Litchfield enquirer., 1831-12-15

gave to the Treaty for the cession of Louisi-
 ana.
 Should this Treaty receive the proper sanc-
 ton, a source of irritation will be stopped. that has for so many years, in some degree, aIienated from each other, two nations, who from interest, as well as the reuembrance of early associations, ought to cherish the most 1 friendly reatiOns-an encouragement will ba given for perseverance in the demands of fius- tice, by this new prosf that, ifsteadIy pursu- ed, they will be listened to-and admOnition will be offered 10 those Powers, any, which ] may be inclined to evade them, that they will l never be abandoned. Above all, just cOuf- dence will be inspired in our fellow citizensv 1 that their Government will exert all the pow CTS with which they have invested it, in sup port of their just claims upon foreign nations: 1 at the same time that the frank acknowledr- ment and provision for the payment of those which were addressed to your equity, al- though unsupported by legal proof, affords a ! practical illustration of our submission to the divine rule of doing to others what we desire they should do unto us.
 Sweden and Denmark having made com pcnsation for the irregularities committed bv their vessels, or in their ports, to the perfect satisfaction of the parties concerned; and having renewed the Treaties of Commerce entered into with them, our political and com. merclal relations with those Powers continue to be on'the most friendly footing.
 With Spain. our differences up to the 9Qd February, 1919, were settled by the Treaty of Washington Ofthat date; but at a subseaueue period, our commerce with the states, former y colonies of Spain, on the centinentzOf America, was annoyed and frequently inter- rnpted by her public and private armed ships: They captured many of our vessels prosecu- flnP law filH and fbn.~ xN their cargoes; and, at one time, to our de- n1ands for restoration and indemnity, oppos- ed the allegation, that they were taken in the violation ofa blockade of all the ports of those states. This blockade was declaratory only, and the inadequacy fthe force to n1aintain it, ] was so manifest, that this allegation was va- ried to charge of trade in contraband of war. This, in it's turn, was also found untenable and the minister whom sent with instruc- t'ons to press for the reparatiOn that was due
 to our injured fellow citizens, has transmitted
 an answer to his demand, by which the cap- lures are declared to have been legal, and are justified, because the independence of the States of America never having been ac- knowledged by Spain, she had a right to pro- hibit trade with them under the old colonial laws This ground of defence was contra dictory. not only to those which had been for- merDy alledged, hut to the uniform practice 1 and established laws of nations and had been abandoned by Spain herself in the convention which had granted indemnity to British sul- jects for captures. made at the same time, uu- der the same circumstances, and for the same allegations with those of which we complain. 1 \ however indulge the hope that further re- fection will lead to other views, and feel con- fidcnt that when his Catholic Majesty shall be convinced of tile justice of the claim, his desire to preserve friendly relations between the two countries. which it is my earnest en- deayor to maintain, will induce him to accede to our demand. have therefore despatched a special messenger with instructions to our Minister to bring the case once more to his consideration to the end that if which can not bring myself to believe, the same decision, that cannot but be deemed an unfriendly de- nial of justice, should be persisted in, the mat ter may, before your adjournment, be laid be- fore you,sthe constitutional judges of what is proper to be done when negotiation for re- dress of injury fails.
 1 The conclusion of treaty for indemnity
 with France seemed to present favorable
 opportunity to renew our claims of a similar
 nature on other Powers; and particularly in
 the case of those upon Naples, more especial
 ly as in the course of former negotiations with
 that power our failure to induce France to
 render us justice was used as an argument a.
 gainst us. The desires of the merchants who
 were the principal sufferers have therefore
 been acceded to, and mission has been insti-
 tuted for the special purpose of obtaining for them reparation already too long delayed.
 This measure having been resolved on, it was
 put in execution without waiting for the
 meeting of Congress. becausethe state of Eu- rope created an apprehension of events that might have rendered our application inefCect- 1 ual.
 Our demands upon the Government of the Two SiclIies are of peculiar nature: The injuries on which they are founded are not denied, nor are the atrocity and perfidy under which those injuries were perpetrated at tempted tO he extennated. The sole ground on which indemnity has been refused is the al- ledged illegality of the tenure by which the monarch who made the seizures held his crown. This defence. always unfounded in any principle of the law of nations-n0w uni- vcrsaIly abandoned. even by those powers up- on whom the responsibility for acts of past rulers bore the most heavily. will uDquestion. ably be given up by his Sicilian Majesty: whose counseIs will receive an impulse from that high sense of honol and regard to justice which are said to characterize him; and feel the fullest confidence that tho talents of the citizen commissioned for that purpose will place before him the just claims of our injur- z ed citizens in such light as will enable me, before your adjOul nment, to announce that