Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-07-30

Z
pabie and faithful to the Constitution and the Peo-
pie, ought TO be acceptable to the opposite sec
nou' rs to the "fe which claims his birth or resi-.
dcncc," .--.s
r--------
CONvEN TON WITH isREAr RRfTAIN-
fcoNcLupED.)
Extract Of a Letter from Mr.. .4drri,s IN Mr..
- Rush, dated
BEREAVEMENT OF STATE,
Wdstsngt3n, June 81, 1923.
GA resolution of the House of Representa-
tiyes almost unanimously adopted at the close
OF the last session of Congress, requested the
President of the United States to enter upon,
aud to prosecute, from time to tifnc, such nego-
tiatlons with the several maritime powers of
Europe and America, as he may deem expedi-
ent, for the efectual abolition Of the African
slave trade, and its ultimate Remuneration
as piracy, under the law Of nations, by the con-
sent of the civilized world"
'sAt the two preceding sessions of Congress,
committees ofthe House hal proposed rcsol,,-
tion, expressed in more general terms, that's the
sPresidcnt of the United States be requested to
enter into such arrangements as he may deem
suitable and proper, with one or more of the
maritime powers of Europe, for the eGectual ab.
clifton ofthe African slave trade;' and this reso-
luton had, Iii each case, been The conclusion of
report, recommending that the United States
should accede to the proposal of n mutual and
qualified concession of the right o; search. The
sentiments of the committee were, in this res
pect, different from those which had been ex-
pressed by the Executive Department of the
government, in its previous correspondence with
that of Great Britain. No decision, by the H.
OF representatives, was made upon these resp
iutions, proposed at the preceding sessions; but
upon the adoption OF that which did pass at the
last session. twas we'll ascertaned, that the
sentiments of the House, III regard to the right
of search, conceded with those Of the Executive:
for they explicitly rejected an amendment which
was moved to the resolution, and which would
have expressed an opinion of tue House, IA
vorabie TO the mutual concession Of that right.
'' You have been fully isforIncd of the cor
respondence between the Government of the
United States and of Great Britain, concerning
the suppression of the slave trade heretofore:
and have been, from time to time, efectualy
instrumental to it yourself. You are aware OF
the grounds upon which the proposals, on the
part of Great Britain, that the United States
should accedc to the stpulations similar to those
which she had succeeded i'll objection from
Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands, were on
our part declined.
The subject was resumed by the British,
minister residing here, Mr.. S. Canning, short
time before the dcccasc OF the Marquis of Lon
douderry. 1t was suggested, that, since the to-
tai disappearance of the British and American
flags, well as of those of the nations which,
had consented 10 pat the execution of their laws
against the trade under the supeTintcndcnc OF
British naval officers, 1T continued to flourish
under that Of France; that her laws, though in
word and appearance equally severe in prescri-
bling the traffic, reIniss In the essential
point Of execution, that their effect was rather
to encourage, than TO suppress it; and the Ane-
rlcan Government was urged to join in friendly
representations To that OF France, BY instruc-
ting the minister of The Unite: States at Paris,
to concur in those which the British ambassa-
dor at that court had been charged with making,
to ensure more vigilant fnl!iiincnt ofthc pro-
hibitory laws. THIS invitation, at that time
given only in oral conference, was also dcclineth
from an impression, that such concurrence
might give uinbrage 70 tue French Govern
ment, and tcal rather to irritation, than tn
the accomplishment of the object for which it
was desired. MIR. GalIatin was, nevertheless.
instructed separately to bring tie subject to the
notice of the French Government; aud did SO, BY
aspote communicating 10 them copies of the re-
cent laws of the United States, for the suppress
sion of the trade, and particularly Of that by
which il has subjected every citizen of the Uni
ted States, who, after the passage of the law,
should be polluted witt, it, to the penalties of
praey
= SJn tue 25t'l OF January last, MIR. Canning,
In a letter to- this Department, repeated the 10
vitatfon of a joint and concurrent rernonstraucc,
to be made by the BrtisI, an5assador and our
minister III France; and at the same time called,
with great earnestness, upon the Government
Of the United States, either TO accede 10 lc
principle of the mutual and qualified right OF
search, emphaticaly pronounced, in bis belief,
TO he the oniy eGcctnai measure devised or
likely TO be devised, & for the Accomplishment
of the end, TO bring forward Some other
scheme of concerts which il again declared the
readiness of His Majesty's minister to examine
with respect and candor, as a substitute for that
OF the British cabinet.
" However discouraging this call for an al
tcri,niyc might be, thus coupled as it was with
decisive adccisratioB of belief, that no efcc-
tual alternative had been, or was likely to be
) devised, an opportunity was offered, in pursu-
aucc ofthe resolution of tie House of Repre-
sentatvcs, adopted at the close of the late ses-
sion OF Gong sess, for proposing substitute, in
belief more eGectual than the right of
searcs could be, for the total and final suppress
sionof this nefarious trade, and loss liable, Ell
thcrt objections of principle, or to abuses of
practice
'' This proposition was accordingly made, in
my letter to Mr.. Canning of 3lst of March last,
to which his letter of the 9th of April was the
answer In this answer, Mr.. Canning barely
notices our proposition, to express an opinion,
that his Government will see IN it nothing but
81 acknowledgment Of the necessity Of further