The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-12-14
PRESIDENTS MEssAGE-yo

ders. aud, while we acknowledge thcir st,,,...-
form correct opinions relative both TO tie -
and feia'IEem erlts, we hope it viii not bersea-,
ed as presumptuous in us to make such ron,
in relation to its several topics, as NAV ,eg-..,
themselves TO our minds.
Although our foreign relations generall,. 49,.
pacific aspect, yet it cannot be dcnieJ -,
there are some specks in the horizon, gjieI !,
they do not portend a speedy alteration !, =
peaceabe attitude We at present sustain. mon.
bly, lead TO the fear that the T. Sta es viii a.
be called on, in deience of the rights of tbe. :,
hzens, SO griesously outraged, aud for wbief >,
dress has in vain been sought to assume s,,,.
which may lead to a less desirable state of thin.
The day may indeed be distant. and we hon, ;.
may never arrive, when the adoption of tins a.
Tentative will be necessary; but that it will h.
necessary at some period, cannot be doubted a,
France much longer persists in denying to ps in
demnlfication for the numerous outragcs nHlr,.A
ON our commerce. while she was arraycd aga,ss,
Great Britain. IN striving fcr the dominion ot TN
world. This question is peculiarly mteresla,, r,
the States which have numerous seaport i,un,
because heynecessariy suffered more Tran tbo,.
which having less facilities for commercial mta..
course. invested less capital in commercial enic,.
prizes, and consequently suffered bat lftle hv
these depredations depredatons of winch We
have 81 frequently complained, and for which
We have So meeutly and SO uselcssly demanded
r4d, list n, ~.
Reelese contained very able article relative to
OH claims on France, the justice Of whiehit
completely Sustalns while it trinmphantY re.utge
he sophIStry by which tie French Cabinet s..i.;
10 evade the strong arguments Which our Nus.
ieis 10 that Court lave over and often enforced
upon is attention. The propriety Of restitution
OF remuneration on the part OF the Frrnch gov
csnment has also been argued and demonstrated
oy other writers; but we believe that Congress
has never taken mp tie subject aAdl its last Ses.
sion, and it then left the mater just where il
commenced 1t is, therefore, with pleasure tlai
Ne see the earnest appeal made by the President
% that body again To consider it, and We hope
mai the measures to which tins appeal may lead
VIII BE- dvail,ng to induce the adoption OF such
course Oh the pa,t VI the French government as
may cyincc tat it, in,'ioriunes during the last
century have not taught il, its first maxim, IL
Justice il. its intercourse with foreign powers
The principal Plea upoA which that government,
relics for Justification Of its refusal to pay the
Claims of our citizens Is that our ships were cap
tnred and on property sequestratcd under dc
csees issued by an usui per--by Napoleon Buon.
aparte--Nhrn the functions OF the legitimate
government were suspended. Bul, the sophisn
contained in this plea, has long ago been detec.
ted and exposed. The gVrcrauSAt OF France
under Louis XVIII and Charles All is perfectly
willing to pay the debts contracted for the sup
port ofthe nation, by the gOrerhaieR Of France,
under Napoleon. But it is not wiling TO
remunerate the untortu nate individuals
whose property, foroibly taken from them, for
The same purpose, can be rightly regarded ia DO
other point ofsiew than compulsory loans How
many millions have been paid by France 10 The
European governments SINCE the restoration u
the bourhons a ndemniiies 10 those govern
ments for spolidtious committed On the property
OF their subjects by Napoleon Buonapartc! aud
why should cs be denied like remuneration, for
spoliations committed an the property OF our CT
tzens by tie same individual We think, that.
ofthetwo We have decidedly the strongest claim
- Indemnity: for the European governments
that claimed and obtained it, were actually, at
tie moment when the outrages Of which they
complain, were committed, in a state Of wal win
France, and the injuries they sustained were
consequently sustained IN contest in which each
was striving to do the other the most harm;
while we were friendly power pursuing our
lawful ay ocations on the great highway OF ma
tons; and yet, notwithstanding this tact, mdeiI'
re ofcyery principle ufnaltolal laws well as
Of Justice our property vas baselg stolen from
lis owners, and employed 10 Zurich the eSeaeq"er
ofFrance, But the French government appears
10 reason diicrently--thus absurdly placing
belligercnt upon better ground than anen'ol
power! We mdstagain express hope that on
grcss will take some decisive step in relation 10
these claims. In the language ola man as emf
nent for his patriotism as his ability, when speah'
ing OF the ageressions of Great Britain, prior ~
the late war--a man who reflects credit on u.V
highest station III this government, to when '''
unbought suiIrages OF the peoplehaye called h"',
-" submission ne, er yet sat boundaries 10 e'''
croachmcnt.n Ills only by meeting the "f''='
door a, the threshhod, and by eyincing d''Po'
stion as well as capabihiy to resist his m'a''''
of right, that an ciIeetnal check IS put to his Az
vance. Nations as well as individuals VIII h''l
this rule always to be as correct in theory as "
is iudicous in application.
The only other subject which promises '''
ously'to interrupt the harmonyetonr ih@''o"
with foreign powers, is that which relates 10 GU.
commercial intercourse between the L. afa''S
the British West India Colonies. In ieiaio"
the unfortunate differences that have Occult
between the British and American tab'ne''
this subject, the Presidents expose IS VERY