The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1810-01-10

full power to the President, it was impossible
on his own principles, 10 treat further w:.h
him until he did present it. His offer there
fore, /" to exchange bis full power against
that with which Mr. Smith should be proyid-
ed" is an evasion tie President could not,
according TO ussge, furnish the Secretary OF
State with full power before Mr.. Jackson
had produced one and for this very plain
reason, because the President could not tell,
without having seen Mr.. Jackson's full power
what the new Envoy Was authorized to nego-
ciate about; particularly after he had official
ly announced thai he was only empowered
(" to receive and discuss propositions"
The able manner in which the Secretary
Of State had exposed the singular proposition
relative to the reparation for the attack on
the frigate Chesapeake, almost obviatcs the
necessity of further elucida.ion. The man.
ner In which tine paper OF memoranda was
presented, however, deserves some notice.
The affair of the Chesapeake up to the 23d
OF October, had been embraced In the gener-
al correspondence between Mr.. Smith and
Mr. Jackson. The latter in his letter of that
daIc, omits the subject altogether /; but, in
a note of the 9th Of October, he slipped in
a sepcrate proposition, which he doubtless
thought would, like the artful pass of fenc-
ing master, effect a palpable hit. There was
something 30 extremely ridiculous in this
trick, that it could excite nothing but "a sar-
csstick smile at the awkward effort at dexter
ity in Mr.. Erskine's successoar He was
Placed in the posture of wandering and pre-
tended conlurer, who, being novice in de-
ccption, hugs himself in the conceit that he
is deceiving his audience, whilst the audience
perceive the whole cheat and laugh at the
conluror's clumsiDess
But what was this paper Of memoranda
Surely not a tender nor an act of PREPARATION.
1t was a demand OH the American govern
mem to lcgaiizc, by acknowledging, the cor
rectness of the principle upon which the
fligate was attacked and thus 10 Justify the
outrage for which atonement was the me->
moranda proposed. The reservation. for the
restoration Of British subjects and deserters,
is tc all intents and purposes, such demand.
Besides the satisfaction was not point of IN
tcrcst but a point Of honour. And what ma
tion ever yet made conditions in a case OF hon.
our Docs MIR. Jackson imagine that the
government of the United States, is so mer-
cenary, that it is eagar to seize the trihing
sum which is to compensate the surviving
relations of the slain and the manned in that
yile attack Let him, if he does, shake off
his day dream, and learn hencefUrward that
IL is tho honour of our flag that requires sat-
isfaction, and that the reparation is lot to be
accepted upon the principles of bargain and
sale. This is the doctrine maintained by Mr..
Madison in his correspondence with Mr..
Rose and it is the doctrine which the Brit
ish themselves maintained in the case of
Falkland's Islands.
The subject of this exposition requires, it
is conceived, very few remarks more in Sc
rious point of view. As topick of rdicule,
Mr.. Jackson's letters will be exceedingly ac-
ceptable to those who delight in betrayng arr
rogance in the garb of duplicity. The ap-
peal which that minister has made to the
publick casts upon him additional odium in
the estimation of all worthy men. l, is not
only unbecoming in an envoy, but It is unbe-
coming in gentlemen: il is not only de-
parture from the rules which ought to gov
crn bis diplomatick conduct, but it is per-
version of the truth. Excepting one point,
the falsehood of the appeal is sufficiently de-
veoped in the preceding structures that
point is, where he cndeavours to pnrsuade
the publick that he is charged with impor-
tant negotiations" Nothing can be more
certain than that he was rot SO charged: or,
that ii he was, his negotiations were not
" important" in an aniCable view, to the
United States and this conclusion is abnn-
dainty verified by the words Of MIR. Jackson
himself, for, in his letter to Mr., Smith of the
23d of October, he says, " the object Of that
part of my conversation to which you seem to
attach the most Importance, was to say that
was not charged to make any proposal what
ever )" which is a clear admission, that Mr..
Smith was anxious sor some friendly propo-
sal, but that Mr.. jackson had pene to offer
him. The appeal establishes another very
material and unfortunate fact, If Mr.. Jackson
can be relied on he declares that hrs " duty
impcriousy eajoined him to act as he has
done |: if this be SO is 1t was imperiously
cnjoinsd ON him to act thurs, the evil goes
farther than Nkr lack SON: II is In the British