The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-01-06

0N me JOfNf RESOLUTION
Ahfroving the conduct ofthe Executive in
relation to the refusal to receipe any FIR
tier communication from Francis James
jackson.
TUESDAY, Dec. 20.
In committee of the whole, MIR. BAssEr
in the chair
Mr. JOHNSON. When / consider it my
indispensable duty to address you, shall a
poieg'se neither for the manIer, nor the
time-and, however feeble my powers, to
speak the sentiments of those whose conf
dehce and whose affections have placed me
here is source of happiness which cannot
describe. To be silent on this occasion,
woui;. do great injustice to the love of natl.
onai honor and the patriotism of the district
represent, and in fact of the state in which
I'VE. lhe gentlemen in opposition to the
resoiation have given an extent To this dis
cussion which has involved our foreign reia-
lions with all the world. l may be permit
united, therefore, without being considered
ProhH. TO embrace in my remarks the disa
vowed arrangement and the events subse-
qnent-nor shall Ibe considered as wander
ing from the subject to review the situation
OF TINS country at the time of the disavowe d
arrangement. and To mention the great
vents which pressed heavily upon the eve
Oh thts PERIOD. What was this situation and
these pressing and impending events previ.
ons TO the arrangement Our embarrass.
| ments had never been so great since the re
volution, nor our injuries SO numerous, so
serious SO aggravated-the political hori-
zon was overshadowed with clouds and
loarKncss-no commercial arrangement eX.
isted between Great Britain and the United
otates' we were bound together by no con
ventionai ties-by no treaty obligation. The
commercial part of Jays treaty, which
conceded SO much to England and which
mas SO justly incurred the execration of the
friends OF our independence, had EXPIRED
we were affoat upon the ocean upon the
| oIoau OASIS OF the laws Of nations, under
"hicn tor few years we were growing in
wealth and happiness in manner that ex
citep the Jealousy of Great Britain She
iiao ialted to gain the same advantages BY
ahother treaty and she refused to enter into
reciprocal and liberal one. Failing in
tnis attempt, the laws ofnations were disre
garded-changed by municipal regulations.
and execated by the British camon-power
ana necessity became her code of maritime
laws, ana our commerce and our innocent
ana independent citizens fell sacrifice to
.his system OF iniquity. The subject of i'm
pressmcnt, the first in the list of Injuries.
|
subject OF blockade by which the civilized
world has been closed to our commerce by
prociamatlons OH paper, the list of contra
oaho' the search OF merchant vessels, de
precautions IN our waters, the attack on the
chesapeake where q number OF our citizens
were murdered and some still held in cap
! t,vity. the British proclamation holding out
| farther pretensions upon the subject of i'm
Pressment than have ever been exercised
with all of their nefarious practices, the or
ders in council Ieyying a tribute, tax, a
contribution upon your soil and your proper
iy.; These were the subjects of dispute. the
points OF controversy. Atonement for the in
Juries refused and negotiation on other points
Had failed. The most sanguine among us
gave up all hopes of better times Thecri
SIS was awful, which presented to the Anne
ric-" people the alternatives OF war, embar
| go, or dlsgrace--our situation was rendered
more perlous by the internal divisions at
nome and the opposition which constitute
onal laws met with in many parts of the
United States. In this hour of peril and
danger, the sdisavowed arrangement was
announced to the people of the u. States,
by our Chief Executive Magistrate-an ar
rangement which made atonement i'm part
| lor the murder or our Countrymen on board
the chesapeake, offered prospect of res
Il r.
which rescinded the ordersin council as they
respected the u. States--with a promise of
| sending special minister vested with full
! powers tn conclude treaty of peace. cannot
describe the feelings of the American people
al TINS welcomc news, when the :.greeable
surpr'ze permitted reilection--the prospect
OF peace made their joy mmoderate. A
political jubilee was proclaimed. 1t was
fondly hoped that pledge had been given
or disposition manifested to obliviate the in
suits and wrongs of twenty years i'm Just
and amicable arrangement The effects of
TINS disavowed arrangement were uDiyer-
| sal, not confined to one party, nor to one
class OF citizens. The few VINO doubted the
tutit OF Great Britain were denounced-
no party orpolitician dared at that time to
say, and it could not he said. that c.. Br;.
tain had surrendered any right, tn at she had
abandoned asy principle Of equity or the
Laws OF nations nor that Great Britain had
more than atoned for the injuries in which
reparation was rendered, nor that Mr..
Erskine had been over.reached or that he
had cciopronitted the honor IT his govern.
ment. Not sven British emissaries nor the
papers supposed to he devoted to the British
interest dared to assert any of these posi,i
ohs There was a difference OF opinion with
respect TO the arrangement in this: that one
party conteaded or thought that it contained
/ the nnSiulum Of what we lad right ~
ask. The oher party c>iitended or thought
shat It was the Dinima;u OF Justice, thai we
had a right to demsGd more But all cor.
CARED ia accepting the arrangement With
lgreatjo Tir6 arrangement furnished sub