The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-02-06
CON GRES S.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THURSDAY, December 81.
DEBATE.

THURSDAY, December 81.
DEBATE
ON THE 3oINT RESOLUTION
dhhroving thc conduct ofthe Erccntipe,
in relation to she refusal to receive any fur
tAer communication from Francis james
Jockson-Coniinued.
Mr.. GsoLsoN ssid that notwithstanding much
had already been said on the subject before the
committee, he hoped he should be pardoned for
occupying a small portion of their attention
The resolution before US, (said he) seems to en-
brace several objects pre-ernnenty entitled to the
dispassionatc conside ration OF congress-objects
altogether unconnected with those factions and
political dissentions which have ,nnhsppily coo
long prevailed amongst brethren of the same
common family, and which may one day prove
fatal to political liberty The first question which
presents self in the investigation of this subject,
involves on the one hand, said Mr.. 6 the vrraci-
ty and dignity Of the American government, and
on the other, the character and reputation of
British cnvey, and in some degree of the British
ministry.
In my remarks on this subjcc. (said hey con-
slider IT regular to commence with the origin Of
the mission from Great Britain, TO the United
States, out of which has arisen the present un.
Propitious posture of the affairs between the two
countries. What, sir, were the circumstances
under which that mssi,.l was dispatched here
In the month of May last, it was known to the
Britiah ministry that commercial arrangement
bad been made BY their envoy resident here, Mr..
Erskine) with the American government, bat
under the allegation that it was made con-
trary to Instructions, it was sooner known than
1t, and the minister making it, were disavowed
Mr Jackson was then appointed 10 substitute Mr..
Erskine the disavowsd agent, and at the time he
(Mr. Jac!sson) was sent to This country, it wss
well known by the British ministry that the, go.
vernment of the u. States stood solemny piedg-
ed to the American people to maintain, and that
they had inviolably and steadily adhered to GER
tain points and frinsit!es in differences with
England surrender CT our departure from
which, would be sacrifice of the honor and best
interests of this nation.
Yes, sir, when they well knew tina. in the affair
of the Chesapeake our executive would not, and
the voice of almost the whole nation had pr o.
nounced that he ought not to make the first ed.
vance to reconciliation, Mr.. Jackson was charg
ednot only TO require the first advance from us,
to wit: that in the document which should con-
tain the adjustment OF that affair, the revocation
OF the presidents proclamation of 1907, inter
dieting the British armed ships from our waters,
should be recited AN indispensable preliminary !;
but to require from us also the violation of the
principles of our naturaiiz cation laws, by insisting
on the surrender of foreigners who had become
naturalized. AS TO the orders in council, we
know not what specific propositions he was
charged with in relation to them. As far as we
are able to deduce amy thing from facts before us
it must be understood that the British govern
ment had determined to accept OF conditions
for the repeal of the orders in council, except
such as had been previously declared on the part
OF the American government TO be inadmssib,e.
Notwithstanding what has been said by the gem
tiernan from N York (Mr. Emott,) thnl, it is
easily to be demonstrated that the British govern
ment did not Intend to make any arrangement
different from that contemplated by the celebrat-
cd instructions OF the tweuty-third of January
transmitted to Mr.. Erskine. II the British GO
vernnent SO recently as May last, dissvo wed an
arrangement, and recalled its minister, under an
Allegation that he violated his instructions, was it
to be supposed that they would in two or three
months so far change their policy as to authorize
an Encouragement on The same principles they had
just rejected? Certainly not, sir. 1t is evident
that such an accommodation could not have been
designed, because Mr.. Canning says that such
measures must be adopted as should secure the
objects Of the orders in council That they did
not by this mean the mere continuance of the
intercourse law, as TO France, is manifest
Tor Mr.. Canning says TO Mr.. Pinkney that re-
peal as to Great Britain would be repeal as to
the whole world, unless the British navy were to
be permitted to enforce TIE law Interdictine in.
tercourse with France, by the seizure of such
vessels as should be found violating it.
Again-If it was the intention of the British
government to recede from the grounds taken,
to wit the requisition OF continuance Of the
non intercourse law az TO france, surrender of
the colonial trade, an allowing the British navy
to ENFORCE 4 law OF the United States, would not
Tie minister sent here to perfect the arrangement
have been instructed to take different ground
from that previously insisted on , 1t seems to
me perfectly clear that he would. From
this obvious view of the subject, 1 LOpc shall
not be charged with trespassng on that decoruTa
so earnestly recommended by gentlemen on the
other side of the House, il ! say, that Mr.. Jack
sent here, both to offer terms and con-
tend for principles insulting 20 this nation--and
demand of gentlemen whether this conduct can
be considered in any other light than as preme.
dltated insult They were apprised of The al
tinatnn of this government as to the orders i'm
council and the affair of the Chesapeake. The
terms offered lad been declared and over
again by our government 10 beNsuch as this go
ycrDmeDt could never sanction.
These, sir, were the circumstances under
which the mission commenced. What were
those which characterised its progress and ter.
mination think it very easy to shsw that the
conduct of the minister himself, after he arrived
partoO sstrictiy ut the character az The con-
Duct OF the ministry who sent him. i think
have shewn that the disposition manifested by
the ministry in sending him here was ineultine to
tins country Let us next enquire into the cha
racter disclosed, and the conduct displayed by
that minister after his arrival
And in this enquiry, without wadirg through
all the documeLts, which gentlemen can as well
UNDERESTIMATE by pcFusing them in their chambers,
as by Rearing them read here, will merely adj
vert 10 the offensive expressions used by Mr..
Jackson, and 90 the manner in which thess ex-
pressions were met by The secretary Of state. By
doing this il wiz be very disceraablc not only the