Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-03-30

to be destrol ed by the cont geucy az settlement.
lie dill not believe that much importance attached
TO suca liberties. Aud supposing them to be lost
We are perhaps sufficiently nielnuiied by the re-
demp,ion Of the British mortgage upon the navigate
on OF the Mis- issipli. This great stream, on u,.,
suppS s'ton, IS placed whecc it ought 10 he, ia the
same independent conditioa With the Hudson, or
any other river in the Unitcd States.
u,on the contrary, the opposite construction of
the treaty OF i7SS be the one these liberties re-
man" to us and the right to the navigation of the
MISSISSIPPI, as secured to- Great Britain BY that in
struneut, continues with her.
Eui, Mr.. 4. said he was surprised TO hear geu-
cema from the western country Mr. HarSlin) ex-
claim that We had gained nothing by the war
treat Britain acquired, By the treaty negotiated by
Mr.. Jay, the right TO trade with the Indians within
our territories. Ii right upon which she
placed great value, and from the pursuit oil which
she did not desst without great reluctance. 1t had
been exercised by her agents in manner to excite
the greatest sensibty in the western country
his right was clearly lost by the war for what
ever may be the true opinion to the treaty Of
1S5, there can be- no doubt that the stpua,;os of
that of 1894 no l.neer exist
1t had been sa that the great object, in the con
tmuatlon the war, had been to secure cur mari
hers against impressment and that peace was made
without accomplishing it. With regard to the OPP
position, he presumed, that they would not urge a
ny such argument. For ii their opinion was to be
inferred (though he hoped in this it mott
tliStlnyul al
Der of the opposition, had To believe that
they dia not think the British doctrines wrong on
this sui ject lie alluded TO letter said TO be writ
ten 10y a gentleman oil great consideration, residing
in an Ailonng state, o me,aber of tits house, in
which tlie writer states that he ccnceiyes The llr-
ush claim To be rish, and expresses his hope that
the President, however he might kick at it, would
be compelled TO swallow the bitter pill. Ii the
peace had really given up the American doctrine,
Il " I'd have BEEN according to that opinion,
Y yielding TO the force of the British right. In that
view Oh the subject the Of the Administration
would have bsen in contending for too much in be-
hat OF this country; for he presumed there was no
doubt that, whether right or wrong it would be an
important principle gained secure our seamen ~
gainst British impr Ssment. And he trusted I'm God
that ell future administrations would rather err on
the side oil concndinS for much than too little
for America.
But, MIR. G. was willing to admit that the con-
duet Ct the administration ought to be tried by their
own opinions, and not those ofthe opposition. OKe
OF the great causes ot the war; and ofits continuance
was the practice ofimpressment exercised by Great
ArItan and If this claim has been admitted by ne
eesSary implication or express STIMULATION the adj
m'nstration has abandoned the rights of oar scamcn
- was with utter astCnishment that he heard that it
had been conteEded in this c1unti'v, that because
our right of exemption fror the practice had not
been expressly secured in the treaty it was there
toregiven up! II was impossible that such an ar
gument could be advanced on that floor--No mem
dared. adj
vance such an argument here.
Had the war terminated, tue practice continuing
NJ admitted that such might be airnierence apd
on some former occasion he had laid down the Urin-
cIpie, which he thought correct thar If the Uited
states du then make peace with Great Britain, the
war IN Europe continuing, and therefore she CONT
hvsg the exercise of the practice without any stipu-
saon toseeure us agaest It's effects the plain infer
ence would be-, that we had surrendered the. right
but What was the iact< At the time of the couciu-
SION o the treaty oil peaSe, Great Britain had cess-
ell the practice OF impressnent she was not only
nj peace with all the powers OF Europe, but there
was prospect OK 8 permanent and durable peace
he treaty being silent ON the subject OF impress.
Inent, the only plain rational result was that neither
party mao conceded Its rights, but they were left to-
tally unaf cted by it. Mr. g. said he recollected to
have beard in the British House OF Commons whilst
he was N Europe, the very of the doctrine
advanced here On tins subject. The British minis
Try we're charged by a member of the upDosit;ou
with having surrendered their right ofimpressmeut
aud The same course Oi reasoning was employed 10
prove it as he understood was employed in tbs coun
l'y TO prove our acquiescence IN that practice
ne argument was this the war was made on the
protested ground OF resistance e The practice ofim-
pressment The peace having been made without
recognition OF the right by America, the treaty
being silent the subject, The inference was. toat
tAe ii'iiish authorities had surrendered the risbt.
that they had Failed TO it, and haying done so
had III effect yeldedit. The member of the opDo-
sluon 10 England was just wrong do any member
OF this house would be, who should 20 tend that the
right a mpressment is surrendered 10 the British
government. The fact was, Mr.. L. said n,;,her
party had surrendered its rights; things remain AS
tho the war lad never been made-Doth ua,ties
are in possession of all the rights they had anterior
to tue war Lest 1t might be deduced that his SEN
timents Ola The subject Of iinpressment had UNDER
gone change, lie took The opportunity TO saw. ibat
aitho he desired To preserve peace between O.
BIitan and the I States, aud to naintAin between
Them Tat good understanding calculated to promote
the int, est oil each, yet, whenever Great Britain
shOIld give Satisfactory evidence Of herdesjrn IN
apply her doctrine OF inpressment as heretofore
he VAS, for one, ready 10 take up arms again TO on,
pose her. The fact was, that the two nations had
been placed in a state OF hostility to a practice,
growing out oil the war in Europe. The war c,as
ing between o.. Britain and the rest Of Euroue.
lett England and Ameliea engsgedin contest .p
an aggression which had also practically ceased
l he question had then presented Itself whether
the Unted States should be Septin war, to- gain AN
abandonment of what had become a mere abstract
principle; or looking at the results, aud rely,ne on
the good sense aud sound discretion of boh e0un
tries, we should rot recommend the termination OF
the wsr.-Nhen no practical evil could result from
the suspension Of bostites, and there was no more
than a possibility OF the removal ofthe practice If
i.apressment, |, IS one OF the mission consented
with slscere easure to tho peace satisfied that we
gave up no right, sacrificed no honor, compromised
no important principle. He said, then, applying
the rule Of the actual state OF things, as thai by
winch to Judge 81 Tie peace, there was notlisg ia
the conditions or terms of the peace that was disc
norabie, nothing for repr0aeh, nothing for regret
Gentlemen have complained that we hsd lost the
islandsin the bay oiPassamaquOddy. Have they es-
amlned into that question, and do they know lie
grounds on which it stands ? Prior to the war we
occupied Moose Isi.ni the British, Grand Menan
Each party claimed both Islands America bees,,se
ftasrus tff .ts e. Al.