Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-12-14

md on the sole condition that the maritime
might be satisfactorily arranred.-
Such was their disposition In the month of
July 1912, when they instructed Mr. Russell
to make the proposal of an .ar.-.;-t;ce IN
the m,nsi. Of Ocss Of the s,me year, whe
Mr. Monroe answered Admiral Warren's
prcposatto the same ea,;cti in April, 1918.
whsn INSTRUCTIONS were given TO three Of the
Undersigned thcs appointed tn treat OF
peace. d fhe mediation of Russia, and
IN January 1914. when the instruct;ors on
DER waich the undersigned are nov act .rg
were prepared. .
The p;oposi I'm Of the Russian Picnipo.
sentiafies IS. tha,, N order 10 secure the
trcuuer okCanada against attack, the Uni.
.eo States should leave their own without
aeience /; and 1t seems to be forgotten, that
It their superior popr.stion. and the prox
unity OF their resources give them aay adj
vantage in that Quarter, it is balanced bv
the great difference between the military
establishments of the two nations. No sud-
den invasion Of Canada BY the United States
Gould be msde without leaving on their At,
lantlc shores and on the oceaR, exposed to
me great superiority of the British force a
mass OF American properly far more valua>
BILE than Canada. In her relative superior
force to that of The United States in every
other quarter. Great Britain may fad q
pledge much more effcatious for the safety
Of a single vulnerable point, than in stipu-
iations ruinous 10 the interests and degra~
ding to the honor of America. The best
security for the possessions of both coun.
tries will, however. be found in an equal q
solid peace ; in a mutual respect for the
rights ct each other. and in the cultivation
oi = friendly understanding bet wees them.
II here be any source of Jealousy in relation
to Canada isself, il will he found to exist
solely In the undue interference Of traders
and agents. which may be easily removed
by proper restraints.
The only American forts on the Lakes
known TO have been. at the commencement
of the Negotiation, held by British force.
were Michilimackinac and Niagara. AS
the y States were at the same time in ms
sessipn OF Amherstburg aad the adjacent
country, il is not conceived that the mere
occupation OF those two forts could give a.
ny Claim to his Britannia n~ajcs,y to large
cessicns OF territory, founded upon the fight
OIL compost ; and the undersigned may be
permitted to add, that even If the chances
OF war should yield to the British arms a
niomentary possession of other parts of the
territories of the United States, such event,
would not alter their views with regard to
the terms of peace to which they would
give their consent. Withsnt recurring to
the terms of peace to examples drawn from
tue evolutionary governments of France.
OF toa more recent a Industrious triumph |
oI iortitude in adversely, they have been
taught by their own history that the occu.
patiQn Of their principal cities would produce
no dependency, nor induce their submit,
sion to The dismemberm ent of their empire
or to the abandonment CT any one of the
rights which constitute a. part of their ma
tional independence.
The general proposition. that it was con.
slstent with the principles of public law. Sc |
with the practice of civilized nations. to in
allies in a treaty of peace. and to pro-,
vice tor their security. never was called in
question by the undersigned. But they
nave denied the right OF Great Britain. &C.
cording to those principles and to her. own
practice to int rts.e IN any manner with In.
aian tribes residing Within the territories of
ne United States, as acknowledged by
to consider auch tribes as her af~
les, or to treat for than with the United
states. They will not repeat The facts and
arguments already brought forward bv
in support Of this position, and which
unanswered, Ihe observations made
~ the British Plenipoientiaries on tn & terri
DRY OF G~reenvilie, and their assertion that
ne Uuited States new, for the first time.
ieny the absolute independence of the Indi
IN tribes, and claim the exclusive right of
purchasing their lands, requires, however,
ONE notice.
II the United States had now asserted.
hat the Indians within their boundaries
Who have acknowledged the u. S. as their
MY protectors, were their subjects, living
'niy at suit rance on their lands, far from
'eiag The First in making that assertion.
hey would only have followed the example
II the principles, uniformly and invariably
in Substances * frequently avowed1
n express terms, by the British govern.
ncnt itself. What was the meaning of all
he colonial charters granted by the British
monarch, from that of Virginia by Eliza
'eth. to that OF Georgia. by the immediate
OF the present king, if the Indi.
ne were the sovereigns and proprietors of
ne lands bestowed by those characters III
What was the meaning of that article in the
reaty OF Utrecht, by which the five ma ions
we're described, in terms, as subject to the
of Great BritainS OF that of the
teaty with The Cherokees, by which it was
that the King Of Great Britain
.ranted them the privilege to live where
hey pIcased, If those subjects were indie.
sovereigns, and if these tenants, az
ne license of the British king were the
lghtsai lords oft lands where he gran
them permission TO liver What was the
meaning OF that proclamation Of his present
majesty issued in 1863. de cIaring
III purchases of lands fr~m the Indians nun
I'D void unless made by treaties held under
he sanction Of his majessy's government, If
ne Indians had the right to sell their lands