Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-04-04
No IT,.
Mr.. Clay to Mr.. Poinsett.
DRpARrNENT OF STATE.

SIR: Since the date of my letter of the 26th
Of September last, your dispatches to No p
have been received. That of the 18th Sep,eml-
Der, 1925, was received yesterday. They have
all been laid before the President, and shall
now make the remarks which appear to be cali
ed for by the last, being the only one which
seems to require particular notice. In that you
state that, in the course OF your conferences
with the Plenipotentiaries Of the United MeXl-
can States, on the subject of the proposed COM
mercial convention, a point Of difficulty has
arisen, which has been agreed to be reserved.
The point is an exception in favor OF the Anne
rican nations which were formerly Spanish pos
sessions, to which, on account OF the traternal
relations that unite them TO the United Next
can States, the latter may grant special privl-
leges which shall not be extended 10 the domi-
Mons and citizens of the United States. The
President approves Of your refusal to accede
TO that exception.
The U. s. have neither desired, nor sought,
to obtain, for themselves, in their commercial
relations with the new States, any privileges
which were not common to other nations -
They have proposed, and only wished to esta-
blsh, as the basis of all their commercial trea-
ties, those of equality and reciprocity. They
can consent to no other. Ready, themselves,
TO extend to the United Mexican States any ia
yors which they have granted TO other nations,
the United States feel themselves authorised to
demand, in this respect, perfect reciprocity.
They could not agree to treat on the principle
Of concession to any European Power, OF
commercial privileges which were denied to
them. They would feel even more repugnance
10 the adoption of such principle, in respect
TO any American nations, because, by placing
the United States, in some degree, out OF the
pale Of that American system, OF which they
form no unessential part, it would naturally
wound the sensiblity of the people OF the Uni
ted States. As you had not time, at the date
Of your despatch, to communicate the reasons
which were urged in support OF this eXtraordl-
nary exception, they can only be collected from
the tenor o. the clause inserted IN the British
treaty, which YOU have cited. That clause as
serts, as the motives for the exception-lst,
That the new states, in whose favor II is TO De
applied, were formerly Spanish possessions;
and I'd, That certain fraternal relations unite
them 10 the Mexican States. The validity OF
neither Of these reasons can be perceived
What is there in the nature OF the tact that
those nations were once bound, by common
allegiance, to Spain, TO Justify the exception!
Can any rule be fairly deduced from colonial
condition, which should govern independent
nations, no longer bound by any common tie!
Is there not something derogatory from the
character of free states, and free men, IN seek
ing 20 find rule for their commercial inter-
course in their emancipated condition, from
retrospect of their colonial state, which was
one of dependence and vassalage! What Is to
be the limit OF this principle! Ii the accident
of a colonial connection, under common So
yeregu, is to Justify peculiar rule for the e.
mancipated colonies, may not that common So
vereign also insist, on the ground of ancient
relations, upon special privileges? And then 1t
would he incumbent upon the United States to
consider ifthey had not been premature in their
recognition of the independence of the United
Mexican States. But if the fact of the Spanish
dominion having once stretched over the new
states, is to crea<e an exception OF commercial
privileges in their behalf, the United States
upon similar ground, have right to demand
the benefit of it. For the same Spanish do
minion. once, and at no very distant day, ex-
tended over the larger part Of their territories,
and all that part which is conterminous Win
those of the United Mexican States.
With respect to the second reason deducIole
from the clause in the British treaty, there is
no statement of the nature Of those fraternal
WHICH, upPOSNN w
exception. Certainly as between the Onted
Mexican States, and the other new nations cary
ed out Of the former Spanish colonies, none are
known to the world which can sanction the ex-
ception. The United Mexican States have, 1t
is true, been waging war with Spain, contem-
poraneously with the other states, but hitherto
there has been no cooperation of arms between
them. The United Mexican States have, alone,
sustained their contest. If the idea Of those
fraternal relations is to be sought for in the
sympathy between the American belhgerents,
this sympathy has been equally felt, and cou-
stantly expressed throughout the whole suug-
ole. by the United States. They have not, in
deed, taken up arms in support of the indepen-
dence of the new states; but the neutrality
which they have manifested, has enabled them,
more eficaciousy, to serve the cause OF lnde-
pendence, than they could have done by taking
part in the war. Had they become beiiise-