Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-06-28

- soie forn TO The reflection aud Interests
!" OF an emil sh,ened naion would be sue.
cessiul IN removing every obstacle, 10 a
" perfect aud permanent Cordially b.
tween the two nations" About the
tune The non-imporlation act was 10 take
effect, dispatches were received from Mes
srs. Monroe aud Pinkney, stating that
negotiations wire then in a train for the
adJus ment OF the differences between
Great Britain and the u s. and recon-.
mehding the suspension of the act They
say "the ground which Congress have la.
ken IN this ju.t aud salu,ary measure, we
are Tar from wishing 10 abandon /; bu, To
suspend and abandon are very different
things. The last would wound deeply
the honor OF the Daion, and pro rate the
character of The government; bu, the
hrsyis Ia perfea conformity wi h the sp,.
rat and purpose of ne law, and While =.
would furnish signal proof of The equ V
and moderation of our public coun
ellis, would preserve unimpaired, that Fl, n.
and digaiied attitude which il become
Us at ali tlmes bur especially now, to
mainiaIn." This signal proof of the
qoi,y a"d moderation of our public Gun
c'is vas instantly gwen, not only by a
suspension oil the non importation act,
bur p,wer gwen the Preside mt to SD pend
II for further time if the sta e Of things
b=twee', the two Countries should require
4. This was done by The PRESIDED mt in
he month Of March 1907, even alter h,
refused TO raiiiy he treaty negotiated by
Messrs. M nroe and Plnkney until The
nexl meeting of Congress Thereby CIV
ing to the b fish government, new eyl
denee of mo I sincere desire OF pa.t Il np
an end to differences that ought not to ex
Isl betweeh Two nations, having so many
motives TO establish aud che sh mu VA
friendship. In March, 1907, The Pres,.
lieut. received from our ministers in In
gland, a treaty, siyHrd by the commission
ers OF the two nations, The 3lst Decembe,
preceding this treaty, for reasons tina,
'I'i hereafter explain, was with great pro
or'e y, rejected by the President and our
minister's were direc(ed to renew the ne.
quotations with Gieat Britain, with the
fullest assurance, OF our desire to main.
tam the frlenliy relations between the
two nations, % Conducive To the happl
ness OF both OF which disposition he had
gwen recon aud uieqnlvocal proof. /,
any further evaeaceis teqartd o prove
the sincerity Of hts declai ion, nee;.
only refer TO he CORE spnnderc bet eer
Me- Madison aud our min.ste' in E 'glsnd
Tom which II does appear, 'ha we No.
only hav- RICH, on our side, bat hat OUT
claim have been asserted with an sbhi,y
dignliy, temper and muderai, u tina
ought to have eusures US redr, SIS, and
thai the failure can only be asc,lbed to
a confideuce IN power and disregard d
right,
Not long after the return OF this treaty
L. is known TO you thai the British shit
Leopard, in view OF a strong British q d.
dror, then vi, hin our waters, commll.et
the most flagranl and outrageous VIOLA.
ton OF our national honor, BY al. sck;nf
the American frigale Chesapeake, undel
circumstances ct the most aggravatinf
kindi that immediately afterwards, thI
squadron took alton near Norfolk, anC
committed every act OF hos illy, short o
attacking that town that in defiance o
the Proclamation, it remained wih. n ou
le1rrory. even after he arrival oil MIR
Ros: at Washington, AID pending his me-
g"clsion. 1.-THE President had been de-
sirous, as he has been falsely charged
. So to war with Great Britain, how easy
and with wha' little responsibility ceult
he have hen plunged he IVA ion into war
Instead of which, without sacrifice o
our honor, he look the course dictated b.
he soundest wisdom and policy. He de
ma ded Of Great Britain, whether thi
act had been committed under The au,ho
ri'y of that government, and If not, hs
she should make honorable and promp
reparation, such as she would expect I'm
der similar circumstances.
| You have seen the pretence that wa
made in England, Cor not making reparati
on. or even treating about it-that our 20
/ snment demanded, "as a security of III
ia 1re, an entire abolition of impressment
fron vessels under the flag of the Unite
States. The connection between tines
subjects must be obvious, as, but for III
ipract.ce Of imPressments, there woul
nave been no pretence for the outrage com
mitted without the abandonment Of tn
practice, there would be no security tina
there would not be repetition of the sam
violence. The British demanding the re
vocation of the proclamation OF The Presi
dent, as a preliminary TO discussion {
the nature and extent of the PREPARATION W
should receive, is proof that the aban
| donment Of the right to impress from on