The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-02-08

be unjust in itself, and could not fail In ex.
cite their deepest sensibiliiy"
So then, MIR. President, we are reduced
are we, to the poor condition, that we see a
minister of this great Republic instructed
10 argue, or to nleIcede. with the british
minister, lest he should find us to have for
telied our privileges aud lest these privi-
leges should M longer Ie extended To us
And we have forfeited those privileges by
our mlshehavor, in choosing rulers, who
thought better Of our own claim. than of
the British Why sir. this is patiently sub
uniting TO the domineering tone of the Brit
iSh Minister, believe Mr.. Hnskisson-IM Mr..
Clay said "no, Mr.. Canning"l-Mr. Can.
ming, then. sir, who told us that our trade
with the West Indies was hoon, granted
To US by the Indulgence of England. The
British Minister calls it boon, and our
Minister admits il ms u privilege. and hopes
that his Royal Majesty will be too gracious
10 decide that we have f,rfeited this privi-
lege, by our mishehnsior in the choice Of
our rulers sir, for one reject all idea of
holding any hight TO trade, or any other
rights as privilege or boon from the Brit
ish Government, or any other Government.
AT tine conclusion Of the paragraph, the
Secretary says: ''You cannot press this
view of the subject too earnestly upon the
consideration of the British Ministry. 1t
has bearings and relations that reach be-
You'd the immediate question. under discus
sion"
And adverting, agnln, to the same sub
iert towards the close Of the dispatch, he
says" will add nothing as TO the impro
priety of suffering any feelings that find
their origin in the past pretensions Of this
Government, to have an ADVERSE influence
upon tie present conduct of Great Britain"
ask again, Mr.. President, if this he
Craftsmanship if tins be dignity? il this
be elevated regard for country? Can any
man read the whole despatch, with candor,
and not admit that it Is plainly and mani
testify the writer's design to degrade the
character of the country.
Lest | should do the Secretary Injustice
| will read all that find, in this letter, upon
this obnoxious point. These are the para
graphs:
"Snch is the present state of our com
mercial relations with the British colonies {;
and such the steps Ivy which we have
arrgad Al it. ~ rA&eSiags taeS" events
whch have preceded and more or less con-
trihuted to, a result so much to he regret
ted, there will be found thee grounds upon
which we are most assailahle. LIST. in our
too long and too lcnEiousy :resisting the
right OF Great Britain to impose protecting
duties in her colonies" I'd, &c.
1.-The opportunities which you have de
rived from a participation in our public
councils, as well as other sources ofinforma-
ton, will enable you to speak with conf
dence las far as you may deem it proper
and useful so to dog of the respective parts
taken by those TO whom the administration
of this government is now committed, in re-
lation to the course heretofore pursued up
on the subject of the colonial trade. Their
views upon that point have been submitted
to the people Of the United States; and the
councils by which your conduct is now d-
rected are the result of the Judgment ex-
pressed by the only earthly tribunal to
Which the late administration WIS amenahle
for its acts. 1t should be sufficient that the
claims set up by them, and which caused
the interruption of the trade in question,
have been explicitly abandoned Ivy those
who first asse ted them, and are not reviv-
ed Ivy their SUCCESSORS. If Great Britain
deems it adverse to her interests to allow
us to participate in the trade with her colo
MICS, and fnds nothing in the extension of
it to others to induce her to apply the same
rule to us, she will, we hope, he sensible of
the proprety of placing her refusal on those
grounds. TO set up the acts of the late
Administration as the cause of forfeiture of
privileges which would otherwise be ex-
tended to the People of the United States,
would, under existing circumstances, be I'M
lust in itself, and could not fail TO excite
their deepest sensibity. The tone of feel
ing which course so unwise and un,ena-
bic is calculated to produce, would doubt
less be greatly aggravated by the con-
seriousness that Great Britain has, by order
in council. opened her colonial ports tc Rms
sia and France, notwithstanding n similar
omission on their part to accept the terms
offered bv the act of July, 1925. You can
not press this view Of the subject too earn
estly upon the consideration OF the British
ministry. 1t has hearing and relations that
reach beyond the immediate question under
discussion.
g will add nothing as to the improperly
of suffering any feelings that find their OIL
gin in the past pretensions of this govern
ment 10 have an adverse influence upon the
present conduct of Great Britain"
Sir, submit to you, and to the cnndor Of
ali Just men, if am not right in saying, that
the pervading topic. through the whole, is,
not American Rights, not American inter
ests not American defence, but denuncia-
ton of past professions Of our own county,
reflections on the past Administration, and
exultation, and IA loud claim of merit, for the
Administration now in power. Sir, would
forgive mistakes; | would pardon the want
of information: | would pardon almost any
thing, where ! saw true patriotism and sound
American feeling: but | cannot forgive the
sacrifice of this feeling to mere Party. |
cannot concur in sending abroad public
agent who has not conceptions so large and
liberal, as to feel, that in the presence OF
foreign Courts, amidst the monarchies OF
Europe, he is 10 stand up for his country
and his whole country; that no lot nor title
nT her honor is to come to harm in his
hands: that he is not to suffer others &c
Icproacn either his government or his coun.
try. and far less is he himself to reproact
either; TINT he is to have no objects il
lis eye but American objects, and no hear
in his bosom but an American heart; and
that he is to forget self, forget party, &c
forget every sinister and narrow feeling IL
his proud and lofty attachment to the Re.
public. whose commission he bears.
Mr. President. have discharged an ex
ceediagly unpleasant duty, the most un
pleasant Of my public life. But have look
ed upon it as Il duty, and it was not to bt
Stunned. And, Sir, however unimportnn
may be the opinion Of so humble an individ
ual as myself, now only wish that nigh
he heard by every Independent Freeman il
the United States, by the British Minister
,,rJ tbo py;tieh Kinp and liz evptv Ministe