The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1810-01-16 00:00:00, page 2

«tnd condemned lo receive 1000 bastinados, t
300 of which were inBictcd yesterday when t
the unfortunate man was too tav exhausted {
to support more, the execution was of course <
postponed he will be a sl^tve for life, unless |;
lie can pay 100.000 dollars. All this arbi- «
trarv proceeding is on the pretence that »
Hadji Junes had been carrying on a corres- '
pondence unfriendly to the reigning Prince. <
The American character stands very high <
here; Eaton with Jail his foibles gave them i
an idea of our bravery which they consider I
inherent—and although they have a good <
notion ofonr small naval force, I believd'thc ]
Bev would sooner have war with any other ]
Christian power. A Frigate should peep in j
upon these gentry now and then, as a kind I
of memorandum, particularly as so much l
property is under their thumb.” i
LATEST FROM EUROPE.
■New-York, Jan. 6—To a gentleman, (
passenger in the ship Thomas, from St. Mi i
chael’s. we are indebted for the loan of the
London Courier of the 16th, 17th and 18.h
of Nov. four days the latest. The official
account of the destruction of the Toulon
Beet had not reached London, but was hour
ly looked for.—A*. Y. Ev. Post.
London, Nov. 16—We received this
rootmug some more Hamburgh papers, from
which we extract the treaty of peace be
tween Sweden Rrul Russia.
The substance of the article relative to
this country has been known for some time.
The ports of Sweden arc to be shut against
us, but salt and colonial produce may be
imported The king of Sweden prowiises to
adhere to the continental system with such
modifications, as shall be more particularly
stipulated in the negociation about to be cn.
tered into between Sweden, France, and
Denmark. ,
Nov. 17—It seems to be expec' d by Bo
raparte, that America will be drawn within
the vortex of his policy against this country,
or as it is called, the continental system,
the system by which the continent is to be
ruined, in the hopes that the British em
pire may be ruined also. Gen. Armstrong,
who was to have left France in the begin
ning of Oct. but who remains‘still at Paris,
is said to have been among the first to carry
to Fontainbleau the homage of his congratu
lations at the successful issue of the contest
against Austria—The general was most fa
vorably received—he was honored with a
private conference, and a vessel was imme
diately ordered to be got ready to carry des
patches to the American government. By
some, it is said, that the French government
has presented to general Armstrong the
ftroject of a treaty between the two coun
tries—by others it is asserted, that the in
vitation made to America is, to form an al
liance with France, Russia, Sweden and
Denmark, to be called, if she accede to it^
the quintuple alliance, for the purpose of
atchieving what Bonaparte styles "the free
dom of the seas.” The expectation that she
will accede it, has been for some time strong
ly circulated at Paris, and indeed it should
seem as if the negociation between the \
lnerican government, and M. Champugnv,
had been renewed before Bonaparte’s return
to Paris.
However that may be, it is certain that
the expectation to which we have alluded,;
has been held out in publications known to
be official.—About a w eek ago we selected a
passage on the subject, from a work under
the direction of the senator Francois de
Kcufchatenu.
Death of the Marquis of Lansdown.
On Tuesday evening died at Lansdown
house, in Berkeley square, the most noble
the marquis of Lansdown.
The king of sjaxony is gone to Paris in
company wirfi the French minister. The
Duke of Knden, and several ether of Bona
parte’s vassals, are ou their way thitherto
hold a grand meeting, at which some im
portant measures respecting Germany will
be discussed, or rather dictated by Bona
parte. We conjecture that he will change
liis title of Protector of the Confederation of
the Rhine, as not sufficiently expressive of
his power ever the German empire. We
remark in the French papers an article
from Vienna, stating that the archives of the
empire, ami particularly the nets which
treat ot the ctremnmei observed in crown
ing the emperor a of Germany, are to be re
moved to Paris—It is probable that Bona
parte means to have himself c * ctetl empe
ror of Germany. Among the public shews
and spectacles that arc to occupy the atten
tion of the Parisians during the winter,
there is to be a council of Cardinals, proba
bly to rebuke and depose the Pope—All
conversation concerning him has been prohi
bited at Paris, ohI it is even made a punish
able offence to sell Ilia picture.
London, Nov. 18.—It is not true that
lord Palmerston ha3 become a member of'
the cabinet. It has been erroneously stated
in some of the papers, that Mr. Robert Dun
das, the President of the India Board, has
been appointed to a situation in Scotland._
A writer of the signet of that name, in Edin
burgh, has lately received some professional
arpointment, which may hare sriveu rise to
the mistake.
Yesterday n cabinet council was held at 1
the foreign office ; there were present Lord ,
('har.rehnr, the Laris Bathurst, Liverpool, j
Harrowby, and (ihatham ; lords Mulgravr,
H..d Palmerston ; ti.e Chancellor of the Ex
chequer, and Mr. R:der.
'1 ao American vessels are arrived at
Plymouth, one of which, the Phtsbe, is from
Philadelphia; the other, thcNereide, from
fsew Jersey.
it will he in the recollection of nnr raiders, •
that v-e stated some time ago, that admiral ‘
Ha«ikofl*, who commanded the Russian fleet !
when it w^s obliged to take shelter in the
Baltic Port, had been tried hy a court mar- j
tui >nd degraded from his rank. lie was*
condemned to serve 3 month-, as a common '
sail,u' before the mast. These accumulated !
indignities broke his heart. He died, lately,
th" victim of griefand indignation.
The lord* commissioners of the admiralty'
d:rH ?d(!, that the sum *»t li»l. as a gra-|
luitv," be given to «»ac.h of the petty oil, era !
and seamen who were employed on board 1
fire ships at the attack on*tlie enemy’s fleet,
in Harq. e Ponds, on the 11th of April*
lifjtia/tartr’t illnr**. The following nr-’
tide is . X’rane.t from a French paper prin I
ted in this country. VVc have no means of
ascertaining whether it deserves credit or
not.
•• The following details are derived from
a consultation which Dr. C< t visart has had
wi'h llr. ■ a physician of celebrity at
Peris.
•• This consultation took place since the
return of Bonaparte to Fontainblctui, where
•has bad a ne*v attack of epilepsy.
from the tune when ft nap.>rte wns qt
c- Military school at Brieti'ia, lu waa sob
* v£t
ect t* convulsions* which had the symp- \
omi of epilepsey. At the age of twenty- v
wo, a kind of scorbutic eruption made its
.ppearance, which rendered the convulsi r
ms less frequent and less violent. As often
is he attempted to get rid of this eruption, t
he convulsions returned with alarming
vmptoms. Bonaparte had in Egypt a pretty r
ielent attack, during which lie was some
lays without seeing any one. At Vienna he 2
caught a cold after a severe exercise ; fever t
nade its appearance, and in a very few \
lours delirium followed.Convulsions came *
in, and the epileptic attack was more vio- <
ent than any he had ever had before' it
asted 3 or 4 days. When Dr, Cbrvisart i
irrived, Bonaparte was bettci-*. lie ordered
:wn issues to be opened. Since he returned c
o Fontainblenu, Bonaparte wished to rc. i
lume the tnode of life to which he was ac- r
:ui*tOmed, and notwithstanding Dr. Corsi- s
mart’s remonstrances, suffered the issues to
dose; and in spite of all the doctor can do )
>r say, he cannot be persuaded to have them
*e-opened.” i
Congre^g. :
IN SENATE—January 10.
The b^tl to continue for a further time the i
duty culled the Mediterranean fund, seas i
read a third time and passed.
Mr. Gil s from the committee to whom c
r:»a.t referred on the 3d inst. the mes-> ge of c
the Pi esident of the United States, reported
In pare a bill authorising the filing out, ojtfi ]
rering and manning the frigates belonging
to the U. S. which was read and passed to 1
i third reading.
Mr. Aleigs reported a bill for the relief of ■.
Daniel Boone, which was read unci passed I
to a second reading.
.. January 1\. i
The bill for the relief of Daniel Boone
was read a second time, and, on motion of
Mr. Bradley, recommitted for a statement \
of facts on the case.
Ordered, that Messrs. Meigs, jlnderson
and Tope be the committee. I
The bill authorising the ftting out, off - i
cering and manning the frigates belonging <
to the U. S. was read a second time and or- i
dered to a third reading. >
Air. Bradley gave notice that to-morrow i
he should ask leave to bring in a bill to aug- <
merit the compensation of ihe judges of the
Circuit Court of Columbia
Air. Aleigs prrscnttd a resolution of the
Legislature of the state of Ohio,instructing
their representatives in Congress to use
their endeavors to prscure an extension •/'
the payment for publit lands, in certain cases
ytjier which he laid on the table the follow
ing resolution :
Resolred, That a committee be appointed
to enquire into the expediency of extending
by law the times of payment for public
lands in certain cases.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
January 10.
Mr. Van Dyke presented a petition pray
ing that New Castle in Delaware may be e
rccted into a port of entry.
On motion ot Mr. Summon*,
Jtiesolveu, That the committee of pest of
fices ami post roads, be instructed to enquire
into the expediency of establishing a post |
road from the village of Hamilton by Gael- ,
derland and Bern to Schoharry court house, I
and from thence to Middleburg, Gobeskill
and Worchester to Collycra on the Susque*
haunah river.
Mr. Van Horn presented a petition of Sun
dry inhabitants of the city of Washington,
praying that an act may be passed directing
the Marshal for the district of Columbia to
receive and take into his custody the bodies '
of persons taken in execution of writs of
cafiiasnd mil is faciendum issued on judgments ;
r-. udered by a single magistrate in cases J
where the judgment should not exceed 20
dollars—Referred.
AMERICAN NAVIGATION BILL.
On rm.tinu ef Mr. .Macon, the house again j
resolved itself into ?. committee of the w hole,
Mr. Desha in the chair on the bill concern
ing commercial intercourse with G. Britain
and France.
The motion for striking out the 5th section
yet under consideration—
Messrs. Montgomery, Smilie, and Rhea
opposed the motion ; and Messrs. Livermore
and Potter supported it. [This debate here
after.]
The question was taken on Mr. Liver
more’s motion and negatived, 31 cady rising !
in the allinnative—about one hundred mem- I
L/C I 3 JM riCIII.
Mr. Chittenden's motion for permitting t he !
importation of salt from any port or place,
was amended, on the suggestion of Mr. Tay
lor, so «s to confine (he importation to vessels
of the U. S. and thus amended, passed with
out opposition.
The bill was then read through by sec
tions. 1
Mr. Marov moved to insert in the section '
which provides tor the revocation of the law
by the President whenever the belligerent
edicts should cease to violate the lawful j
commerce of the U. S. the words “ in his !■
i)pinion,”soas to give the. President the pow
tr to judge when they shall cease to violate
in\r lawful commerce.
Mr. Montgomery opposed the insertion of
the words. 1 lie U.S. had once been tricked
>y a matueuvre of.the British M inistry, and <
lie did not wish them again to l»e placed iti
hat situation. He would not again be wil
ling to withdraw our measures till the revo
cation of the decrees was placed beyond all
loubt. He should have preferred the inner* «
lion of the word ••actually,” so that the pre- <
lident should have no authority by procla- (
nation to suspend the law until the bellige 1
rents had actually ceased to violate our rights i
jy their unjust decrees, i
Mr. Macon replied that the amendment i
would not add iiiurh to ili»* discretion of the i
President; lor as the section already stood, (
it would he a matter of opinion when the (
belligerents ceased to violate our rights.- I
i here must he some mode of ascertaining
when their decrees were so changed a* to !
cea«e violate our neutral rights. i
The amendment w«s agreed to without n i
jivision.
Mr. Can I)ykr prorosed a provision f ir the I
"emission of penalties incurred under the
ion intercourse act prior to the 10th June, J
1^09 He referred to the President’s message
recommending the measure to shew the pro
priety of adopting it
Mr. Macon and Mr. Montgomery obscr
rril that the. part tif the message of the Pre .
••dent of the U. S. hud hern referred to the j
:mnmittre of Commerce amt Manufactures,
md that it would be improper to include mjcIi
i provision in this bill.
Mr, Newton observed that the committee ,
•f Commerce anti Mandfacittrcu were pic
(
Jared to report on the subject*
lv:r; Van yie'k motion wais negatived
'ithout a division.
After making several verbal amend*
tents—r
The committee rose and reported fhe
ill
The House agreed now to consider the
epnrt of the committee, 62 to 45.
Mr. Livermore moved to strike out the
d. 4th, 5th, 6th, 7tft, 8th, 9;h and 10‘h st c
ions, leaving »*rt1y so much of the bill as pro
ides for the repeal of the non intercourse
nd exclusion of foreign public armed
Easels from our waters.
Doubts arising whether the motion was now
n order—
Mr. Atilnor moved to postpone the further
nnsideraticu of the bill till Friday, as he
wished to have an opportunity fully to exa
mine the bill and compare its several provi
ions.
Messrs. Quincy, Livermore and Pitkin
uppohted the motion on the same grounds.
And, on the question, the further cons ide
ation of the. bill was postponed till Friday,
'2 voting in the affirmative.
The house resumed the report of the com-'
nit’ee of the whole on the report of the com.
nittee of elections on the contested election
fJonathan Jennings.
Before the House enme to a decision on
t, a motion was made to adjourn and car -
iect.
A message was received from the Prrsi
lent of the U. S enclosing the report of the
lirector ol the mint.
The following report accompanied the
vlessage:
Mint cr the U. S. Jan. 1, 1310.
SIR,
1 have the honor of laying before you
i report of the operations of the Mint for the
ast year.
Fioin the Treasurer*!1 statement herewith
ransinitleri, it will appear that during tMs
icriod there have been issued from tin*
Mint, of gold coins, in belf eagles. 23,875
jieces, amounting to 166 373 dollars ; of
•ilver coins, in half dollars and .dimes,
1,450,520 pieces, amounting to 767,576 dol
ars ; and of c*<ppcr coins, in cents and half
:ents, 1.877,439 pieces, amounting to 8,001
lollars 53 cents—making in the whole two
nillionu eight hundred and sixty one thou
iand eight bundled and thirty four pieces
>f coin, amounting to eight hundred anti
.*ighty four thousand seven hundred and fifty
;wo dollars fifty thrte cents.
The supply of bullion is still abundant*—
nor is there any apprehension of a defici
ency.
I have the honor to be. 3cc.
K. PATTERSON.
James Madison.
President of the U. States.
Thursdat, Jan. 11.
Mr. J. G. Jackson this day appeared in the
House.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Mr. Leivin n*nde the following report:
“The committee to whom was referred'
the message of the President cf the U. States. J
communicating a report of the Surveyor of
public buildings, report that they have care j
fully examined andinatmely considered the ■
propriety of continuing the improvements, as
recommended in the report of the Surveyor !
ct the public buildings, and are of opinion,
that whatever may he th'e propriety of pro
gressing with the public buildings, either as
it regards the erection of new buildings or
of altei ing those already erected ; >t is not
deemed prudent at thin time, when a resort
to loans may he necessary for the support oi l
government,that any improvements whatever
uhl he made, which can he. with any:
sort r.t propriety, dispensed with. They |
therefore take the liberty of recommending
that the expenditures for the public Imil
dingsat this time be restricted to the objects
specified in the bill which the committee ask.
leave to report.”
Accompanyiug the report was a hill mak
ing further appropriations for completing the
capitol and for other purposes. [The hill
is blank as to the sums to be appropriated.]
It was twice read& committed to a commit
tee of the whole.
Mr. Franklin obtained leave of absence for
two weeks.
DETACHMENT OF MILITIA.
Mr. 7allmadge from the committee to
whom was referred tiat part of toe late
message of the President of the U. States,
relating to the militia of the U. S. reported
i bill authorising a netachment of the militia
cf (he U. S. The bill was twice read and
referred to a committee of the whole.
An ur.iavorable report was made by the
committee of Claims on the petition of James
M’Cracken ; which was concurtcd in by the
House, Ayes 79.
i\ir. J'jnnton Irom trie committee n Llaims
ilso reported a bill for the relief of Richard
I'aylor; which was twice read and com
nitted.
Mr. Johnson, from the committee of
[Raima, to whom was referred the petition
)f Eliza Hamilton, widow of General Alex
uider Hamilton, made a report concluding
with a resolution that the prayer of the pe
itioner ought not to he granted, becarae
burred bj the statute limitations—liefer
ed to a committee of the whole.
CONTESTED ELECTIONS.
The Mouse resumed the consideration of
ihe report of »he committee of the whole on
he report of the committee of Elections
in the contested election of Jonathan Jcn
lings.
[The ground on which tlte committee of
Elections have reported against the rijnt of
Vlr. J. to his seat, i i, that the proclamation
>t the Governor directing the election of a
lelegate was illegal, having been predica
ed on a libetal construction of the laws of
congress, taking their probable intention
nto view, instead ot following the letter of
he law. I,he committee did not examine
nto the alledged irregularities attending the
flection when held, resting their report on
he illegality of the proclamation of the
Governor under which the election was
ield.]
The debate turned principally on the con
itructinnnf the laws lor dividing the territn
•y of Indiana, and lor tne extension of the
ight of suffrage.
A motion was made to re commit the re j
>ort, j
But before it was decided, the House ad J
ouined.
_ I
Extract nf a Utter /'am William y nr vis, Unites j
State*' Consul in Lisbon, to a gentleman in lies- j
ton, dated Nov 11, 1803.
" 1 he Count Thtodore Vonder Palilen, Chim- i
wrlain at the Court of St. Peterth"1 g, has been j
ippoinied Minister Plenipotentiary from the Em
>cror Alexander to the U Slates.
It •« reported, that inform at ion has been re
vived of Mr. hagaise's arrival in England in',
weniy-two dny< He taiied in the frigate Afii-I
sniiif, j
VIRGIMIA LEGISLATURE.
Extracts from thk Journals of
the llou!>e or Delkuates.
Tvksdat, J;m. 9.
A communication from pie Senate by ttieir
CVrtc :—The Senate have pawsml the following
sills,to wit : — A bill “ Coneetning pilot.' ;**
A hill “Refunding a sum of money to Thomas
Smith,” ami —,\ bill” Appointing trustees ll;r
::rt»iu purposes therein nu r.t:o:ied.”
'1 hey have also passed the bill ” Making com
pcnsatioii ii»r* the tobacco destroyed by the binn
ing of Nicholas's w ireli ni'c, at.d tor other pur
|)os-s,” with amendments to which they request
the coricOrrence of the House of Delegates
The House proceeded to consider the amen l
meuta proposed by the Senate to the haul bill,
*nd the same being twice read, were agreed to by
the House ;
An engrossed bill ** Authorising Thomas Pur
die to erect a toll bridge from the tow n ol Smith
field 'across Pagan creek,” was read a third
time and several blanks tbeieih fil’.d up; and
passed.
An engrossed bill “Concerning Morgan Tomp
kies, late sheriff of Gloucester,’* was read a third
time ; and passed.
An engrossed bill “ Encressiitfj the capital
stock of tho Grett Hunting Greek llri'.ge Coin
puny,” ( which lay on the table) was taken Up atul
read n third time, and several blanks therein fil
led up ; and pass"d.
A report from the coTrrrvt'ee for courts of pis
tice(which lay on the table) was taken up and
lead in the folio wit y words .
The Committee for Courts of Justice have, ac
cording to order, had under their consideration
the p tsiiun of James M*l.ennt, to them referred,
end have come to the following resolution there
upon:
Resolved, That the petitiotj of the said Jarre*
M'l.efmy, praying that lie may be reimhmacd the
amount of certain taxes psid by his father as tor
mer sheriff of Nanjemond county, and winch
were not collected by him, is reasonable. ■*
'1 he said resolution bring read a second time,
Was agreed to by the House.
A repi»t from the committee of Claims (which
lay «n the table) was taken up and read in the fol
lowing words :
rue committee of Cbmm have, according to
'.Tiler, luid under llitir roraideration several pe
i on* to them referred, hihI have come to the fol
lowing resolution thereupon :
1. Resolved, as the opinion of thi* committee,
Thai the petition of Joseph Pollard, jun praying
that the sum of eight dollar*, paid by him to the
sheriii of Snoltsylvanht county, for militia fine*
uhsesssd upon him hv the courts of enquiry m
the said county, while acting as pest-nwter a
Thorniibttrgr, as lie suggests and ire stun ofs.\
dollars and dJ cents, the amount of tux stared
*o have tieen overpaid by him on one hundred
and forty-one seres And’ ,» half of land, tor tit
years 180*. JSb7 and 1SC9, nuj he refunded to
him, with the intere«t accruing on tlie «i .id stuns
since the payment thereof, ne rejected
2 Resolved, as the opinion of tb'3 committee.
That tha petition of John Aip r, R obert Agor,
Wihiuin Ajjcr and Thomas jer, heirs and )e
f*\ irpiesenUtives of Robert Ager, decease.1,
praying that they may now be allowed & authori
fu*d to receive the bounty in land and arrearages
ol pay due; in their opinion, to the said Robert
A,grr, for survi ?s performed by him as a soldier
in the revolution tv army, in which service ha
ditd in the course of the war, \>± rejected.
3. Resolved, as the opinion of this commit
tee, that the petition of A.ditn Baird, priymg
tiiat his ch.'m. for stone work done b/ him about
tne penitentiary building subsequent lo the
year 1800, amounting in his opini •;», mat least
1,2©0 dollar*, » settlement of which he lias hi
t terto sought in vain hy appl’rations to John
f- ark, the late-superinlen iar.t.s ;<1 tne executive,
rnay he investiga .-d hy the legislature, arid such
means «d«>pied as will promote justice between
htm and the public, be rejected.
1 he fir.-t a ill thiid resolutions bring read a
sc oiid lime, were agu-etl to by tne H ouse.
The • wCoud resolution being rc.td a second
tun ;, was on motion, ordered to be committed
to tiie committee of Claims.
The following resolution, from the committee
for Courts of Justice, (which lay on the tabic)
was rsken Up and read :
Resolved, as the opinion of this committee,
That the pi-liti :n of George Simmons, a titan of
colour, setting forth that lie w«s born :t slave, hut
:it t!.e instance of his lather, then alive and a
free man, but now deceased, lie wa3 purchased
1'V Mr. "I ravers Daniel, ot Sts. Void, w'uo promis
ed to emancipate htm when he was remunerated
tor the pure lias • in >nov by ihe petitioner’s s*r
vices, that the s.i d D „.iel is now willing to libe
rate him, and praying that in case iic s lould be
emancipated he may be pet milted to reside in
this stale, be rejected
i he said resolution, being read a second time,
a motion ar-.s made to amend the sanr; hy strik
ing mil atthe end thereof the words •• be reject
ed,” and inserting in place ol them tlis woids
“ is reasonable and the question being put on
the proposed amendment, a passed in tne sliir
Thc question being then put on the resolution
as amended, it was greed to by the House,
ff ;._rej"«vasase
i<Uje inquirer.
RICHMOND, JANUARY 1C, 1810.
FOR THE J'.AXjUIRLR,
No HI.
Having delected, amidst the diplomatic e j
vasicns of Mr. Jackson, trie insinuation i
which juslljr caused his dismission, 1 should l
be guilty oi a disrespect lo my own govern i
nieiit, it 1 were to use any arguments to'
prove its assertion, that the extent of Mr, ]
l'.rskinv’sinstructions was 1 calls unknown.—
Rut scepticism i:*elt night to he saislkd on I
ihi. head, after Mr. i.rskinc’s p'-sitiv* de
cimation, tjiat for certain reasons appear
ing to him surheient, he did not exhibit Ins
instructions in extnmo to our government_
Indeed, that minister has persevered to the j
end, in saying tliat the ttjiiril at least of ms
instructions justified the arrangement. If)
Mr. h'.rskine had given to our l/lxeciilive even J
a /uric th.it lie was exci eding his powers, I
Would he not have proclaimed it to the i
world as soon as tiie agreement was ihsa- I
vowed, in exculpation ot himself? Or can '
any man who knows the nature of oumgo j
vernment believe, that ike Inguest officer in I
the country, holding his station at the will ( f
the people, and watched in every movement
by a numerous, active, and rancorous party,
would have ventured to conclude an agree
ment which he knew must be afterwards
disavowed, and exposed to every censure
which truth or malice could suggest f Ilis
duty and his interest alike forbade it; and
his enemies will not ascribe to him an over
wi miing attachment to Hritish alliance.
in leaving this part of the subject, and
taming my attention to the second class of
apologists for Mr. Jackson, 1 must again re
mark, That il every thing they urge were
ti'iic, 't would not tend in anydtgioe to It is
defence. We may agree with Mr. Dana
that Mr. E. had not toil powers; we mat
Censure the President for not calling for tbt ir
exhibition; and jet the insult ol’hrel b_,
Mr. Jackson would remain tindiminidied._
Rut Air. Dana is u pioiiuud j jd|. o. uu .ia.i
ature. tie unnwj mst r-rrry ciject lo^c«
ts impression i»y being nlemhd with a mul
iarle ofolheis: th~t vs here public sensibil
tv is exr.iud.it is all important to yield to
its first impulse, and when its force * nearly
exhausted, to divert 'its course towards a
Afferent object. He had seen the experi
ment tried with sutet-s- in the case of the
Chesapeake. While the angry spirit of the
natioo breathed nothing but revenge, an<l
•tonld not be opposed with iinpuunv ; tin*,
apologists of Great Britain either remained
silent or joined in the general cry; but no
sooner had the storm subsided, than they
crept from their holes and giadualiy unfol
ded themselves. They used with dex’vrity
all the weap ais furnished by Mr. Canning;
they debated like casuists whether the pro
clamation ought to be revoked befo re or af
ter the satisfaction was rendered; and they
confounded the question with learned argu
ments on the right of impressment. By ar
tifices like tnese, they tamed the unruly spi
rit of the nation, until it has learned to bear
the burthen ol its disgrace without a mur
mur. The same policy has been pursued in
this more recent insance of British inso
lence To what otfrhr lnotive’can we ascine
the conduct of Mr. Dana, who, in a
speech of unusual length, has studiously a
vnided the. only question then before the
bouse, and directed all his censuie against
the Executive ? Or what conclu-ion can we
form honorable to him, when we find him
practising such unmanly arts, to shield a fo
reign minister from the indignation which,
his conduct iris so justly excited i* The man
who boldly affirms that Mr. Jacks.>n ■« inno
cent of th* ollcnce imputed to him, meets
the question fairly, lie must be infatuated,
but he may he honest But he who evinces that
he comprehends the subject, while he em
ploys every stratagem to elude it, betrays
the want of an American heart, and confes
ses himself the slave of a faction. The same
reasons which have induced Mr. Dana to
confound Mr. Jackson's conduct with so ma
ny irrelevant subjects, impel me to sing e
it oot, to place it on ati eminence where ic
may attract universal attention, and strike
with undivided force the sensibility of the
people.
But let us return fn Mr. Dana's objection.
He contends that the President ought not to
have concluded the agreement *i‘h Mr.
Erskihe, without requiring the la iter to ex
hibit the particular iusliument of writing
which authorised him to bind his g>vern
ment.
Before I examine the men'3 of this' pr<>
positian, it will be propel* to remark, that
Mr. J iclcsi m ha.no where a Hedged mis ob
jection'ns the motive tor the disavow or
as a mason which would exempt his govern
ment from the necessity of assigning reas m*
tor that act Still Iras can it be said that
Mr Jackson alluded to this neglect on the
part cf -lie President to obtain a knowledge
of Mr E’s instructions, when he made those
insinuation* winch caused his dismission —
if Mr. Jvckson had meant to sav to <>ur go
vernment " U was your light to have <le
manded of Mr. E. a sight of his powers, in
whio'icase you wou.d have s«.en also the 11
nutation of ihem ; and as it was your l ight
to h. vc made this demand, it is tube pre
sumed that you did so, and therefore you
must be regarded as having notice in the
eye of law of the limitation of Mr. Ersfcine’s
powers;” if, I say, Air. Jackson had used ^lu«
language, however fallacious it might be in
argument, it woj’d soil have afforded no
room for offence, but if Mr. Jackson bail
meant this, it would have been easy to have
said it in terms which could not be misun
derstood. it was n.»t this constructive spe
cies of knowledge, of which Mr. Jackson ac
cused tl.e government; it was a knowledge
supposed to have been derived from the
communications of Mr. Krskine himself.
Had Mr. liana endeavored to shew that ivir.
Jackson really intended to s»v nothing more
than this, when he insinuated that theg>
vernmeui had a knowledge of Air. E’s in
structions; his argument might have had
some affinity to the question then before the
House. But this is, in fact, almost the only
view of the subject that he has not takeu.
So tar then sis Mr. Dana’s proposition c add
have any relation to the conduct ot Mr. Jack
son, it seca.s not to be urged by either of
them.
If Mr. Dana’s argument was intended asu
justification of Great Britain in disavowing
the agreement, it is equally unfortunate.—
According to him, the case s'ands thus:—
The President was hound, hy the law of na
tions, to have r< quired Mr. Eiskiue to exhi
bit Ilia powers; if he did so. the President
was apprised also of the limitadon of tii >se
powe.1 s ; if he neglected to make •v. s demand,
he chose to run the hazard tl contracting
with an unauthorised agent, and G Britain
is not bound by the agreement. Now all this
may be very true, and yei if this objection
never occurred to Great Britain or her minis
ter, it cannot he taken intoauv estimate of
the motives of that p aver in disavowing the
act. It h in that case to be considered only
a the offspring of Mr. 1) «na’>- mind, without
effecting tliedi-pule between th* two coun
tries. Let not Mr. Dana, however, be rob
bed of the merit of having explored argu
ments in defence of om invetera e enemy,
which escaped the scrutinizing eye of her
iiib.t ceicbrated minister. When Mr Jack
son was railed upon to explain the reasons
of his government for disavowing the agree
ment, how easy would it have been for him
»o pel rid of so troublesome a: enquiry, by
sayme h it oar g iver.iment either did know,
or on.-ot to have Known > hy, r;,,r,lv of Mr. E’s
powers, and therefore Great Britain was Hot
bound to explain t 1 his answer, however,
did not occur to him. He contented himself
witit saying, 1st. that those explanation* had
been sent to Mr. hrshine to be made by’ him
2J. liv-iti'iy had been made to Mr. Pink
i. y by Mr. (.aiming; and lastly’, lie instnu
ofes that no such explanation was necessary,
from tne privi y of our government to Air.
jj (w«:is. 1 he two first of the>e ground*
admit ine necessity of an explanation; the
iast, as far as it goes, denies it. '1 he reason
'vliy Air. Jackson did not rv!y entifely on the
last, was, that the idea was too gross to be
expressed in plain terms, and was too palpa
bly false, to lie the only support of his cause.
But had Air. D,ilia’s doctrine presented it
self ti.cn to his mind, it would have saved
min the necessity of all prevarication ; ai
he might have innocently advancedasam , '
icr o! argument, what it was ihe extreme ; of
msoh nee tobsMert as a ina’ter of tact. * p
suiiject of a lui* p iwer is afterwards men' ;dm
ed la-e in tiie correspondence, but w ,-h a.
different view. As I shall have occas cn t<
notice tins hereafter, it will h i nonet. ;$*ary
tonwell longeron it at present.
I have shown, that Mr. D.ua’s an vrp#r>,
• Vino support M-. Jackson i., h , ,
nor j.i..tif\ i*rest B -uain in fur dif i\ 0wa
i hire .S but one remaining object it cun
rtV* • v * : to c -si a rename on • , ycr, ^
i vi.t, Lei us cwu,;d«i Liu U. , *
IV