Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-05-12
ENERGETIcK BIOGRAPHY.
CongrsG Of the United States.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
MONDAY, 1brH 80.

TIL. following IS a sketch of the proceed.
incs on Mr.. Pitkn's resolution calling on
the executive for Information respecting our
foreign relations 49,.
Mr.. Pitkin said he would state the object
which he had IN view! We are to rise. SAID
he, to- morrow night. / wish to have It IN
my powcr 70 inform my constituents res
pec,ine the state Of our relations with the
belligerents SO far as it can be done consist
entity with the good Of the nation. Gentle
men will recollectl that there was communl.
Gated TO the house in the early pars%ot the
session, letter from general Armstrong to
the secretary of State dated SIN September
1909, in which he says he has received a
note from NJ. Champaghy to which Re
should not reply until he received farther
instructions. One object of the resolution
is TO obtain copy Of letter stating the
principles by which France were to b. 60
v.rned, and to learn what answer was made
to that note, and III addition to that, what
reply was made by the French government,
in q word, TO let the people know, nh ,ther
the letters we have seen in the papers siga-,
ed Due de Ca9are, is a genuine letter or not.
We very wsll know thct the letter OF the
2ad August was published in France about
the time or soon after il was communicate
to general Armstrong. and that It was traas',
fe,red TO the English papsrs. and perhaps
in tina, shape arriy q in this coun,ry before
tho original, though it was an imperfect
translation. But II seems the French 20
vernmcnt are in the habi. oi publishing cH.
tial copies uf commuai atons made TO ou'
ooysrnrne Mt, tnr the,c are none but official
;iapcr. now pabiishcd IN France. Fhat be-
ine trae it isprobab'r the letter is genuine
oaper. II i, is, is there man in this house
vino will say the p.opleof the Uni1cd States
ought not TO know it ? trust not. had
waited Jill the last momAn; IN hopes com
munica,iou would nave been made BY the
executive to the house on the subject ----
It cannot require secrecy, because the
French government themselves have pub.
lishrd il. g. 20. .. ' e.
~, / presume, sir, II weuhl not be irrelevant
to call your attention to part OF the letter.,
I. appears to have BEN given as written
answer to q private conversation had with
our minister at Paris. l. contains express
sions, certainly, highly derosatory to the
governments. At the close Of it Champagny
(Duc de Cadore) says -.
+" IF then the American government will
enter into an engagement that American
vessels shall not submit to the orders Of the
English council OF November, 1907, nor to
any decree of blockade unless that blockade
shall be real, the undersigned is authorised
TO conclude every species OF convention
tending to renew the treaty Of commerce
with America, and inwhieh shall be arrang.
ed all the measures proper to consolidate
the commerce and prosperity of the Amsri-
cans. The undersigned has thought il his
duty to answer the verbal overture ofthes
American minister by written note, 10 orr
der that the president of the United States
may better.khow the amicable Intentions of
France towards the United States, and
her favorable disposition to American COM
msrce. Is :.
- If this be real genuine letter transmits
Ted BY general Armstrong TO this govern.
ment. I wish the people aiso should know
the smieatls Intentions d, France go tiis,