Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-06-14
FOREIGN I.NTELLTGE.NCE.
ENGLISH PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE, OF LonDs-Thursday, April Is.
AMERICAN NEGOTIATION.

Marquis Wellesley rose, pursuant to notice, to
lay before the house the grounds of his motives
relative to the manner III which the late negocia-
ton with America had been concluded. The war
with America he had considered as almost one of
the most calaIntous events that could befal this
country ;and when that event did unhappiIv take
place, we had at least one consolation, that the
aggression which led to it was theirs and not
ours but we had only that one consolation. 1t
was a war IN which little glory could be acquired
by success, IN which success itself must be mixed
with feelings which would embitter any glory
that could be derived from it, and in which the
smallest defeat would be attained with adisgrace
infinitely disproportionate to the highest advan-
tages that could be expected from such contest
Engaged in such war, what was the plain and
clear course and policy to be pursued by the go-
yernment of this country To be ready to seize
every opportunity to put an end to it, not to omit
even the smallest occasion of bringing about an
amcabie discussion to allay that feeling of rriSa-
ton in which the war had originated Even sup
posing the war had been attended with the great
est success on our part he could not conceive one
ob|ec which Great Britain could have, excepting
that of putting an end to it.
Fatally deluded as ministers had been by the
appearance of affairs in Europe, which induced
them to change the ground which they had ORR
ginally taken, and to rest upon point which had
never before been brought into this discussion
acted, he was convinced-and lamenting as he did
the conduct on the part of America which had
led to the war, the question now came to be- what
was the course which our ministers ought to have
taken They ought not to have been deluded
by the fatal error that Their success against one
power ought to be turned against another-by the
fatal error, that instead of immed atey & rnagnani
mously making use of that success as the means
of bringing about an amcable adjustment Of diff
ferences with America, they ought to consider
1T as ground of rising in their demands and urg-
ing undue pretensions. The only use of the
greatest success in the case of America, would be
to enforce such demands as were far and mode
rate. Nothing could be more erroneous than that
policy which would turn America from views of
internal improvement, Of commerce, of civiliza-
ton and from that line of pursuits which enabled
us, with respect to that country, togve full scope
to those great principles of political economy by
which the intercourse of the world would be most
benehcally regulated. It was the clear and ma
nifest interest of both parties to cultivate that
amicable connection resting on these social prin-
ciples which rendered the mutual advantage so
lmncrtant. The effect of war was to turn them
from these views of peace and internal improve
ments to views of far different and less beneficial
nature state of war would naturally lead that
rising community to look to the formation of
greater military and even naval power, to be turn
ed against the parent from which that commu-
my iSSutu. Afef a long continued war, peace
would leave MS in r condition with respect to that
country very different from that in which we be-
fore stood for if America did become great mi
litary power, she would mix herself with the dis
putes and arrangements Of all the civilized world,
and this country would find rival springne up
IN that people which had issued from its bosom.
Thepursuits ofcommerce, and peace, and internal
improvement, might be then but secondary con-
Germs and the great bject would be, to cultivate
and establish great military and naval power, TO
sctevcn on our frontieTs as they had in fact done
by Their naval exertions on the lakes, about which
we had heard so much. This was the view in
which our ministers ought to have considered the
sublect.-The great fundamental principle on
which they should have acted, was 20 turn Amc.
rlca from this fatal policy, as much adverse to
the real interests Of America as for this country
and to neglect no opportunity of bringing the IA.
tai contest in which we had been unfortunately
driven, to an snicable conclusion. lie assured the
noble earl QLiyerpool) it would give him great
satisfaction if ne could approve Of the manner m
which the minister bad carried on the war. or
the principles upon which they appe, red TO have
conducted the negotiation II was not ON th;s
day he need argue, that peace. merely as such
could not be considered a subject or Ground Of
solid satisfaction. II was the situation IN which