Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-04-01

st3 IS Z II Z q -
commissioners iioners who have repeatedly assnr-
ed us, that in their Judgment we are made
as secure against the exercise OF their pre-
tensions, by the policy which their govern
ment had adopted in regard to that very de-
tIicate and important question, as we could
have been made By treaty. Ii is proper to
observe,however, that the good.eaect OF this
disposition, and its continuance, may de-
pend in great measure On the means which
NAV be taken by the Congress, hereafter, TO
check <desertions from the British service.
If the treaty is ratified, and perfect good
understanding produced between tlae tive
nations, it viii be easy for their govern
n.ents, by friendly communications, to state
to each other what they respectively desire,
and:in that mode to Arrange the busfness ss
satisfactorily rs 1t could be done b. treaty"
Such was the footing upon which our COM
missioners were wisely disposed to leave
this delicate affair. And wclld toGod that
our president wishing as sincerely as his
friends profess for himto accommodate TIE
differences between tsae t~e countries, had
as prudently agreed to the arrangements
made for him by his ministers! Whathas
been tie consequence O. this excessive anx-
iety to secure cur seainen! Why, that
YOUR service has lost n:ore sailors III one
year OF embargo, thar il wou..d have lost in
ten years of i:npressnent.
But, sir, III this lies The seeret-a secret
| viii dare to pronounce. Ioar President
neuer meant 10 have trccty 1Vith Carat-
Britain. If he had intended 1t ne would
have taken lie treaty Of 3tst Ct December,
1906. Il he had intended it iis would ne
yer have f9ttcred the commissioners WIKI
sine qua nons which were insaPerable.
X was an invariable article il. the inetruc-
tons to form nc treaty unless the clam? 70
search merchant vessels for Gcsertess YVES
/ utterly abandoned this Was never expect
eG, and at the aiduous crisis at which It
was insisted upon, ii Was impossible 10 e1-
pect it. And ys-t, rather thaneempo!ee Oh
the point, rather than except Tie actua, a
abandonment Of The principle without It's.
formal rentlnci ation, a treaty, tie work CT
years, negotiated by his favositr minister,
and calculated 70 appease the anlmo.lties
cd.
YouwiIl bear with ne. while ! say that
this prccipi;ate and tasal measure is tie
cause Of ali TIE eynbarrasan.ehts which We
have fclt, which ne are feeling, and which
we are Likely to Suffer ask " ty was
thistreaty rclec,eJ? We ar iasd tot two
reasons:
1st Because il contained ns engagement
against the i,npressment Of American SEA.
men on beard merchant ships.
Cd, Because oi the collateral declaration
Of th1 British commissioners, that Bag
land retained t,,e aiet.t TO r.,aliate upon
France the principles other Berlin decree,
il the United States s,sol.1 sabsnlt 70 It's
execution.
Ihaye shewn fr2m the public aoeunents
furnish d 10 US b. the president, TIE foot
in upon which our ministers Pl.ced sat
2oint ofilnpvssmen;s.
Our COM fnissiouscs cons .dcred tie a5sur-
ance given by shc British ministers, b>t-
ter pledge for the s.1ety o! our s. alIle.I .llan
a formal provision in the tr,aty. But ii
these assurances had even no. been -g'ren,
Tie treaty would not h>We compromised
Cur rights CT prejudiced ous Interests Oh
the subject; IL the anean time 1t would
have induc. ID more friendly relations AID
prepared both countries for such farther
concessions as their mutual interests might
require. To me it is matter both novel
and s,,prizing to discover IL our president
this strong and unyiesling attachment totAe
highest points OF cur maritime rights.
had thought before, that he WAS not SO
friendly to our navy, our merchants, and
our commerce.
had thought that he would rather our
saiPs were exchanged for farming utensils