Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-11-23
Mr.. RUssELL's PROPOSITIONS.


Mr.. RUSSELL's PROPOSITIONS.
Tie Roman History in the celebrated
case of the Caudiac Forks, furnishes a
good illustration of the question between
our rulers and the British ministry
| The consuls Caivinus and Posthumius
with the Roman army were so complete.
| ly surrounded by the Samnitcs in the
dehles of the Caudine Forks, az 70 ren-
der their escape altogether hopeless
In this situation they entered into an q.
greement with the Samnitcs in which
they offered to make certain important
| concessions as a compensation for the
release Of the prisoners. This they
supposed would be advantageous to their
own country, but they expressly declar-
ed to the Samnites that they had no pow
er to make treaty with them securing
the terms proposed without the orders
| of the Roman PEOPLE and without the CO.
rcmonies usual < indispensable on such
occasions. AT the same time, however,
they might venture to suppose that the
Roman senate might ratify their agree.
ment. The Samnite general was salts
fed with these assurances, and after
detsinirg a few hostages suffered tho
prisoners to return to Rome. The So
nate disapproved of the agreement which
the consuts had made, and refused to
latily it. Tie Samnitss complained
They we're answered that Roman con-
sui had no right under such circum-
stances to pledge the faith of the Roman
senate, and that if they had sustained
loss it was their own fault in conGding
too much to the assurances of the con-
.uls.
What is the case between the Ameri-
can and the british sabinets? In order to
put stop to the calami,ies of war
which we ourselves have begun, we in.
struct our minister at London to propose
an armistice, to be founded upon tho
suspension Of a practice which we ed
nit to be legal and as an inducement
to the enemy TO make this suspension,
ne is authorised to give assurances to
them, Of a probibitory law to be pass
ed by his government at some subse-
quent day, by which British seamen
shall be excluded from the public and
commercial service Of the United States.
At the same time however, the British
government is informed that neither the
cabinet nor the minister can make such
law that congress alone possessed
that power, who, it might reasonably
be hrssumea, might give effect to It,"
The minister thus explicitly declares,
that he is not authorised to say that con.
sress would actually ratify his agree.
mcnt, but, like the Roman consuls, 10
thinks it probable that they gyouM do 50.
What is the answer cf the British 20.
vernmcnt? We arc in the full enjoy.
mcnt of an admitted right, the exercise
of which being sometimes inconvenlert
to yeu, you require us to suspend ard
as the consideration for this suspension,
(which will be an absolute relinquish.
inert for limited tine) you are autho-
rised to assure rs, that your government
will enact such n law as will make US
full compensation for our lorbcarancc
but atthe same time, you acknowledge
that the slipul ation which you are au'
,horised to make, is to be understood IN
the sense and spirit of your constitu'
tlon," aid that your congress alone have
The power 10 make the law which you
promise US, as an equivalent for prerl'
ously conceded and important right
We profess 30 intimate acquaintance
with the 8 sense and spirit" ct your
constitution, nor do we Know how tar
that sanae ard spirit would edn'it OF
the provision which you offer Us, even
were ii certain that your professions arc
sincere but a6ovc all, we have no Sc
curi;y that congress zviN pass such Ia"
as we should require. Here then tho
conference ends. The minister ackno"-
v>In