The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-08-14

determined by majority only, could have
no objection to its being so stated. Mi. Clay
did not think it necessary either TO accuse or
defend himself, for having been in the minori-
ty.-The course pursued by Mr.. Russell was
neither candid towards his colleagues, nor
friendly TO the liberties Of his country. Under
the guise of accusing himself, he became the
secret DICTATOR of his colleagues. But his let
ter from Paris was not confined TO its protested
object Of vindicating himself for his vote upon
the Mississippi proposition. He travelled out
Of the record, and racked his ingenuity and
his learning to refute the principle assumed at
the proposal of MIR. Clay himself-the princi-
pie upon which no vote had been taken in the
mission but which had been adopted and in
serted in the note Of 10th Nov. 1914, by unan-
imous consent; the principle that, from the
nature of the fishing liberties, and the pecu-
liar character of the treaty OF 1888, they were
not abrogated by the war And nows seven
years afterwards, when by the maintenance OF
that very principle, we had, in subsequent
negotiation with Great-Britain, secured IN
new compromise, without abandoning the
principle, the whole essential interest in the
fishing liberties when, by the same nj gocla-
ton, we had obtained the abandonment by
Great Britain of her own ground of claim to
the navigation of the Mississippi; and when
that negotiation had been conducted under
:--etrssYtUus rely drawn up by me; call
from the House of Representatives comes for
the residue of the Client documents MIR. Rus
| sell having il placed at his own option wheth-
er his old denunciation of himself, and his dis
agreement with the majority, shall or shall not
be communicated to the House, deliberately
! decides that it shall-and gives himself snd
9TH IoAnr
Congress and the nation, his bill of attander
| against his colleagues, new vamped to suit the
political passions of the day; it is nov too
late to say that this is mere personal eontro-
versy between MIR. Russell and me, witt which
| the pubck have no concern.
| The principle asserted in the letter from
Paris, that zee iosrc left uithout any tile TO The
fishing liberty whatsoever, was in The highest
| degree pernicIous to one of the mostimportant
interests of this Union. The profession that
| our only title to them had been temporary
!! grant OF the British King, revocable at his
| pleasure, was equally unfounded in law ani
In fact. The reason assigned for the averment
of its extinction-that war abrogates all trea-
ties, and all articles of every treaty--is not
warranted by the law of nations and if it
were, would not warrant the conclusion drawn
! from it. The character and value OF the prop
osition relating to the Mississippi, are, i'll the
/ letter from Paris, totally misrepresented and
perverted by exaggeration. The value of the
fishing liberty is equally misrepresented and
| perverted by disparagement. The possession
| of this liberty has twice been the turning
hinge upon which wars. with Great Britain
have been concluded. If upon either of those
occasions the principles asserted in MIR. Rus
sells letter had prevailed with the American
negociators, our rights in the Newfoundland,
Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Labrador fishery,
| would have been lost. The same question
| may very probably arise again. undertake
to prove that the argument, as Mr.. Russell
calls it, Of his letter, is in all its parts un-
| tenable as twas unpropitious to the cause Of
have no intention, however, of pursuing
this controversy further in the newspapers
propose to publish, In one collection, the
GheDt documents called for by the resolution
OF the House OF Representatives the mes
sage of the President to the House, with Mr..
RusselPs letters and my remarks-his publ
cation OF the 9th of June, in the Boston
Statesman, and mine in answer thereto in the
National lntellgencer, with other papers, rec
tityng other representations OF Mr. Russell
and discussing the effect of war upon treaties
and treaty stipulatons-the value of the Mis-
sisippi navigation to the British, and of the
fishing liberty to US, and the rights by which
we have held, and still hold them. That there
ever was any difference of opinion between
the American plenipotentiaries at Client upon
measures inlwhich they all finally concurred,
would never have been made known to the pub
lIckb by me. Satisfied with an equal share Of re-
sponslbility, for all which they had done, con-
tented and grateful for the satisfaction OF cur
common country with the general result of
our services, had no private interests or feel
ings to indulge, at the expense Of others, and
my earnest desire would have been, to have
seen in every member of that mission, for the
rest OF my days, no other than a friend and a
brother.
Disappointed IN this wish, my next hope is,
that even the discords of Client may be turn
ed to the promotion of future harmony in the
Union. From the nature of our federatiye
constitution, it is probable that hereafter, as
heretofore, the most important negotiations
with foreign powers will be committed to Joint
missions OF several members. To every such
mission and to all its members, the Client ne
gociation will afford instructive lessons, as
well by its union as by its divisions.
The conduct of Mr.. Russell viii afford a
negative instruction of deep import. Fl will
teach them to beware of leaguing fnvidious
and imaginary, sectional or party feelings,
with the purposes Of the enemy, against our
rights-of assuming the argument Of the enc
my against olrselves-of proclaiming, without
necessity, differences Of opinion upon reject
ed propostions-of secret dennnciations in the
shape Of self-yindication-of crude and shall
low dissertations against essential interests and
just claims, and of interpolating publick pa
pers TO adapt them to the purposes of the mo-