Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-01-31

A
Administration. have been aws,s
cially anxious. that in all mater, re,,tm, e'N
intercourse with other nations, the utmo,, h,.D~
ny, the greatest unity Of purpose, should .';s
between the President and the Senate. IllS
how much of usefulness such harmony and n,,"
are calculated to produce.
am now fully aware, Sir. that it is ser;o.. {
a very serious matter, 10 vote against the enrs'
nation of Minister I'd Foreign Court. w5o~
already gone abroad. and has been received ~
accredited, bv the Gov crnment to which h.'
sent. am aware, that tie rejection of lhi,,s
mination, and the necessary recall of the W,'
tiers, will be regarded by foreign States. A, \.
first blush, as not in the highest degree la,Or,s
to the character Of our Government. kn..
moreover, to what injurious reflections one ms,
subject himself, especially in times of party >;
element, by giving negative vote, on such An
mination. But after all, am placed here tod, F
charge a duty. am not to 60 through form.
Ity; am to perform substantial and respouS
BILE duty I am to adUise the President in M.
tiers Of appointment. This is my constitution
obligation; and shall perform it nscien,iou,,
and fearlessly. | am bound to say. then, d;
that for one, do rot advise nor consent to tn,n
m,nation. I do not think it fit and proper nOrl
nation; and my reasons are found in the letter
instruction, written by Mr.. Van Buren,, on i,
Goth of July, 1929, to Mr.. McLane, then sur,
to the Court of England, as American MinIsr
| think those instructions derosatory, ia hs
degree, to the character and honor Of the cug:.
try. I think they show manifest dispOsirp,
in the writer Of them, to establish disnc,l;
between his Country and his Party; to place Ii.
party above the country; to make interest, At,
foreign Court, for that party, rather than for i.
country.
Sir, I submit to you, and to the candor Of i,
just men, if am not right in saying, that III
pervading topic, thro' the whole, is, not Amen
can Rights. not American interests, not Amer
can defence. but denunciation Of past ~ etensi,l
of our own country, and reflections on IT,
past Administration. SIR, | would foryr
mistakes; | would pardon the want Of Inform.
ton; I would pardon almost any thing whe.
saw true patriotism and sound American feeling
but cannot concur in sending abroad publ:
agent who has not conceptions SO large and lib,
raj, as to feel, that in the presence Of forn
Courts, amidst the monarchies ct Europe, hiI
to stand up for his country, and his whole cOn |
try; that M jot nor title Of her honor Is to con-
to harm in his hands; that he is not to suffer Othn
to reproach either his Government or his COgs
try, and far less is he himself to reproach eiiu
that he is to have no objects in his eye but An.
rcan objects, and no heart 10 his bosom but II |
American heart; and that he is to forget SELF
forget party, to forget every sinister and narw
feeling, in his proud and lofty attachment to n
Republic, whose commission he bears.
| Mr.. President, have discharged an exceed
IingIy unpleasant duty, the most unpleasant
my public life. But ] have looked upon Il
as dufy. and il was not to be Stunned. Aa
sir, how ever unimportant NAV be the opinlUu
so humble an individual as myself, now Oal
wish that might be heard b. every Independ.
Freeman IN the United States, by the British "
mister, and the British King, and BY every Minis
ter and every crowned head in Europe, whs
standing here in my place, pronounce my n
buke, as solemnly and as decisiveIy as can. "
on this frs, instance, in which an American NJ
mister has been sent abroad, as the Represent
tive of his Party, and not as the Representa-
of his Country.
Extract from Mr.. Clay's Speech.
Mr.. Clay said, after the most deliberate "a; !
sideration, regret that find myself utter! u
able to reconcile with the duty owe to my COZ:
try. a vote in favor of this nomination. Irsgs
it, because in all past strife Of party, the re'noa
of ordinary civility and courtesy were never d.
terrupted between the gentleman whose nan.
before US. and myself. But regard my oblgf
tons to the people Of the United States, andH
the honor and character of their government q!
paramount TO every private consideration lOsH
vas no necessity known to US for the dePartGF
of this genriemsn from the United States, pre-
to the submission Of his name to the Senate
Great Britain was represented here by dlPH
matte agent, having no higher rank than Chag
d'AAaires. We were represented in EngIin
by one Of equal rank. one who had shed l'aH
upon his country by his high literary chara''a.
one of whom it may be justly said, in no re'peT
was the inferior to the gentleman before US ~
though shall not cOntrovert the right OF the RE
sident, in an extraordinary case, to send aorOa
public minister. without the advice and cO"'en
Of the Senate. do not admit that it ever ous.
to be done without the existence of some sPees
cause to be communicated to the Senate. W
have received no communication OF the e1l'ten.
Of any such special cause. This view Of
matter might not have been sufficient alone
| justify rejection of this nomination; but IS"
licient TO authorize US to examine the supe'
with as perfect freedom as we could have oo..
| il the minister had remained in the U. sats
and awaited the decision OF the Senate. cons