel, or from other sufficient cause, he shall "have reason to believe that, although bearing "the American flag, the vessel does not belong "to the United States, he is ordered, if the "state of the wind and weather shall admit of "it, to go ahead of the suspected vessel, after "communicating his intention by hailing, and "to drop a boat on board of her, to ascertain " her nationality, without detaining her, if she "shall prove to be really an American vessel. "But should this mode of visiting the vessel be impracticable, he is to require her to be "brought to for this purpose.

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"The officer who boards the vessel is merely "to satisfy himself of her nationality by her papers, or other proofs; and should she really "be an American vessel, he will immediately "quit her, offering, with the consent of her "commander, to note on her papers the cause "of suspecting her nationality, and the number "of minutes she was detained (if detained at

all) for the object in question. All the par"ticulars are to be immediately entered on the "log-books of the cruizer, and a full statement "of them is to be sent, by the first opportunity, "direct to England.