The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-03-06


know all those touching our interests, and any
sdministraton is severely reprchensible for
ignorance Of thon, and for failing TO attend TO
those that bear injuricusly upon the interests
OF the people. The &C. was, however, at last
known, and when Mr.. Gallatin presented him.
self to negotiate, with instructions TO waive
all claims that were formerly presented, and
had prevented an arrange ment, he was taunt-
ingly told, you have lost your day IN court--
the privilege, the boon offered, had not been
secured by accepting the conditions we have
taken our course, negotiation is not our plan.
Well, Sir, what, said the administration OF
which the honorable Senator from Kentucky
formed q part? There was an act Of Con
gress, requiring, on the shutting oftbe British
West tncia ports against us, an interdict ~
Proclamation. Smarling under this iaunting
refusal TO negotiate, what was done The
execution of an act Of Congress positively di
recting the Proclamation, was suspended by
Executive authority for two months before
the meeting OF Congress and during the whole
succeeding session, 10 see II Congress, who
had been prevented the preceding session
from legislatng--the administration prefer
ing the eclat OF neg gotiation-- could not leg
lslate the Executive out Of the difficulty into
which he had placed the country by nsglt:
gence, or, if the Senator from Kentucky
pleases. ignorance Of the act Of Parliament.
We oil know how that effort terminated
The two Houses disagreed about the mode Of
effecting the purpose both, however, willing
to take the privilege on tho conditions p,o-
posed by Gvcat Britain. The Senate passed
q bill-ihe House, under the influence ofthe
Senator from Massachusetts,, amended il, and
the question was, whether one or the other
oblique path should be trodden. The session
terminated without Legislative enactment, and
then, and not till then, the proclamation Of
interdiction was issued. Thus, Sir, smarting
under the taunt Of the British Minister, our
administration left the whole trade in the
hands Of Great Britain for six or eight months
sought to cover itself from censure by in
voking Legislative interposition, and then
was compelled to act on the suspended statute
The interdict being proclaimed, the trade
stood upon the very advantageous footing
according to the Senator'S. judgment, which
we have lost by the negotiation. Notwith
standing we were enjoying such eminent ad
pantages, the late administration, in spite OF
the taunt, directed Mr.. Gallatin to try again
to procure what is now disparaged, by opening
tho door Of negotiation after it had been shut
in his face. He was again repnlsed. But
this humiliation was not enough Mr. Barbour
~rsl hn too had his in
structions, and went. cop in hand, Knocking
at the closed door, for negotiation. Sir, no
knocked at the door Of tho British Ministry,
under circumstances humiliating in the ex.
treme. lfa gentleman should 60 second
time to house, the proprietor Of which,
speaking from his window, had directed his
porter to deny him to the vistsr, his visit
would have been somewhat like Mr.. Barbour's
second call.--yes, Sir; yet the humiliation
was vsin--:he second as fruitless as the FIRST.
Such was the condition Of this question
when Gen. jackson was placed at the head
Of the country. One OF the first objects IF
his administration was tho recovery OF the
British West India Trade, by an arrange
ment Of it upon terms Of just reciprocity, sat.
isfactory to both parties, and therefore, prom.
iected 10 go to England and these much a.
bused instructions prepared by the late Sec.
retary of State. Let it be remembered, Sir,
these are instructions from the President of
the United States to the American Minister,
never intended for the eye Of the British
Government, and which in no other country
but ours, would ever have seen the light.
The opening Of this negotiation was the
chief difficulty. To remove il, two grounds
are taken. II viii be remembered that our
refusal to accede TO tho terms Of the act. Of
Parliament, was made the ground ofrefusing
to treat with Mr.. Gallatin and Barbour, both
of whom went prepared to offer an arrange
ment by reciprocal legislation ;takingrhe act
of Parliament as the British Legislation. To
obvia,e the difficulty, after fair and full his
tory Of the transaction, these suggestions arc
presented to Mr.. McLane to be pressed so far
RS he might deem IL useful and proper SO TO do.
If the British persist in refusing to hear you,
on this subject, remind them Of the circum
stances that have occurred: Of the difference
of opinion among ourselves on il of the abon-
donment by the administration of those pre-
tences that had prevented an adjustment oft;
that tboy are not to be again brought forward;
that the past administration was not amenable
to tho British Government, nor TO any other,
than the people ofthe United States, who had
passed upon all their acts. Say to the British,
If il makes pretensions formerly advanced the
pretext for still declining to negotiate, the
scnsbity OF the American people will be
deeply awakened the tone Of public
feeling, by a course so unwise and untenable,
will be aggravated by the known fact that
Great Britain had opened her colonial ports
10 Russia and France, notwithstanding sim.
liar omission on their parts to accede in time,
10 the terms offered by the act Of Parliament.
And this, Sir is represented as the language
of entreaiy, as the begging Of boon. This
menace Of tho public Indignation; ,his de.
cl srstion that the late administration was nei.
thcr TO be censured or praised by foreign M.
tons was amensble for their conduct to no
earthly tribunal but the people Of the United
c,stoc Ia tortured into n cluim of privile0e
on party grounds for party purposes, and as
diserscefnl attempt to throw upon previous
administration unmeritod disgrace, for the
sake Of curryiDg favor with foreign power.
and that power Of oil others, Great Britain.
C.>.a u..l.;s eo.,ld x.nA raaisA ihia Grank and