The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1810-01-31
political @isreuanp.
Reflections on the Proceedings Of our Co.
oe,nIent piM jackson, tie British
Minister. N. r>

Munster.
Csaciuded1
This letter is more atfrontive than tn,
-krst, for II .reinsists on the same offensive in
sinuation alter the ground of it had been ex
pressly denied by our governments, which
was in effect telling our government tina
their assertion was not credited. Here ou
government was compelled to notice the af
front, or TO renounce forever all pretcnsion.
to sense Of dignity or character Still
however,moderation characterized their mode
OF proceeding. They did pot require Mr.
Jackson to rstract, or to explain the fact, bu,
merely TO refrain from repetition of thi.
insult In future. But Il would be improp
or lsays Mr.. Smith, in noticing this subject
An his letter Of the st of Novembcr,O to con.
clude the few observations to which pur.
posely limit myself, without adyerting tc
your repetition of a language implying q
knowledge OH the part of this government
that the instructions Of your predecessors did
not authorize the arrangement formed by
him. Alter the pcremptory and explicit as
severatton that this government had no such
knowledge, and that with such knowledge
no such arrangement would have been enter
ed into, the view which you have again pre-
scntcd OF the subject, makes it my duty to
apprize you that such insinuations are inad-
.missible in the Intercourse of foreign min
lister with = government that understands
what IL owes to Itself" This notice of the
rafront, and precautions to protect itself under
the circumstances Of the case was the least
that the government could do, perhaps its
dignity required more. II imposed no RE
straint upon Mr.. Jackson, but that of abstain.
ing from repetition ofthis particular Insult.
We come now to Mr.. Jackson's last letter,
dated the 4th of November, the climax of
his insolent correspondence. In this he
ont Hcrcds Hcrod What before was insin.
uation now becomes assertion, now becomes
fact, to which he avcws his unalterable de-
termination TO adhere on all future occasions.
You will find (he says) that in my cores
pondencc with you, have carefully avoided
drawing conclusions that did not necessarily
follow from premises advanced by-rise, and
least of all should think Of uttering an in
sinnation, where was unable to substantiatc
? fact" Can any one read this and say that
our government had misunderstood Jack son,
as the insinuation complained Of Least
Of all should think Of uttcring an insinua-
tion, where was unable to substantiate
Fact" How can this be undefstood ether
wise than Us saying, that in making the insin-
ustion ! was warranted by the fact It is a
Tact that you knew the arrangement was un-
.authorized--a fact that arm ablef to substan-
tiate. The letter proceeds. "To facts, such
as | have become acquainted with them,
have scrup nlonsly adhered, and ia so doing
must continue, whenever the good faith of
his Majesty's government is called in qucs-
ton 20 vindicatc its honour and dignity in the
nanner that appears to me best calculated
tor that purpose"
Mr.. Smith had informed him that he must
not repeat the insinuation. Jackson answers
IN effects the ihsiuuation is fact, and 4
must adhere 20 .fdess whenever the good faith
OF his Majesty's government is called in oucs-
zion. You question his good faith in not a.
btding the arrangement-I vindicated his
hos.our and dignity by questioning your good
faith--by i,nputing to you as was warranted
oy tho tact, knowledge at the time, that the
arrangement was unauthorized, and in this
course shall pcrsevere. The short amount
OF she whoIct is this I: Our government say,
otr, after we have assured you that we had
NOT the knowledge you impute TO VS., you must
not rencw the imputalion. Mr.. Jackson
says, deny 1t as you wiIl,. it ID true notwith.
and ] will renew the imputation
whenever think proper. Is not this the
meaning OF Jackson Can any other con-
,truction be fairly put upon his language
would appeal to any candid intelligent man
'f any party who would pledge his rcputation
ipon the answer. Jackson by this letter had
en the President no other ,alterDbtivc--he
creed upon hun rupture Of the sorycspon-
lcnce. Jackson was therefore notified, that
% further intercourse through dim would be ]
lad with his government---that this rcsolu-
ion, and the reasons for taking it, would be
transmitted to the King his Mastcr--and |
hat in the mean time all other channels of |
would remain unaffected. l
nat TINS proceeding Of the American
sovernment which carries its own y;n,l;c,
ion, should require to be vindicated to A.
"er'cAns, is melancholy evidence of the
prevalence Of party spirit over the AFFECTION
uc ouf common country. -"