Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-11-06
e pc gazette:
NrANTzNsRuRe, nov. s. laa4.

more cause Of national humiliation, than in the
department Of foreign diplomacy Nor has il
been in any degree produced by concurrence
Of unfortunate circumstances; but is easily TO be
traced directly to the system upon which the
government has been administered by him, from
the day Of his first inauguration to the present
moment--yiz 10 the constant sacrifice Of the
ests Of party, whenever they come in conflict
with each other. The extension Of this princi-
pie 10 our foreign affairs, was carly demonstrated
by the notorious instructions given by the See.
rotary Of State, Mr. Van Buren,, to Mr. M'Lane,
our minister to London, in which Mr.. MIahe
was directed tonrge upon the British government
that the present administration did net approve,
and not responsible for tho obstinate and in-
tractable conduct Of their predecessor but on
the contrary, disapproved of that conduct, and
begged that IT might not be treasured up in the
memory Of the British government, against The
party now in power. Never had such sbssemFn-
been heard Of in the language Of one power 70
another, excepting where the deprecating party
had been conquered, and sueing in chains at
the footstool OF the victor. 1t is true that this
scrvility TO a foreign power met with merited
rebnke, in the subsequent disgrace Of MIR. Van
Buren,, whose nomination the Senate refused TO
ratify, and who in consequence returned from his
brief embassy TO the protecting arms Of the Jack.
son party. But the disgrace oftbose instructions,
although avenged in the person Of the Secretary
who pcnned them, still remains fixed upon the
nation, unredressed--for, with an aacrity at as
suming degradation, which seems utterly unac-
coantable, the President himself after the Sem
ate's severe rcproof of the sentiments contained
in those instructions declared himselfto be their
author, aud Mr. Van Buren, merely his agent in
transmitting them to our Ambassador We care
not where the sin actually rests, whether with
our national dignity was compromised by it, our
honor suitied, and the American name degraded
is beyond doubt.
Under such instructions, Mr. NT'Lanc went ON
and made Treaty in regard to the West India
trade, which was Immediately trumpeted forth
to the world, as triumph of our diplomacy over
British sagacity and self interest. The previous
administration was invidiousy and unjustly al
luded TO, as having lost that trade, which An
drew Jackson, by his mastery policy had resto,
red; and every class of the community was con-
graduated upon our having such President and
such cabinet, and such diplomatists. The
west India trade was opened Jackson had ut
tered the talismanic words, and 10 those ports
which had been closed against John Quincy Ad
ans, had opened their ponderous Jaws, as If by
magic, TO the wonder working hero of New Or
leans. II is absolutely astonishing 20 recollect
all the nonsense which the party press of that
day uttered in praise of this second defeat Of the
British by the staunch old General And all this
while, John Bull stuck his thumb in his check TO
keep from laughter, and with a roguish leer Of
the eye, said quietly to himself, " We'll see by &
by who has been bit in this business And sure
enough some calculating souls wen, TO work,
and having examined the treaty, found, that this
wonderful triumph over British diplomacy, con-
sisted IN our having giren up the principle Of re.
ciprocity for which Mr.. Adams contended in
our having yielded to the arbitrary colonial
system of Great Britain, which was aptly epito
the admission -four vessels into the colonial ports
Of Great Britain, if granted must be considered as
a boon : & in our having admitted British coloni-
al vessels into our ports on equal footing with
our own, while heavy tonnage duty (not paid
by their own vessels) was levied on ours in the
west India ports. Such was the sum & substance
OF this gfeat diplomatic victory, about which the
very stones in the streets were invoked Il
dance for joy. The consequence has been, (al
though people do not now grumble at small evils
thar The West India trade is of but little adv an
tage to American navigators, although of grea,
advantage to the British colonies.
But not alone in our diplomatic relations
with England have we been foled Even now
1t is said that the Jupiter Tonans of our politica
system, is forging thunderbolts to be launched
against the government of France for refusing o.
delaying topay over the indemnity acknowledge,
by the treaty, which that great diplomatist Mr.
VIM. {. Rives, (by the aid of the French Revo
luton, and General Lafayette's influcncc) for
ced the French Ministers TO sign with the ut
most unwillingness-a miraculous result-bu
there are few diplomatists like Mr.. VIM.
nVes' This was another diplomatic triumph
which was duly Landed in the jackson newspa
, pers. Mr. Rives himself led the way in crow
ing over his own success in bamboozling mon
s'etT; and the jealous partisans cried aloud tina
D there never was such an administration as thi
= Tor making foreign nations toe the mark. Eve
the President spoke of it in his message. as a
admOnition to other powers. In fact so niue
noise was made upon the subject, that the Frenc
" Ministers began 10 look about them, appreher
siye that from the chuekling on this side of III
, water, they had really been overreached Littl
did they think, simple souls, that this outcry wa
n merely part OF the system Of glorifcation. b
. which party was TO be recommended 10 con
!. iinuance of power and popular favor. Mean
e while, General Jackson caused draft to
e drawn on his majesty Louis Philippe, for III
$ amount secured by the treaty. II was ne,
way OF doing business it is true, but it belonge
y to the Presidents plan of making the governmer
a sample machine. 1t was equivalent TO savin
II Z