Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-02-13

J, concerns foreign relations: and it is thi,
same motive as you will observe, SIR, te
the cabinet Of Washington, that has direct
ed the conduct Of France in relation te
the message Of President Jackson. If the
expressions contained in that me ssage had
oeen inserted in a proclamation, or any
other act Of the executive power Of the
Union, We would at once have called fol
an explanation. Out Of respect for the
very nature Of the act, the French Gov
eminent deemed it duty to manifest the
sentiments it felt On that occasion, by in
stantly recalling its Minister, and stating
in communication the motives Cor that
recall; but it did not ask for explanations;
it was contentcd to expect them from the
justice Of the Government Of the United
States, and from the ancient friendship OF
the American nation; not doubling that
the Government Of the U. States would ap
preciate the difference in such cases, be-
tween answering an interpolation, and
! preventing by a spontaneous determine
ton, BY explanations readily offered, a
misunderstanding always to be regretted.
The amendment of the chamber of
Deputies is conceived in the same
spirit of reserve and conciliatiOn.-
1t does not make it the duty of the
French Government to ask for ex-
plantations; it merely supposes they
( will receive them.
We were not mistaken. sir, in be-
lieving that the Government of the
United States would appreciate that
difference, since Mr.. Livingston, as
he himself observes, fastened as early
as the Goth ofJanuary last. when the
message Of President Jackson had
been only known a few days. to offer
us explanations at great length of ev-
cry passage of that message which
treated of the relations between the
United States and France; and since.
that step and the explanations con-
tanned in his note Of the Goth Janua-
nv have received, as he informs by his
note of the 25th of April, the entire
appreciation of the President.
Mr.. Livingston was not astonished
that those explanations,as long as they
were presented only upon his per-
sonal responsibility, did not produce
upon us the effect intended; but he
'supposes that, beingnow clothed with
the appreciation of the President,
they must satisfy all that the incest
sense of national honor could desire.
He therefore makes it point, in
his note of the 18th, to repeat and de-
velope them, in the hope that the
French Government, by examining
them anew, under the impression
that they had become the expression
of the sentiments of the President,
would deem them sufficient. He is
so much the more anxious to inpart
to us his own conviction on this SUBJ
iect. as he deems it impossible for
the Government of the United States
to 90 any further. He even seems to
be apprchensive that future events.
which he need not specify, designa-
ting, thereby, no doubt. the adoption
of the amendment of the Chamber Of
Deputies by the other two branches
of the Government, may hereafter
render improper any allusion to ex-
plantations presented under the Influ-
ence of different circumstances.
We sincerely wish, sir. not to add
to the difficulties of the situation in
which the two countries are respect
fully placed. The question Of date.
to which Mr.. Livingston seems, in
this case, to attach an Importance
which it belongs not to us to appre-
ciate. does not IN any way alter ell
Their the nature or the extent of the
duties which are prescribed to u.s.
Ii satisfaction had really been given
to the just susceptibility of the
French nation as early as the Goth of
January (the date OF Mr. Living>ton's
first note). and therefore previous to
the adoption of the amendment I'M
der consideration by the Chamber OF
Deputies, or as earl y as the 9th of
April. nhe date of Mr. Lieingston.s
second note that is to say. before the
adoption of this same amendment by
the other two branches of the Legls-
lature. we would be sincerely graft
fed. The more the Government of
the United States would have shown
willingness TO explain itself. the
more we should be ourselves disposed
to find the explanations satisfactory.
and to view the so!icitude of that
/ Government as testimony In favor
! of the intentions which had dictated