Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-08-04
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consideration Of American interests and Of
the popularity OF their situation, suspended
the intercourse between the belligerents
and a merica, and ordered a strict emhar
20 in their ports, under the tacit understan
dina. that IL should be raised in favor Of eli.
Their power, which should repeal its OBJ
noxions orders.
Such was the relative state az things in
which Mr. ErslS ne commenced his negOci-
at'cu. TIE manner in which he conduct
cd it, and the point on which il has been
disavcwed by the English government. are
important enough to merit a separate con-
aideration, and az the papers Will be laid
before parliament in the enssing week we
shall resume this subject in another paper.
Its importance does net seem TO be well m.
derstrod. We 1--we in an age, in which re-
vacations of the acts of pienipo;en.iaries
are 60 frequent, that the absurdity, and
prac-:ca, mischiefof such breaches of faith,
are totally overlooked. Who will hereaf-
ter confide in plenipotentiaries, when their
acts are thus as common matter of course,
revocabe az pleasure. There arc certain
ly extreme cases in which such acts ought
to be revocable, but the cases must be ex.
treme, and should be rare, lest they destroy
The utility of the thing
bat the point o. f,ct is, that the disavow-
III of Mr. Erskine's act is OF piece with
the general conduct Of England towards
America, Whenever c,rCumsta.ces have
in any way admitted it, our tone towards
America has always been insulting, and
eur couduce every thing but friendly. L.
very new hope on the continent; every
straw to the drowning expectations of Eu.
rope, has Int aggravated this unworthy
sentiment In our prosperity we have bull
led America and when things are not SO
wolf n, Sc
injurious Language and unworthy conduct
towards her. Whilst there were any hope
IN Spain, America could get nothing direct
from US. But disappointment brnugne US
TO our senses. and the negotiation was re-
newed.--Ihe coalition war on the cont.
nenr has subsequently broken out, and we
begin 10 repent of our condesceasion.
Inthis m amer has the American negoci-
alton been on and of during some years.
Our demands rising with our hopes and
prosperity, and our moderation being only
co-existent w,'h our disappointment.
AS to the immediate point on which Mr..
Erskine's act is TO be hisavowed by minis
tiers, it is not to be collected from the cor
respondeuce. The corr sp0n.ience on the
part of Mr ErsSne is ch aracter sed by SIN.
plicty AID dircctnesS. His business seems
ful upon his mind, aud he comes Imnedi-
ately To the point. II it be in any way
wanting il is only in that circu,tous equI-.
vocal fornality of the old diplomacy. in
which the writer seems only anxious lest
he should be understood as saying some.
thing In which the first sentence is knot
which every succeeding sentence is Only
employed further to peTplex.
The French diplonats.s, formed into n
schoo! under Cho,scul, grated the school
logic, and the law loluacity, upon public
correspondence. Every word had IFS end.
less appendagcs, and every phrase VS.
weighed and measured. Lord Malmesbury
IN Eng and, was an eminent instance OF this
species of diplomacy, and lord l. yerpool
was formed In the same school the AZ.
ton, the precision, the measured gravity, !
the decorun which carefully ayoids every
thing o. passion AMI pctuicnce; all these !
qualities Of the old school Cannot BIC too !
much praised; bur where the business is |
~ pOiit, aGd Tie parties are botn wiling |
10 cOne az It, we re..l!y can see no o6ecti |
OF either in pr 'ence or dccorum. .Mr. !
Fox was an inidnttDie example oftnis SIN
picuy AID cecutudc.
Mr.. Erskine, with a MANLY drectness, |
Acknowledges, wirhout disguls~, the unius; |
violence in the affair OF the Cnesapeake |
re speaks pi II with a sense of justice, and !
at tac sanc time with canlor when can
not bat inspire very hign opinion botn OF /
OF his bead and heart.
Nothing can be more disgusting than the |
tlippancy OF some OF the daily papers upon
this subject, who With the most perfect ie-
norance OF the public law, continue TO main
tain what both parties in government have
concurred TO disavow.
FROM tax SANE