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

DEBATE
On the nomination of MIR. Van Buren, as Mi
MISTER to England:
Extract from Mr. Chambers Speech.
Mr.. President, Imean to resist the cOntirma
ton of Mr.. Van Buren's appointment exclusive
ly on the ground, that in his instructions to Mr.
McLane, on the subject Of the colonial trade, he
has violated the honor of the nation, has wounded
its high and elevated character. has evinced a
disregard to the interests of the pation-naj, has
insulted that people in the person of their gov
eminent. has attempted to promote the objects
Of parfy amongst US, aud has disclosed total
ignorance of the proper principles and feelings
which should adorn the diplomatist. For proof
Of these assertions mean to relv exclusively on
his own words, deliberately embodied in state
paper, and on those IL which he has himself al
luded, and found amongst the archives OF the
Department of which he was then the head.
10 directing the attention of the Senate to a
particular part of the letter of Instructions from
Mr.. Van Buren, to the American Minister then
at the British Court, | disclaim the inference,
that the residue of that letter, or that other let
tiers al instruction contain no exceptionable mat
ter There are many positions which, on an
other occasion, it would be proper to dispute,
and the whole temper and tone OF the dispatches
breathe an air Of humility and co.. cession. and
conviction of error. and a supp'ant entreaty oil
| favor and notice, which no American citizen,
who thinks and feels as think American free
man should do, can regard as the appropriate Ian
guage of his government pledged as 1t is Ito ask
uothing but what is right. and TO submit to no.
thing that is wrong
The portion of NJ. Van Buren's work, howe.
yer, to which will more particularly allude, is
part of his letter of instruction to MIR. Me-
Lane, dated goth July, 1899 He uses this Ian
gusgr:
1.-The opportunities which you have derived
from participation in our public councils. as
we'll as other sources Of information, will enable
you to speak with confidence las far as you may
deem it proper and useful so to do) Of the re-
sprctive parts taken BY those to whom the admi-
nistratiOn of this government is now committed.
in relation to the course heretofore pursued upon
the subject of the colonial trade. Their views
upon that point have been submitted to the people
of the United States; and the counsels by which
your conduct lie now directed are the result OF
the Judgment expressed BY the only earth
ly tribunal to which the late administration
was amenable for its acts. 1t should be- sufficient
that the claims set up by them, and which taus-
ed the interruption of the trade in question. have
been explicitly abandoned BY those who first as
serted them, and are not revived by their success
sors. If Great Britain deems it adverse to her
interests to allow us to participate in the trade
with her colonies. and finds nothing in the extern
sion of 1t TO others to induce her to apply the same
rule to Us, she will, we hope. be sensible OF the
propriety 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
l>1 If fho Init
ed States, would, under existing circumstances,
be unjust in itself, and could not fail to excite
their deepest sensibility. The tone Of feeling
which a course so un wise and untenable is calcu-
lated to produce, would doubtless be greatly ag-
gravated by the consciousness that Great Britain
has, by Order in Council. opened her colonial
ports to Russia and France, notwithstanding
similar omission on their part to accept the terms
offered by the act Of July, 1925.
You cannot press this view of the subject
too earnestly upon the consideration OF the Bril-
fish Ministry. 1t has bearings and relations that
reach beyond the immediate question under dis.
cussiOno
Now, sir, when stripped Of its verblaee and
reduced to its plain import, what does the Sec
rotary Of State here press so earnestly? That
Mr.. McLane, the Minister. who had been
member of the politica' party of which The then
President was the nominal head (and the Secre-
tary of State a most conspicuous supporter, with
imputed anxiety to claim reverslonary interest
in the chieftainshp,) that the Minister, who had
been a member Of this Senate. and in that cha
racter informed Of the conflicting views Of the
different political branches or subdivisions into
which the great American family had been ar
ranged, should stoop to avail himself of this per-
sonal intimacy with our family dissensions, to
press e,,rnestly upon foreign Government the
misconduct Of one part OF this family in the
relations Of our Government with that foreign
Power, and the more amiable and kind feel
ings Of another division of it.
But is this alt? No. sir; it is earnestly press
ed that the american Gorernnent-the concen-
trated will Of the whole American family, the on
ly legitimate source Of access to foreigners, the