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

Sau, he need hoi take up the lime OF the house in
DEMONSTRATING that we had sufficient for war
we hsd been nsulted. and outraged, and spdliated
upon BY almost All Europe, bv G.. B,iiaio, FiaAce,
Spain, Denmark, Naples, and to clap the climax,
by the little Contempubi, power IL Alsiers. We
had submitted too long AID too much. We had be-
come the seorn Of foreign powers, and the con
tempt "l our own citizens. The question OF the
policy OF declaring at the paricua time when
1t Was commenced, is best deterEnined, Mr.. T.. re-
u,atked, by applying to the eneiny himself: and
what SAID he that OF all the circumstances attend
ing ITS declaration, none WAIST aggravating, that
We should have selected the moment which otall o.
theirs was most iueonyenicnt 10 him when he was
Struggling i,r seli-eNstence i'll last effort sginst
Vhs gigantic power OF France. The question &C the
state oil preparation tor at any relative
qlesuon-r, ative TO our own mea,s, the condition
oi the either power and the state of the world at the
time OF declaring it. We could not expect, for in
stance, that war against higers weuld require
ire same means or extent oipreparalon q war
assinst u. Britain and lift was To be waged against
one oil the primary powers oil Europe, at peace
with ali tue rest Of TIE world and therefore all her
force at command, IT could not be commenced
with SO little preparation II her whole force we're
employed ia another quarter. II is not necessary
again t. repe!, said M. e. the stale, ridiculous
false story Of French Influence, originating in Great
y tlin, and echoed here. I now contend. rs have
always done, that we had right to take advantage
OF The conditicr Of the world al the time war was
declared II Great Britain engaged in war
we had = right To act the knowledge OF the fact
that her means Ot annoyance, as to US, were di-
mIn'shed and we had right 20 obtain all the col
iateIal aid we could from the operations OF the
powers against her, without entering into the con-
nec,ons winch are Forbidden by the genius of our
government. But, Mr. said, it was rather like
elstsrone The ashes Of the dead 10 discuss the
Questions of the justice creXpedieney of the war
They were questions loag stree settled, and on
which the public opinion was LccisiYey made up ia
favor oi the administration.
lie proceeded to examine the conditions Of the
p ace and the fruits of the war; gu stiohs of more
recent date, and more Immediately applicable the
pr se"t discussion. The terms OF the Deace Mr.
g said, must be determined by the same rule that
w*s applicable to the declaration of ar-that rule
which WAS iunIshed 10y the state OF the world at the
time the peace was made and even if ere true
trat a tie sanguihe expectations whieh nj ht have
been formed at the Time Og the declaration OF wa.
were NOT realized toy ttc terms Of the Subsequent
peace, itd'd moi follow dat the war was improperly
declared, or the peace dshonourabe, unless the
con1ton Of the parties in relation 10 other powers
remained Substantially the same throughout the.
struggle, and at tie time of the termination of the
war, as they were IT the commencement of it. AZ
the termination of the war, France was annihlated
oiotted ont ct the map of Europe the vast power
welded by Bonaparte existed no longer. Let it be
admitted that statesmen, in laying teir course, are
10 iocs u probable events, that ei conducts 10 be
examined with reference 10 the course OF events
which in all human probability might have been
a0tcinated-Snd is there liz this house, in ex-
isence, who can say, that the 18Th day of June
1917, when the war was declared, it would have
been anticipated that Great Britain would by the
circumstance oil general peace resulting from the
ertl'row oil power whose Easements were sumo.
sed 10 be deeper laid, more ranifed and more ex-
tended than those CT any power ever were before
be placed in the latitude in which she stood in De-
cenber, 1914: Would any one say that this govern
hent could have anticipated such state OF Things,
n hQ h.as.a |.
| CO.. dinely' Great Britain, Russia, Germany dill
not expeet-nota power in Europe believed. as late
even rs January 81, that, in the ensuing March,
bonaparte would sbdieate, and tie restoration Of
the bouruons would follow. What then WAS the
actual condition oi Europe when peace was coDcl,r
ded' perfect tranquility reigned throughout
tor rs late as the first OF March, the idea of Napo
leon re-appearing IN France, as little entertain
cd, as that oil mans coming from the mooa to take
upon himself the government If the country In
december 1914, prOfoHnd and apparently a per-
manent peace existed Great Britain was lett to
dispose OF the vast force, the accumulation os TWEEN
ty-hVe years, the work of An immense system OF
nance and protraetcd war--she was ut liberty IN
emplo that undivided force against tits couBtry.-
Under such circumstancer il did not follow NJ {.
said. according tote rules laid down, either that
the war ought not TO have been made or that peace
on such terms ought not to have been conclud-
ed.
What then, Mr.. c. asked, were the terms of the
peace IheregIlar opposition in this countrywide
gent the other side ofthc house had not come
out to challenge investigation of the terms Of the
peace, although they had several times given side
WIPE at The treaty occasions with when il had NO
necessary connection. Ii had been some times
sad that We had gain ed nothing by tic war that the
fisheries were lost, &c. How he asked did this
question oil the fisheries really stand Iy the first
part oil the third article Of the treaty OF 1888 the
right was recognized in the people of the United
States, to take fish Of every Kind on the Grand
Bank and on sll the other banks of Newfoundland
also ~ the guilt q ct. Lawrence, and at all other
places IN the sea. where the inhaEi:aAts of both
countries used at gny time to FISH. This right was
aheecs'ary modest 20 one sovereignty, although il
Is denied to some OF the powers of Europe. IL was
not contested at Client it has never been drawn in
question by Great Britain. But by the same third
article, 1t further stipulated, that the inhob;t
ats Of the u States shall have "lberty to tsEe
hsh Of every Kind on such part Of the cost of New
iOuGdland as Britisb fishermen shall use (but not In
dry or cure the same on that isand,) and also ON
the coasts, bays and creeks Gfall cher Of his Bri
fannie msjssty's dorninons in America and Ibst
the American fishermen shall have liberty To dry
and cure fish in any of the unsettled hays harbors
and creeks of Nova Scotia, W .s;laien Islands and
Labrador, so long rs the same shall remain un.et
tied; but 20 soon rs the same Or ether of fhes,
shall be settled, It sha not be lawful Tor the sid
hshermCn tOdiy or fish at such settlement
without previous agreement tor that purpose viii
the inhabitants, proprictors posscssors of The
ground" The British commissioners, assuming
that these liberties had expired BY the war betwecH
The two counties. At carly period Of the nerocia
ton declared, that they would not be revived viii
out an equivalent. Wacthcr the treaty or 1zgg
does not form an exception to the general rule, ac
cording to which treaties are vacated Lv a war
breaking ont between the parties, IS a ruestion ON
which lie Dbl not mean TO express an opinion. The
hrsl article OF tOat treaty, ny which the Ming of &
Biitau acknOwi lodges tie sovereignty Of the United
States, c-rteiny was not abrOgated by the war.