Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-07-16

AifOHiGg biin ho"e'oi hhc f'ct--sir ST.
per-refned serupics to which he nG,o
makes pretensions, he was the more bound
for that very reason 10 DO what VS. neees.
sary in the more regular course iVr effect.
ing the pablic objects connected with his
department. Yet he has not tod Us (aLd
WHO will doubt that he would have told u,
if he could that he discharged his duty
by calling the attention OF the President
from time to time to the case Of the six
suffering functionaries, and to the expedi.
ency of recommending to Congress reri.
sion of the act in question.
NINTH. Paragraph in the letter to .Nr.
Erskine. This paragraph, ne says. tue
President inserted with his own pen and
we believe it. But when he tells US that Ro.
bert Smith opposed it in the cabinet, We
do not believe it. We will venture to say
that Robert Smith ncveropposedany thing
in the cabinet. lie had hot vigor of mind
enough to support an argument, even On
the right side of a question. But which
is the right side of this question: Reeol.
leet the universal sensibility OF the nation
on this point, and that without the insea.
ton of this paragraph. Mr.. Smith re-
CURED for the murdercus attack on tie
Chesapeake nothing more than the de!ive.
~ of two native seamen who had been
most shamefulIy and insultingly detained
ever since the date OF the transaction
And vet, this is the man who beasts Of
hi. sympathy and sensibility to the honor
Of the nation.
But what has Mr.. Smith to offer in ex.
tenuation of his guilt in that most afro.
cious breach of official confidence involved
in his relation Of the fact : This is doubt.
less the least excusable Of al the crime.
confessed in his crimeiul pamphlet. In
trusted by his country TO manage the mos.
deilcate transaction that could be conid.
ed to minister, point ofnational honor,
with rival power, jealous, naughty, iar.
isl in her insults and frugal in her acts
of justice then to betray to that rival the
secret discussions Of his own cabinet on
that very point of honor; this marks
turpitude of heart, or bIunted, mufied,
wooden headed power of penetration ard
feeling TOO disgraceful in itself to be able
to disgrace the country it BETRAYED
Should this man renounce now his country
as he has his honor. become British
subject and take refuge at the court Of
London, he could not be expected to be
trusted to carry letter across the streJ
TENTH. Another instance Of official
treachery and mock scnsibility. MIR.
Madison with his own pen forbade tie
use of force in taking possession OF West
Florida against any particular place in
possession Of Spanish garrison. And
was he not bound to 10 SO by law. by con-
sisteney. and by the truest policy 9?
Florida was to be occupied because it
was oat of tie hands Of its recognized POS
SCISSOR. 4 private citizen may take pcs
session of bis own property when il can be
done without violence TO the other par
". Violence used by private citizens G.
ven in recovering their own is breach Of
peace and contrary to the law of the land.
Using national force against Spain in TAX
ing possession of what we considered as
our own would have been a breach OF
peace also in the eye Of the law of nations
and contradiction Of the principle and
professions on which the order to occupy
was founded. 1t would have been war
and was Mr.. Smith Of opinion that the
executive had a ght to make war.
1t would have been impol;tic, because it
might have been displeasing to our neigh.
bors of Spanish America and the go
vernment Of the Havana might, under
some unpropitious influence. have subject
ed the property of our merchants to some
unfriendly proceedings.
Had this forbearance Of the President
not been used, and had such consequences
ensued, the censure Of Mr.. Smith might
have taken another turn the honor Of
our arms might have been lost in SYM
pathy Tor our merchants. suffering from
the incaution and usurpation of the Ex-
ecutive, and his constitutional scruples
have reminded him that it was for the !e-
:: 4 To-