Falkland Islands, the
In 1831 the policy of
President Jackson towards foreign nations was intimated in his instructions to
Louis McLane, his first minister to
England, in which he said, “Ask nothing but what is right; submit to nothing that is wrong.”
In this spirit he dealt with the lessee of the
Falkland Islands, lying east of
Patagonia, South America.
These islands were under the protection of
Buenos Ayres, and had been leased to
Don Louis Vernet, who undertook to compel sailing vessels to take out license to catch seals under his authority.
He captured three American vessels, and when the news of this and other outrages reached the
United States, the
President, always prompt in the vindication of the rights of his countrymen against foreign aggressors, sent
Captain Duncan, in the ship-of-war
Lexington, to protect American sealers in that region.
In December, 1831, he broke up Vernet's establishment, restored the captured prop-
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erty to the owners, and sent seven of the most prominent actors to
Buenos Ayres for trial.
The authorities of that republic were indignant at this treatment of Vernet, as he was under the protection of their flag, but they did not think it proper to pursue the affair beyond a vigorous protest.
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Turkey-foot's Rock. |
