1831 Andrew Jackson - USS Lexington raid of the Falkland Islands

In late 1831, President Andrew Jackson authorized the USS Lexington under Captain Silas Duncan to set sail to the Falkland Islands to investigate a "band of pirates".  Despite being thousands of miles from the U.S. mainland, Jackson was not going to allow the rogue military commander of the Falklands to deny America's fishing and trading rights.

In 1829, the British designated Luis Vernet as 'civil and military commandment' of the Falkland Islands (off the southern tip of Argentina), and granted him a monopoly on seal hunting rights.  Two years later, Vernet asserted his authority to capture three American ships, Harriet, Superiour and Breakwater that he deemed in violation of his seal hunting monopoly.  When word that a "band of pirates" operating off the islands was sent to the United States consul in Buenos Aires, Captain Silas Duncan set sail on the USS Lexington to recover any confiscated property.  The USS Lexington was a Naval sloop built in in 1825 with 24 guns that could hold 190 officers and other enlisted men on board.   When Captain Duncan arrived in the Falklands, he discovered that at least four American fishing ships had been captured, plundered and even outfitted for war by Vernet's men.  Duncan charged the men with piracy and took seven prisoners aboard the Lexington.  Duncan also took about forty persons, mostly German citizens form Buenos Aires who rejoiced at the opportunity to leave the desolate region of the Falkland Islands where it was cold and dreary.  

In his third annual address to Congress, President Jackson described the situation and his authorization to dispatch an armed vessel, presumably the USS Lexington to join the Brazilian squadron already in those seas and would immediately appoint a minister to Buenos Aires to ensure the mission look into the claims made by that government.   In the meantime, Jackson requested from Congress, additional legislation that would give the executive the authority and means to send whatever size force was necessary to protect the rights of American fisherman and traders in the seas off the coast of Argentina.

"I should have placed Buenos Ayres in the list of South American powers in respect to which nothing of importance affecting us was to be communicated but for occurrences which have lately taken place at the Falkland Islands, in which the name of that Republic has been used to cover with a show of authority acts injurious to our commerce and to the property and liberty of our fellow citizens. In the course of the present year one of our vessels, engaged in the pursuit of a trade which we have always enjoyed without molestation, has been captured by a band acting, as they pretend, under the authority of the Government of Buenos Ayres. I have therefore given orders for the dispatch of an armed vessel to join our squadron in those seas and aid in affording all lawful protection to our trade which shall be necessary, and shall without delay send a minister to inquire into the nature of the circumstances and also of the claim, if any, that is set up by that Government to those islands. In the mean time, I submit the case to the consideration of Congress, to the end that they may clothe the Executive with such authority and means as they may deem necessary for providing a force adequate to the complete protection of our fellow citizens fishing and trading in those seas."

In January of 1832, Jackson appointment Francis Baylies, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts as chargé d'affaires in Buenos Aires in the Argentine Confederation to look into the affairs.  

While in Buenos Aries, Baylies and Argentine diplomats began a long dispute over Vernet's right to confiscate ships in the area.   In 1832, Commodore George Rogers, flag officer of the Brazil Squadron arrived in Buenos Aires.  He turned over the prisoners to the government of Buenos Aires, but formerly protested that the rights of American fishermen were violated.  Many years, later Luis Vernet authorized his sons to claim on his behalf losses stemming from the Lexington raid.  Vernet claimed there was great damage to private property, but the compensation was rejected by President Cleveland in 1885.

Also in January of 1832, President Jackson announced a treaty with Chili.  In addition to the actions of the United States and Commodore Rogers,  the Argentine government took back the Falkland Islands and the Coast of Pagoginia, declaring it Spanish sovereign lands under the royalty of Buenos Ayres.   The Falkland Islands was now at peace with it's neighbors like the Republic of Chili.   Jackson was pleased to announce that his ambassador to Chili, John Hamm had worked out a treaty wtih the Republic of Chili.  This was great news for America's fishing industry.   John Hamm was a former federal marshall of Ohio and state senator.   Andrew Jackson appointed him charge d' affaires to Chili in 1830.

"A treaty of amity and commerce has been formed with the Republic of Chili, which, if approved by the Senate, will be laid before you. That Government seems to be established, and at peace with its neighbors; and its ports being the resorts of our ships which are employed in the highly important trade of the fisheries, this commercial convention can not but be of great advantage to our fellow citizens engaged in that perilous but profitable business."

In 1833, Jackson gave an update on the treaties in Chili, Argentina an Peru where there was no treaty yet and Diplomatic relations between the US and Argentina were now suspended. The Argentine government said they were sending a minister to the United States to renew negotiations, but no such minister had arrived yet.

"The treaty concluded with Chili and approved by the Senate at its last session was also ratified by the Chilian Government, but with certain additional and explanatory articles of a nature to have required it to be again submitted to the Senate. The time limited for the exchange of the ratification, however, having since expired, the action of both Governments on the treaty will again become necessary. 

The negotiations commenced with the Argentine Republic relative to the outrages committed on our vessels engaged in the fisheries at the Falkland Islands by persons acting under the color of its authority, as well as the other matters in controversy between the two Governments, have been suspended by the departure of the chargé d'affaires of the United States from Buenos Ayres. It is understood, however, that a minister was subsequently appointed by that Government to renew the negotiation in the United States, but though daily expected he has not yet arrived in this country. 

With Peru no treaty has yet been formed, and with Bolivia no diplomatic intercourse has yet been established. It will be my endeavor to encourage those sentiments of amity and that liberal commerce which belong to the relations in which all the independent States of this continent stand toward each other."

In 1834,  Jackson wrote in his sixth State of the Union Address that a minister from Argentina still had not yet arrived.  The delay was now 2 years old, but would continue for another 4 years.   A minister from Argentina would not reach Washington until 1838.

"From the Argentine Republic, from which a minister was expected to this Government, nothing further has been heard. Occasion has been taken on the departure of a new consul to Buenos Ayres to remind that Government that its long delayed minister, whose appointment had been made known to us, had not arrived."

References

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Avalon.law.yale.edu. (2019). Avalon Project - Chilean-American Diplomacy - Convention of Peace, Amity, Commerce, and Navigation; May 16, 1832. [online] Available at: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/chile01.asp [Accessed 12 Oct. 2019].

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