Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-06-20
AND Fs1DArs,) BY sA IUEL PEASANTS, IL,
sDA1, yUwE 20, 1909.

2dts-. chat having prohibited British
ships alone by the proclamation Of the
president from entering our ports, il
was highly offensive TO Great Britain
and we have done away the discrimi
nation which existed betweenthem and
French vessels. ! contend, sir, tina,
the gentleman is wrong inhis position
and that the offer made TO Great Brit
ain, and rejected was not worse, but
better, as regards her pride or interest
than that now accepted and the Offer
|of Mr.. Pincknev, by order of thep pre-.
sident, was of itself strong proof oil
the spirit of Accommodation which has
been evinced by the government. In
the offer made to Mr.. Canning, the A
merican government proposed to sus-
pend the embargo so far as related to
Great Britain, on revocation of the
orders in council merely az respected
us-to renew our trade with them, and
prohibit it with Franc-.-It was no,
ONLY contumeliously rejected, but Mr..
Canning declared that the formal aban.
document Ca tacit relinquishmeat oil
them was not sufficient, but formal
abandonment by France or her de
I crees was an Indispensable prerequisite
to arepeal of the British orders in
council.
There is no mention made OF the
French DEGREES, or of our non-inter.
i1o,,,., ,t..L E-o.,a -, &L,
lp ndence, and his Britannia majesty
withdraws his orders of January and
November, merely on condition tina.
we will renew the intercourse with G..
Britain. The indispensable prereqai-
site is forgotten, all mention of France
lis pretermitted, and in that view the
la e accommodation has given up more
thanwe asked in September last. How
then can the gentleman insist thas tbs
terms on which the late adjustment
was m ade are more favorable TO Great
Britain than those rejected last sum
mer? He relies however, upon the re-
peal of the non-importation law, and
the merger ofthe proclanstion issued
in consequence of the affair of the Che
sapeake lin the general prohibition OF
British and French ships of war, as ma.
tcrially changing the sta:e of our rela-
tions with Great Britain, aud b. pllc
ing her On footing of equality with
France, has given an opportunity &c
propose terms. Sir, l did not suppose
that the aaa ir of the Chesapeake, and
the proclamation which grew oat Of it.,
would have been introduced here as a
proof of the want of a spirit of accom-
mediation on our part Am mista-
ken in surprising that the gentleman
himselfon this floor Condemns the pre-
edcnt for not calling Congress toge-
Their sooner to take higher ground, un-
der the idea that the proclamation was
weak measure (Mr. Randolph stas
ted he had never said SO. Sir, il seems
| am mistaken in ascribing such de-
claration to the gentleman. / ask you.
sir, if the indignation of the people
could without difficulty be appeased
with the measure, such as it was, and
whether it would have been consistent
with that honorable feeliag to have re-
vokcd it for the purpose of preventing
a tax on our exports imposed by orr
dsrs in council Let it be recollected,
sir, that the affair of the Chesapeake
Was treated of distinct from all others,
and never blended with any other, ex-
cept that with which it was necessari-
ly connected, viz. a provision agains.
impressment from on board Of vessels
sailing under the American flag, and
that connection was disregatded in
compliance with the wish Of Great Bfi .
tain.
{ For Remainder sf Mr.. Jactsor', Sneeca
see last Fridays Aygas.J
Monday June ~.
Mr.. Nelson, from the committee to
whom was referred the bill to suspend for
a limited time the recruiting service, re-
ported the said bill without amendments.