The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-07-09


! negotiation Of Mr.. Jay would not in any relpea
weaken its engagements to this republic, would
have added, that they might eventually extend
to commercial tire ty, if it had been fuppofed
that the omiEion to give fuch information could
really be conlidered as a breach of legitimate
obIiga ion, as an evidence of diminifhed
tnendhiP. The information was mott proba-
bly, not given, becaufe it was unufnal, and be-
caule It could neither be confder:d as proper,
as neceHary, or as material The underfiqned
trult that the painful and unavaling difcuHions
on this lube4, rendered 70 unpeafant by the
manner n which it has been treated, will never
again be renewed.
Failing 70 the treaty itlelf, you FAY that the
imall majority by which it was fan6tioned in the
two houlcs Of Concre(s, and the number Of ref
pettable voices RATED againlt it in The nation,
dePoie honarably in favour Ct he opinion which
The French government has entertained of it.
But you mull be fenGble citizen miniRer, that
the criterion BY which you afcertain the merits
Of the nltument in queHion, is by no neans
intAIiIhe, nor can ( warrant the inference you
draw from il. In a republic Ike that of the
United States, y here no individual fears 70
utter what his Judgment or his paGions may
dictate, where an unre1rained prefs, CONVEYS
alike 70 the publ eye the lAbors of v;rtuc,
and the eft RS Of particular in-erefs, no fubiea
which agi,a'es and intereRs the pualc mind
can unite the public voice, or entrlY efcaDe
public cenlure. In p1rluit Of tie fine obie Is
diff renee Of opinion will ariGe in the pure4
m nds, from the different manner in which thore
objects are viewed and there are Gtuations IN
which a variety Of paGions combine to fence
the voice Of reafon, and to bctray the fundeR
Judgments. In fuch fituatons, if the mel Of
an inItrument is to be decided, not by tlelf, but
| By the appreciation or difapprobation i may
experience, i would furey be fafer rule to take
as guide the deciion Of a majority, howev. r
| imAll that majority may be, than to follow the
| minority. a treaty too may he oPPofed as in
furious 70 the United States, though it fhould
not contain fngie claufe which could prejudice
the interefs Of France. Il ought not 70 Be
tunPo1ed that q treaty would Tor that reafon be
otentive to this republic.
Had you been pleafed to fate any objections
to this lnitrument drawn from the compact itr-lf,
| the undersigned would have given to thofs Oh
e9ions the moa ferrous and rerpedful conGI-
Grafton. But i IS fuppofed that you adopt,
without adding 10 the complaints made BY your
Fredericton and Mr.. Adet, when you oblerve,
hat you will not repeat what they have iad.
| lhele complaints have been amply difcufed il
| the memorial the undersigned had the honor to
tanfmIt You, bearing date 18th Of January
| Il IS believed to have been demonRrated that
the Populations complained of do not in the
mott remote degree wound the interelts Of
France, afea the pre- exiting engagements of
the U. S. or change their Gtuation in relation to
the belgerent powers. Such, inconteHaby,
was and is the opinion Of the American govern
ment, and in this opinion only would the treaty
| have been agreed TO- AS no one Of the argu-
ments which have at various times been urged
on thu tnbje6 on the part Of the u. S. has ever
YET been noticed, the undersigned deem unne
cehary any attempt to re urge or to frengthen
| hem. You fly that you we'll content yourlelf
4 with oferving, fummAriiy, that in this treaty
every thing having been provided to turn the
neutrality Of The u. S. to he disadvantage of
the French republic, and to the advantage Of
England; he the Federal Government hav-
ing IN this act made to Grea britain, conccHions
the mott unheard Of, the mot incompatible
with the int It's of the u. S. and the mott de-
rogatory from the alliance which exiaed be
sweep the frd States and the French republic,
he later was perfectly free TO avail itlelf Of the
Preic' vAtory means with which it was furniihed
by the laws of nature and Of nations. and By
is anterior treaty for the purpofe of PIrrying
the inconvenience Of the treaty Of London.
Such are the reaions which have determined
the arre'es of the Directory, of which the u S,
complain, as well as The conduct If its agents
IN the Antilles" But you have not hewn a
Jingle ProviGon (which tuns the neutrality Of
he u S. to the dildvantage of the French
republic and TO the advantage Of England"
You have not lhewn a ingle concefIion in
compatible with the inte-eRs Of the U. So Or
" derogatory from their alliance with France"
It's confdered as having been demonRra ed
that this treaty leaves the neutrality Of the us.