Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-07-19

the defect Of the communications 10
them rs TO the views of The French -
To supply this defect was the great de
sideratum. Al a critical period OF their
perpiexi,ie., the arrival at Norfolk OF ali
envoy extraordinary frem France, was
announced. immediately thereon, all
| their proceedings, touching our foreign
relations we're suspended Their mea'
surss, as avowed by themselves and as
expected by The nation, were then to be
| shaped according to the Information that
| might be received from Mr. ScrrurIer,
ESPECIALLY as he necessarily must have lsT
| France isrg after the all IMPORTANT first
Day Of November. Upon his arrival at
Washington aud immr dately after he
bad been accredited, knowing, as l did.
the impotence of Congress and of my
countrymen, lost no time In having
with him a conference. This confer
ence l concluded by stating that would
take the liberty OF addressing to him
note propoundins the several questions,
that / had just the honor of putting to
him in conversation, anu that thus by his
answer should be enabled to lay before
the President his communications to
me. l accordingly Immediately prepar.
ed the following dFausht OF letter, and
considering the Presidents sanction
matter of course, had it in doe official
/ form Copid BY the appropriate clerk
But waiting on the President NTH il, and
afssr having reported to him verbally the
result of the conference, was, TO my
astonishment, told by him that ii 7psHla
NOT be erhsdient TO send to Mr.. Serruri-
er any such note. His department.
throughout this interview svinced a
high degree Of disqnirtude, 1yhich oeeasi.
sionaily betrayed him info fretui ertres-
sisns, Having in view nothing but the
dignity of the government, and the pros
perity of my country, and overlooking
his peeyishness, l entreated him, but in
a manner the most delicate, nor 20 arifh.
hold from Congress any Information that
might be useful 10 them at so momentoxs
q juncsure."
To give its full and proper force to
MIR. Smiths evidence, a short notice OF
some interesting and important circum-
stances attending the introduction and
final adoption OF the March law Of 10 /,
will be necessary The gentleman VINO
was chairman of the cotnmit,ee of 70
reign relations at tba. tine, i. now
memOer of this house, ard is III his seat.
l say then, as veil as remember, Cor
rect me if wrsng) ne introduced the
law of March 1911, just as MIR. Ssrru-
rier's arrival was announced. As soon
as the minister's arrival In Washington
was known, he Withdrew his bill, as un.
derstood at the time To proceed wiling
iy, and to allow time tc ascertain tom
the new minister fresn from France,
whether the DEGREES of Berlin and Nil
Ian were actually repealed, as assumed
and proclaimed by the executive. The
inference would be drawn by the public
if after allowing due time 10 learn the
result of the conference between the
secretary Of state, the bill was again re-
ported, that the result OF such confer
ence vas favorable, and removed all
doubt of the truth Of the proclamation.
| If not again re-drswn, that the iniorna-
.tion extracted from Mr.. Serrurier was
| unfavorable. What was the result 3
| Recur to the testimony given by Mr.
Smith, and all doubt is removed. In
this state of things, what did the commit.
tee OF foreign relations! The chairman
again introduced the law OF resistance
against England 5ottomed upon the as
serted repeal Of DEGREES and the presl-
dents proclamation, which itself rested
upon what is now established to be
luggle of France-an undesirable un.
truth. The nation of course did infer,
that Mr.. Serrurier had fully satisfied ac-
ministration of the repeal of the de.
crees. There were those to be sure,
Mr.. H. was among the number, who
never for q moment changed their Cpl
Mon, but the many continued under the
delusion, until MIR Smiths disclosures
burst upon the nation, aroused general
Indignation, and struck with amazement
and horror every man whose mind was
open 10 conviction. Nevertheless, adj
mlnis;ration proceeded with steady
step to their point of destination. and f.
nally plunged the country INTO this most
ruinous, caiamitous war, which bias FILL
ed the nation with grief and mourning,
and brought US TO the verge, if not to
the gulph of national bankruptcy. They
rushed on blindfoided till they were SO
far advanced as not to have the power of
preventing this people from being suck.
edinto the vortex, which had we'll nigh
swallowed up the liberties Of the world,
and but for the memorable and glorious
Gus events which have opened new
era to the nations of the earth, would
have sealed the doom Of this rising en-.
pire.
Mr.. H. said, he feared the house were