Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-07-14
HON. LEWIS McLANE AND THE BRITISH
TREATY.

There nothing in the manner of Mr.
WLane's reception in England, calculated to in
ducc belief that any compromittal of national or
individual dignity necessary to promote the
dro,ced objects of his mission.
lie hastencd, nevertheless, to fulfil a principal
purpose OF his instructions, by assuring the British
Government OF the indefensible, un ustifiabe con-
duct of the United States, the absurdity of their
'pretensons' the injustice and invalidity of their
claims, &c. &c.
All this was manifesty intended to be reverhera-
ted on our shores, and was very we'll calculated
for effect on the elections here. At least it must
serve to show the zeal of Mr.. MIano's attachment
to General Jackson and readiness aid in punish
ing his enemies To these considerations all re-
gard for truth and pride of country yielded up
MIR. NJ Lane fell into ambiguity. which Mr..
Van Buren, was in 4 better situation to avoid. Mr.
Van Buren, had fearessly charged all the enormties
of pretensons, &c. to the late Administration; but
Mr. MLane could not venture to presume upon
tho ignorance of lord Aberdeen as far as to rcpcat
such an allegation in uncquvocal terms to him
Such an assertion would have been in danger of
direct contradiction from his lordship, whose
special business it was to know, that during the
last four years there had been no such scttnp IN
and abandoning of prctensions and claims: but that
III the period of MIR. Adams administration, the
terms Offered to the British Government had been
the same as those which Mr.. M'Lane now offered
again; or, once more to use his words tcoincitent
with them.
MIR. MLane, therefore, placed all these sins to
the account Of the United States, without distinct
specification of time to allow his words one
meaning for lord Aberdeen, and another for his
friends ut home.
But besides delivering over all these inventions
OF MIR. Van Buren,, with this notifications he tried
Ills nand at getting up new and additional accu-
sation.
1t was plain that all this railing at former admin
strations. for claiming too much, only tended to
show that he was aiming to obtain less advanta-
geous terms than had before been expected. This
could gain him credit ut all, unless as the bear
Il a.
| compliment which, it seems, his candid condemna
ton of his own country did obtain for him i'm the
nlsterlal circles, namely, that of being an hon
est telLo1" He, therefore, varied the Charge and
in one of his communications to Mr.. Van Buren,
speaks Ell the late administration having cones
ded too much, and having thus preciuded him from
obtaining better terms.
Now, this is passing strange, and might almost
have startled the President himself. 1t was Mr.
Adams who deprived the country of this trade, by
the unreasonableness and extravaganza of his
pretensiens and claims behalf of our commerce,
SO says Mr.. Van Buren,, and Mr. McLane adopts
and respects 1t: substituting only 'the u. States
for President Adams. But blowing hot and cold
IN the same breath, Mr.. McLane says, the same
President Adams was too humble in his claims was
too willing to conciate and concede and by his too
great yielding am precluded! And this is a.
doPted by Mr.. Van Buren,, equally true and is
officially presented to the American people.
Which of these contradictory accusations is
true! Every man must see that they cannot both
be so. The fact is, both are false.
In the administration of Mr. Adams no claim or
Pretcnson was advanced in reference to this bust
ness, but the principle of entire reciprocity; and
that has never been abandoned, except by Mr..
McLanc, MIR. Van Buren, and President Jackson
Mr. Adams precluded no claim by any conces-
sion. He made no concession; but declared his
readiness to agree that the British intercoLonial
trade between London and Jumaica should be as
exclusively American. But this could not preclude
Mr. McLane, because his instructions did not al.
low him to ask for any other basis.
1t would be worth while to inquire what Mr.
mcbane referred to, if it possible to believe
that he wos sincere, meant to be Ineligible
The actual propositions made by Mr. McLane
are well enough described by him as coincidenf
with those which Mr. Clay had instructed Mr..
Galatin to offer
What then he the sonso or where tho no.
nesty OF all these charges against tho former admin
Istratlon, since its very footsteps are the chosen
path of the present one?
The falsity of all these ordinations is assured
by that one tdct,-the identity of the offer now
made, with the one previously authorised by Mr.
Clay. 1t has been shown, abundantly. besides by
the preceding narrative.
These propositions made in the autumn of
lo29-No notice having been taken of them, or
seeming likely to be taken of them a confidential
communication made by the President to Con
gress, in May, 1880, asking for the passage Of n
bill which should give to these propositions the
shape Of lar.
On tho 9th of May, 1880, Mr.. Cambrelens.
known friend and intimate associate of the Score
tary OF State, introduced bill accordingly This
Dill was understood to have been drawn up as under
TIC inspection ofthe cabinet; and the well known
relation IN which Mr. Cambrelenp stood towards
the Secretary and the President placed him in the
Capacity of their immediate organ in this business
In recommending the bill, Mr.. Canbrclenp de-
elared, that 1t contained no new prinoplc' He
SAID 1T corrcpondcd precisely soth the Instructions
81 Mr.. Clay TO Mr.. GalLdtiH. He said further
that the friends of the former administration could
not but approve oft well as those on the other
Sioe and nc assured both Sides that there could be
no difference ofopinion about it.,
Thus vouched for and thus recommended. as
being merely the scheme of an arrangement which
1lr Clay hand embodied in his instructions to
MI Gallatin, the bill went through without oppo
sltion or debate, and was passed almost unanimous
Jy by both Houses
MI Cambreleng moved also a call for f1e cor
Iespohdence; but this happened at the very close
OF the session, and the correspondence was not
communicated or at least was not printed until
after the bill had been passed.
NOW, whether the propositions of Mr. CLAW
winch mad been offered through Mr.. GalatIn
wore TNeHsons, or concessions, il is manifest that
ny this act thoy were approved and ratified by the
almost unanimous vote Of congress; and that they
were recommended for permanent adoption, by
nose VINO were least disposed to compliment the
political sagacity of Mr. Clay or of Mr. Adams
ne appreciation thus yielded was the more signal,
Decause reluctant and involuntary.
have said, in former communication The, |
the position taken for the country by Mr.. Clar -
MS instructions to Mr.. Gallatin had received tlc
sanction OF the representatives. Of the people.
IN making that assertion, referred bojb In tbe
IoGauVe appreciation given by Congress. in renca
lc"iy refusing 10 abandon the ground ON ,vt;cI a.