The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-08-14
FRoM THE AURORA
THE DIPLOMACY EXAMINED.
No w.

''e Coupass ot StTDus anu Important
matter. than all the rest. Questions of public
right. principles OF policy, considerations ofna
tional honour, and good faith, the claims of Jus
tice, as well the decent dignity of self respect
IN debating the concerns of free and indepen
dent NATION, and the decorum of private charac
ter, are all treated with an indulgence of disre-
gard and willingness Of sacrifice which ex
cite disgust and indignation. That confluence of
mind. that cautious indebtedness by which he has
been hitherto distinguished. have been here TO.
tally laid asde. and we see the man disarrayed
of his disguise, appear in all the nakedness of his
real character.
This revolution of character is to be remarked
nlso in the paper published as apology. or an
excuse, or vindication, for it would be difficult
to determine upon its irrelevance to the main sub
Jec' what it was intended TOR, If we had not q
sufficient knowledge of the bearing and tenden
cy OF the part which is personal 1t is, notwith
standing the long time which has elapsed be-
Tween its date & its publication, feeble and decep.
tive where it should be decisive and unreserved;
IT berays alarm, and strengthens the belief in the
reality OF the SANDER which the dispatches fix
upon him, and from which alone he appears soil
citous to escape. He appears to feel more appre.
hension for political influence than for the pub
Tic rghts-for his private ingratitude than his
public inftlelity.
On the subject of the public transactions.
which beside his having constitutional right
nor authority 10 meddie with them, he admits
vors to mitigate the error Of the transaction. by
s'sttng that it was at his own house and without
p,eoioss dfPointH1ents as If voluntary visit of a
foreign minister could authorize what was con-
additionally wrong, any more than what was mo.
rally per6dious and politically wicked. In fur
tber cover he also states that Mr. Madison had
the proceeding day communicated to him, the re-
suit OF his conversations with Mr. Erskine and
TO this he adds another 6utfress, that every sent
ment he uttered was in perfect unison with the
president and secretary of state.
But neither will the confidence repoaed in hin,
by Mr. Madison ON the preceding day, nor
would even an authority from Mr.. Madison to
do, If he had authorised him, justify what is in it
self wrong, and which as the events she W. would
have been unwise neither with the shield of Mr.
Madison or Mr.. Smith, under which he covers,
avert the light Of investigation and the irresisti
BILE force of truth It may exhibit the extreme
resource OF desperation. to bring down Mr. Mad
1son and Mr.. Smith in the same common ruin. by
hividing with them undera general assertion the
igDominy of his conduct ; but upon comparison
OF the conversations and declared principles of
both, as reported by Mr.. Erskine, there is no as
sent in common, no agreement in dishonour no
concurrence IN principles and measures of the
greatest moment :-independent indeed of the
detraction which truckles to the minister of an
oppressor, and establishes the sincerity of his
own debase ment by contrasting the characters of
two presidents with each other, and libelnp
BOTH by exhibiting one as so partial to France as
TO withhold from the public fair statement of
suy relations With that nation and repres nj ue
the other as SD infatuated an admirer ofthe BIZ.
Fish constitution Gifts institutions ITS energy and
its spirit, that he was capable as MIR Gallatin
offorgetting all American wrongs and betrying
all American rights
The conduct of Mr. Gallatin throughout this
whole transaction, affords horrible picture of
dupiicity and cunning counteractng and destroy
Ing itself Article marks every step he takes -
We are urder the necessity of taking up his let
ter OF the 21st of April, published the 18th JuIy
rather than the despatch itself, because the order
ct It's construction, is not the order of the tles-
patch and because the defence has BEEN either
through confusion of the mind or design, compo-
sed 10 such form, as to perplex rather than il
lustrate, and TO substitute for the matter stated
by Mr. Erskne, an enumeration of abstract pro.
positions, which appear only to have been con.
celved some of which, from the kno wn decia-
rations OF the British ministers could not be cal
culated upon, and others of which are in the con-
versatiohs actually abandoned by Mr. Gal,atin
himself
\ This evasion is not to he admitted, the trans
actions must stand upon their own premises, and
the departure from them is not very PROPOSES.
Hing circumstance.
What was meant by the colonial trade, he saws.
" has been already explained by Mr. Erskine -
This refers not to the despatch No ii. but to the
treatment of the subject in the month of August
1909, when upon the rejection of Mr. Erskine's
engagement, the dispatches of Mr. Canning had
drawn the three extravsgant propositions in.
TO public discussion These letters, and this
treatment of the subject, referred to m this occa
sion, form the documents Nos XVI XVII
XVIII and XIX. ofthe papers published an the
Aurora.
AS it is probable that this subject has already
excited great interest K may excite more, we shall
not hesitate to examine 1T more at large than we
should do with topic of inferior moment -
Principles OF policy, we'll as the conduc, oC
public men, will be better understood by a full
and explicit discussiOn-we shall therefore also
refer to this reference Of Mr. Gelatin.
In the letter of MIR. Erskine of 18th of August.
1909. in answer to remonstrsnce of Mr. Smith.
MIR. Erskine expressly states and repeats almost
IN the same words what he had written in his
despatch. We shall copy both sentences
Mr.. Cailatn also said, that he knew il was
intended by the United States to abandon the at.
Sempt to carry on trade with tie colonies of
belligerents il, the time of war, which was not
allowed in time ofpeace, and to trust to the be
ing permitted by the French to carry on such a
trade in peace so as to entle them 10 a continu-
ance oft in time Of war."-Despnch No. II.n
He adyerted also to- the probability of an ad
Justment OF another important point in dispute be.
tween the two countries, as he said he knezu thai,
n w1s intended BY fhe United Sfdfes, 10 abandon
Inc attempt TO carry trade Svnh The colonies
OF beIllgerents IN time of war, which was not al
lowed IN time ofpeace, and 10 trust to the being
permitted by the French TO carry such trade
IN peace, so as to entiIle them to continuance
OF u IN time OF war" Letter No XVIII
Here are the opinions referred to by MIR. Gal
latin himself, and Mr.. Galls,in in addressing MIR
hTaktnf- hPQtpa txfi Ia darl