Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-01-14

WCISs To %tOlitIdSt ~ iOiu 49, 80 -
navigation Of the river Miditiippi for the
term OF twenty-five or thirty years, and
earnettly adviied our adopting It. The
fualees now took a decided torn; there.
was no further ambiguity in it, and we
were iuIpriied for realons thar have been
alseady given, that he had taken upthe
iublecf OF commerce at all. we we're
greatly furprifed it lhould form the pm
cipal Object Of the project, and that par
tialo temporary facrihce OF that lntefelt'
for the advancement OF which the negocl-
alton was fer on foot, should be the CONT
dsration propofed 10 be given tor IT. Bur
the Honorable Secretary urged, that n
was neeeiIary 70 itand well with SPAN;
that the commercial project was a bench
cial one, and ihould not be neglected ;
chat iiipuIallon TO forbear the uie con-
tanned an acknowledgement, on her part OF
the right of the United States; that we
were in no condition to take the river,
and therefore gave nothing for II; with
other relGons which perhaps ! have forgot
ten; for the fubjet in detail has nearly
cicaped my memory. We differed with
the Honorable Secretary, almoft IN every
reipett. We admitted indeed the propFl-
ETY. Of fanding well with Spain, but iuP-
pofed we might accomplish that end ar
lealt on equal terms. We coniidered the
stipulation to forbear the uie, as lpecies
of barter, that lhould never be connie
nanced in the councils of the American
aatss, iince it might tend to the deitruc-
tion.of the fociety itfelf for forbearanee
of the uie Of one river, might lead unto
more exteniivc consequences, to that Ct
the Chefapeake, the Potomac, or any O.
Their OF the rivers that eniptied into 1t. In
lhori, that the councils of the contedera-
cy fhould be conducted with more magma
nimity and candour, fhouid contemplate
the benefit Of all parts upon common prin-
ciples, and not the facridcc of one part FOR
that of another. There appeared to US
material difference between hipuiating by
treaty to forbear the ufe, and not being
able to open the river. The former would
be conidered by the inhabitants OF the
Weftern Country as an act OF hottllity
the latter might be fulfilled by our inabi-
lity. And with reipet to the CONNER
cial part of the project, we really thought
it an i'll adyiied one, on lis own merits
lolely.
Thus was this project brought before
Congrefs, and 70 far as | recollett, IN this
form and upon shefe principles. Il was
the fubjea Of tedious and lengtay DIFF
culon in that honorable body. Every
ditinet meafure that was taken do not
now remember, nor do | fuppofe IT OF
coufsquence. I have lhewn the outline
of the tranrattion, which is, if | apPrehend
rightly, all thar the committee with TO
poileia. TIE communications OF the Sc
cretary were referred TO committee OF
the whole houle. The delegates OF the
feven eaaernmoa fates voted that the ul-
timata in the Secretary's nstfuclonS' De
repealed which was reported to the houie
and entered on the journal by the oecre-
tary of Congrsis, that the queition was
carried. Upon this entry, conltltutl-
onal queaion aroGe TO this effect " Nine
fases being neceaary, by the federal con
Ritution, TO give an ioarutfion, and le-
ven having repealed part OF an Untrue
tion 70 given, for the formation OF trea-
~ with foreign power, 70 as TO alter Its
import, and authorize, under the remain
Ing part thereof, the formation OF trea-
~, on principles altogether different from
what the iaid lnfruttion originally con-
senplated, can fuch remaining part be
conii,lered as in force and conRitutionally
obligatory - We preded on Congrefs
for a decilion on this point often, but
without effect. Notwithstanding this, |
underaood it was the intention OF the Sc
cretary to proceed and conclude treaty,
a.. ,ut.h tha MI