The Caroline was a vessel used by Canadian rebels. Britain claimed, that in a legitimate exercise of the right of self-defense, it crossed the into the United States and destroyed the ship. Webster replied that self-defense was to "be confined to cases in which the necessity of that self- defense is instant, overwhelming, and leaving no choice of means, and no moment for deliberation." Letter from Daniel Webster to Lord Ashburton on Aug. 6, 1842, reprinted in 2 John Bassett Moore, A Digest of International Law § 217 (1906).  But see,  Kearley, Raising The Caroline, 17 Wis. Int'l L.J. 325 (1999).