Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-01-17
DEBATE ON FRENCH AFFAIRS.
In SENATE, JANUARY IA, 1885.


stipulated provision for the claims, the commit
tee entirely concur. If the President in his
Message, after making his statement fthe case,
had stopped there, and abstained from the re-
commentator of any specific measure, there
could not have been possibly any diversity Of
opinion on the subject between. him and any
portion Of the country. But when he declares
the confidence which he entertains in the French
Government; when he expresses his conviction
that the Executive branch Of that Government
is honest and sincere in ITS professions, and re-
cites the promise by il of renewed effort 10 OBJ
tain the passage of a bill Of appropriation by
the French Chambers, it did appear to the COM
mittee inconsistent with these professions OF
confidence, that they should be accompanied
by the recommendation of measure which
could only be authorized by the conviction that
no confidence, or, at least, not entire conf
dence could be placed in the declarations and
professions Of the French Government. Con-
fidence and distrust (sad MIR. c. are unnatu-
raj allies. If we profess confidence any where,
especially il that confidence be but for limited
period, it should be unaccompanied with any
indication whatever of distrust-a confidence
full, free, frank. But to say, as the President,
through our Minister has said, that We will await
the issue OF the deliberations of the Chambers,
coniding in the sincerity Of the King, and this,
too, after hearing Of the rejection OF the first
bill of appropriation by the Chambers, and now,
q
about celebrating on the subject, to throw out
in Message to Congress what the President
himself considered might possibly be viewed as
a menace, appeared tn the committee, with all
due Difference to the Executive, and to the high
and patriotic purposes which may be supposed
to have induced the recommendation, to be in
consistent TO such degree as not to be proper
to be seconded by the action OF Congress.
Mr.. King, Of Georgia, after paying the. high
est compliments to MIR. Clay's report, said
He did not intend to commit himself or the
Senate the United States to any specific mode
of action on the subject He was disposed 10
hold out the idea, which he believed to be true.
not only to France, but to the American people,
that We are not to be tied down on the subject
Of the treaty; not TO be committed that We
could not indulge any further action during the
present session, if circumstances should arise
to justify such action. Though committed TO
no specific action, though not pledged to adopt
the action OF the President; yet in the event of
information being received from France ofsuch
importance as to justify action, if willing and
justified, and disposed to further action, we
might accordingly act.
Mr. Webster said:-
He was not prepared, nor did he wish to say
what might be necessary to do hereafter He
held it as policy and prudence to see that no
thing was presented which required an intima-
ton from the Senate as to what would be done
in future contingency. The proposition of the
honorable Senator was liable to this objection:
that il POUNDS the report on reasons which may
cease to exist tomorrow in effect and We might
not choose to be committed by the recommen.
dation in the Message even if the reason did
not exist at the convocation of the Chambers,
supposing that the Chambers, contrary to anti
cipaton, should reject the bill; that the Execu-
tive Councils of France, feeling themselves
bound by good faith to fulfil the treaty, should
Chambers; he did not wish to say, he did not
predict, what would be the opinion of the Go
vernment in that state of things. In short, he
desired to leave the whole question entirely
open, without any stipulation, any modifica-
ton, any intimaton one way or the other what
would be done hereafter.
Mr. Buchanan said:-
France, from the language of the President
will have no right to consider this menace
1t is no more than to say, diplomacy has ended,
and the treaty must be executed, or we shall, how
ever reluctantly be compelled to take redress
into our hands. France is brave and a chival
rous nation; her whole history proves that she
is not to be intmidated, even by Europe in arms;
but she is wise as well as warlike. To inform
her that our rights must be asserted, is to place
her in the serious and solemn position Of decid |
ing whether she will resist the payment ola just
debt by force. Whenever she is convinced that
this result is inevitable the money will be paid;
and although hope may be mistaken, be-
lieve there will be no payment until she knows
We shall assume this attitude. France has ne
yer appeared to regard the question in this Sc
rious light.
The President, at the date Of the message,
was not aware that the Chambers would assem-
bic on the first Of the month. No such informa- |
ton had been communicated to him. II now
appears that they did assemble on that day.
And the only reason that he should vote for the |
resolution was that he was willing to wait un
til the result of their deliberations could be |
known.
Mr.. Cuthbert said
II it was possible, there ought to be an unan- !
imous vote on this most important question:
This was case which demanded not only pru~ |
dence, but involved the pride and honor of the |
American character. Whatever might have |
been, in by-gone days, our domestic differences,
let us, at this time, when a foreigner-a strange
nation-is concerned, act boldly and manfully, |
and show an undivided front to the world, what. |
ever may be our divisions at home.
Mr.. Leigh said
He heartily concurred in the sentiment which |
other gentlemen had expressed in this debate |
that in A controversy with anv foreign Nation |