Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-02-06
NJ NJ B e X S.

/ cannot, said Mr.. c., but call back
to my recollection the position which
l occupied twenty-four years since,
as a member Of the other house.
We were then. as fear we are now,
on the eve OF war with a great and
powerful nation. My voice then
was raised for war, because | then
believed that justice, honor, and ne
cessity demanded it. 1t is now rails
ed for peace, because am under the
most solemn conviction that by gong
to war we would sacrifice justice, hon
or, and interest. The same motive
which then impelled to war now inn
|pels to peace.
Ihave not, said Mr.. c., made this
assertion lightly. 1t is the result Of
mature and deliberate reflection. 1t
is not my intention to enter into a
minute examination Of that unhappy
train of events, which has brought the
country to its present siuation, but l
will briefly touch on a few prominent
points, beginning with that unfortu-
nate negotiation which seems desti-
ned to terminate SO disastrously for
the country.
From the accession Of the present
King, his ministry avowed itself ia
vorable to the settlement fo claims.
1t could scarcely be otherwise. The
King had just been raised to the
throne, under revolution originating
in popular impulses, which could not
but dispose hin favorably towards US.
Lafayette, at the time, possessed
much power and influence, and had
greatly contributed to elevate Louis
Philippe to his present station
His feelings were known to be deci-
dedly favorable to us. But with all
this favorable inclination, the Minis
try were fearful of concluding trea-
ty. They dreaded the Chambers:
they knew how odious all treaties Of
indemnity were to the entire French
nation, and how difficult it would be
to bring the Chambers to agree to
make an appropriation to carry
treaty of indemnity into effect, even
with our country. With these inn
pressions they frankly stated to Mr..
Rives our Minister, that the difficulty
was not with them,b but with the Cham
bers; that If q treaty were made, it
could not be carried into effect with
out a vote Of appreciation from the
Chambers; and it was very doubtful
whether such a vote could be obtain
ed. These declarations were not
made once ,or twice they were repeat
ed again and again, throughout every
stage of the negotiation, and never
more emphatically than in the very
last, Just before the conclusion of tho
treaty.
The President of the Council, M.
Perrier, in a conversation with Mr..
Rives, at the late period, stated that
there would be no difficulty in arran-
ging the question, were it not that he
feared opposition on the part of the
Chambers, which might place the re-
lations between the two countries ina
more dangerous state, by refusing to
make the appropriation. How pro-
phetic! as if he had foreseen what
has since come to pass. do not
profess to give his words; did not
anticipate the discussion, and have
not come prepared with documents;
but what state is substantially what
he said. With this apprehension, he
asked our Minister to wait the short
period of two months, for the meet
ing of the Chambers, that they might
be consulted before the conclusion Of
the treaty, in order to avoid the pos
sibility Of the embarrassment, which
has since occurred, and which has
so embroiled the relations Of the two
Rives objected and
the treaty was concluded.
Now | submit, said Mr.. c., to ev-
cry man ofintegrity and honor, wheth-
er we, in accepting the treaty after
these repeated declarations, did not
accept it, subject to the condition
which they implied; that is, whether,
in point Of fact, the stipulation of the
French Executive ought not to be fair
ly construed, with these declarations
made at the formation of the treaty,
to amount simply to an engagement
to use his best endeavors to obtain
the assent of the Chambers to the ap-
Such would certainly
be the understanding, in a similar
case. between honorable and consci-