Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-12-29

!. s ~ them, AS such he was FIRST made
4 nowns with Distinguished honor BY Gasta-,
on, "a doluhus Of Sweden, one Of the great
est men and heroes of his age or of ms
world. Fhe sspsk off s5rotias was palSl,ssa-
ed IN the year I'll Cos land the tseaty sot
yVestnhalia was concluded in the year 1678,
consisginns of d treaty concluded at Man.
.ster and another at Osnaburg within the
circle of Wesphalia, aud both signed on
the same day, being the result ut g &. Con
ress composed of ambassadors, pien Ipo--
tentiarics, ministers, ;leleg commits
sioners, deputies, indeed almost, i not
completely, every grade or description 81
governmental representation known IN the
whole christian world. The conclusion OF
the treaty nut an end 60 conferences which
had long holden Europe in suspense, and
terminated the famous thirty years war.----
. Neyer.before or since, Lpresume, wele 50
many diplomatic characters assembled Tor
negotiation or mediation, and such and SO 50
various interests to be arranged at one time
by treaty. The great. interests OF the "a,
tholic and reformed religions>in Europe,
the Emperor, the Electors, Princes, and
states of the Germanic body, France, Swe-
den. the States General, with the respec-,
tive allies, all were concerned Prussia
was not then erected into kingdom, and
Russia had not taken rank under the Great
Peter among the civilized powers OF Eu-75
rope. From the nature of the affairs and
the great number of public men from, diff
fercn, portions of Europe, the famous Con-
cress in Wes,phalia, after the publication
Of Grotius had attained high distinction,
served to make known and establish exten-
sively the principles constituting the public
rules Of intercourse among the. governmsnts
of the christian world.
We are now called upon to pronounce
respecting question depending on those
rulea of intercourse as recognised and illus
trated by national usage. What i. the prin-
ciple that protects and sustains III full i'm.
munity the ministers of the United States
in Britain, ia France, in Russia or in any
part Of the civilized world: 1t is the re-
spect due to those rules, respect Which the
various governments OF whatever form have
concurred in manitesting and enfoicing.-
Nor can we claim to hold course in diplo.
macy incompatible with such national usage,
unless we strike ourselves out OF the general
pale of chris,cndom.
SUISlucr.
ed not merely as an abstract discussion but
we have now to enquire what is letter Of
credsnce according to the public law and
diplomatic usage of Europe: 1t is an au-
thority for ssipu!atirg any thing to be done
on the part OF the government sending that
minister? IF it he, l request to know the
proof: According to nay apprehension, it is
not; and desire gentlemen to enlighsen
neon this point, il I err. IF this opinion
be erroneous, | should hope it be made
evident with respectto myself, that may
not continue in error. From whatever source
there can be derived any aid to ascertain the
trur principle, ifgsntlemeu honored by es-
pecial confidence respecting affairs Of state,
fany OF the law officers or even members of
the cabinet, would be pleased to contribute
to the stock ofleGislative information, So
licit the correction of any error, if indeed
err, on this topic. ...., ..
With these. sentiments, I do not pro-
pound for discussion any question respect
ing the negative knowledge Of the admins
tration. i do not enquire, whether the eX-
ecutive administrator. of the United States
had a knowledge that Mr., Erskine had not
competent powers, or had knowledge that he
was Dot instructed to secede to the provisi-
onal arrangement between him and the ad-
ministration in April. The question is, did
the administration know that Mr.. Erskine
had the necessary authority: The ques-
ton is not, what was the ignorance, but
what was the knowledge ofthe administra-
ton? Was Mr.. Erskiue known to have
any power for making the arrangement
Permit me now, sir, TO state what / I'm.