Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-02-12


Portugal would care nothing about your
advice and persuasion, especially when
you told them that you intended nothing
more. Rhetoric and eloquence are not
the instruments OF nations for the execu-
ton of grand projects. Hewas we'll per
suaded that the gentleman from Rhode
Island meant 10 deal IN something more
substantial: idle and insignificant VERDI
age could not suit his purpose, for, II ii
did, he already found it IN treaty. This
word concert, therefore, Mr.. President,
means SonletkiRg--it means connection,
combination, alliance, for Il given object
lit meaRs entangiing alliance. You are
ad,nonished against 6ntanghng aldances:
for what reason Because our government
is of ats o,ca ki,,d, insulated, the only re-
public III the world, between which and
other governments there is no common
principle, 10 common feeling, no COM
anon sympathy /; they may combine for
their own interests they may enter into
concert for your destruction; they will
not be 40 ready to combine with you, ci-
ther To promote your interests or Interests
common TO you aud them, You propose
concert with CROWNED HEADS They
never concert with themselves, but brois,
and quarrss, aud wars follow in the train.
Nistory.is full of them: and it en,ang
ling connexions, Sir, between mHnarclls,
who WELD the sword and The purse, who
make peace and war at their will, be fruit
fui OF these mischiefs, what may we not
expect when YOU enter the lists without
the means OF doing what YOU engage To
do? Gentlemen will say this mode of rea-
soning is entitled 10 little weight; it is
spcculatiye-aimit il: tue argument OF
experience is alone admissible, andthe ar
goment OF experience is decisive. The OH
iy instance which recollcct, Sir, ola coll
cert between tins country and any foreign
power, is THAT of The French treaties OTIS.
III was aconcert, and il turned out a most
ent2ngiing one. TWAS concert, too, for an
object near and dear TO the American
heart; concert for liberty and indepen-
dence. more important object can ne
yer present itself. In the one treaty, we
stipulated the guaranty of the French A.
merican possessions IN the other, we
stipulated that France O,eing i'm state of
belligerency with any other powcr) might
use oIr ports freely with her ships of war
and prizes. Now, Sir, pray you, how
did we fulfil our slipu!ations? We did not
fulfil them at all. We got out of the dii-
hculty, will not say dishonorably, but
as we'll as we could. believe, Sir, The
men wbo presided over our councils, at
the time of which speak. were honora-
bic men, and were willing to do whatever
they could, 10 carry into effect, in good
faith, what they engaged To do /; but Sir
they could not; they wanted the sword
and the purse, and the constitution had
entrusted them 10 others-they were en-
trusted 10 the people. | sincerely be-
lIeve, Sir, that France saw the embarras-
sing dilemma, and took pity upon us. She
saw we could not execute the guaranty
without going into the war. aud she for
bore to press H. Bat, IN consequence of
her thus iorbearing, she thought she
gid execution OF the other article. We
had stipulated 10 allow French ships of
war and prizes 10 go and come freely and
TO remain at pleasure it was stipuati-
on pa,tiai in effect. France, being at war
with England, it admitted 10 France what
II refused 10 England. 1t was inconsis-
tent, too, with the spirit Of President
WasnlnGtOn's proclamation of neutrality
France having abandoned her claim for
the fulfiment of the guaranty, thought
she was entitled TO favorable construc-
ton OF The article relating to ships of war
All prizes. She demanded the right of
arnlng, and fitting, and commissioning
IN our ports. We resisted, and eventual
~ we found ourselves in "a war with France
This, Sir, is the only instance of con-
cert between this country and foreign
power which recollect; such has been
the result Of it, and such will ever be the
result Ii is unavoidable, from The nature
Of our political institutions. We enter in
10 embarrassing stipulations we are
called upon to execute them: we call up-
on the people TO draw the sword and adj
Eg NJ,
we have nothing TO do with your treaties
OF concert or your guarantees if you are
unwIse enough to enter into them, you
may get out of them as we'll as yon can !;
you shall not do SO at oar erpence or with
orr aud and assistance. And so, sir, they
will answer always. They will go TO war
for rights which belong TO them; for their
honor, tlIeir independence; for interests
essentially their own they will not for
rights and interests which arc extraneous.
and in which they feel no concern. This
was the lesson Taught by the people TO
the men who directed oEr councils on the
occasion to which have referred: an aw-
tu warning never TO put TO hazard the
peace OF this country by connexions with
foreign powers for any objects whatso-
ever. much less for objects foreign TO our
interests and our feelings. fhc trea
ties dhVerteu 10 were negotiated under
the former government: it is believed
that nothing similar has occurred under
the present. MIR. r. said he would no
longer fire the patience of the Senate
with such desultory remarks but he
could not forbear the expression Of his
surprise that the proposition of the gen
tleman should be urged with so much
zeal and rarnestness, when it was well
known TO the Senate and TO The world
that from the origin of the present gov
ernmenl. almost IN 10 the nresenf mn