Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-03-03

sa 81 "a Z :
lure a neutral trade, net open 10 time o.
ipeace1 ascribee; to gentleman hign IN Oh
lice. Who has deseryedly acquired great &C.
s!lebriiy in the political worid. Is VIII be
found that the principle commended for IN
q the resolution, i have cited, obtained as
1 early as The first rise OF regular commerte
aud was even reduced 10 system, IS early
IA 1883, To this doctrine Greas Britsin
accedcd by treaty with Sweden, in 1865,
and afterwards, in 1914, she~actuallv CLAIM
! ed and enjoyed the benefit Of free trade,
she being at that time in peace. and the
Dutch in war with France. With what
kind OF pretexs can Great britain presena
TO deprive as Of the exercise OF the very
rights which she herselt had claimed, ana
exercised upon precisely the same Princs.
pies? Besides those neutral rights have,
bv constant and very long usage, become
the established law of nations, and nave
from time to time been&ingraited into ma
ny treatiss. even where Great Britain vas
herself party. Upon this doctrine thus
sustained, we request the Presfdentto de-
mand and insist upon the restoration OF the
property of cur citizens, captured ana con-
1demned on the pretexyso tits being employ
ed in d trade with the enemies OF Great
Britain, prohibited in time ofpeace, and
upon the inde notification Of such American
citizens forIheir losses and damages sus-
{ tame d-by these captures aadcondemnations.
1t has been objected that the language OF
this resolution is too strong, that the words
demand and insist go too far; and that the
absolute restoration Of our vessels, &c.
will by these words being retained, be macs
(, the sins qua nor OF an~aecommodauon wltll
Great Britain. If, sir, we~weret TO express
ourselves, in less forcible language, we
should, IN my opinion, subvers our own
principles, and recede from the high grouna
we have taken, which might eventually RAJ
dicaly destroy ou neutral rights, aud COM
pletelv paralize our commerce.
The words demand and insist are diplo.
uaalic, and as such Eos, proper to be used,
and the more so, as they seem to be appro-
pr,s,e to the principle OF the first RESOLUTION.
Bur, Mr.. President, the latter part of this
resolution, (which indemnlhcation may
be made, and new arrangements catered
into with Great Britain, SO far ameliorate
fkose precedent zvords that the President
vii! possess ample powers, according to e
true exposition of the whole taken toge-
ther, aud he vii! not, In my opinions, be
,rammetled ia the m&uper the gentleman
from Ohio conceives. In setting na,lcaat
differences, il has ever been necessary, in
some poiats togiVe aii,tle, and 10 others 10
take, according as the peculiar circums'an-
ces, upon which the negotiation might hap
pen to turn, either upon point OF national
honor, or an interesting point OF nauonai
commerce. or both SO connected as not
we'll 70 be severed. Upon the whole, Mr..
President, do believe if-willbe highly
important that the Senate should, at this
interesting moment, express their opinion
upon cur national concerns with Great Brl.
tain in such language, that the sense we en-
terrain OF our injuries cannot be mistaken,
'fhe principles and policy of our govern
.ment sepure, that we should prefer nego.
cia.ioa In the FRS. instance; and the .adoP.
lion of the resolution, by a strong vote of
this body, will doubtless add great weight
10 the object. IF, however, we should un-
lonusa,ely be driven TO the dcrnier resort,
tyasg we shah never recede one point
from TIE grouud we have taken, as express.
ed IN our-asst resolution
(Io be reatinuea.J