The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1818-05-26

receive d peremptory orders to agree to wave al
together the discussion of the above subjects and
to conclude peace on the most advantageous
terms they could procure for this country. Not
the smalleat n aton of them can be found in that
treaty. The treaty Of Client, which secured to
the u. s. no new benefit, but, on the contrary,
yielded some Of our most valuable privileges,
alone, was a sufficient acknowledgement on the
part Gifts authors, that the war was unnecessary;
that it might have been easily avoided; that Il
was wilftl and wanton sacrifice of blood and
treasure 10 no purpose, and consequently, a jus
LITIGATION of the disapprobation that had been ex-
pressed of it. of the resistance that had been made
to ia justification Of the proceedings of the
Hartford Convention, about which, such an up
roar has been made by the partizans and supper
tiers of the two last administrations.
Bot if the treaty of Client secured no new adj
vantage to the nation, it was highly disgraceful
te the ruling party on another account. 1t cam
not be forgotten, that the negotiators at Client
acted from orders received from men who had
formerly signal zed themselves by the opposition
they made to the celebrated treaty negotiated
between Judge Jay and Lord Grenville, during
the administration of Washington. We well re-
member the tumults that were excited at their
mitigation, the epithets that were bestowed up
on Mr.. Jay, for negotiating it, as we'll as upon
President Washington for confirming and ratify-
ine it. We will not stain our paper by transcrl-
hing numerous extracts that might be easily made
from some Of the most distinguished democratick
prints in this country in confederation Of these
remarks. The patriotick state of Virginia, if we
are not mistaken, threatened to recede from the
union in the event of its ratification The ia
nous resolution of Mr.. Madison will not very
soon be forgotten, We had, therefore, fair
/ right to expect, that, when the opposers of Mr..
jays treaty had the power to dictate terms. to
the negotiatprs of future treaty, on which the
\ latter were to insist, one would have been con-
Guided in every respect superior to that which
/ they formerly yiifed, and whose adoption they
so warmly and zealously opposed. But has the
! treaty of Client any advantage over that of MIR.
/ jay Compare them and the former is
wretched and pitltGl thing when contrasted with
the latter. The former procured US privileges
which the latter has yielded, without receiving
any equivalent ofequal value, in return. That
venerable patriot has lived to see his revlers put
to the blush, and the treaty they adopted, was an
acknowledgment of his superior skill and sagaci-
! "; a real demonstration that their opposition
could have proceeded only from the basest and
the most factioas motives.
In reference to the late war lit has been observ-
ed, that if did not accomplish the objects for
which L declared, il nevertheless, contribut-
ed to elevate the national character for bravery,
anu ntlllafy aQC HAUICA Skill. we never
doubted the fact, that cur countrymen were as
brave as the English, or that man to man, and
gun 70 gun. they were noble match for them at
any time. We considered the war of the revo-
luton as having decided the question of Ameri-
can naval superiority. Splendid as were the at
chievements ofmany of naval heroes, we
still consider them even inferior to many which
took place during the period to which we have
referred in which the balance against our count
rynien was,perhaps, greater than in any instance,
with one or two exceptions which occurred dur
ing the late contest with G. B. The engage
ment between the Seraphis, and the Ben Home
Richard is, perhaps, without a parallel in the
naval history of the world. These remarks are
by no means intended to derogate from that vale
our and skill which were conspicuous in eve-
ry contest in which our gallant navy was engae-
ed, The more brilliant its triunlphs the greater,
the more lasting the disgrace, the more conspic-
uous the blindness and folly Of that administra-
ton appears, which had SO often treated its Off
GERS with such neglect and contempt, and en-
deavoured TO strangie our young Achilles in his
cradle.
AS much as we disapproEe CT the late war. we
are willing to acknowledge that it was not un-
productive Of real benefits to the country. 1t
fully developed the wretchedness and blindness
of that policy upon which the administration had
50 long cond ucted--it put the favourite theories
ofthe administration to the test--it proved their
futility and error, and tended to bring into prac-
tice that policy which had been so long abandon
cd, aad at which our rulers had formerly spurn-
cd. II brought - the test the favourite position
ofthe administration and its partizanS, that ma
w was useless burden, and unnecessary
expense; It refutad, more efsctually, all those
political doctrines formerly held by the ruling
party, than volumes of the most elaborate rea-
sonings could have dona. 1t proved, that what
ever claims Mr. Jefferson might possess to the
reputation ola philosopher, his claims to that Of
4 statesman were comparatively small and tri-
fling,
Such are the advantages we acknowledge the
country to have gained by the late war. But as
they formed part of the views Of the admins
tration IN declaring it, the latter not entitled
on no principle OF justice to any credit which may
have resulted from them. Nor do they tend in
the smallest degree 10 prove that contest to have
been necessary or j4st. We are perfectly willing
to make these concessions, which can be done
without abandoning the ground we have taken,
or eliminating the opposition ofthe federal party.
10 be continued,
On the 18TH instant, Miss S. L. of Johnson,
OR. L. who had seen afflicted, for about eight