Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-08-06
PROSPECTS AT WASHINGTON

y
crfrdct ~ letter from gentleman iva .fsD York,
/ :, :, his friend M frrdr,ick
| GU esquire What are the real facts OF tho al
'erea'ion between the Secretary of Siae and the edit
o's OF The Naiionai lnell's-ncer, and ask my opin
! 'on OF tnen', so Tar as they duplicate the former.
w,h very freely give yuu hut the more so, as view
'"'s '"c'deht ~ even moie important than most o.
nose ~ no have given their upon II the
public II there be - sari ed political right, one SO sa-
GREG as TO he The basis OF al tue ocr political rights
~ the liberty Of the press II there he ins,ru-
"e"'' p'e-eminen'y, in public affairs, the shield VI
go"d, anu the scou,ge OF bad men, is tbe liberty oil
tue press II there he test Of virtue 10 public
fon rs To he found the invariabie support gives
!" 'h,s inesiimbIe right f there he criterion Of vice
pno'c men, isio he found ia their Steady edost,
ny n"ect or ubl'Iue MEANS to subvert ~. So It hss
oeeh viewed 10y every enlightened patriot, WHOSE
tame IS embanicd 10 the memories of freemen. Oar
recorus do mot commemorate individual, on whom
The grave has stamped the seal Of true glory, who
has not been the champion aud guardian OF this ines
unable blessing. IL is not, therefore,, suypt Using thai
have contemplated, with intense anxiety, the s1ec-
'"cIe OF public man, occupying one Of the highes,
posts IN the commonwealth, taking side hostile 70
our best political feelings. But let me here pause
until state 10 you the facts OF this extraordinary
case that you may judge for yourself how far my view
oil " Is correct
Near the close Of the last session OF Congress, a
treaty, negotiated with Grea' Britain, whose osiensi-
BILE object was the further repression of The slave
trade, was submitted by The president 10 the Senate.
IL contained provisions under certain limitations for
the reciprocal right Of Search by which IL contem-
plated that each party should be authorized, in the
first instance, 10 take ON board the vessels Of the
other, persons that should be found engaged IN the
traftic, AZ preliminary their trial for piracy such
traffic having by the municipal laws OF each of the
nations, been declared piracy. The object, so far
tended to ensure the punishment Of the guilty. w.
fitted TO command universal Hpprohauon--as enid
all appiauded but whether II provided sale aud ef
fecual means for the accomplishment o this end pre-
scnpd another question, and, further, whe,her the Sc
means, even IL efectualto the accomplishment of this
end, did endanger u vital buie of our iudepen-
dence. This question, Car The public Rave been
advised, was seriously ag,tate in the senate whose
powers, in the formation and LITIGATION of treaties
are made by the constitution co-equal, and inthe
hnal issue, when they lead TO their rejection, para
mount 10 those of the president Il is no wise su,
sing that the adoption Of new provisions on a point,
which had been contested by Jefferson and Madison
with such distinguished msIre, which had caused the
outrage on the Chesapeake had eveniuated in The late
war, thai involved so prodlgaI an expenditure OF
biood and treasure, should have been weighed in thar
body with wary deliberations. That some Of the m
were considered dangerous rights, rs mani
fest from their being stricken from the irea,y and by
the provision which limits i,s continuance 10 the
pleasure Of each of The par,ies-a provision which.
pr not assened TO by England, will produce It's final
rejection.
The proceedings the Senate, during The discus
sion, were, Of course, secret Alter lila conditional
ratification, the injunction of secresy beng removed
The editors of the National In,eligencer promised TO
lay them before their readers. Fiading tile ,ocu-
mems, as is indeed the with all Mr. Adams
WRITINGS very voluminous, il was natural for The en-
considering the great OF important matter arts
ing ont oil the sitting oil congress vet unpublished 10
anemp, their abbreviaiion. This they did by publish
ing such OF the documents, TO the exclusion of hers
AS they considered material TO aview of the transac
ZION, connecting with a very brief accumulation of
The prominent objections urged in the senate furnish
ed ny a menher Of that body.
a, this MIR. Adams seems to have raxen offence-
Without just cause rs il appears me, as the editors
could not he truly charged with showing IN the case
Or Tho uh, ,n.,.
non as they had on more occasions than one adyo-
Gated The treaty IN their editorial remarks and Az
they had certainly published the important docu-
mems, and, eciaiy the letter of the preside nj 10
the senate, enforcing its adoption IN the most cose
Terms, and IN way, either rs TO diction or aTpu-
mcnt, certainly pot inferior any of Mr. Adams =
letters. The arguments used in the senare in favour
ct the treaty, IL Is true, were not given. BIT they
might the more equitably lie dispensed with as The
letter OF the PRESIDENT with the -oiher documents
hi''ng so many columns, being all in favor of the
teUso.
Whether, however, the publications OF Gales and
Seaton gave full and accurate view of the transac
non 70 not the question. The omitted documents
might possibly shed some additional lght on the sub
lect. Mr.. Adams Immediately remarks the o1issioo
Viewing their publication important what does he
do Does he intimate, as il was natural and proper
that he should, TO Messrs Gales and Seton, his op,n
ION, and desire the insertion OF them in heir
desire with which they would most checruIy bav 70
complied No Instead Of this, under the unJonb,ed
Influence OF temper, he forthwith sends complete
set OF the documents to a obscure print, called ,hs
National Journal, well known al Wasbins,ou IN h,,.
circulation SO limited as to be totally inadequate TO
iis maintenance. "
The excitement does not stop here. The same print,
to The exclusion OF the National InieIijp ia
short time after made the medium Of communicable
TO the public, the Report Of the Commissioners under
he Florida Convention followed, some time after.
ny an snunc,a'on 10 The same print Of It's purpose
to publish list of their Awards, an interesting com
mercal document, which, II seems, Msssrs G,Irs
and Searon had Intellectually applied Tor a, tie deoa
meni o. State, but which they were, nevertheless,
enabled 10 publish co-fempOra neousiy with the Jour
nal, by another officer Of the government.
From these circumstances has nsued n naper war
he'wershe Secretary and the editors OF the National
ineii'eeoccr, s'gnized by rs much aspeyity on the
part Of the former, uloder alton ON The MAJ, If %
latter.
To a due comprehension of The subject,s few fur
,ber facts should he stated. 80" "'
The National Journal is the avowed advocate of
Mr.. Adams Tor the Presidency; the opoioyisf and
srsn eniogist Of he notorious Niuian EsJrgSds-,bs
reriier ~ Mr. Cramford, aud has recepIIy e,sed in
itself the Washington Republicans, more d,s,,,g,,sb-
Ell, Il Is believed, Tor The iaseboods it has piopaga
ted Than any print IN the United States
The National lnieigencer has expressed Ito ,lsc;.
dcd preference Tor Mr.. Crawford has de f. nde, him
from the gross calnmnes uttered against him br IN
terms entirely free from reproach OF the o,hs, c.,d;
dates, snless they he viewed par,icpa,ors ia tho
fabrication pr diffusion Of those caluo,nisa
There ~ too much reason 10 believe tina, NJ, A.
dams has gwen s connienspce, il not hrs direct sur
port, 20 Nn,an Edwards 10 his. uoprinciple. smscks
mn MIR. Crawford. For Edwards stands s.lfco.v,r,.
ed Of heiog the author of A. Plot aud wriuas :
and considering his terms Of confidence with Nj A.
dams, and hs appointment TO Mexico, not denied TO
nave been with the appreciation Of Mr. Ad,ms--,he
Inference seems almost irresistible, that Mr.. Adams
was acquainted With the scheme and its an,bor, and
| iolendch ny the appointment 10 stamp il wrh hi,
s,nctioo. This inference is strengthened hv L,s DE-
CLEMSON 10 JOIN in the dinner ut Wsshine,oy ON the
9Th of July, because Edwards was excluded No,h.
ing can account for this bot previous DISCRIMINATION
TO sorpor him under the hope that by sucb sunnor
he Eject of the report Of the Comni,,ee NJ Iayrs,
CATION, acqui'hng Mr. Crawford Of official miscon.
'luct, might he weakened. tie knew Ina, The ooIs
| Chan. Of defe aiinq Ne. Ctn,.fnrdsa