Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-08-03

mixed commission for the trial 0f individuals
detected in the Slave Trade. The latter point
was readily disposed Of by our gosernlnent,
on valid constitutional objections. The srEu-
. ments referring to the former only. will there
fore ba noticed.
! Ia the letter Of Mr.. Adams, Of the cath oil
June, In answer to one OF the 9Th of April
from thu British Minister, pressing upon the
American government, reconsideration o
the subject, we find the following arguments
"In the objections heretofore disclosed, Il
the concession Of the mutual and qualified
Right Of Search, the principal stress was laid
upon the repUgnance which sach concession
would meet 10 the public feeling Of this coun.
try, and Of those to whom its interests are en-
trusted, in the department. Of its government
the sanction Of which is required for the rati-
fcation Of treaties. The irritating tendency
Ut the practice of search, and the inequalities
0f ITS probable operation, weie slightly noticed,
and have been contested in argument, or met
10y propositions Of possible pallistives, or re-
NEEDLES for anticipated abuses, idyour letter.
But the source and foundation of all these Oh.
jjections, was, in our former correspondence,
scarcely mentioned, and never discussed
They consist in the nature Of the Right of
Search, at sea which, as recognized or tolera-
ted by the usage Of nations, is a right of war,
never exercised, but by an outrage upon the
rights Of peace. 1t is an act analogous to that
OF searching the dwelling houses ofindividuals
on land" &c.
| After adverting to the barbarous origin of
the Right Of Search. and to its dangerous con-
sequences, as claimed and practised BY bel-
sereuts in time Of war, he adds Such being
the view taken Of the Right Of Search, as re-
cognIsed by the law of nations, and exercised
| 10y belligerent powers, il is due to candor to
| state, that my government has an insuperable
| objection 10 its extension by treaty, in any
manner whatever, lest il might lead to conse-
quences stiil more injurious to the United
States, and especially in the circumstances al
luded 70"
The Secretary of State then closes his COM
| municaiion TO the British Minister, by stating,
that the United States, have, on great consi-
deration, thought il most advisable to consider
this trade as piracy and treat il as such They
have thought that the trade itself might, with
great propriety, be placed in that class OF Of
fences; and that, by placing it there, we should
mole effectvally accomplish the great object
Of suppressing the trade, than by aay other
means which we could adopt"
Now, can any rational man read the forego-
ing extracts, and then see, without astonish-
ment, letter Of instructions, written by the
same hand that penned these e tracts, and da-
ted on the same day, enclosing to Mr.. Rush.
at London, draft Of a convention, which he
was authorised to conclude, with the British
government, surrendering the very point SO
successfully combatted by the Secretary of
State in his letter to the British minister above
quoted! We think not. He had, according
to his own showing, JUST declared in spirit Of
candor to the British Minister, "that the 60
vernmeat Of the United States had an insupe-
rsbls objection to the extension of the Right
of Search by treaty, in any manner whatever"
- rtfIa 40 una et,.v..f e. Al.
closes final letter 10 the British Minister On
a subject which had been pressed by him for
reconsideration.
with what sincerity the spirit OF candor was |
invoked by the Secretary of State. in making
this declaration To the British Minister, will
be seen ny the following extract, from the Sc.
cOnd article of the draft Of The convention
transmitted on the same day to Mr. Rush al
London.
Article cd. tits agreed, by the high CON
tracing parties, that the commanders and
commissioned officers of either nation, duiy
authorized under the regulations s. instructions
Of their respective governments, to crujze an
the coast Of Africa, of America, or of the
West Indies, for the suppression Of the slave |
trade, shall be authorised under the conditions. |
Limitations, and restrictions, hereinafter men
Toned, to capture and deliver over" SC.
MIR. Adams seems here, to have gone stem
beyond what had ever been asked of him by the
British Minister, in extending the search TO
the coast of America. Ii was not enoaeh. IL
seems, to subject our extensive commerce in |
the West Indies to the visitation of foreign
cru'zers, but even our coasting trade, within |
our very harbours, was likewise To be nut af |
their mercy. The Senate, in its wisdom. di- |
vested The convention of this offensive feature.
and II had been we'll Tor our country had th..
whole scheme been rejected. This. however.
Is point Of policy which it is not our purpose
to discuss-Our object, being merely To sho,v
The confused and contradictory Character orI
the correspondence on the part Of MIR. Adams
which resulted in this famous convention.
In the Secretary's letter to Sir. Rush. there
is passage, which, with the conscqu .nces
flowing from il, also str,Ict us with some sur.
Prise. II is 10 the following words: -
The draft Of convention is herewith en-
closed, which, if the British Government
should aSrae TO treat upon this subject, on the !
basis of a legislative prohibition OF the Slave
Trade by both parties, under the penalties Of
piracy, you are authorized TO propose and to |
conclude. Its objects, you will distinctly un-
dersfand, are twofoid to carry into effect the
resolution of the House of Representatives Il
and TO meet, explicitly and fully, the call so
earnestly urged by the British Government
that, in declining the proposals pressed bv
them upon us, Of conceding a mutual ana
qualified Right of Search, we should offer
substitute for their consideration. The sub
stitute, by declaring the crime piracy, carrieu
With II the Right Of Search for the pirates ex-
isting in the very MIXTURE of the crime"
A substitute and called for ton by the cir
tlsx.as r. Il