Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-02-27


honorable gentleman to adduce one instance
TO rebut this assertion. Such was the Ian
guage OF the Americans themselves, which
must be believed, unless we supposed that
their intentions were rather to be learned
from the sagacity and wisdom Of the right
honorable gentleman--that wisdom which
had devised the grand design of depriving
the French hospitals of bark that wisdom
which had projected the mighty plan of des-
troying the French commerce, and had
made our own Exchange desert. Perhaps
the right honorable gentleman would conf
mnnicate to them, for their benefit, some Of
his spare wisdom for ii he had any wisdom
it certainly was to spare, as he had never
exhibited any in governing his own country.
But 70 return: Ministers neither gave nor
intended to give, any information respecting
these subjects of inquiry. All that we knew
was, that the affair of the Chesapeake was
indeed adjusted; but all other differences
were still unreconciled The congress had
met, and al address had been issued, which
evidently anticipated war-which war he
had no hesitation to say, depended and re-
suited from the unbending and unaccomodat-
ing conCttycs Of ouT government"
To this The Chancellor afthe Erchqeucr
rcDied rs fellows:
Smother topic and one which he confessed
to De Of the greatest Importance, observed up
on by the honorable gentleman, was the state OF
our relations with America. He hoped that the
house would be indulgcnt enough, If they saw
at present an lndisposition on the part of min
listers 20 20 into any discussion on that point,
not to attribute that indisposition to want ofa-
bility TO meet any such discussion, nor to any
:.pprche hsion that this country would suffer in
her honor or her interests by whatever might
be disclosed upon it.. The true policy for this
country to adopt towards America and The POI
licy which had been adhered to by the minis
tiers Of the crown, was TO staye oil tina, catastEo
phe--thc catastrophe of war-which it was the
interest of both nations to avoid. The conduct
of the government TO America ought ia be tenn
pcraic and moderate, but, at the same time
dgrfed and codsstert; but nothing could inn
pedc its plans and progress more than, during
the pending negotiations, to he thus putting it
upon its dctence--to be thus putting the coun-
Try Upon its trial. Il the conduct of America
was really that OF fair impartial neutrality, as
the honorable gentleman contehded, he would
rather give the honorable gentleman credit for
his opinion, than run the risk of entangering
the success of the pending discussions, by any
declaration TO the contrary. war between
this country and America would be productive
of evil TO both olthough, in his opinion not of
so much evil to England as TO America. So
FAR from considering the interests Of both coun-
tries TO be in any opposition 10 one another, he
would always consider the wealth of America
as accessaryto the riches, and her prosperity as
accessory to the greatness of England. He would
indeed, be sorry to see America crushed impo-
verished or destroyed. (Here Mr. whitehead
repeated the word " destroyed" The honora-
bic gentleman might repeat his words, but tho
he did not use the word destroyed in the sense
Of physical annihiiation, vet he sontended that
6 war with England would prove desfluctive TO A.
merica-destructive to her wealth, her strength
he's prosperity, and her progressive civilization.
[ne honorable gentleman reyiisd the phrase of
" conciliatory disposition" which the regents
speech attributed to the English government in
It's transactions with America For his part he
was candid enough to confess, that he would
bear with more from America than from any o.
Their foreign country with whom England could
have am relations. His opinion on this point
might be erroneous; but he was confident that
he possessed towards America the fullest spirit
OF Cancellation. The honorable gentleman far
Their remarked, that we should have believed in
the revocation cf the Berlin and Milan DEGREES,
because America said that they were repealed.
Cur charge against America was, that she had
been too acQuiescent and too partial to France
too partial to her opinions, md too acquies-
cent in her DEGREES. So much did he differ
from the Americans on this point, that he con-
sidercd the very notice of revocation itself the
very strongest testimony that they were not
revoked. In what tile honorable gentleman cal
led revocation, he saw the clcarest evidence Of
reenactment, and proof of the existence of the
spirit in which those DEGREES originated. He
even conceived that he saw in that revocation a
determined intention of abiding by them to the
last extremitv f this revocation was rs sin
cere rs it he's been said to be-ifit indeed exis-
ted at all, why did not America produce the in
strument itself. Why not give it distinctly, as
she has other state papers' gut the fact was,
that France only gave notification, and that
too conditional one, dependent upon two al
ternatiyes. The hon gentleman totally abstract
ca the conditionality OF the Instrument from its
consideration but he, (the chanCellor) could
not--What were these conditions That Great
Britain should revoke her orders in council and
abandon what is called her new system Of block
ade, or that America should cause the indepen-
dence of or far TO be respected that IS, that
Great Britain should abandon that system which
was founded ON the law Of nations, aDd her own
immemoral practicc-because Grcat Britain
had adopted no new system of bloch ode, but had
adhered TO her old principles--to those prmci-
plesand maritime rights, which were the pro-
duotive causes other greatness, end without adj
herring to and asserting which she could no lon
ger exist az an independent nation New words
had been invented ;--lateiy we had heard of de-
Matchmaking ships, which meant, suffering
them TO be visited by us upon the ocean but
if Great Britain is 20 be hiadered from visiting
|lht eSdiShlii american btl9 on AilG HtBh seas
according to her recognised and legitimate
rights, then indeed should we cease TO be the
nation that we have been"
Whatever may be the opinion entertain
ed by different parties, certainly neither the
Regents Speech nor the sentiments Of the
Ministers, as expressed by tho Chancellor
Of the ETchcquer, contain any thing hostile
20 che peace, or offensive to the character Of
our country. Onthe contrary, the language