Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-26
sgeEsg'EaEEf rs, ss"G.-

I. Livingston "a
April tie right Of foreign Governments 10 take proper
execution to the acts and language of the Government
which he represents
"Shpuld the Prcsdrn he observes, "do an Official
executive act affecting foreign Power, or Use cHccP
iIonaLle language III addressing it, through MS minister
through theirs; should aw be passed injurious 10
The dignity ol another nation i'll al these ana other 81,
ar cases. demand for xpana!lo would nc respect
fully received, and answered in the manner 'na uSc'
and n regard the dignity Of the complaining nation,
would require.
But he maintains that these principles The wisdom OF
which is evident, applicable to an act by Whci
the PRESIDENT sole representative Il" the milton towards
foreign Powers. gives TO Congress an ACCOUNT u TIE
situation of foreign relations
1.-THE utmost freedom: says Ilr. Livingston, ''!hc VI
most freedom from all restraint i'll the details INTO WHICH
he is obliged enter, OF! international concerns and OF
the in relation 10 them, essential 10 the pro-
per performance Of this important part OF his functions
He exercise them without having continually be-
fore him tic fear of offending the susceptibility ct The
| Powers whose conduct be is Obliged to notice.
| " We're aIp foreign Powers continues Alr LFingS-
tom "prrn,,cd to scaa the communications o.! the tx,
ccuyr their complaints whether real or aiIrclcd, wo!d
involve the country in continual controversies; io the
right being admitted, it would Ec dnty to exercise i,
Jv demanding dsavowG! ii every phrase they !right
deem offensive, and an explanation Of rVc!y "orh L"
which an improper Interpretation could be- gwen Inc
prncplr therefore, has been adopted that no foreign
Power has right to ask for cy anations ut any Thing
that the President in the exercise OF his functions til'kS
proper to communicate to Congress, or oil any course he
! may advise them TO pursue.
We cannot, sir, admit such principle; we cannot adj
nit IT, ii least without condition or lll, III an absolute,
general and pcrcmptory sense.
1t does not depend upon nation, from the mere iacs
Of It's having adapted such such form Of government,
10 acquire, with regard 10 foreign Powers, more rights
t!an It would have had, to arrogatc TO Itself other
rights than those which It would lave enjoyed under
any other form OF government.
Nations are free ~ choose without any c0nsaint the
government they pi.a$c-pecsrly for This reason, and
under tins condition. TINT such choice cnncrrlS them
exclusively, and that whatever That choice may he, 1t
Affect tic rights or inurc the legitimate interests
ul other nations.
Now it is the acknowledged right Of every Govern
lcn when the legal representative: or when the official
ryan Of another Government expresses himself p"h'y
reference Ia H. IN language which Is deemed "iirSvr
to demand explanation OF it. Such right te Con-
s!ituun Of the United States neither abolish. modify,
nor restrict 1t is international right (un droIt inter-
nationally 1t suits the People Of the United States /"
divide the power Of the Union between President and
CONGRESS. Be it II suits them to ob!gc the Pre<-
lent givr publicity TO Congress account Of the Stale
If foreign relations. Their right IS unqucs"nabir But
that the President OF the United States Tie official organ:
Tie legal representative 81 the mon towards l"rc'9n
nations Thereby acquires the gt TO press himself p"b-
iciv urnn fDrrIgn Governments i'll language "itsv" 10
those: Governments that he sh '". III asserting Ile
lbcrty the freedom Ir:''ssa,y Tor such COMMUNICATING.
dispense with all reserve III Ills language ara "ilh IL! re-
;purisIbtv towards the Powers whom that ang"dSc
CONCERTS wl"; We cannot ad!:it.
!r.s2oIsliI:.:y (lnvn!abiilcJ whether i: relates To-
tl.~; 'ILi; :; r.,n,I ,,,,s,;iu;.,u
purely internal r"gu!atoa and car !cr &c used rs an
,rgu:lcnt in the intercourse which Governments i"'Iu
with each other. If it otherwise, and If we w,Tr
I.n,.nd ,r,r IN. .r,,pu. or Mr. Iiv,rs,ur "a ca.rv
ia, ,,rurrn, T., lis trn,. c,u,,curnct. uicl IN,
uain,allrd that the President o! Tie United States has
,h ,;i ,r,r;,I,I = ,,r IN ,.>,,ur =, (,ou,,rrss m i'm,
, S,j J :, G,-.nr G vrrnlnrn,s and H. f,rriU: M.
lions tie most oouS Gcs. the most pvrycrse int ntonS;
~ IIL ,brr, -, ,Lir,u f., the aui,;,iy rsous of t!
i.,J ;,L',, ;h G,;v,rn,ucrtsor ,Lcre u,,inns hrr-
in, I'm. rS,, 10 NANTES, the Slightest rcsrn,:e n since
corI;nG 10 this yrr; s,ranrr tycrns. they would mol
.vrn be an wed to taxi. u.:rla. notice Gift
To stall, such Il doctrine is 10 r,ule IT,
However ST. we 90 mol wish to cxlrccra,c ans thing
Mr. IyiumS.. is pcr ciy rir!t when he saws that the
rnusr wIicE 1t. supnyrs IS in general sense common
10 81. free couutrcs-l!IaI all Governments founded On
the division Of powrr and on the publicity vi dcbatrs
have interest in rrrr!!inr. the part OF foreign
Powers any Interference with The COMMUNICATIONS " h,H
the Prince and his ;ri.>r Constitutional nomarcI:rs
and in Republics the magistrates entrusted with HE
executive power, called upon /" MAKE 10 the
IcrizIaurc And this is the rcasou as Sir. L..ing.
sion very ildciuusy observes. that III France and lii
Errand the lauuuIuc o! the ROYAL speeches IS ;. re-
sc,yrd in every thr tina, concerns iorr!um rraiions
and il j. This .alnr rloIyr as Won will utsrl sir the
Iahiuc, Of WASHINGTON thai, las directed the conduct
of France in relation The message Of President Jack
son. If the expressions con,nrd in that message had
been inserted in proclamation, or any other acl q" the
rHecnuvc power o! The O"'"n We would III ''cc nave
called lor all cXpaiIati2 Out OF respect 'or thc very
nainle OF TIE act, ale fFeHch Hc'rfhhcht ot"e" II
duty To manifest Tue sentiments lcIl GIL TIA" "oe"s'i
by instantly recalling It's Minister, ana SIu'9 III CON-
muncaon the motives Tor That recall Dull 90" H0t "
for planaton; Il was c"ntrntcd L" expect t'm from
the justice Of the GovrI nnrnto Of the Cm'a oat'S anu
from the ancient lr'thHSihP ol Inc Ahefc"" ''",o 'o
doubling that the Government "i the uhtrd Sta'es
would appreciate the GIil rcicr III such cases: between
answering al interpretation, ana preventing ny sPnh
DISCRIMINATORY BY explanations readily uttered,
MISUNDERSTANDING always =! ~ I'stct!ru.