Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-10-28


Of the direct voyage, Is certainly a point
gained, although the interests Of Great Bri.
tain herself viii, doubt not, always guarantee TO
US participation of that commerce.. was u lit
tic surprised that there 10 provision IN the
treaty for the regulation OF the intercourse between
the United States and the British North American
Colonies. IL remember correctly, the immedi
ate necessity oi such provision wac the chief If
not the only OSfcnSijie reason urged by Mr. Gal
latin Tor pressing commercial negotiation. l be-
heye, however, that II will Ice always within our
fowcr TO bring Great Britain to terms on that
subject, and that it may he less difficult for TO
prevent smuggiers aud Indian iuccnlarcs, with
out treaty ON that point. than with one.
have much curiosity 90 know the various a
uecdotes which grew out y. he negotiation at
london. II any thing WIS aGitatcd in relation 90
the navigation oil the Mississippi the fishing ber
~, and Indian commerce, should, indeed, have
hmented my return 10 Sweden. had il left YOU III |
the minority these questions. As nothing, !
however, has been concluded with respect TO them,
i am reconcited TO the course which have pur- !
sued A. TO the questions of maritime rights, /
was aware that ii was not the time 10 touch them
10 advantage.
IL the government do no; blame me for not hav- |
ing assisted at the commercial treaty, and conf
IDENTITY trust ii will not shall have nothing 10 re-
gret he responsibility and diSGSrecmeats Of the
transaction were certiin-the honor. even III case
Of a successful issue, precarious. MIR. 49, and
Mr have both acquainted me that very
general opinion appeared to prevail in the u. 3,
That the whole Of the credit Of the negotiation at
Chent, belonged 10 two p'incipoi members OF the
American mission. 49, and = - had very good
aturedIy expressed their Indignation OF so unjust
an opinion, and coinbattcd il accordingly They
Were certainly very candid in doing so, and are en-
fttled 10 the thanks of the three Commissioners
whose reputation they attempted TO vndicate. /
believe, however, that public opinion is not long
unjust and at last il generally corrects itself. They
10 not mention the names oil the two great person
ages, and thus perhaps, leave II 20 vanity TO
designate them 1t m. chit be fair enough, there
m ~ ,a I'm listju / 4 4
were not too obvious that some little pitiul tricks
lad been practiSed 10 create IT. OF these know we
are both incapabie and am obliged, therefore, for
your sake and my own, TO rcnounce claims TO
this monopoly of public applause. IL is pity, in
deed, that the public should be deceived this
casion: not much because its error is injurious
10 us, as this would perhaps be an evil OF very Ii
united extent; but because il gives false {. fac
ti,iousimportsnce TO others, which may he abused
In their race ioT popularity 10 unrighteous purpo-
ses, in which the whole nation is concerned. If ;,
therefore, the person who has found it somewhat
difficult 10 support the reputation OF great talents
Icy the production of any thing great in the de-
psrment which hu has admins cred; who
shrunk from the duties OF that department
on the first approach OF dii!icuy whose political
hrmness and Integrity are at least equivocal, and
whose origin prosorlbes him in the honest prejudi-
css of the nation, should, in despar of exercising
directly himself the powers OF the Chief NJ gistra
cy, seek tor some convenient Individual to fill that
station, whom he might manage and control. and
move a Sh0t0anaa ms puppets at Paris: II the
individual thus sought should be kind OF abori-
Gus pcdant. without Judgment enough TO be useful,
taste sufficient TO be admired; who IS suspected
of forgetting his country in the pursuit OF little per-
sona family interests; and who is known fire.
quently TO forget himself in paroXysm of
manageable passion; who has had the virtue TO
mask his participation in the CT his Ca
tler, under the afiectation OF patriotism, and the
patriotism 10 desert It;s party when it had lost its
power; who adopts the most extra,agant opinions
IN the hectic OF the naonicnt, and defends them
with obstinacy and vehemence while the fever
lasts, aud thus reduces himself TO the miserable al
tentative Of being constantly absurd ridiculous
ly inconsistent; who has neither dignity com
!nand, address 10 persuade, and is therefore az
unqualified TO rule Others he j. to govern him
se; who believes the national prosperity to con-
sst i'll the prosperity OF district and crc umscribes
his love of country within the confines Of the State
in which he was born who would barter the pat
Tiotic blood OF the West for bIubber, and exchange
ultra Allegheny sca'ps Tor Goldfish; who inherts
ga vanity without bounhl, and jealousy that dis
colors every thing '-w!lo----Bu' enough! 1 say
# al! this should be so-and these two men should
have formes feiOnious conspiracy 10 cheat them
selves into public favor by iilchng from their late
colleagues their welearned proportion OF fame
ought we not, how little we may value the
stolen goods, to drag the thieves justice, and TO
prevent them from converting our property to the
purchase Of dangerous and unmerited influence!
When recoect the supercous arrogance Of
.hese men, got at al surprised at their excu-
sive preteBsions The one appeared continually to
tie Cabinet, and TO bear about with him portion
Of the sovereign power. He frequently conduct
cd j! he .eit rather the right oil giving instruc-
tions, than the obligation of obeyng them; and his
colleagues found II necessary, more than one
occasion, TO remind him of their equality, and 10
restrain him within the bounds of his duty. The
other, either from alphabetical priority, accident
having been first named III the commission, fasii-
diously claimed rank every occasion. lie was
"a ambitious of the honoTs OF the dinner table as
hs was OF those of the council board, and undevi-
atingly placed himself al the head Of both. II not
only assumed the right of being the organ of our
oral communications, in which situation | more
chan once blushed for him and for ourselves; but
ne claimed, aud forcibIy kept against vote OF
che commission, the possession OF its official ar
chives.
Notwithstanding, however. tho Characteristic
presumption which betrayed itself IN their excu-
sve pretensons, the professions themselves are
not the less unfounded and nadmJsibie. What
would have become of the rights and honor Of the
country, they had depended alone Oh the narrow
and time serving policy Of man who sought Tor
peace financial expedont, and appeared still
which, in its distress, he had abandoned? man
who, awaysinclining 70 the side OF concession, was
absolutely borne through the negotiation by the
iirinDess OF his colleagues; who sought 10 obtain
the possible hut palry difference between specie
and current money, in the liquidation Of advances
which might have been made for the maintenance
of prisoners, with zeal than be had resisted
the most extrayagaut demands asserted by the cne-
my; and who, after having explicitly avowed that
the contested liberty Of the fisheries no equi-
valent for de free navigation Of the Mississippi
in consideration Of the former, but actually him
self made this offer To In. frfsh Commissioner,