The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1810-02-28
MIR. FlSk'S SPEECH,
ON fxE JOINT RESOLUTION;
kPPRovISo THE CONDUCT OF THR rxRcu.
TIVE OF THE UNITED STATES
IN THE DISMISSAL OF
FRANCIS JAMES JACKSON.
CConcudsd,l

instructed to make reparation Tor that out
rage, but upon terms that would be humiiat. !
ing and disgraceful 10 this country. Our
government are required formally TO revoke
the proclamation, which has long since been
done away, to stipuiate, an fact. to purchase
the protfered reparations. The seansen 90
be restored must not be either natural born
, subjects OF His Majesty, or deserters from
His Msjesy's service.
Well, sir, as they were claimed, and forci-
bly, taken as natural born subjects or desert
ers CT course, by the terms of this stipulation,
none would be restored. We are required
after this length of time has passed, now to
receive that sort OF reparation which goes
directly to justify the attack. v
When we look for the ob rct of Mr.. Jack
sons mission, we find throughout all his let
ters, need not refer to any in cular,
that he has no substitute to propose for the
arrangement made with MIR. Erskine, fulfilled
by our government, and violated by his that
he has no proposals to make us which Nigh,
lead to treaty he is only authorized to re-
ceive and discuss proposals. We must be
thus placed in the attitude of the offending
nation. Is this to be. endured Sir, after
the many injuries we have suffered, are we
TO acknowledge ourselves in the wrong, sub
scribe to faisehood, by Offering proposals
tor redress to the offender? Such disgrace
is without precedent in the annals of diplom-
acy And nothing but the spirit of insolence
would have Induced the British minister to
make such intimations 10 the American
government. How would the British govern
ment have met such treatment from our min
lister Suppose we had murdered a few of
and
four or five thousand more, obstructed the
navigation of the river St. Lawrence, plum
dered their property to the amount of Fifty
or sixty millions Of dollars, of which His
Majesty complained ! entered into an ar
rangemcnt for making rcparation, which he
observes with good iaith, but which we have
perfdiously violated; and after all this, send
minister TO tell that nation that he had no
proposals to make, that his instructions were
7" prospective" and to charge their ministry
with falsehood? The minister who should
thus trife with that government, would be
instantly dismissed, if not ordered to leave
the country.
Why disayow the arrangement so far as
it relates to the Chesapeake 1t is not
denied but Mr.. Erskine acted in pursuance
of his authority on this point, and when
that reason does not apply to this part of
the case, if it were admissible The cause
of the disavowal is to be found only in the
monopofizing system of government. That
system, which Mr.. Jackson tells us,was de-
liberately adopted and acted upon, in just and
necessary retaliation of the unprecedented
modes of hostility resorted to by the enemy"
A system, justified only by the pretence, that
it is I" to set bounds to that spirit of encroach.
ment, and universal dominion, which would
bend all things to It's own standard" But,
sir, we arc not to be told at this day, that the
object of the present war on the part Of
Great Britain,. is resistance to the spirit of
encroachment. 1t is a contest for commcrs
cial profits. Suppose we were to declare
war against the Dcy of Algiers, because his
subjects would not exchange their present
form OF government for one like ours
Could we expect to be justified in Mie eyes
OF the world, in appealing to the necessity
OF this war, AS an excuse for violating the
rights of other nations No, sir, the pre-
tence would be insolent, especially when Of
fered to the injured. Yet we are required
to take this as satisfactory reason for Brit.
ish blockades, orders in council, and depre.
dations upon our property
Sir, If further evidence would be neccssa-
ry to prove the insolence Of this minister to
our government, il ii is to be found in his let
ters delivered by Mr.Oakeley to the Secretary
Of State, dated l3th November. In the first
Of these notes, Mr.. Oakeley is desired to
state to the Secretary OF State" thai Mr..
Jackson mad been grossly insulted by the In
habitants Of Hampton in the abusive language
held by some of them, to several officers
bearing the Kings uniforms" that special
passports were indispensable to his safety,
that il was the more necessary, because the
language Of our newspapers had tendency
to excite the people to commit violence up
on his person. Not satisfied with the iuso-
lence he had offered To the Executive, nc cx-
tends II the people. Such is the barbsrous