The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-04-08 00:00:00

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IlWe have already laid Wove ear Readers the
ianly Resolutions moved by Ms. Ross, in the
elate of the United Stales, relative to the free na-
'grad in of the Mississippi. They have- uced
K d•eptet impression throughout A We
eve now an opoortunity of Laying before pu!).
c, from an American Paper of the 7th ult: th
peech with which Mr. Ross introduced his Rest,-
mons. We invite the earnest attention of our
Leaders to the subject.
SITATE, Minium,' Fin. 11, ISO).
Mr. Ross rose and said, That although he came
from a part of the country where the late events
upon the Mississippi had excited great alarm, and
selieitude, he had hitherto forborne the expression
of his sentiments, or to bring forward any measure
relative to the unjustifiable and oppressive condua
of the Spanish Government at New Orleans. lie had
waited taus long ii the hope :lea some person more
likelt7 to conciliate and unite the opiniens of a ma-
jority of the Senate, world have afforded efficacious
measures for their consideration. Bat seeing the
Seeion now drawing to a close without any such
proposition, he could not reconcile a longer silence
either to his own sense of propriety, or to the duty
he owed to his Constituents. He could not consent
to go home without making one effort, however
feeble or unsuccessful, to avert the celamity which
dire:aeried the western country. Present ;appear-
ances, he confessed, but little justified the hope that
any thing he might propose would .be adepted ; yet
it would at least afford him some consolation here-
after, that when the storm was approaching, he had
done his dray, hv waming those who had peuti- in
their hands, bi the means they ought to employ in
order to resist it.
Ile was fully aware that the Executive of the
United Setae had aged—that he had sent an Envoy
Estraerdiaary to Europe. This was the peculiar
province, and perhaps the duty of the President.—
Ile would net ::at, it was unwise, in this state of af-
fairs, to prepare for remonstrance or negotiation,
much less was he about to propose any measure
which would thwart negotiation or embarrass the
Ex:eta:ire :—On the other hand, he was convinced,
that more than nehetietien was absolutely neces.
sat:. ; that more hoover and more means ought to be
given to the Presitleht, in order es render his neeo-
eation efficacious. Could the President proceed ihr-
ther, even if he thought more Yip roes measures pro-
per and expedient ? Was it in his power to repel or
punish the indignity put upon the ration ? Could he
use the public force to redress our wrongs ? Certainly
tot. This roust be the ea of Congress. They are
row to judge of ulterior treasures. They must
give the power, and vote the means to vindicate, in
a heceming manner, the wounded honour, and the
bc't interests of the country.
Mr. R. said he held in 'his bend certain Resolu-
tions fur that purpose, and, le:fore he offered them to
the Senate, he would very fat' explain his reasons
for bringing then+ fore-reel, mid pressing them with
earnestness, as the best system the United States
could now pursue.
It was certainly unnecessary to waste the time of
that Bode,stating that we bad a solemn, explicit
treaty with Spain. That this treaty had been wan-
toely and nnprovokedly vielated, not only in what
related to the bimiAppi, Ina by the most flagrant
and deo r alive spoliation if our commerce, on every
part of the ocean where Spanish armed vessels met
the American flag. These spoiietions were of im-
mense magnitude, and demanded the most serious
notice of our Government. They had been followed
by All indignity, and a direa infetaion of our treaty
relative to the Mississippi, which bore an ;toped not
to he dissembled or mistaken.
To the free navigation of that river we had an
undeubted right frem nature, and from the position
of our Westein Country. This right, and the
right of deposit in the island of New Orleans, had
been solemnly acknowledged and faxed by treaty, in
! 795. That treaty had been in aaual operation for
Many years. And now, without pretence of abuse
or violation on eer part, the officers of the Spanish
Government deny the right, refuse the place of de-
posit, and atid the most offensive of all insults, by
forbidding us to land or touch their shores, and
slanting us out as a common nuisance.
By whom have these outrages been offered ? By
those who have constantly acknowledged our right,
but now tell us they are no longer owners of the
country ! 1 hey have given it away ! And because
they have no longer a right themselves, therefore
they turn us out, who have an undoubted right.—
They dispossess us of that in which they disclaim
all right themselves. Such an insult, such unpro.
yoked malignity of condua, no nation but this
would affect to mistake; and yet we not only hesitate
to take the course which interest and honour call us
to pursue, but we bear it with patience, tameness,
and apparent unconcern. Whom does this infrac-
tion of the treaty and the national rights of this
countrysmost intimately ailed ? If the wound of na-
tiered honour be not sensibly felt by the whole na-
tion, is there not a large portion of your citizens
exposed to immediate ruin by a continuance of this
state of things ? The calamity lights upon all those
who live upon the western waters.
More :hen half a million of your citizens are by
this cut off from market. What would be the lan-
guage—what would be the feelings of gentlemen in
this House, were such an indignity offered on the
Atlantic coast ? What would they say, if the Chesa-
peake, the Delaware, or the Bay of New York
were shut up, and all egress prohibited by a foreign
power ? and yet none of these waters embrace the
interests of so many as the Mississippi. The num-
bers and property affected by shutting this river, are
much greater than the blockade of any Atlantic river
would extend to. Every part of the Union is equally
entitled to proteftion, and no good reason could be
offered why one pan should be less attended to than
another. •
The experience of all times has proved, that with
nations, as well as with individuals, submission to
aggression and insult unithrmly invites a repetition
and aggravation of the mischief. To repel at the
outset is more easy, as well as more honourable, for
the injured party. Fortunately for this country,
there could be no doubt in the present case. Our
national right had been Acknowledged and secured
soknady by treaty. The treaty had been ilia state
of execution. It was now violated and denied with-
out provocatine er apology. Treaty then was no
security. The invaded right was one, the security
03 which ouglit not to be precarious. It was

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. •0 AMERICA
I 1 We have already laid Wow oar Rea
.*
• sanly Resolutions moved by Me. Rosa,
else* et the Unites! States, relative to tho
'gall In of the Mississippi. They have 1
K dnest impression throughout Ames
are now an oivortunity of laying before
c, train an American Paper of the 7th
pcech with which Mr. Ross introduced 1
scions. W invite the earnest attentior
Leadars to the subjea.
............
SITATE, Minium,' Fin. 14, ISO).
Mr. Ross rose and said, That although
from a part of the country wh.:re the lat
upon the Mississippi had excited great al
solicitude, he had hitherto forborne the e
of his sentiments, or to bring forward any
relative to the unjustifiable and oppressivt
of the Spanish Government at New Orleanl
waited taus long in the hope that some pen
like!ti to conciliate and unite the opinions •
jority of the Senate, would have afforded c
R' • measures for their consideration. But s:
Session now drawing to a close without
•Al proposition, he could not reconcile a long
1 etthn to his own sense of propriety, or to
he owed to his Constituents. He could no
to go home without making one effort,
..., fcehle or unsuccessful, to avert the c.danii
thr.:atened the western cottn!ry. Present
ances, he confessed, but little justified the I
any thing hr might propose would .be a‘hir
it would at least afford him some consolat
after, that when the storm was approachini
done his duty, by warning those who had
their hands, 6i the means they ought to et
order to resist it.
• Ile was fully aware that the Executiv
, Is. United Stat.::, had aged—that he had sent :1
Lttraordiaary to Europe. This was the
ar ' province, and perhaps the duty of the Pte
Ile would not !::tj it was unwise, in this st
fairs, to prepare for remonstrance or ne
; I , much less was he about to propose any
, . which would thwart negotiation or emba
F.x.:cutiv-:—On the other hand, he was CI
that more than 11t"..,(41Atit.11 U :IS absolute
sat:. ; that more IN)WCT and more means on
given to the President, in order to render
tnition efficacious. Could the President pro
li .1
thcr, even if he thought more rigs rous mea.
per and expedient ? Was it in his power ti
.(.14 . punish the indignity put upon the ration ?
If , use the public force to redress our wrongs ?
....1 tot. This raust be the al of Congress.
4 . , r..,w to judge of ulterior treasures. Ti
fire the power, and vote the means to vim
iill a becoming manner, the wounded honour
bc't interests of the country.
Mt. R. said he held in Lis hand certair li
time' fur that purpose, and, h.:tOre h. oft-cm
the Senate, he would very fulls' explain Ii
for bringing them forward, and' pressing 11
earnestness, as the best system the Unite
could now pursue.
.
i It was certainly unnecessary to waste th
. ' that Bowl:, n stating that we had a solemr
... treaty with Spain. That this treaty had Ii
, ) tonly and nnprovekedly violated, not unl:
related to the Mississippi, but by the most
and druatuaive spoliation of our commerce,
part of the ocean where Spanish armed vc
• , s
I the Ant-tric.m flag. These spoiiations we
mense magnitude, and demanded the mo
notice of our Government. They had been
by All indignity, and a direft it: Iraklion of I
relative to the Mississippi, which bore an :1
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