Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-08-04

the ohces OF the Secretary of the Senate
and the Clerk of the House of Representa- :.
lives. The time and mode in which the
doctrine is renewed are very insidious. A.
bout the period that those instructions mus,
nave been psnned IN England, information
must have reached that country that the
people oil the u. States were i'm a great fer.
ment on account of the long Continuance OF
the embargo: our own newspapers hat, tee.
med with threats of insurrectinn, of viola
tons OF the laws, of secessions from the
union, and Mr.. Gore and his followers in
Massachusetts made use os the legislature
or that commonwealth 70 promote among
the Citizens disobcdience to the authority
OF the federal government : the dek.serati-
ons OF Congress itselfoecame oXYacted and
twavering. a faithful account of all these
incidents were beyond doubt faithfully
and regularly conveyed to England with CO.
pious commentaries, through the medium
OF letters written to correspondents on the
other side OF the water by the votarics of
Britain here. On the arrival of such in :.
eeliigence in England MIR Canning must
have thought the opportunity glorious one,
aud resolved to push his point. He doubt
less imagined that our government had been
intim dated oy popular clamor, and would
be glad TO get rid of the embargo and non.
intercourse upon any conditions: Accord
ingiy he proposes to US to abandon tina,
trade which, of all others, had the most EN-
J riched US lest, however, an abrupt and
indefinite proposal OF the kind should alarm
the merchants of the United States and in
duce them once more to rally to the main,
tenance OF government in the rejection OF
II, he very modestly suggests that we should
"renonnce" the trade s!duiine. me hre.
sent soar" only well knowing, that a re.
| nunciation during the present war would be
remuneration altogether; for the reln-
| quishment of the right for a season wouli
| afterwards be drawn into an argument 81
ats having been on our part, what Mr. Can.
| mig calls 1t, merely a "brefcnSion :" ana
| nothing would have ever obtained il back
| for us but force of arms through a bloody
| war. So much FOR British diplomatic abr.
| lily in this particular.
| The third point states, that T" Great Bri
"tain for the purpose of securing tie ope
"ration of the embargo, and of the bona
"fde intention of America to prevent he,
| "citixens from trading with France anr
| "the powers aching under her DEGREES, j.
"to be considered as being at liberty t
"cap;ure ali such American vessels as may
"be found attempting to trade with ,he
ports OF any of Chose powers" Of all the
| iusolent propositlons that were ever made
] TO free and independent nation, this 81
point is, assurediy, the most arrogant AM
| insultingly audaclous. The executive DOW.
! er OF nation is that feature by which il j,
| more distinctly known than any other, and
| particularly abroad. In what does that ex.
ecutive power consist Certainly in the
enforcement of the laws. Here, then, you
see the English governmenf DEMANDING
that the government Of the Unisrd .S.ate,
should Surrender TO Great Scfain tht
fiozver 10 enforce american IdDs, or, i,
other 7v5rds, THE EXECUTIVE POWER or
THE UNITED STATES. Conserving e
such thing is out ofthe question: out the
! proposition on the pare of the British tend.
to deyeiope their views with regard to A.
merica. Could cur government he suppo.
sed silly enough to accede to such propo
sal, we should be at once degraded to the
| situation of colonies; our foreign concern.
would be identified with those of Britain
and we should instantly have been plunge,
into war, hand ia naDd with England
against the rest OF the world. Can tines,
| propositions have been suggested by al
idea or our Presidents weakness or the no.
lion of the intellectual feebicness of his Sc.
cretaries ! Alas How little is the cour
of St. James acquainted with the intelli
gence and ability OF the American cabi
net.
THE cupidity Of our merchants 70
gain has partially subjected the Unite,
| States to species OF maritime bon
| dage which, whilst we are uuarrcIl;n