Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-08-31
FROM TAX AURORA.
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MIR. DDdne....The legal opinion which
you published in the Aurora &C the s2O,h
inst. from a BALTIMORE paper, respeGlipg
the dispute between this country * Spain,
appears TO me to be document Which ne.
ri,s the most serious attention of the clti-
zens OF the United Sta,rs--end il is Gers
family your duty ard the duty Of every
man m q similar situation, 10 endeavor by
every possible means, to asccitaia the
truth of The facts stated or rather ins.nu-
ased, IN ths Bstsnore paper respecting
this business
:. If il is true that ihnse lawyers, who
gave this opinion, were emplcyed by The
Spanish ambassadors at fee (perbaps 1t
would be mere corpeet 10 call i, bribe,
OF thousand dollars each 10 give the Opt
Mon, aud know Tor what parpose II was IN.
teadsd---if they kne@ il was designed "a
be transmitted 10 SpSia and ma se use of
by the Spanish government sgai,.s st their
OWE country. 10 rrv4e that tbs Cnted
States have no legal Clam upon Spsln Tor
4 an indenni6cas.ou for the depgdaiiens
! they have comniitted OF olr'comrnesee-
II shey knew ali this at The time he OBI.
MON was given, and IL is tue that the opi-
Mon was actually made use Of by he Ssrs
Bish government foe The above mentioned
purpose and our claim for Indemnifca-
lion has been defeated by that Inesns---
they have certainly been guilty OF sn ach
OF the most objectionable treacLery to
their country. I hope tor the honor OF
the American character shat such is not
The fact--but really tile affair bears very
suspicious aspect at present. Il is lrue
that the supposed case on which The opi-
mon IS predicaied Ia a simple question be-
tween A, u and C-~but IL they knew what
were alluded 10 by these letters, the of<
fence IS as gfes, as if the aeveral countries
were particularly named.
It's The quo animo with which the thing
was doce that constitutes is cri1nina.,ty.
A majority Of the lawyers who gave
this opinion are Of he 6rst Standing at
The bar, and as legal characters are well
kfowf'in several European countries, this
Tie Spanish ambass ador knew very welt,
and all parties knew what We gH their opi4
nous would have with the Spanish governs
Iment- Let us suppose similar case, if
a dispute OF the same kind we're 10 IKE
place between Great Britain and the u
United Statess and our aasb<ssador al Lon
don, nov 10 obtain The opinion OF Mr.. Ers-
kline, Cafrow and three OF four o hers, tf
the most celebrated iawycfs.in Euglsnl
| 1.-THE attorney general among the rest, mast
decidedly in our favor. would nos these q.
pinions have very grea, weight wi,h our
government.
Viewing theqneslion in This way, pre-.
sunre you viii be Of optIisn with me that
IL the fscls are as lhsy have been stated,
the conduel Of those lawyers tsio the high
est degree repfehsnslve, aud thai The lNcts
ought 20 be enquIred into.
Another question which merits conside>
ration IS, whsther ihs oviu,o9 given 3
rorsrd 10 pom, OF law. This y1.Ot shall
take an opportunity TO inyes,,gs,e when
have more lcisure 60 attend Ton. must
however soys tnst ths Agreements made use
OF TO prove thst the release OF ghis coua-
Try 20 France, viii operate az release to
Spain likewise, is. IN my opinion, the most
y. sfahis sophis,ry ever read. But c.
ven sf the opinion il correa in poipt &c
\ law, II will nos Justify tee lawyers whe
gave i. snaer seGa circumstances.
SfEERFIN.