Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-02-14

the late Emperor Alexander. Baron Maluiz be.
ing one day III the Department of State, | casu-
ally observed to him that thought the Russian
Government had not treated us well respecting
that claim; that it had been repcatstly during
long course of years, brought before that Co
vcrnmcnf; that we could get no answer to our
representations; and that we were at lcas, cnii-
tied to n decision one way or the other. He
communicated this conversation to his Govern
men'; the Emperor Alexander, as was subse-
qucn,ly informed sent for the papers personally
inspected them himself and directed the pay
ment OF the claim. IL accordingly adjusted
and settled by Baron Tuy and myself, by an
exchange of diplomatic notes.
The gentleman from Georgia contends that
the late Administration submitted to ndignitcs
from tho Britt b Governments; and that it repeat
edy knocked at the door of the British Minister
at London, to renew the negotiation without
gaining admit ance. The gentleman is mista-
ken. After the refusal of Mr.. Canning to treat
OF the Colonial Intercourse, an elaborate des-
patch was, on the nth November, 1896. trans
mi'ted to MIR. Gaaiin, con. aiming a vindcation
OF the whole course OF our Government, in which,
without retalating on Mr.. Canning's sarcasms,
the honor, good faith, and character of our Co
Verhment are maintained, whether with ability
or not 1t does not become me TO pronounce In
that despatch Mr.. Gullatin i. told: tWhst may
De the nature OF the proposals which you were
authorized to make, upon the renewal of the ne
eotiatloh so confidently anticipated, il is not now
proper should he communicated to the British
| HoVcthment RESPECT FOR OURSELVES no less
than Tor thnt government, fol bids that should
obtrude upon their considcra ion proposals anst
Which they have deemed it proper 10 shut their
| ears" Mr.. Barbour succeeded Mr. Golla;ir
but ne was not, according to my recollection Of
his Instructions, charged with any renewal of the
negotiation. No man was ever more tenacious
OF the honor OF his country than the late Prssi-
Dent, and he would have been the last to have
authorized n degrading or derogatory solicitation
to renew the negotiation. II is alleged that he
forebore for long time to issue hs prcclan,n
ton lntrrdiciing British vessels, coming from the
COLONIAL pnrts. an entry into our ports. The
situation oil that administration was pcculiar.-
During great part oft, the Opposition had tho
majority in Congress. At the session 1856,
Congress had taken up the subject of the Colo
NAL Intercourse, although it failed to pass law.
In the despatch to Mr.. Gallatin, already cited he
was informed that the whole matter would be
communicated to Congress. 1t was commun
| Gated at the session 1861. Could the Pre.i-
dent with proPrietv have issued his proclamation
during that sessionf Shortly after its close, Con-
gress having omitted to legslate in respect to
the Colonial trade, the President, without hest
| tation, issued his proclamation in conformity
with the existing law.
The gentleman from Georgia further content
| ed that the withdrawal or waiver fthe Gema nd
on tho part the late Administration, of the ad-
|
dies, on the same footing with similar produce
from the British Colonial Continental ports was
equivalent to the abandonment Of the PRETEN-
SION made by the present Administration; and
that it was a mere difference of diplomatic ph-a-
senlogy. But cannot agree with he gentleman
The withdrawal or waiver of the demand, was
CONCESSION. the operation OF which would
nave oeen temporary. limited to the duration of
the treaty, in which it expected the ncso-
| tation would Terminate. Upon the exprat ion of
the treaty, the right would have revived, and
might have been insisted on in future negota
tons. Moreover, it was expected that eQuiva-
Tents would have been obtained, and especially
some provision for our trade on the st. Law
renee and the Sorrel. But when the demand is
abandoned, as uEsustainabe PRETENsIoN.
when our Government is denounced for having
brought forward SUCH a pretension, and too
long and too tenaciouely clnpg to il, how can
we ever hereafter assert il? With what face
can an American negotiator again put forward
the demand? 1t could only be done by folio W.
ing the bad example of one administration dis
avowng to foreign Government the acts of its
| predecessor.
| The more reflect upon these Instructions the
stronger am convinded OF their reprehensible
nature. If there be one point more than
al others of which ali Governments, whatever
may he their form, are Justly mos Jealous, it is
that of foreign interference in domestic of
fairs But Of all Governments, Republics should
interference. All his Dry, from the days of
Greece and Philip, proclaims that Ibis is the
point OF most danger. But these Instructions
invite the attention Of the British Government to
the fact of our dissentons, resent il as 4 topic
Tor consideration, for persuasion, for deberaii0n.
Whom that Government is thus lrgitmately put
IN possession of the fact DO we not know that
the transition from delIberaion upon those divi-
sIons to action is short and perilous!
| The gentleman from New York, fMr. Marcy
supposes, In adyerting 10 the practice of pro.
scrIption which | understood prevailed with the
dominant party in his State, that | had reflect
ed upon the character OF that State; md he al
leges, that the practice has existed for thirty
years, with every dominant party, and was rigo
rousiy exercised many years ago, by my friends.
Nothing was farther from my intention than to
reflect ID the smallest degree upon that power
| ful and respectable State. On the contrary, !
| honor nnd admire it for its noble institutions, its
splendid public horks, and its enterprise and
| intelligence. But / must pronounce my abhor-
| renee OF the practice to which aiiuda. no mat
ter with whom it originated, whether friend or
foe, or by whom it may be continued. II has
been carried by the present Administration to a
most odious extent in Kentucky. Almost every
| ofhcial incumbent who voted against the present
! Chef Magistrate, and who was within the Ex-
ecutive reach, has been hurled from office;
whilst those who voted for him have been re
talned,no matter how long they had been in their
stations. 1t is not praciiscd in Kentucky by
the State Government, when in the hands Of
| the opposslon 10 this Administration. Very
| lately, Gov. Metcalfe has appointed to one of
the Three highest judicial stations in the Sta G,
q supporter of this Administration The gentle.
man appointed is nephew Of the gentleman
from Maryland, Gen. Smith,, and althOmgh high
~ respectable and eminent in bis profession, he
IS not more so than twenty other lawyers in HE
! In no h..