Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1835-07-16

was alleged as The cause Of the refusal
TO receive our Ministers, yet, without
any such cxplanation, their successorz|
were honorably accredited. In the lat
Der case, the allusion in the message to
IN sPprehendcd collision, was except
ed to; but the reference made by Mr..
Rives 10 the constitutional duties Of the
President, seems TO have removed the
objection.
Having demonstrated that the United
States cannot, in any case, permit their
Chief Magistrate 10 be questioned by
any foreign Government, in relation 20
his communications with the co-ordin-
ate branches Of his own, il Is scarcely
necessary TO consider the case Of such
an explanation being required as the
condition on which the fulfilmcnt Of
a treaty or any pecuniary advantage
was 10 depend. The terms Of such q
proposition need only be stated 10 show
that 1t would be not only inadmissible
but rejected rs offensive TO the nation
o which il might DC addressed. In this
case II would be unnecessary, ~ well As
inadmissible. France has already re-
ceived, by the voluntary act Of the Pre-
sident, every explanation which the
incest sense Of national honor could
desire. That which could not have
been given TO a demand, that which
can never be given on the condition
3now under discussion, a fortunate sue
cession Of circumstances, as I shall
proceed to show, has brought about.
Earnestly DESTROYS Of restoring the
good understanding between the two ma
tions, As soon as dissatisfaction with the
Presidents Message was shown, sup
pressed every feeling which the mode
Sof expressing that dissatisfaction wa,
calculated to produce, and, without
waiting for instructions, fastened On
my own responsibility, 10 make a com
munication TO your predecessor in Of
fice on the subject. In this. under the
reserve thai the President could not BE-
called on for an explanation. did IL
fact give one. that I thought woult
have removed all injurious impressions
This is the first Of the fortunate cir
Gu instances TO which l have alluded
fortunate in being made before any
demand implying a right TO requirs
Unfortunate in its containing, withou
any knowledge Of the precise parts Of
the Message which gave offence, an
swers to all that have since come to nv
knowledge. can easily conceive tina
the communication Of which speak
made as / expressly stated, without pre-
vious authority from my Government
might not have had the effect which
ITS matter was intended to produce, blu
IT has since las l have now the homo
to inform your Excellcncy) received
from the President his full and unqual
lined appreciation. But il is nccessar,
to add That this was gwen before b,
had aE5tintImation OF an intention 4
attachr5tT condition to the paw.
ment of.tife indemnity due by the irea
ty; gwen not only when he was ignor
ant Of any such intent, but when he
was informed by France that she IN,
tended to execute the treaty, and saw
Hby the law which was introduced thai
1t was not 10 be fettered by any such
condition. Thus, that is already done
Sby voluntary act, which could MOI
have been done when required as right
Estill less when made, what will un.
PROFESSIONALLY in the United States be
considered degrading, as a condition.
& AT this time. sir, would for no con-
Elaboration. enter into the details,
then did. IL I could so far for
kget what, under present circumstance
would be due TO the dignity Of my coun-
Atry, ] should be disavowed, and de-
servedly disavowed, by the President.
IL IS happy, therefore, repeat, that the
4good feeling Of my country was eyinced
I'm the manner I have stated, al the on
sly time when it could be done with
honor; and though present circumstan-
ices would forbid my making the CON-
munication then did. thew do aos
prevent my referring 20 it, for the pur-
Jpose of showing that il contains, rs I
Rhave stated it does, every thing that
5oughtto have been satisfactory. Actual
circumstance enable me 10 do this
now; future events, which need not
gexPlain. may hereafter render il impro-
gper; and il may be nugatory, unless
accepted as satisfactory before the oc-
curence OF those events. Let Il be
Examined with the care which the i'm
aportance Of giving il true construction
requires.
The objections 20 the message. as far
las | can understand, for they never
have been specified, are
First. that il impeaches the good faith
of his MajeSy's Government.
Secondly, that il contains a menace
sof enforcing the performance Of the
treaty by repnsals.
On the first head, were 7 now dis
cusSIng the terms Of the Message itself
! 81 would be easy 10 show that it contain J
no such charge. The allegation that the
POPULATIONS Of treaty have not been
comp.:ed with, that engagements made
! by Ministers have not been fulfilled
Icouehed in respectful terms, can ne
fycT be deemed offensive even vrko,