Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-07-11
From the REGISTER.

incapacity committed by our government
and its ministers, few have afforded iuster
grounds for apprehension, than the Outrage
offered to the government of neutral and
friendly nation, by Our ambassador in
France.
Whether we contemplate Mr. Living.
stems mcanness in crouchingto those BY
whom he has been uniformly treated with
insult and contempt--his folly in commit.
ling the peace Of his nation to gratify an a.
aiiposity as childish as it is vindictive-or
|. his injustice in utt@ring the toulyyt & mos,
indecent accusations against a peopI- with
whom it is our interest to renlain at peace
Our sense Of the improperly is equal.
" stropg, and orr condemnation Of the
measure ought to be equally unresery.
ed
The first question which naturally occurs
on reading his letter is. zvas it necessary
Even supposing the guilt of Great-Britaip
established, was it necessary THAI the A.
MERIcAK MINISTER should pass sehtence
on her.
When was Mr.. Livingston constituted
an arhiter of the laws and usages OF nations
In what school of diplomacy has he acquir.
ed even the experience to judgr OF them
and by whom has he been invested with the
right to decide on them? will it be pretend.
ed that the formation CT an opinion on this
subject appertained to his Office as a neu'
trail minister of peaces in such character
is he to designate the rights Of b9lligerent
powers-and was he sent TO France Tor the
purpose ofjoining IN paper warfare against
Great Britain
The usual duties attached to diploma.
tie~station neither require nor admltot sueh
conduct. The representatives. Of neutral
nation are bound to maintain their. neutra'
lily, not.onIy in their public acts, but in tn:
Official declaration Of their opinions. and ii
they attack tie reputation, or assall the ma
tional honor Of a people they AFFORD just
and legitimate cause OF war.
IF the measure was not GecessarI?, !etns
ask whether under these circumstances
which led to It, il wasJust
Did EIr. Livingston in. bis Judicial ca
pacitv ever give judgment on the repre-
sentation Of one parry Only? Has not MS
knowledge ;of English laws so far taught
.'lim the principles OF Justice, rs to have
informed him, that opinion ougntto be
formed till both parties are heard and e117
named. The letters of Mr.. Drake might
have been forgeries, the plotltselt a ta2r1:
cation, and the whole mere nanevr- q
i3onaparte's to justify or excuse his own
coad4lcs. Yet Mr.. Livingston taking al
that was asserted as g proved" or what
is pretty much the same Thug, as . midi.
cated,'' exceeds even the malignity d
Talleyrand in his insolence and outrage
But even on the papers before him, his
sensuves were unjust and un!ounded.
There is not syllable IN the whole cor.
respondence of vi. Drake, which warrants
the. charge of: Intended assassination
There ale indeed some metaphorical ex'
presyions- which the malignant ingenuity
Of our mnis,era' papers have tortured int
to sueh@a construction; but they are ,alI
most evidently applied to the dethrone-
ment, and not TO the personal destructloA
of Bonapagte. Besides the British govern
nent have explicitly denied and with spirit
resented the charge, and it now lies upol
their accuscrs to prove it. This they haya
not pretended to do. ~.
q'he other part of the accusation which
Mr. Livingston dweIIs on with SO ,mue1
pleasure, VIZ. that Mr.. Drake had. violated
the rules prescribed Tor the conduct Of de
plomatic men, shews an equal ignoranceeF
history and Of public law.
Did Mr.. Drake stand in any other rsis-
zion to France than as an Englishmau: -
Was he known to her in his official capact <
ty; and where is the writer OIL jurlsprS /
deEce who Drstcnds tllat c. minister 90 eSar Z