Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-01-18

enemy, To surrender the ns,iyaiioa al
The Mississippi for a limited time, in re-
turn Tor the full co operation Oi Snain In
Tie establishment of our independence
say hope tins Is The fact: because II
The northern and eastern STATES did refuse
io assent To the surrender tier, and IN
sisted upon II afterwards, when we were
IN HE tail enjoyment OF independence
aud peace, there Is AN Inconsistency ui
conduct, and AN apparent hostility oi
feeling which II would be di2icu,, 10 eN-
PLAIN or IN excuse. Il the Slat,men.
made by another member of The cnuven-
tioup be correct, neither explanation nor
excuse is necessary.
But our object is Ia ascertain The his
Tory OF the negotiation with 6 rdouui,
WHICH, whenever n commercially was
going on in 1885. The proposition 10
surrender the navigation, came on, saws
Grayson, by IA sue wind The first p;o.
posal, WAS 10 take oil the letters of The
Secretary, who had entered into the ue2o
'laiion under an express prohibition Ia
surrender the navigation OF The hllsss
ssippl. Congress after d great deal of
aiiiuoSiiy cane 10 a resolution, which
IN NY opinion, says Col Grayson, vio
lated the cOniedGralioB.-lt Was re.
solved by Serm states that the prohi-
bliion IN the sccryiary's instructions
" should be repealed: whereby the un,e
pealed par, of his Instructions author
iScd linn 10 make a treaty, welding
That inestimable navigation, although
by The confederation nine states were
necessary 10 concur In the formation
OF treaty"
Pialn aud rational and sound rs this
doctrine, Is, II appears, That this repeal.
ing resolution Mas entered on The lour-
nails, and Transmitted TO The secretary of
y foreign affairs Tor his direction in his
negotiation viii, The Spanish minister"
The object, continues Col Gravson, nas
losecurc superiority OF influence in The
national councils Was Graysou as sa-
gacious as lie Is represented 10 be piIilau-
,iIropic
Il appears, that the seven northern and
eastern states were decIdedly for the lem
porary surrender OF the river. The south
ern states continued firm in their oppoSi.
hon. AS nine siales could moi be got 10
ra'"y HE treaty, the negotiation languisii-
ca bnl tic repeating order or entry could
mol I've rescinded. Every effort, 10 mai
yer wtiat shape II assumed, no matter how
iiu!tiess. the result was invariably the
same. Col Grayson knew this. Whcn
he went 10 Congress know not. But
lhe question was then pending. lie saw
HE difiicniiIes, the cause of them, as he
thought: he saw too his way ont and
he took II. Ii is said, that he proposed
the oriiinance Of July 1897. This is adj
mIlted. 1t is believed to be true. By
tie exclusion oi slavery from the terri
tory coded 10 Congress, he calculated
HAT The northern and eastern ueopIe
would be more strongly encouraged TO
emigration. Then sympathy for The enii
grants, the dirrcI interest of the emf
grants themselves, aud The no less obvi-
Gus interest OF those who, on speculation.
might purchase lands IN the north western
territory, would naturally produce a re-
Taxation OF that rignr, with which the
repeating the sureuClerIng clause, had
Deen maintained. Grayson was correct
III Ills ejaculation Emigration soon com
menced. IL was going on, at tile very
moment when The Virginia convention,
was III session: and tho effect was pre-
cistIy what Grayson anticipated. This
iac' proves that lie was mol phiianiIiro-
psi IN The present sense Of mat word
tie calculated and lie calculated correctly ::
because II appears that one of the very
ids' acts OF tue old Congress, was 20 asser,
HE absolute right Of the u. States, to the
navigation of The Mississippi, and the
pr0priety OF supporting 1t as such.
Tlat This was tie policy of Col. GRAY
son, Can hardly be doubled. HIS opinion,
expressed III The Virginia Convention, IN
terms rather too bread aud strong that
nations were governed by interest, iusli-
lies ibis conclusion. But this rus his
opinion, and lie OF course thought HAT
the best way OF getting clear of an aYgu-
ment, was 10 make il The interest of The
party not TO urge it; the best way to over
come opposition, was 10 furnish A motive
for withdrawing 1t.
In this view OF tie subject, The cogdGc,
OF Col. O.. is al least ineligible. We see
an object, and a motive ana The connec-
ton between them. But the superstition.
that he, supported as Mr.. King states, bv
all lie Southern delegation, proposed The
ordinance of July 1897, from "a desire TO
prevent The extension of slavery IN The
u. States, is wild notion. Phllamthropy
was not then in fashion. The firm of
WiIbrr!erce and Company was not then
established or il il had then made lis
appearance, It's speculalions in the article
OF humanity, were conducted upon small
scale. II was not then an exporting firm.
fhe refined sentimental benevolencc of
the present day was unknown 10 the plain
men "ho belonged 10 The old Congress,
and afterwards contributed 10 form The
present constitution of Tie United States.
And what is still more remarkable, il was
unknown to the very people who now de-
Claim so palheIicslIy on the subject
Massachusetts,, Connecticut, and New
York, q speak not OF Virginia., had MADE
ccssions to the Unned States, of %hai cx-
tent know not, without ans condition,
lnterdiclng involuntary servilude. This
IDEA had moi nrn,rr,,L L., Ii,n,,, -. Ii