Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-02-10

lin up al marvellous ta,e, with all the |
Engines in their power.
The object of MIR Canning was two
old:
LIST. To establish, that the government
If the United States had never authorized |
MIR Pinkoey to make a direct overture for |
\ reciprocal repeal of the orders in coun.
ell and the embargo.
I'd. To establish, that the orders of coun.
Gil were not known in the Ui.aed States,
so 10 be moving consideration to lay |
ing the embargo.
Now as to the first branch of his obiecl,
the written note of MIR Pinkney, of Au-
gust 23d, 1893, is inconirovertible evil
dence that the proposition was made.
4" am authorized tsays Mr. Pinkney) to
make you this offer in the most formal
manner" As to quibbling about previous
SC. it is, on the part # Nj,
Canning, clearly begging the question
The offer was made by order OF our gn-
vernmenl, and scornfully rejec,ed--ihat is
enough.
With respect to the second branch, that
the orders were known in America, and
werela moving consideration to The laying
on the embargo, Mr. Canning himself ad
mits 1t by fair implication. His sole refug
Is, that it was not officially known. Tina
Is granted; they were not officially known;
but they were known completely and sub,
stantlally, and were, directly aud urequi
v"cally, the mnving, main, and leading
cause of the embargo.
The English secretary, indeed, with az
his shrewdness, does strangely out Gun
ming himself. For instance. in his lette
OF Nov. 22d, 1903, to Mr. Pinkney, h
says
" Even if it were only from your own
individual authority, 1t was very material,
and highly gratifying 70 learn, that the
embargo which had besn sometimes re-
presented, both here and In America, as
the direct and immediate consequence of
he orders in council of November, and a..
produced solely by them, was in your o.
p'nion, "a measure of precauiion against
reasonably anticipated peril"
Its IN this way. that MIR Canning insin-
yates tha, the embargo was NOT occasioned
by the orders, but was precautionary
measure against anticipated peril. But
surely, the Precaution and anticipation of
she measure is no evidence that the en-.
barge did not result from the orders :;
for, you will observe, the embargo was
precautionary after we came to a knowI-
edge Of the orders; not, indeed, against
he provisions of the orders themselves
but certainly against the practical opera
ton OF them, the capture of American
ships and merchandise in virtue of them
by British ships of war, which our govern
ment an*cipa ed, and which experience.
(in the case OF those of our vessels hen
sea) proves would have taken place to, o
Tnoss alarming and ruinous extent if III;
embargo had not been promptly laid on
II is worthy of remark, tina. Mr. CANNING
seems to have felt the sting of those re.
proaches, for that famou. false declaration
he made in parliament, which were drawn
forth from the frien Is of The administra
ton in this country; that declaration
Whereby he meant 10 deceive the unhap
py people of England and TO give to the
opposition here fresh cause of cIamor, by
conveying the idea that no remons rance
had been made by the American admins
ration to the orders in council And how
does he extricate himself! ClumsiIy, il
$500 ~ ibVuustbS TIC WOIu ~ mere,
he endeavors to vary the ground. He a.
vers that he said in parliament, that
" since the termination OF Mr. Roses mis-
sion, the American government had no
made any communication here (tha, is
IN London1 in The shape of re monstrance
or in tone of irrtation." Lei W., nov
candidly, see how this thing stands
When the orders ut council issued from
ne British government, Ne had a minis
ter in London. What does Mc "a mig
| pray youi Why he does not notify our
government of,hem through our minister
N London, but he sends the orders to vi
Efskine here, in Washington and NJ
Essklne, in formal Il will not say insul.
fing) note, communicates them to Md
Madison, the secretary of state. Thus
then, Mr. Canning himself did choose
Washington and not London, for The thea.
re Of discussion. WIZ, then, wha, ensu.
ed Why, Mr. Madison, as we'll became
him, wrote that letter dated March 2sth,
1908, which every body has so much ap
applauded, and which is so worthy Of sd. |
niration, wherein he demonstrated and
completely refuted the doctrine set up by
The British in their orders Of COUNSEL. III 81
tatfer accord,no, ~ VI. Cao ,;nc.,s c,,r -.