Episode 1 of 2
Diplomatic Correspondence
- When
- 1837
- Where
- Diplomatic correspondence
Webster and Ashburton exchanged correspondence establishing the principle of anticipatory self-defense in international law.
Following the ship's destruction, British ambassador Henry Stephen Fox argued the attack was self-defense. United States Secretary of State Daniel Webster responded, arguing that a self-defence claimant must show the necessity was instant, overwhelming, and leaving no choice of means. This correspondence helped establish the Caroline test.
Sources
- Caroline test Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-11
- Caroline affair Wikipedia
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.