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

had been weak enough TO be their dupc, or
sufficiently wicked 10 combine " ith thcsn, he
would hardly have sense enough OF be SO hon-
est as to keep the sccres. 8 ~ ost as
The extract, just quoted, which thus lihcis
the American government, and implicatos
Mr.. Erskinc, is that passage of Mr.. Jaciisop's
letter wherein he presumes 10 conlradlctdhc
constituted authorities of the United States.
1t was Of course incumbent on the Executive
To ,indcate his own honour and mciutSin tho
outraged dignity of the nation. ., esae
Mr. Smiths letter 10 MIR. Jackson OF the
lst of November, contains this necessary VIM
dication, by declaring such insinuations "in-
admissiblc" And what was Mr.. Jctkson's
answer! have carefully avoided (ssys he
drawing conclusions that did not necessarily
follow from the premises advanced by me, a. !
least of all should think Of utteling an insin-
untion where was unable to srbstantiste q
fact" With determined pcr,inacity, he adds,
and in so doing must coatinue."' thus 1,
is perceived, Mp. Jackson had insulted The
government he repeated the insult after be-
ing told that Il was inadmissib!c; and insist
inss on the untruth IN. the most unequiyocal
terms. openly and impcratively ayowcd his
resolution TO 4" continue" the same line of
conduct, There was no possibility of torbear-
ing any longer it bad become indispcnsably
necessary to cut him of from the government,
and accordingly he was cut of.
The evasion which MIR. Jackson afterwards
attempted TO palm upon the Secretary Of State
is the bascst of all possible subtcrfugcs.--
Making use of Mr.. Oakelcy's name, he says.
(" One Of the facts alluded TO the commune
cation of the conditions by Mr.. Erskinc has
been admitted by the Secretary of State him
self - and /" that that instruction .of Janua-
~ .acd is the only one in which the condi-
tions were prescribed, is known to me-" He
then proclaims, that il was for I" stating these
facts and adhering to them," that he was dis
missed by the President. So far from this
having been the groand for discardng him, it
is confidently affrmcdb by the writer of this
article, that if Mr.. Jackson, in his letter to the
Secretary Of State, had advanced nothing
more than what he does in MIR. Oaksley's
note, the government Of the United States
would certainly have taken no offence at it,
But Mr.. Jackson insinuaticns' assertions
were of very different Complexion They
were not tha: Mr.. Jackson knew anoihcrfact |;
bht that, Mr. Smith having stated TO Mr.. Jack
son, that /" after the exp!ieit and prcomtoy
asscyeration that this government had no such
knowledge fof the despatch and that with
such knowledge no ueharrangcment would
have been entered into, the view which you
| have again presented Of the subject, makes II
| my duty TO apprize you,that such insinua,ions
/ are inadmissiblc !" Mr.. Jackson replied af-
/ ter other remarks, least Of all should
| think Of uttering an insinuaticn where Twas
unable to substantiatc fact" A man so fnl.
| " convicted Of prcvarication can surely have
| no crcdl. with the .publick.
II will be observed, that The ground Of Mr.
Jackson's disgrace,is not a disagreement as tc
personal yeracity between Mr.SEiith and MIR
! Erskine nor between MIR. Smith and MIR
Jackson but il is exclusively question
whether Mr.. Jackson, IN ALI official cores
pondcncc with the American government
was to be permitted TO cIl in question tn,
vcracity of the power with whom he wa:
treating not whether Mr.. Smith told III.
truth or whether Mr.. Jackson told the truth
but whether the Executive OF the Unitet
States was to suffer itself 70 be repeated.
and uncquivocally s,igmtizcd Will, the impu
tarion of faisehood. The pith and substance
! of it is this Would private gcntlcnish il
negotiating any business Whatever with an
other person, put up with the lie direct 2
Apply the answer TO the case between th
government OF the Unicd States and MI
Jackson, and the point is decided to the salts
faction of every American citizen, who love
his couptry and vencrates the constitutions
Mr.. Jackson was doubtless, at full liberty {
amplify and enforce any respectful propos
: tions that he advanced, provided they wcr
dccorously urgcd ;sbut it was departing fror
| every customary rnIc of diplomatick dcpor
|. nicnt, which, prevails cvcnin time Of wa,
draw differences and TO insist upon tonclt
|, sions, which are neither dcducible from III
. circumstances which he cites, nor warrsntc
| by the evidence which he quotes IN snppo
|, OF them. How much less was it pcrriissib
!. to inycn: facts which had no foundation !
. truth.