Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-01-15
tFron the New-York Daily Advertiser.
THE FRENCH QUESTION.


[From the New York Daily Advertiser.
THE FRENCH QUESTION.
Before the people of the u United States
consent To engage in War with France,
1t will not be amiss for them, az il will be
their interests which will be involved in
IT, to examine into the subject, and as
certain for themselves how II ia TO he
conducted, and what will probably be
its effects upon ourselves. The War, if
undertaken, must Of necessity be for the
purpose Of Furnishing France, for not full
filling her promise in the treaty between
the two countries, by which she was to
pay TO us i've millions Of dollars 1t is
not in the nature Of things, that such a
War should have the effect Of forcing
France to pay this money On the con-
trary, the very act Of declaring War,will
vacate the treaty, and with it, our claim
for the money under that instrume mt will
be destroyed. We shall then have to
depend upon the force ofomr arms, to OBJ
tain the money; or, after having fought
till both parties grew tired ofthe amuse-
ment, resort must eventually be had to
negotiation, and the question must under
many additional disadvantages, be again
discussed and settled in treaty. And
when treaty is formed and ratified, ws
shall be in precisely the same predica-
ment, as it regards payment, that we
were in before the Presidents s manifesto,
at the opening of the present session Of
Congressional is, we shall have the sti-
pula,ions in a treaty to rely upon, for the
payment Of the money, and nothing else.
This, however, depends upon the cir
cumstance, that the parties may agree
to settle the dispute second time, in
the form Of a treaty.
| The immediate object which we have
in view, however, is, to inquire in what
manner a War against France, must bo
conducted, and what will probably be its
consequences.
The object Of War against France,
cannot be the acquisition Of territory
France has no colonial possessions on
this continent, which we can invade and
conquer. She has no Canadas, no New
Brunswick, no Nova Scotia. One great
object which our Government had in
view, in the last War with Great Bri-
g
and to accomplish it, they sent almost
all their land forces in that direction.-
They failed, however, and by their in-
vasIon OF the enemy's territory, gained
neither land nor credit. But the French
have no territory within our reach, and
therefore we cannot expect TO get our
money in that way.
! We must therefore turn our attention
to the water, and endeavor TO gain five
millions Of dollars from the French, in
/ warfare on the Ocean The French, il
is said, have a naval force superior TO
ours. We have been informed that our
officers, who have lately returned from
the Mediterranean, and who had d good
opportunity to become acquainted with
the situation and strength Of their naval
force, speak of it in high terms. Our
|, frigates, in the late War with Great Bri-
f tain, proved TO be more than a match for
theirs; and great part Of the reputa-
!, ton we gained during that controversy, +,
| was derived from the engagements be-
t tween our frig ates and theirs. But it is
said, that the French have a very large
number Of vessels Of this description, Of
superior force to ours, and in the highest
+ order Of equipment and discipline. IL,
owing TO these circumstances, il should
turn out that the French ships should
prove to be more than match for ours,
, we might lose in reputation, nearly as
; much as we gained in the war with the
, British.
= Jf il should be said that the war will
be one against French commerce, and
: the object will be to collect the money
:, which they owe us, under the treaty in
n that mode, the subject is not without its
e difficulties. In the first place, if we
e should be so fortunate, either by letters
: Of marque or reprisal, or by seizure and
$ sequestration Of the property of French
4 subjects on land, to obtain sum large
e enough to satisfy our demand under the
% treaty, it should be borne in mind that
!, this is a game that two can play at Ou'
j. commerce would be exposed to French
!. depredaiion--o the water by privateer'
e and other armed cruisers, and on land
l. by seizure and sequestration, IN ten
n fold degree greater than theirs would IN
> 10 ours. We have vastly more merchant
h men anoat than they have, and theo
sr. more citizens of the United States
,c engaged in mercantile pursuits wrthi
id the jurisdiction Of France, thea ther