Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-09-13

AtL Nd
ing was SD anxi GUS for IN London, the Sc
paratien of the aff ir of the Chesapeake
from all others, without having made, or
even rendered any spec &c PREPARATION what
ever.
| Let Us now test the remarks of Mr. Can
ming by this indisputable statement of facts.
| 90 In the whole conduct of the British
government, with respect TO the affair of the
chesapeake, we have endeaycred to keep
in view the principle upon VIII ch we set
ont, namely, to make ample repara ion for
that which was a decidedly wrong act !;
but to make that rep ,raton under deter /;
m'nation not to surrender a right which
the great minority of the country has ever
considered as essential to its dearest inter-
tests"
The outrage is allowed to have been de
cidedly wrong act, for which the British
government was bound TO make ample re-
paratioD. How have they shewn the sin :
cerity OF their purpose to make this repair
atom! Has this been shewn by their omis
sion to make this PREPARATION the moment
tney heard OF the outrage, when 1t might
nave been made without negotiating with,
OF at all consulting our government, by an
unqualified dis vowal of the act, by break
| ing and furnishing the officer who commit
trial, and by pecuniary indemnity for the
inJu y done to the Chesapeake! Have they
even restored the men, who if they had no
right to take, they certainly had no ri snt
TO retain! These acts, distinctly, or IN the
aggregate, might hive been performed by
the British government themselves. ID ID
they do the whole, or either of them II ID
they telt the repro ich upon tne.r charac
tcrs, as they ought to have felt il, wou.o
they not have pursued this course
No, the affair was submitted TO negocia-
ton, and ON the eve of this negociauon sill
greater outrage on ur rights W re commit
q, not by suDrdiu ,te off GERS, bu. by the
ministers themselves, expressly enforced
oy me roy Al salct on and ,pprovedby Par
lament. Is tnis the pro- Mr. CaI~.ins al
iudes tn OF a totd freedom rom bad dis.
'sltioas Oh the part of his mAjestJ's IN n
listers
Blu, t seems that it was resolved only
ITO make ,htt repair All n uud n !, deterrent
Nation NOT to surrender a ght winch the
lSreat III Joriy % he country has ever con-
sidered as essential to its dearest N erests.
| ms aiindes 20 the general subject of I'M
pressments, winch the AmeriC IN eovsra-
lnent Was IN The first instance AN Siou, To
pace upon such a footing as to SECURE their
seanen aud vessels from all lurute ou;ra-
yes, and with THIS view origin lily aimed at
"niting the general subject wah the par.i-
cni'',' case of the Chesapeake WAC
was immediately abandoned, wnen they
iound that u might be an obstacle to a sa-
Cis'aCtory arrangement of the affair o. the
chesapeake. Mr.. Canning's flourish,
Niereiore, on this point, is idle AID Irrele-
vant. Ikat determination on the part of
the br tish government, unjust as it was.
presented no obstacle 60 their dong US full
justice, To their making ample reparation
tor the ou,ras. on the chesapeake.
Mr.. Cunning proceeds to Eay-t Sir, /
may ooids, appel to the country to deter
NM, whether from the correspondence on
tnS table ~ the House. any bad d sposit on
on the pact of his nj jesty's minister's ms
appeared through the whole transaction.
That the rupture OF the negotiation Oh this
su Ject Was not attended with any hostile
ieShnS on eiitler side, is an incontroyer. :
Die truth. However boldly Mr. Gaming
may assert that no bad disposition mas up
peared on The part OF his majesty's min 5.
ters ihrousho the whole transaction, we
speak WIN equal conf lence in saying tina
mere - NOT an independent and intelligent
\ nerlcan that dos not view the wRoe
TRANSACTION, as marked by a bad disposi, To-,
an every part vi AZ. TINS bad disposition
appears ia omitliBs for moment TO make
repatriation, and afterwards in making the
tender OF repar-t on depend on previous
concession on our part Mr. Canning al
iows TIE outrage TO nave been a decidedly
"'e"s act and he does not say, he cannot
say "ish any colour OF trash, mat the pro-
Cisihdtloh vas any thing more than se-
como measure o. prec iut.on against similar
'ulrases, whiie the origna, Outrage re
'laihed uneton-d. IL was moreover mea-
sure wu'Ch NJ had perfect righe TO take,
DIS 10 taking iS we vioiated no British rignt.
WA any Yle then, dare 10 say, without ex-
posing 1is understanding to impeacnm. ut,
that biisaIn had rish AMI that she man
Tested god d lsp1sItIon in asserting il, to
reiu'- making atonement for a wrong act
Committed oy her, uDth we had rsscindedi
righiui ACT OF ours! WI ne dare u
say tina, the agsressor has a right to de-
mand redress, instead OF the aggrI, we'd :!
mat the hsuited anu injured parry shall
De OBJ ged IN the FIRST instance t. make con
cession! That the midnight robber, who
las broken into my hou,e and stolen !,
goods, has right 10 demand tnat I shall
uloar my doors, WA ch had pu pOsely Sc
cured against further violations, before he
snail be Obliged to surrender the goods he
aas stolenl
Bus It seems "that the rupture ofthe ne
sociation on THIS su Ject was not attended,
with any hostile feeling on either SIDE"
30 ar as Pr Canning undertakes TO sneak