Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-02-17

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been stated, but il was with the express un-
derstanding that some competent provision
should be made in the treaty 10 guard against
the British monopoly of the transportation OF
our own produce passing through Canada
MIR. Gallatin was informed that the Unit
led States consent TO t1aire the demand
(Which they have heretofore made of the
admission of their productions into British
"Coiones at the same, and no higher rate of
duty, as similar productions are charge
cable with when imported from one into
"another British Colony, Nth the ercep-
"tion Of our descending the 81. Laurence
"dnd the Sorel."
There was no abandonment Of our right,
no condemnation Of the previous conduct OF
our government, no humiliating admission
that we had put forth, and too tenaciously
chung to, unsustainable pretensions, and that
Great Britain had all along been in the right
We only forebore, for the present, 10 assert
right, leaving ourselves at liberty, suisse
quently, to resume il. What Mr.. Gallatin
was authorized 10 do was 10 make a tempo
rary concession, and it was proposed with
this preliminary annunciation "But, not
'withsiandng, on full consideration of the
"whole subject, the President, anxious 10
"give strong proof 10 Great Britain of the
"desire of the Government of the United
estates tovarrange this long contested mat
"ter ofthe Colonial Intercourse, in manner
mutually satisfactory, authorizes you,
&c. And Mr.. Gallatin was required "to
"endeavor TO make lively impression on
'the British Government, OF the conciiato-
cry spirit of that of the United States, which
fhas dictated the present liberal offer; and
"oftheir expectation to meet, in the progress
"of your negotiations, with corresponding
"friendly disposition.
Now, sir, keeping sight of the object
which the late Secretary ofState had in view
the opening of the trade with the British Col
onies, which was the best mode to accom-
plish it, To send our Minister, 10 PROSTATE
himself, as a supplicant, before the British
throne, and 10 say 10 the British King-We
have offended your Majesty the late Amer
can Administration brought forward prcten-
sions which we cannot sustain, and they too
long and too teRaciously adhered to them
Your Majesty was always in the right
But we hope that your Majesty will be gra-
ciously pleased TO recollect, that il was not
we, who are now in possession OF the Amer
lean power, but those who have been expell-
ed from it, that wronged your Majesty and
that we, when out of power, were on the
side of your Majesty. And we do humbly
pray that your Majesty, taking, all miti.
eating circumstances into consideration, will
graciously condescend to extend to us the
privileges of the British act of Parliament
of 1925, and TO grant usthe boon of trade
with your Majesty's West India Colonies ?
Or, TO have presented himself before the
British Monarch in the manly and dignifed
attitude ola Minister of this Republic, and,
abstaining from all condemnation or animal
version upon the past conduct of has otun
Government, 10 have placed the withdrawal
Of our former demand upon the ground of
concession, in spirit of amity and COM
promise!
But the late Secretary of State, the ap-
pointed organ of the American People 10
vindicate their rights with all foreign pow
ers, and to expose the injustice of any un-
founded demands which they might assert,
was not content with eXerting his ingenuity
10 put his own country in the wrong, and the
British government in the right. He endea-
vored to attach TO the late Administration
the discredit of bringing forward unfounded
pretsnsions, and, by disclaiming them, to
propitiate the favor of the British King
He says that the views fthe present Admin
istration, upon the subject Of the colonial
trade, "have been submitted to the people
"of the United States and the counsels by
(Which your conduct is now directed, are
"the result of the judgment expressed by the
"only earthly tribunal to which the late Ad-
ADMINISTRATION was amenable for its acts.-it
"should be sufficient that The claims set up by
them, and what caused the interruption OF
"the trade in question, have been explicitly
abandoned by those who first asserted them,
"and are not revived by their SUCCESSORS"
The late Secretary, the gentleman under
consideration, here makes the statement that
the late Administration was the first to set
up the claims to which he relers.-Now,
under all the high responsibility which be-
longs to the seat which occupy, | deliber-
ately pronounce that the statement is I'M
true; and that the late secretary must have
known it 10 be untrue, or he was culpably
negligent Of his duty in not ascertaining
what had been done under previous admin
istrations. | repeat the charge--the state
ment must have been known 10 be untrue.
or there was Culpable negligence. If il
were material, believe it could be shown
that the claim in questionable right TO the
admission into the British West Indies ofthe
produce ofthe United States upon an equal
footing with similar produce OF the British
continental colOnies-is CO. eyal with the eX-
istence ofour present Constitution ; and that
whenever the occasion arose for asserting
the claim, it was asserted. But shall 90
no farther back than TO Mr. Madison's Ad.
ministration. Mr. Monroe, the then Sec
rotary ofSiate, instructed our then Minister
at London, upon this subject he negotiated
with Lord Castlereagh in respect TO it, and
this very claim prevented an adjustment, at
that time, Of the colonial question II was
again brought forward under MIR Monroejs