Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-06-16

PS"tfo viii uC bcnt mere 10 nckoCihtC d
sreasy, and we ought to suspend our opini-
ems until it Is cenctuded.--The rentlemap
Aays another objection to the treaty was on
account Of the British note, that it was OPP
posed because il tended TO bring US in celli
sion with France, and now we have done
what It required of us. Sir, there were
various objections to that note one was
that G. Britain attempted to bully us into
the course she wishedns to pursue, to COM
pei US to give I" security to his majesty
that we would not snbrait to the attack
made by France on our rights.--Now al
though we did not, and would not submit,
We could not tolerate such arrogance IN q
Britain.
The note, however, says the gentleman,
was NO part of the treaty. It was certainly
communicated by the British government
as forming an indispensable condition of it;
and the British commissioners In the Ger
Tespondence with Mr.. Canning, which
read to the House the last session, stated
expressly that the treaty &as q perfect
Instrument, no reservation was annexed to
! 1t except the cote in question, which main.
tanned the right 20 chastise us in case we
did not resist France and Mr.. canning
repeats the assertion to our ministers. The
gentleman has gone on to say that Mr..
Monroe could have received reparation for
the attack on the Chesapeake, if his in
structions concerning scamen which were
blended with il, had permitted him. On
this po,ut nave the correspondence be-
fore me which must satisfy the gentleman
that he is wrong. AS soon as the attack
on the Chesapeake was known, the Pre-
sident issued his proclamation, & on receipt
of IL Mr. Canning wrote letter to MIR.
Monroe. in which ne says:-A
"a. n 4 Z -. - -.
part Of it which relates more Immediately
to the question now at issue between our
two governments, am Commanded, in the
first instance to express the surprise which
is felt at the total omission of a subject, upon
which, Ihad already been commanded to
enriy teyeu for Information the proclamaA
tion purported TO have bseA issued by the
President of the u. States. Of this pa.
per, when las, ] addressed you uponit, you
professsd not to have any knowledge, be-
yond what the ordinary channels OF public
information afforded. nor any authority to
declare it TO be authentic.
! feel an indispensable duty to renew my
enquiry on this subject. The answer
which l NAV receive from you is by no
means unimportant TO the settlement of
the discussion which has arisen from the
encounter between the Leopard and the
Chesape axe"
And he goes on to urge the improprie,y
Of making any ATONE ment during the exis-
tence of the proclamation. And ask a.
gain, sir, would the nation have been re-
conciled to the apathy of the President III
be had neglected TO breathe forth It's spi.
Tit, feebly as it was done, in the forbidding
Ef,tsh armed vessels the use of our wa.
t<rs ?-whilst the men Except the one
whom rh.y hung in Halliday were retain.
I'd IN bondage, aud the outrage had the
sanction Of a high officer Of the British go-
~erpmest, which induced the belief that
II wns with rs authority that the act was
comsnitted, could the proclamation have
been rescinded or less friendly measures |
have been resorted to!
: The gentleman says the orders in conn- !
Gil were made imperative by our mea-
surss, ana to give them up WAS in fact to
Yield no,hing that they were to prevent
our trade to France, and we have pre-
vented IL ourselves, and therefore O.. Bri. |
tain conceded nothing on that point. 1t
was not upon trade 10 France alone that
the orders operated, but upon all nations |
from whose ports the British Tag was ex-
Guided. and es en- from some who never nad /
made any such regulations; but Ddepen-i
dent of this, suppose France witbous relax
ing IN her hostility towards Great Britain, I
admit,e d our vessels freely, although they !
had catered BrHith por., and been spo-
ken bv British cruiser, and in conse
auencr - suck relaxation the trade with
her was renewed; Nnst tlen would have
b. en- the eject Of the British orders Wei
should still be subjected to the payment of
Z, bule. We are not noSv compelled 70 gal
FIST 10 Great Britain, pay tribute, and re-
csiye his majesty's licenee TO carry on our
accustomed trade, therefore repeal Of the
orders is most importsnt measure. Sir,
in tie vide range OF debate the gentle
n an fas repeated his Old argumeut, that
the orders in Council were not known in
this country when the embargo was laid. |
Afterwards he qualified il by saying they
were nor known in the CABINET at the time !
the President recommended the embargo. |!
II, SIR, the Executive knew nothing of them
itis surprising because tlie purPort o. them
Lad been published n ti'e National intelli-
eentsr IN rhls city ard 10 two or three pa
sers priDtt d in Nsw.Yofk aud Philadel- |
b!na, winch were received mere revious
TO me message Of she President. They |
even stated the sate AT which ais Britain
uic n,aiesly's signature would be- affixed to
The ,rdsrs, and gave infinitely the purport
OF them Ihe president Az lns message not
c,,iv referrcd 70 the 81 cIs then enclose u, /