Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-02-11


change was to admit products into the British West
Indies, directly from ports, and burdened with
cessiye duties The direct trade by English nts
and American enactments, had become closed. No Br-
fish ship came here from the British West Indies No
American ship went from TO those places. circu-
ous trade took place. through the islands Of third powers
and that ccuous trade was, in many respects dsad
vantageous TO u.s.
In this state OF things sir Mr.. McLane was sent to
Engand and he received his struc the Secre-
ary OF State: In these Instructions in relation TO this
subject OF the colonial trade, found the sentiment of
which complain What are they! Let us examine, and
Mr. Van Buren, tells Mr. McIanc "the opportunities
,chtth yoM hare derived from participation pub
nc councils as 'ceH other Of information, ,cjH
edoie you TO speak tcih confidence Gas far you may
deem 1t proper and useful TO do) Of the respective
parts taken by those to tclom The administration Of this
government is committed in relation to the course
heretofore pursued upon the subject The colonial trade
Now, this Is neither more nor less than saying, syou
viii be able TO tell the British minister, whenever you
think proper that you and and the leading persons in this
administration have opposed the heretofore pursued
y the government and the country, the subject of
colonial trade BE sure TO let him know, that, that
SUBJECT zee have held with England, and not with
o,cn government Now ask YOU sir il this be dgnificd
diplomacy s statcsmanship' Is patriotism it
mere party! Is 1t proof Of high regard to the honor
and renown Of the whole country or is it evidence of
disposition to make merit Of belonging OF its pol-
The Secretary proceeds: "7heir rie,cs (hat is. the
views oil the present administrator upon that point hare
oeen submitted to the people Of the United States; and
me counses 6yscch your conduct is directed are
me result Of the judgment oppressed by the onv earth
" tribunal to wheh The late administrator ros amena
ole for its acts"
suppose that the first part of this paragraph, Is ruo
point fact mean that part which ntimates that the
change o. adminsraon was brought about by public dis.
appreciation OF Mr. Adams conduct, respecting the sub
ect Of the colonial trade Possibly, so much was then
said ON subject which few understood some that de-
gree oil impression may hare been produced by 1t. But
DC assured sir, another win be found, by future
historians Tor this chasge and that will be the pop
ularty Of successful soldier united with feeling made
tho.
people in his behalf had not been Justly regarded on
yous occasion There is, sir. very little ground to say
mat INC only tribunal to which the late administration was
anenabo has pronounced any judgment against it for its
conduct on the whole subject Of the colonial trade
this may be- the other assertion in the para
graph Is manestly quite wide of the facts Mr. Adamss
administration did not bring forward this claim have
stated already that had been subject both of gotta
lion and legislation through the whole eight wear, oi Mr.
Monroes administration This the Secretary know. or
was bound to know Why then he speak of il as set
UP oy inc Me administration and afterwards abandoned
oy mem, and not now. reyvedl
Dut the most Illuminating part of the whole foows:-
10 set up The nefs Of The late administration as the
De extended TO the people Of the United States ,ro,J
under erisng circumstances, be unjust in itself and
could notJdh to ercite their deepest sensiJty':
30 then, Mr. President, reduced, arc We to the
poor condition. that we minister Of this great rcpub-
public instructed to argue or to inercede, with tho Bri-
fish minister lest he should find to hare forfeited ou
privileges and lest these privileges should no loneer be
extended to us! And have forfeited those pririieees
sr our oT o e"i IN snnsng rulers ,che thought BET
this is Patiently submitting the domnecng tone of the
British minister believe, Mr. Huskisson- Mr. Clay said
us that all our trade with the West Indies was a boon
granted us by the indulgence England Tho British
minister calls 1t boom and our minister admits it is pr
oSe and hopes that his royal majesty will be too gracious
to decide that have forfeited this privilege bv our he
havour in the choice of our rulers Sir for one reject
all idea of holding any right of trade or any other RIGHTS
apr1rege BOOM from the British government or any
other government. y my
AT the conclusion of the paragraph the secretary saws
13rgSS nr
upon the consideration Of the British ministry n has
bearings and relations that reach beyond The imnedate
question, under discussion
And aiverng, again, the subject towards, ,,
close OF the despatch, he says tcH add othing as IN
IN f,s ~ o. sserg any feelings that find their
Britain" y '''
ask again. Mr.. President il ts be staesmansbi,, n
this DO dignity if this be elevated regard for country
Can any man read this whole despatch with candor and
not admit that It Is plainly and maestly the writer's OBJ
ec to gam credit with the British ministry for the present
administration, at the expense the past? CertainIv
this object appears to plain visible as the sun at
noon.
Lest should do the secretary Injustice will read all
that nd in this letter, upon this obnoxious point These
are the paragraphs
"Such is the present state of commercial relations
with the British colonies; and such the steps by which we
have arrived at it, In reviewing the events which have
preceded and more contributed TO- result n nucb n,
be regretted there will be found three grounds pon which
we are most assailablo ls in long TOO tenaci
ousy resisting the right of Great Britain to impose pro-
tccting duties in her colonies;' End, sc.
4" The opportunities which you have derived from mar
icpaon in public councils a. well as other sources
oil information, viii enable 10 speak with confidence
las lar as you deem it proper and TO do of
the respective parts taken by those 10 whom the admins
ton OF this committed i'm relation IN tb
course heretofore pursued upon the subject the colonial
trade Their views that point have been submitted
to the people of the United States and the counscs bv
which your conduct is directed are the result of the
Judgment expressed by the only earthly tribunal TO which
the late administration amenablc for its acts Ii should
be sufficient that the claims up by them and which
caused the interruption of the trade question have been
explicitly abandoned by those who asserted them and
not revived by their SUCCESSORS If Great Britain
deemsit adverse TO her interests allow us 10 participate
IN the trade with her colonies and finds nothing i'm the
extension OF 1t TO others 10 induce her apply the same
rule to us, she WILL hope, be sensible of the propriev
OF placing her refusal those grounds To set nm the
acts OF the late administration the of forfeiture of
privileges which would otherwise be extended TO the peo
pie oil the United States would under existing circm-
stances, be unjust in itself, and could not fail 10 excite
their deepest sensibty. The tone of FEELING which
course so unwse and untenabe is calculated 10
would doubtless be greatly aggravated by the conscious
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 press this view of
the subject too earnestly upon the consideration of the
British ministry IL has bearings and relations that reach
beyond the immediate question under discussion"
81 viii add nothing as to the improperly of suffering any
feelings that find their origin in the past Of
this government to have adverse influence upon the
present conduct of Great Britain"
Sir, submit to you, and to the candor of all inst men
am not right in saying, that the prevailing tonic
through The whole, is, not American rights not Ameri-
can interests not American defence, but denunciation