The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-04-12


perseverance,, that premature departure
iIom it, while the enemy's original pro-
vocation remains unrepealcd, might
lead to false conclusions, as to the eihca-
cy OF the DEGREES OF France, and might
hold out dangerous temptation TO that
power TO resort To the same system on
any future OCCASION" Canning 10 PINK
ney, Nou. p, 1908.
What, sir, docs Mr.. Canning here
tell us ?-Why, sir, ON The 23d OF Sep
tenlbcr last, that the French blockading
dccrecs were then broken up into frag-
mcnts utterly harmless and contemplate,
and on the Odd Of November following,
that they had ceased to be mischievously
operative, &c. &c. Retaliation may be
defined an injury returned tor wrong
received. Wen, sir, if The u. States had
done no other wrong to @. Britain but
neglocting to repel the wrong OF France
and the wrong of France ceased 10 pro-
ducc any injurious consequences why
not revoke the orders inhicting the most
destructive injuries upon the Uniied
States ?--Why Mr.. Canning in substance
tells us, not that it would be wrong to Go
so, but he is afraid that the world would
mistake his motive for doing right
And sir, is the commerce Of the United
States to be destroyed. The people to
be colonized and taxed, and the nation
to be insu!ted and degraded, merely be-
cause Mr.. Carning fears, if he should
cease to ini1ict these wrongs, his motives
for ceasing to do SO may be misconceiv-
ed Or mistaken And arc the people OF
the u. States to be told that al these in
iuries and insults are to be continued
merely to expiate Mr.. Canning's Idle and
pretended fears, that his motive for his
conduct may be mietaken ? What, sir,
can be more derogatory TO the character?
What more injurious to the interest ?
What more insulting to the understand
Ing of the American people Yet, Sir,
we are told there are no causes of war (!
We must wait for more degradation /!
Sir, Mr.. Canning tells us he thinks
this no mean motive Of policy for con-
tinuing these orders after The original
causes ceased. Sir, will not pretend
to think against Mr. Canning upon this
! subject but, sir, think and | know that
it will be mean, an infinitely mean mo-
tive of policy on our part TO submit to
his injuries, his insults, and his degra-
dat;ons, as well as his absurd and soplis-
ticated exposition his motives for them.
But, sir, permit me again to ask if the
U. States had not right to judge Of the
extent and mode of resisting the French
DEGREES ? They certainly had, and did
SO and after having made their decision
in those respects, contrary hostile deci-
sion by G.. Britain was an act of war
against the United States, and according
to her own principle Of retaliation, the
proper act of retaliation On their part was
an act of war, not indeed thro' the ribs Of
q third innocent unofending party, but
directly back upon herself, and it ought
instantly to have been resorted TO upon
refusal to revoke her hostile orders.
But, sir, permit me oput this doctrine
in still stronger point Of view. The
right Of retaliation, ! presume, is equal
and reciprocal amongst all nations, and
when the British ministry ventured to
retaliate upon their enemy through US,
they adopted that policy upon their own
responsibility they subjected themselves
to all its consequences ; we certainly had
tight to adopt counteracting policy.
War would have been the natural, leglii-
ina,c and correct act Of retaliation. Be-,
sir, suppose ! were now in spirit Of
mitigated retaliation, to propose to pass
a law imposing duty equal to one half