Debate

• Author: Craig Forcese
• Pages: 101-110

101

Chapter 13

Debate

It will be for [the British] government to show a necessity of self-defense,

inant, overwhelming, leaving no choice of means, and no moment for

deliberation. It will be for it to show also that the local authorities of Canada,

even supposing the necessity of the moment authorized them to enter the

territories of United States at all, did nothing unreasonable or excessive.

— daniel weBster (24 aPril 1841)1

A ,  discussions continued. Ambassador

Henry Stephen Fox in Washington f‌irst formally raised the

McLeod matter with the new secretary of state, Daniel Web-

ster, in early March 1841, again asserting that even had the Canadian

been present at the Caroline raid, it “would be contrary to univer-

sal practice of civilized nations to f‌ix individual responsibility upon

persons who, with the sanction or by the orders of the constituted

authorities of a State, engaged in military or naval enterprises in their

country’s cause.”2 The Caroline af‌fair was, from a British perspective,

a justif‌iable employment of force for the purpose of defending the

British territory from the unprovoked attack of a band of British

rebels and American pirates, who, having been permitted to arm

and organize themselves within the territory of the United States,

had actually invaded and occupied a portion of the territory of Her

Majesty.

As for Alexander McLeod, Fox demanded “formally, in the name

of the British Government, the immediate release” of the detained

Canadian.3