Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-03-09


forts, on frank and decisive grounds, might be
successfully made to recover it, imposed upon
the the duty Of undertaking the Task.
Recently, however, Great Britain had more
than once declined renewing the negotiation, ana
placed her refusal upon objections which sne
thought proper to take tn the manner OF our pre-
yious negotiation, and TO claims which had at va
rious times been made upon the part OF OUT gov
eminent. -,
The American government. notwithstanding
continued its efforts to obtain participation 10
the trade. II waived the claims at first insisted
upon. as we'll as the objection to the imposition
by Great Britain of higher duties upon the pro-
duce of the U. States when imported into the
West Indies, than upon the produce OF her own
possessions, which objection had been taken Id
1919 in despatch of the then Secretary OF state.
A participation in the trade with the british
West India Islands could not have'been, at any
time demanded AZ right; any more than IN that
to the British European ports. In the posture
of affairs already adverted to therefore, the Exc
cutlve could ask nothing more than to be permit
ted to engage in il upon the terms assented TO oy
his predecessor and which were the same as those
previously offered by Great Britain herself -
Even these had been denied to the late admins
tration, and for reasons arising from the views
entertained by the British Government of our
conduct in the past negotiations.
1t was foressen that this refusal might be re-
peated and on the same grounds. When 1t be-
came the duty of the Executive, rather than dis
appoint the expectations of the people and wholly
abandon the trade, to continue the applicatlon.it
was proper toineet the objection to the past acts
Of the American Administration, which objec-
ton, as had been foreseen, was actually made
and for sometime insisted upon
1t is undoubtedly the duty ofall to sustain. BY
an undivided and patriotic front. the action OF
the constituted authorities towards foreign. ma
tons; and this duty requires. that during the
continuance Of an administration in office, nothing
should be done to embarrass the Executive inter-
course in its foreign policy. unless upon convic-
ton that it is erroneous. A thorough change in
the administration, however, raises up other au-
thorities Of equal dignity. and equally entitled to
respect; & an open adoption OF a different course
implies no separation of the different parts Of the
governments nor does an admission Of the inexpe-
diency or impracticabity of previous demands
imply aBy want Of respect for those who may
have maintained them.
To defend the claims. or pretensions, as they
had been Unfortunately called, on either side,
in the previous correspondence, which had been
for time urged by the late administration. would
have been to defend what that administration, by
waving them. had admitted to be untenable sand
If tina, which had been BY them conceded to be
inexpedient, could not be sustained as proper, /
perceive nothing derogatory, and surely nothing
wrong, in conducting the negotiation upon the
common and established principle, that in a
change Of administration there may be cores
bonding change in the policy and counsels Of the
government. This principle exists and IS acted
upon, in the diplomatic and public transactions
of all natioDs. The fact OF It's existence IN the
recent change Of the administration of the Ameri-
can government, was az notorious as the circu-
Iation Of the American press could make it; and
while it's influence upon the policy Of foreign ma
tons was both natural and reasonable, it was pro-
Der, according to my sense of duty, frankly to
avow it. il the interests Of the people of the U.
S. should SO require.
Such was the motive, and such and nothing
more, is the true import Of the instructions, taken
as whole, which directed to be given to our
minister at London. and which neither expressed
nor implied condemnation of the government Of
the United States, nor OF the late administration
further than had been implied by their own acts
and admissions.
could not reconcile it to my sense Of public
duty, or of national dignity, that the U. States
should suffer continued injury or injustice, be-
cause former administration had insisted upon
terms which it had subsequently waived. or had
failed seasonaby to accept an offes which it had
afterwards been willing to embrace. The con-
duct of previous administrations was not to be
discussed either for censure or defence: and on
" in case :. the omission of this government to
accept of the terms proposed when heretofore Of.
fered." should be urged as an objection now"
it was made the duty Of the minister "to make
the British government sensible Of the injustice
and uexpediency of such course"
Both the right and the propriety of setting up
the past acts of previous administrations to JUS
tify the exclusion of the U. s. from trade al
lowed TO all other nations. was distinctly denied,
and the instructions authorized the minister to
state that such a course towards the U States
9. under existing circumstances. would be unjust.
6 in itself, and could not fail to excite TIE deep
Is est sensibility--the tone Of feeling which a
course so unwise and untenable. is calculated
sste produce, would doubtless BE- greatly asgra-
" waited by the cons ciousness that Great Britain