The National Register. — London, England, 1809-12-31 00:00:00

DEC. 3f. Where notice at the time may have been given of a departure From instructioni; or, in extraordinary cases, essentially viola ting the principles of equity, a disaVonal could not have been apprehended in a case where no suck notice or violation existed, where no such ratification was reserved, and more especially *here, as is now in proof, an engngetnent, to he executed without tiny such ratification, was contemplated by the instruction given, and where is had, with good faith, been carried into immediate execution on the part of the United States. " These considerations not haaing restrained the British Go vernment fruits disavowing the arrangement by virtue of which its Orders in Council were to be revoked. and the event autho rising the renewal of commercial intercourse having thus not taken place, it necessarily become a question of equal urgency and importance, whether the act prohibiting that intercourse was not to be considered as remaining in legal force.. This question being, after due deliberation, determined In the affirmative, a proclamation to that effect was issued. It could not but hap pen, however, that a return to this state of things, front that which had followed an execution of the arrangement. by the United States, would involve difficulties. With a view to di minish these as much as possible, the instructions from the Se cretary of the Treasury, now laid before you, were transmitted to the collectors of the several ports. If in permitting British vessels to depart, without giving bonds not to proceed to their own ports, it should appear that the tenor of legal authority has not been sttittly pursued, it is in he ascribed to the anxious desire which was felt, that no individuals should be injured by so unforeseen an occurrence; and I rely on the regard of Con gress, for the equitable interests of our own citizens, to adopt *hatever further provisions may he found requisite for general remission of penalties involuntarily incurred. 66 The recut of the disavowed Minister having been followed by the appointment of a successor, hopes were indulged that the Pew Minister would contribute to alleviate the disappointment which had been produced, and to remove the causes which had so long embarrassed the good understanding of the two nations. It could not be doubted, that it would at least he charged with conciliatory explanations of the step which had been taken, and with proposals to be substituted for the rejected arrangement. Reasonable and universel ns the expectation was, it also has not been fulfilled. From the first official disclosures of the new Minister, it was found that he had received no authority to en ter into explanations relative to either branch of the arrange ment disavowed, nor any authority to substitute proposals, as to that branch which concerned the British Orders in Council : and finally, that his proposals with respect to the other branch, the attack on the frigate Chesapeake, were founded on a pre umption, repeatedly declared to he inadmissible by the United States, that the first step towards adjustment was due from them the proposals, at the same time, omitting even a reference to the offirer answerable for the murderous aggressiou, and asserting a claim not less contrary to the British laws, aii.l British practice than to the principles and obligations of the United States. " The correspondence between the dopartinent of State and, this Minister will shew how inessenttally the features presented . in its commencement have been varied in its progress. It will chew, that forgetting the respect, due to all governments he did not refrain from imputations on this, which required that no farther communications should be received from him. The ne cessity of this step will he made known to his Britannic Majesty. through the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States in London. And it would indicate a want of confidence due to a government which so well understands and enacts what becomes foreign Ministers near it, not to infer Chet the misconduct of its own Representative will be viewed in the same light in which. it has been regarded here. The British Oovereinent will learn, at the same time, that a ready attention will he given to com munications, through any channel which may he substituted. It will be happy, if the change in this respect should be accompa nied by a favourable revision of the unfriendly policy which has been so long possued towards the United States. " With France, the other belligerent, whose trespasses on our commercial rights have long been the subject of nurjust re monstrances, the posture of our relations does not correspond with the measures taken on the part of the United States, to effect a favourable change. The result of the several communi cations made by our Government, in pursuance of the authori ties vested by Congress in the Executive, Is contained in the correspondence of our Minister at Paris, now laid before you. " By some of the other belligerents, althongh professing just and amicable disposition., injuries materially &fettle; oar som• ~~ 7 merce have not been duly controulcd ur repressed. Jn tiiese cases, the interpositions deemed proper on our part have • not been omitted. But it well desenes the consideration the Legislature, how fat both the safety and the honour of the Ame rican flag may be conetiltell, by adequate provisions 114iii114 that collusive prostitution of it, by indivldual3 unworthy of the 4 MO. rican name, which has so much favoured the real or pretended suspicions under which the honest coimuerce of their fellow citizens has suflered. " In relation to the power; on the coast of Barbary. nothing has occurred which is not of a nature rather to ia.pire cuuti deuce than disgust, as to the continuance of the ex i.iieg amity. With our Indian neighbours, the just ova benevolent s‘ stein continued toward them has also preserved :tenet., and is more and more advancing habits favourable to their civilization and happiness. " - From a statement which will he made by the Secretary of War, it will be seen that the fortifications on our maritime frontier are in many of the ports completed, aflinding the de fence, which was contemplated, and that f!rther time will he required to render complete the works in the harbours of New York, and in some other place. By the enlargement or the works, and the emploN meat of a greater number of hands at the public armouries, the supplying small arms, of an improv ing quality, appears to. be annually increasing, at a rate, that with those made on private contract, may be expected to go far towards providing for the pubic exigency. " The act of Congress providing for the equipment of our vessels of war, having been fully carried into execution, l refer to the statement of the Secretary of the Navy for the laform.,- (ion which may he proper on that subject.,--To that statement is added a view of the - transfers of appropriation, atithori,ci! by the Act of the Session preceding the last, and of the grounds on which the transfers were made. " Whatever may he the course of your deliberations. on the subject of military establishments, I should fail hi my duty in not recommending to your serious attention the importance of giving to our militia, the great bid ark of our security, and resource of our power, an organization the best adapted to eventful situations, for which the United States ought to be prepared. " The SUMS which had been previously accumulated in the Treasury, together with the receipts during the year ending on t he SOth Sept. last (and amounting to more than 9,000,000 o fdo Ita rs), have enabled us to fulfil all our engagements, and to defray the current expences of Government, without recurring to any loan. But the insecurity of our commerce, and the conse quent diminution of the public revenue, will probably produce a deficiency in the receipts of the ensuing year, fur which, and for other details, I refer to the statements which will he trans mitted from the Treasury. " In the state which harbeen presented of our affairs with the great parties to a disastrous and a protracted v.ar, curried au in a mode equally injurious and unjust to the United States as a neutral nation, the wisdom of the Nation•,l Legislature will he again summoned to the important deci.i.in of the alternatives lie lore them. That these will he met in a spirit worthYthe coun cils of a nation, conscious both of its rectitude and of its . right 4, and careful as well of its honour as of its peace, I have wren tire confidence. And that the result • will be stamped by an tic. animity becoming the occasion, and be supported by every por tion of our citizens, with a patriotism enlightened and illy igoi. aced by experience, ought. as little to be doubted. " In the midst of the wrongs and vexations experienced frosa external causes, there is much room for congratulation on the prosperity and happiness flowing from our situation at home.— The blessing of health has never been more universal. The fruits of the season, though in particular articles and districts short of their usual redundancy, are more than sufficient for our wants and our comforts. The face of our country' every where presents the evidence of laudable enterprise, of extensive capital, and of durable improvement. In a colt ivation of the materials, and the extentiun of useful manufnct ores, more espe cially, in the general ftpplication to household fahrics. we be hold a rapid diminution of our dependence on foreign supplies. Nor is it unworthy of reflection, that the revolution in our put.. suits and habits is in so slight a degree a consequence of those impolitic and arbitray edicts, by which the contending nations, in endeavouring each of them to obstruct our trade with the other, have so far abridrd our means of procuring the proditc (ions and manufactures, of which our own are now taking the place. 6 ' Recollecting always, that for every advantage which may THE NATIONAL REGISTER;