Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-12-10

n earnest desire on their part to bring I
hem to favorable issue. upon principle.
l perfect reciprocity, not inconsistent with
ne established maxims OF public law. and |
With the maritime rights Of the British en-.
IRE. This fact alone might snffc. To-
new. that It ought not TO have been expect
,o'that the American government. il accee.
ing to this proposition. should have exceed.
ca ats terms. and furnished the undersigned
Win instructions authorship them tn treat
wan the British Plenipotentiaries respect :,
'nS indians sisuatedi within the boundaries
"t the Urited S'a.es. That such expecta.
ucn was nat entertained by the British 20.
sernmcnt. might also hare been Inferred:
mom the explicit assurances which the
nrnish p'enipntentiaries gave on the part Of
Wer government, at the frat conference
WHICH me undersigned had the honor Of ho'.
u'nS with them, that no eventa. subsequent
10 the hrst proposal for this negotiation. had
an any manner. varied either the disposition
" tne British government that L might ter
inmate IN peace honorable 20 10th parties.
OF uieterms upon which they would be wii>
Hug to Conclude It. ''
It IL well known that the difference. vi ;ch
unhappily subsist between Great Britain Al. d
sne United STATES. and which n,tim atelv led
20 the present war. were wholly of y mar.
i.ime nature, arising principally from the
british orders in council, in relation "a
oiockades, and from the impressment of
mariners on board If American. yesseIs,-
Inc boundary of the Indian territory had
never been subject Of difference betweea
inc Two Countries. Neither tile principles
OF RECIPROCITY, the maxims of public law,
nor she maritime rights Of The British EN-.
pre- Could require the permanent establish.
ment OF such boundary. The novel preten.
s'ons now advanced could no more have
1een anticipated BY the government of The
Vnited State. In forming Instructions for
.nis negotiation, than they seem to have
Deen contemplated BY that Of Great Britain
m. IN november last in proposing il. Id. Cas-
tlefeagh's note makes the termination Of she
war to depend on conciliatory adjustment
Of the differences then subsistinv betwern
the TWO states, and on no other condition
whatever,
Nor could the American government have
foreseen that Great Britain, In order 10 oh :.
tain peace FOR the Indians. residing within
the dominions Of the United States. vhom
she had induced to take part with her IN
tue war, would demand that they should be
made parties to the treaty between the two
nations, or that the boundaries of their
lands should be permanently and irrevoca.
oiy hxed ny that treaty. Such a prnposi.
tlon - contrary to the acknowledged princi.
pies OF public law, and To the practice of all
Civilized nations, particularly Of G.. Britain
and OF the United States. 1t il not fornd,d
on reciprocity. 1t is necessary for the AZ :
tainment of the object which L PROCESSES to
have in view. - :"
No maxim of public law has hitherto heen
more universally established among The
powers OF Europe possessing territories h
America. and there is none to which (,re,,
Britain has more uniformly and infexib,v
adhered. than that OF suffering no intcrnosi
ton OF foreign power in the relations he.
tween the acknowledged sovereign Of IN.
territory, and the Indians sitsated in Il 80.
Without the admission of this princ;nie
there would be no ineligible meaning AZ.
tached to stipulations establishing bounda
RES between the dominions in America Of
civilized nations possessing territories inhab.
red by Indian tribes. Whatever NAV be
heir relations of Indians to the nation in
whose territory they are thus acknowlede,
cd TO reside, they cannot be considered as
an independent power BY the nation which
mas mads such acknowledgment.
That the territory Of which c.: Britain
wishes now to dispose, is within the domain.
ions OF the United States, was solemGly &C.
knowiedsed by herselfin the treaty sf peace
Of 1888, which established their boundar;es
anu py which she relinquished all claims 10
the government, property. and, ferr;,or;a,
rights within those Boundaries. No con.i;.
ton respecting the Indians residing therein.
was inserted in that treaty. No stjpu!ation
similar to that now proposed IN To Re fo,,pd
IL any treaty made by G.. Britain. or within.
the knowledge Of the undersigned, by any
other nation. -
Inc Indian tribes for which G Britain
proposes now to stipulate, have. themselves.
acknowledge this principle. BY the Grend
vile treaty, OF l795. to which the British ple-
nipotentiaries have alluded, It's express
~ stipulated, and the condition has bern
confirmed by every subsequent treaty. so
late as the year $780, That the Indian
tribes shall quietly enjoy their lands, hum
ting, planting and dwelling thereon so long
as they please, without any molestatiou from
the United States bur that when thos,.
tribes, or any OF them, shall be disposed TO
sell their lands, they are to be sold only tn
the Uni ed States: that until such sale.
the United States will protect all the SAFE
Indian tribes in the quie, enjoyment of their
lands against all the citizens of the u. s
and against all other white persons who IN.
trude en- the same. and that the said Indian
tribes again acknowledge themselves to be
under The same protection Of the u, States.
and OF no other power whatever
That there is no reciprocity In the suppo.
sed stipulation. is evident. In prohb.t ting
Great Bri ain and the United States from
purchasing lands within part ofthe do
minions OF the latter power. while il profess
ses to take from &. Britain privilege
which she had not, it actually deprives the
United States Of right exclusively belong.
ing to them.
The proposition is also utterly unnecessas