Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-01-12


that without INDUCING in any feeling Of unre..
sonabe distrust towards the Executive, Con.
yress ought to reserve TO itself the constitutional
right, which il possesses. ofjudging Of ali the cir.
c,,mstances by which such refusal might be A..
tended: of hearing France, and Of deciding wbs.
ther in the actual posture OF things as they nav
then exist. and looking to the condition Of ths
United States, Of France, and OF Europe, the Is.
suing of letters Of marque and reprisal, oughtto
be authorised or any other measure adopted
In the next place, the president, conhding in
the strong assurances Of the Kings Govern.
ment of its sincere disposition to fulfill, faithful.
". the stpulations Of the treaty, and Of its in.
tention, with that view, of applying again to the
new Chambers, for the requisite appropriation,
very properly signifed during the last summer
through the appropriate organs at Washington
and at Paris his willingness to await the issue
of this experiment Until tbs made, and whilst
II is in progress, nothing, It seems 10 the com.
mttee, should be done on our part, to betray
suspicious Of the integrity and fidelity Of the
French Government; nothing, the tendency of
which might be- to defeat the success of the very
measure we desire. This temporary forbear.
ance is the more expedient, since the French
Government has earnestly requested that We
should avoid "all that might become a cause of
fresh irritation between the two countries, com.
nromit the treaty, and raise up an obstacle, DER.
hans insllrmountable, 10 tile views of reconcile.
alton and harmony, which animate the King,
council"
The President seems to have been aware Of
the possibility of misinterpretation of his mes.
sage, and he hassought to guard, the committee
hone with success. against its being viewed in
the light Of q menace. But II his recommends.
ton be followed up by the passage Of law of
reprisaIs in Congress, it is much to be appre.
bended, that our purpose might be supposed to
be one of Intimidation. France would look at
our acts. not our protcstatiOns. And, in re.
yersal Of situations, Congress would hardly con.
slider il consistent with its dignity, its indepen.
dence and the freedom of drliberaton, to pass
an act Of appropriation for foreign govern.
ment. with a measure ofselfredress, denounced
and SUSPENDED over its head by that foreign 20.
yernment If Congress shall decline authorif.
ing Ieurisals France will have no right TO i'm.
mute TO the Government of the United States any
design to appeal TO her fears and will be depriv.
ed of any such pretext for refusing to execute
the treaty. In that event. the message Of the
President will be regarded rs the manifestation
| of lively sensibity to the honor and Interests
OF his country, but his recommendation not be.
ing adopted by the only department ofthe Go.
vernment competent to carry il into effect il
could afford no apology to France for dsre.
garding the obligations Of national faith and JUS
| tice-
II may and probably will be asked, but sup.
pose, contrary to all our Just expectations,
France should continue to fail to execute the
treaty. what is then to be done7 The commit.
tee will indulge no such supposition. They will
not anticipate the possibility Of final breachby
France of her solemn engagements. They IL
nit themselves to consideration Of the posture
of things as they actually now exist. They
will not look beyond the impPneirable veil which
covers the future. At the same time, Il cannot
be doubted that the United States are ebun.
4 n,l,, o;n in, vcicc
tudes, to which they may be exposed The pa.
triotism Of the people has neen, hitherto, equal
to all emergencies, and iftheir courage and con
stancy. when they were young and compare
lively weak, bore them safely through all the
past struggles; the hope may be confidently en-.
tertained now, when their numbers, their
strength and their resources, q eatly increas
ed, that they will, whenever the occasion may q.
rise, triumphanty maintain the honor, the rights,
al the interests Of their country. Without,
however, prematureIy disclosing the mode Of
performing any duty which the Government Of
the United States may, in any contingency,
hereafter be called upon to fulfill TO the people
of these States, without expressing any antci.
patOns inconsistent with the honor and good
faith, or announcing any purposes, wounding to
the pride ofFrance, the committee think il most
|exped.ent to leave Congress unfettered and
free to deliberate on whatever exigency may
hencefnrward arise.
Entertaining these opinions and views upon
the present state of our relations with France
the Committee finally conclude by recommend.
ing to the Senate the adoption Of the following
resolution
Resoired, That il is inexpedient at this time,
to pass any law vestng n the President autho-
riy for making reprisas upon French proper
ty, in the contingency Of provision not being
made for paying to the United States the in
demnity stipulated by the treaty OF 1881, during
the present session nfthP French Chambers