Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-02-03
Gollgree8.
9OUSG OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TUESDAY, Jan. II.
CANNING'S LETTER.
Continued.

Mr. Bacon said, that he rose mere
ly to correct an error of statement in
to which the gentleman from North
Carolina (Mr Macon) had fallen, as
to the source from which the first pub.
LEGATION of the exparte letter, of the
British minister had originated. The
gentleman had attributed it to New
York paper. This Mr. b. believed
was incorrect. Being DESTROYS, if Ell
Their honor or censure could be attach.
ed to any American press, from the
circumstance of its being considered
as the Official organ of a foreign go.
vernment, that it should lie at the right
door, he thought it proper to state,
that the first appearance of that letter
was, as he understood, in paper cal
led 6 The New England Palladium"
printed In Boston. There was one
other fact which he mentioned with
some regret, 1t was this, that by some
unfortunate concurrence ofcircumstan-
ces, assuredly without any improper
intention, the printers OF this paper
mad been by the legislature of Mas
sachusetts IL the course Of the present
year, designated as the printers of their
pubic acts, and their paper was a SOFT
OF state Gazette. On this unlucky CO.
incidence, 1T would be as painful to
him, as it might be indecorous TO in
dulge IN any comments. From the
known patriotism of that honorable
legislature, however there could be no
douot that 1t they should perceive any
sort OF lncoTrectness in the conduct o.
their subordinate agents, if it should
strike them as an incongruitY, that their
servants should appear to be acting &.
a double capacity; they would so man
iiest their sense on TIE Ieer rs
should best accord vita their views OF
propriety, and their feelings ofnation,
al honor.
Mr. Fisk thanked the gentleman
from New York for his compliment,
to the people of New England on their
mlschievous curiosity" The gen
tleman seems to suppose (said MIR.
FIsk) that 1t would have been more
proper for the President of the United
States to have communicated these
documents for the purpose of giving
4 correct view OF our affairs. than for
any other reason. l would ask the
gentleman to point out what different
view the present letter of Mr. Canning.
published first at Boston, has given.
from the documents which have here
toiore been published? Cer.ainlv
none, sir. The only inference to be
drawn from it, is the insinceritv or
intrigue OF the British government
TOR 1t the fact was, that Mr. Canning
did not accept the offer of Mr. Pink.
ney, because it appeared to be unau-
how happened it that Mr.. :
Canning forgot to state it in his offici-
al formal letter, instead Of those rea-
sons which he has given for the reiec-
ton OF the proposals The gentle man
regrets that newspapers or their edi-
tors should be noticed here. 1t is not |
from disposition to give them i'm
portance beyond their merits. but we
discover something from their publ |
cations, and it is for that that thew are
noticed; to shew, that there is an in
trigue carrying on in this country :tha
the British government is endeavoripp
to divide the people, to separate them
from their government through the
means of the press. In the course of
TINS session, sir, many insinuations q.
our own government have been
thrown out on this floor. NV col.
league (Mr E. made one the other
night IN the course of a long speech, |
which cannot now notice. TMr Gar.
denher called Mr. +. to order, for aIlu-
ding to an argument which the gentle
man Mr.. Elliott was prevented from |
making by adecision of the Speaker
hat IT was out of order.1 Mr.. Fisk
said he alluded not to what his coll !
eague had meant to say, but to what
he did say. Mr. +. said he had mere
y risen to ask, if the gentleman from
New York considered his insinuations
0 be true, that he would shew to tbe
touse how or wherein they were true.
lie hoped the dc.umente ,uo,,Il 4