Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-10-17


ss;;:s si, 'as' tie is ss s:: !:
last on the list 9th yX * nays should, in
case sufficient Lumber of federal votes
were previously given to reject the con-
vention, vote against it to secure the means
OF reconsidering the vote of rejection +;
tbeing standing rule of the senate that
motion to re consider can only be made
by one who w ,ed in the majority. After
the vote, this member moved reconside-
ration OF the questions and the republi-
can members voting in the affirmative, it
was carried: when, the further conside-
ration OF the convention was postponed un-
I'll the next session. These measures took
place at the beginning OF March, 1903,
not quite seven months from the date of
the convention, .Thatit was not then ra-
tiled was altogether owing 10 the votes of
the federalists. AT the next session which
commenced in October its consideration
was resumed, and such change having
taken place in the senate as to make two
thirds OF its members republican, it Was
ratified.
Thus, then, have we demonstrated that
The President and the rel ubli:an part of
The Senate have done all in their power TO
secure the ratification of the convention,
and that every atom of blame among orr
selves arising from delay is ascribable to
the opposition.
There remains one view TO be taken,
which Is perhaps, in the present state Of
affairs between the two nations, more in
tetesting than any which merely regards
division among ourselves.
One of the grounds Oh which Spain is
represented to refuse the ratification OF the
Convention is the delay on our part. To
this, it may be confidently replied that
the Convention provides for claims against
SPAN whose Justice cannot be lessened
by time and that at this very moment, even
without the existence of such Convent
en-, her good faith as strongly requires
Provision TO- them as With il. i also
being confined 10 q single cbisa affords
Tie, # aAy ground cor change IF ~ =
non arising from change of circu.n-
stances. IL would. therefore, appear
to be the duty o. the Spanish governments.
Notwithstanding III d:iay which has oc-
CURED, to ratitY lhe Convention. or to Of
Irr an equivalent provision. But there
are sill stconee reasons for this. What.
ever OF impolicy here may have been in
declining 10 ralify ihe cory en,ion in the
session Of 1923 and. however, we may
Ind Just cause To Ccnsuie nose w&o voted
Tor its rejection. there cen be no doub, :Eat
the Unauthorized aggression at y. Orleans
ny hIgh o.ticerq Of spain would have Iustifi
ed the Un'ita States in refusing mn attenli-
on to any pending arrange ments between
the two nations unit! this point was settled.
Ihis was then an obstacle TO the carry ing
OF those arrangements into effect, raised
on the part of Spain, wlcn We had a right
20 avail ourselves of whether it was au.
thoIlsed by her government, or her subor-
d'nate officers, for whose conduct she is
responsible. Shall it then be conterided
that delay an our Fart, occasioned alto
gether by her, shall be made use Of to
Justify refusal to do us Justice No. The
merits OF the question hang not so much
on the delay, as on the cause Of it: which
can oni. be ascribcdtoher. We hope howe
yer ths, events will shew that the Spanish
government has bren illuminated, and
that her measures towards us will, on ma.
ture reneclion, be such as houor, Justice
add friendship dictate.
1t may b. proper, before we close these
remarks, to ob.ervs that an egregious err
ror has been committed in representing
Tire Convention 70 contain provision tha;
$ ould not be binding on either nation
unless ratified within twelve months. 1t
contains no such provision. II only pro-
vides that ii shall be ratified as soon as hcs-
6ible.
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I Hi Subscribers having rented
convenient Lumber House on the Canal
BASIN, offer their services undsi the finn &c
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