Litchfield enquirer., 1834-12-11

was cheerfully acquiesced in by the different branches of the Federal Government, whose action upon the treaty was required, from a sincere desire to avoid further collision upon this old and disturbing subject. and in the con hdent expectation that the general relations between the two countries would be improved thereby.
 The refusal to vote the appropriation. the news of which was received from our Minis ter m Paris, about the 18th day of May last. mtght have been considered the final deter minAtion of the French government not to execute the stipuIations of the treaty, and would have justified an immediate communi- cation 0t the facts tO Congress, with recom- menda''"n of such ultimate measures as th.. interest and honor Ofihe United States might seem to require. But with the news of inc retusa! ot the Chambers to make the appro- prlation, were conveyed the regrets of the King, and a declaration that national vessel should he forthwith sent out, with instructions to the French Minister, ,o give he most an1- pie explorations of the past, and the strongest assurances for the future. After long pas sage, the promised despatch vessel arrived. The pledges given by the French Minister, upon receipt of his instructions, were, that as soon alter the election of the new members, as the charter would permit. the legislative Chambers of France, should be called togeth- CT, and the proposition for an appropriation lad before them tha: all the constitutional powers Of the. King and his Cabinet, should be eXerted to accomplish the object; and that the result should be made known early enough to be cOmnuHicatedstO Congress at the commencement of the present session. Relying upon these pledges, and not doubt ing that the acknowledged justice of our claims. the promised excrtiOns of the King and his Cabinet, and, above all, that sacred regard for the national faith and honor for which the French character has been SO dis tingushed, would secure an early execution of the treaty in all it's parts, did not deem 1t necessary to call the attention of Congress to the subject at the last session.
 l regret to say, that the pledges made through the Minister of France have not been redeemed. The new Chambers met on the Slst July last, and although the subject of frl- filling treaties was alluded to in the speech from the throne, no attempt was made by tho King or his Cabinet to procure an appropri- alton to carry it into execution. The reasons given for this omission, although they might be considered sufficient in an ordinary case, are not consistent with the expectations foun- ded upon the assurances given here, for there is no constitutional obstacle to entering into legislative business at the first meeting of the Chambers. The point, however, might have been overlooked, had not the Chambers, in- stead of being called to meet at so early day, that the result of their deliberations might be communicated to me, before the meeting of Congress, been prOrOgued to the 29th of the present month--a period so late that their de- cisiOn can scarcely be made known to the present Congress, prior to it's dissolution. To avoid this delay, ot'r Minister in Paris, in vir- tue of the assurance given by the French Min ister in the United States, strongly urged the cOnv"caiion Ofthe Chambers at an earlier day, hut without success. 1t is proper to remark, however, that the refusal has been accompa- ncd with the most positive assurance, on the part of the Executive Government of France, of their intention to press the appropriation at the ensuing session of the Chambers.
 The executive branch of this government has, as matters stand, exhausted all the au- thority upon the subject with which it is in- vested, and which it had any reason to believe could be benefrially employed.
 The idea of acquiescng in the refusal to ex- ecute the treaty will not, am confident, be for d moment entertained by any branch of this government; and further negotiation is equally out of the question.
 | If it shall be the pleasure of Congress to await the further action of the French Cham bers, no further consideration of the subject will at this season, probably, be required at your hands. But if, from the original delay in asking for an appropriation, from the refiI. sal of the Chambers to grant it when asked, from the omission to bring the subject before the Chambers at their last session, from the fact that, including the session, there have been five different occasions when ahe appro-
 ,riatiOn might have been made, and from the delay in convokiDg the Chambers until some weeks after the meeting ofaCongress, it was known that communication of the whole subject tO Congress at the last session was prevented by assurances that it should be dis posed of before its present meeting, you should feel yourselves constrained to doubt whether it be the intention of the French Government in all its branches to carry the treaty into effect, and think that such meas. ures ss the occasion may be deemed to call for, should he n0w adopted. the important question arises what those measures shall be. Our institutions are essentially pacifc.- Peace and friendly intercourse with all nations are as much the desire of our government as they are the interests of our People. But these objects are not to be permanently secu- red by surTendering the rights of our citizens. OF permitting solemn treaties for their indem- nly in cases of Aagrant wrong. to be abroga- ted or set aside.
 t is undoubtedly in the power of Congress to affect the agricultural and France, ny the passage of laws relating her trade with the ! I1.,n .lau..