Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-12-26

gentleman IEUtk " 80 So -
mnch 10 his surPrize that this proposIsion
cf the third condition was matter OF very
fr;fI;;npa Importance. Itwould seem as If he
were fafed 20 differ from the gentleman on
no;nts which concerned the real honor Fthe
government and the country. He Thoughts 4
important to be ascertained how this proPo-
sitiion came to be made by the British go
vernnent, If It was made without any pre-
yious Indication on our part 70 submit TO q.
He should, If such werethe case. call IL iis-
tie short Of an Insulting proposition, as the
making il necessarily implied an lmputaslon
that our government was inadequate TO the
purpose of carrying into effect its own laws,
an isnpusa.ion 70 which is could never sub.
nit. But the President Of the U. States,
in his late message 10 Congress, possessing
7 no doubt, "a view of the whole ground" 20
which Mr.. Gscould not pretend, but would
endeavor TO attaih) had thought necessary
in he'face Of the world, 70 charge the Bri.
fish government with psrGdyin refusing TO
sratify an agreement entered into by It's mi
mister, having competent power TO make such
an agreement. This was aserious charge,
which, ifnot ,epelled by the British govern
ment would attach infamy 10 1t tor ever.
For what worse imputation could attach to
a government, than that it should dcllbe-
rately refuse to carry into effect an arrange.
ment which it had solemnly entered into !
It was therefore important, after the go
vernnent had issued kind of state paper OF
higher tone than any one since the revoiu-
ton, to that union which should be esta-
blished If any serious consequences were to
result from these events, TO shew that 1t was
right. The British government, as ne un-
derstood, said that it would not carry into
effect the arrangement concluded here, be-
cause their minister had not contormed to
his instructions sent, but absolutely yiolat. !;
ed them, in neglecting among other things,
70 Get the assent of the American govern T,
ment to stipuiations, which were to allow
the British navy to capture the vessels OF
the u. S. bound to places not permitted by
,heirlaws. Now, inasmuch as he was IN
structed to make this point Of his arrange
ment, anu failed to do so, the British go
vernment say they were not bound by his
arrangement. i
: On the part of this government it appear
ed to have been contended that the resideRt
minister was possessed of full powers to
conclude an arrangement, and that conse-
quently it was strictly binding AS this In
volved question concerning the law OF ma
tions, which he did not altogether under
stand, he would not enter into Its discussion
now. But this was the point. Ii it were
true neutrality-suspicious. did ,notin fact come
in the first instance from the American CO.
vernment, as asserted by Mr.. Canning it
it should turn out that this offensive tender
of the British navy to aid in the execution
of the laws of the u. States, had originated
in one of these little diplomatic arts which
had secretly induced another government
TO make degrading proposal, that our own
might have the honor Of Indignantly reject
ing il; and, if, after the British govern
,ncnt'had been SO induced to make such a
condition, that the United States should re-
refuse TO sccede to it, then would the dis
Grace and the want OF good faith be on the
part of this government. If our minister
was first authorised to propose that the
British navy might capture American yes
sells bound to France, in contravension of
our DEGREES, then would the British govern.
ment lie well justified in refusing the ar.
rangement. He would not be understood
as believing this statement of the case to be
correct, but if it were, in this point of view
1T was'decisive. He therefore considered
it,extrvmely important to ascertain in what
manner the proposition lad originated. He
would grant that this information would
not bear directly upon the subject of the re-
solution from the senate bu: it was mate
rial to have view of the whole ground
TT. ALL .Lao ba xuiIjiuo, 70 soy &c ~ orr.