Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-03-09


ment be protected from insult.
u need scarcely be remarked. that these
measures have not been resorted 10 in n spi-
ri Ut hostility TO other powers. Such dis
position does not exist towards niiy power
Peace and good will have been, and viii
hereafter be, cultivated with all, aud by the
most faithful regard to Justice. They have
been dictatedby love of peace, of econo-
my, and an earnest desire to save The lives
-of our fellow. citizens from that destruction,
anil our country from thai devastation. which
nre inseparable from war, when it finds us
| unprcpared for it. II is believed, and expc-
rience has shown, that such preparation is
| Tile best exp dient that can be resorted to,
toprevcnt war. add, with much pleasure,
that considerable progress has already been
made IN these measures of defence, and that
they will be completed i'm u few years, con
sidcring the great extent and Importance Of
the object, if the plan be jealousy and stea-
| Oily persevered in.
The conduct of the government, in what
relates TO foreign powers, railways an object
| OF the highest Importance TO the nation Its
| agriculture, commerce, manufactures, fishc.
| ries, revenue IN short, its peace, may all he
| Affected by it. Attention is, therefore due to
| this subject.
AT the period adverteG TO, the powers of
Europe, after having been engaged in long
and destructive wars with each other, had
concluded peace, which happily still ex.
| lists. Our peace with the power with whom
we had been engaged, had also been con-
| Guided. The war between Spain and the
colonies IN South America, which had com
| menced many years before, was lieu TIE on.
~ conflict that remained unsettled. ,his
being contest between different parts Of
the same community, in which other pcwcrs
had not interfered, was not affected by their
| accommodations.
This contest was considered, at an early
stage, ny my predecessor, civil war, in
winch the parties were entitled TO equal
| rights in our pors. This decision, the first
made by any power, being formed on great
consideration of the comparative strength
and resources of the parties, the length Of
time, and successful opposition made by the
colonies, and of all other circumstances on
which 1t ought to depend, was in strict ac-
cord with the law OF nations. Congress has
| invariably acted on this principle, having
| made no change in our relations with either
party. Our attitude has, therefore, been
that OF neutrality between them, which has
been maintained by the government with
the strictest impartslity. No aid has been
afforded 10 either, nor has any privilege
been enjoyed by the one, which has not been
equally open to the other party: and every
exertion has been made in its power, to en-.
force the execution OF the laws prohibiting
illegal equipments, with equal rigor against
both.
| BY this equality between the parties. their
| public vessels have been received in our
ports on. the same footing; they have en-
Joyed an equal right to purchase and ex.
port arms, munitions of war, and every other
suPpiy-the expectation Of all articles what
! ever being permitted under laws which
were passed long before the commencement
OF the contest our citizens have traded e.
| qually with both, and their commerce with
each has been alike protected by the gov.
| ernmcni.
Respecting the attitude which it may be
| proper for the U. States to maintain hereaf-
| ter between the parties, have no hesitation
II" stating 1t as my opinion, that the neu-
| trality heretofore observed, should still be
adhered to. From the change in the gov
ernrnent of Spain, and the negotiation now
| depending, invited by the Cortes and &C.
cePted BY the colonies, it may be presumed
that their differences will be settled on The
| terms proposed by the colonies Should
| the war be continued, the u. States regard
ing its occurrences. will always have it in
| their power to adopt such measures respect.
ing 1t. as their honor and interest may re-
quire.
Shortly after the general peace, band OF
| adventurers took advantage of this onHict
and OF the facility which il afforded, to esia.
blish system OF buccanceTing in the neigh.
| boring seas, to the great annoyance of the
commerce of the United States, and, as was
represented, of that Of Other powers. Of
tins spirit, and OF its injurious bearing on the
| United States, strong proofs were afforded,
| BY the establishment at Amelia Island and
| the purposes to which it was made inst1u
mental, by this baud in 1917, and by the oc
currences which took place in other parts Of
Florida, III 1918, the details of which, IN both
instances, are too well known to require to
| be now recited. am satisfied, had a less deci.
! sve course been adopted, that the worst con-
| sequences would have resulted from it, We
have seen that these checks, decisive as they
| were, were not sufficient to crush that pira.
teal spirit. Many culPrits, brought within
! our limits, have been condemned to suffer
! death, the punishment due 70 that atrocious
! crime. The decisions of upright and eniight-
| cd tribunals fall equally on all, whose crimes
| subject them, by fair Interpretation of the
| law, 70 its censure. it belongs TO the Exc
cutive not TO suffer the executions, under
| these decisions, to transcend the great pur
pose for which punishment is necessary
| The fall benefit of example being secured.
policy, as well as humanity, equally forbids
| that they should be carried further / have
acted on this principle, pardoning those
who appear to have been led astray by ig.
| norance Of the crimnality OF the acts they
had committed, and suffering the law to take
effect on those only, in whose favor no ex.
tenuating circumstances could be urged.
Great confidence is entertained, that the
late treaty with Spain, which has been rati.
fed by both the parties, and the ratifications
whereof have been exchanged, has placed
the relations of the two countries on a basis
ofpermaDent friendship. --1he provision
made by it for such of our citizens as have
claims on Spain, ofthe character described,
| will, it is presumed, he very satisfactory 10