The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-03-13

different parts of the government; nor
does an admission of the inexpediency or
impractcabiity ofprevious demands i'm
ply any want of respect for those who
have maintained them.
TO defend the claims, or pretensions,
as they had been indiscriminateiy called,
on either side, in the previous correspon-
dence, which had been for time urged
by the late administration, would have
been to defend what that administration,
by waving them, had admitted to be un-
tenable and if that which had been by
them conceded TO be inexpedient, could
not be sustained as proper, / perceive
nothing derogatory, and surely nothing
wrong, III conducting the negotiation
upon the common and established prin-
ciple, that in change of administration
there may be a corresponding change in
the policy and counsels of the govern
ment. This principle exists and is acted
upon, in the diplomatic and public trans
actions of all the nations. The fact of
its existence in the recent change of the
of the American govern
ment, was as notorious as the circulation
of the American press could make it !;
and while its influence upon the policy
of foreign nations was both natural and
reasonable, it was proper, according to
my sense of duty, frankly to avow it, if
the interests of the people of the United
States should so require.
Such was the motive, and such and
more, is the true import of the
taken as a whole, which /
directed to be given to our minister at
London, and which neither expressed
nor implied condemnation ofthe govern
ment of the United States, nor the late
administration, further than had been inn
piled by their own acts and admissions.
/ could not reconcile it TO my sense of
public duty or of national dignity, that
the United States should suffer continued
injury or injustice, because former ad-
had insisted upon terms
which it had subsequently waived, or had
failed seasonably to accept an offer which
it had afterwards been willing to en-
brace. The conduct of previous admin
istrations was not to be discussed either
for censure or defence and only in case
"the omission Of this government to ac-
cept of the terms proposed when hereto
fore offered" should "be urged as an OBJ
lection now," it was made the duty of the
minister "to make the British govern
ment sensible of the injustice and mex
pediency of such course"
Both the right and propriety of setting
up the past facts of the previous admin
istration to justify the exclusion of the
U. S. from trade allowed to all other
nations, was distinctly denied, and the in
structions authorised the minister to
state that such course towards the U.
States "under existing circumstances,
would be unjust in itself, and could not
full to excite the deepest sensibility-the
tone of feeling which a course SO unwise
and untenable is calculated to produce,
would doubtless be greatly aggravated by
the consciousness that Great Britain has.
by order in council, opened her colonial
ports to Russia and France, notwthstand-
ing similar omission on their part to
accept the terms offered by the acts of
the 5th of July, 1925" He was told
'that he could not press this view of the
subject TOO earnestly upon the considera-
ton of the British ministry; - and the
preudicial influence of a course of the
British government so unwise and un-
just upon the future relations of the two
countries, was clearly announced in the
declaration that "ii has bearings and re-
lations that reach beyond the immediate
question under discussion"
If the British government should de-
cline an arrangement son the ground Of
a change of opinion, or in order to pro-
mote her own interests a prompt avow-
al of that purpose was demanded {; but
if they should not be prepared to take
that ground, "but suffer themselves to
desire the United States should in ex-
pation Of supposed past encroach-
ments, be driven to the necessity of re-
tracing their legislative stops without
knowledge of its effect, and wholly de-
pendant upon the indulgence of Great
Britain" they were to be made sensible
of the impracticability ofthat course, and
to be tausns to expect such measures on
our part as wouio, yindicate our national
interest and honor. 10 announce dis
tinctly to Great Britain that we would
not submit to a continued injustice, on
the ground of any objection to the past
conduct of the American government
it were right or wrong, was the
obvious import of the whole instruction.
If the Executive had caused it to be
stated to Great Britain, that finding his
to have been in error, as