The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1836-01-23
But Il did not ask for erpionations; i, was

VI tue government oI tne OnIeO StateS,
| and from the ancient friendship Of the A
mcrican nation, not doubling that the gov
ernment ofthe United States would appre-
ciate the difference in such cases bctween
answering as interrogation, and prevent
irg, by spontaneous determination, by
explanations readily offered, msunder-
standing alwaysto be regretted. Ffa r
the amendment Of the Chamber Of
Deputies is conceived in The same spirit of
reserve and Cancellation. 1t does net
make il the duty Of the French Govern
ment to ask for explanations it merely
supposes they will rec Give some. l q
We are not mistaken, sir, in believing
that the government Of the United States
would appreciate that difference, since
NJ. Livingston, as he himself observes,
hastened, as early as the Goth of January
last, when the message Of President Jack
son had been only known Few days, to
offer US explanations at grsat leangth, Of
every passage Of that message which
treated ofthe relations between the Unit
ed States and France, and since that
step and the explanations contained in
his note Of the goth Of January have re-
ceived, as he informed US by his note Of
the 2slh April the entire appreciation of
the President.
NJ. Livingston was not astonishcd that those ex-
p'ations, ms long as they were presented only up
| on his personal responsibility, did not produce
upon us The effect he intended !; but he sup
poses that being now clothed with the approba-
ton OF the President, they must satisfy ali that
the nieest sense of naiional honor could de.
| SIRE. 'r
He, therefore. makes it point, Ein his note Of
the 29th OF fApril, 10 repeat and develope them, in
tho hope that the French Government, by examin-
ing them anew, under the impression that ,hoy
had become the expression Of the sentiments of the
President, would deem them sufficient Heis 90
much the more anxious TO impart TO US his own
conviction on this subject, that he deems !. i'm
possible for the government of the United States
TO 90 any further. lie even seems to be appre-
henslve that future events which h. need not spe-
yy, designating thereby, no doubt, the adopt
ION VI the amendneniby the Chamber Of Depu-
Ties, ny the other two branches of the Govern
ment) may hereafter render improper any allusion
10 explanations presented under the influence Of
different circumstances.
we sincerely wish, sir, not to add to the dhIi-
cutes oil the situation in which the two countries
are respectively placed. The question Of date, 10
which NJ. Livingston seems, in this case, to attach
an Importance which it belongs not to US to ap-
P'eca'e' does not, IN any way, alter either the
nature or the extent Of the duties which are pre-
scrbed to u.s. II fsatisiacton had really been gi-
ven TO the just susceptibility Of the French ma.
ion. a: early as the 29th Of January, the date Of
W. Li'ingstons hrst nOie,) aad therefore previous
to the adoption Of the amendment under consider
alton by the Chamber Of Deputies, or as early as
the 27th OF April, (,he date Of NJ. Livingstone I'd
hote,) that is to say before the adoption of tho,
same amendment by the other two branches Of the.
legislature we would be sincerely gratifed. The
more the government Of the United States would
nave shown Willingness to explain itself, the
more we should he ourselves Disposed 70 find ,Iia
explanation satisfactory and to view the soc;,.ds
of that Government as a testimony in favor of tho
Intentions which had dictated the message. of
the President.
| We will simply observe, before we pro-
ceed: .stVC
! First. That even supposnp the ex-
plantations given by the note of the 99th
OF January, to have been such as we wish
them, they were on the / 9th of April, the
day OF the passage f.the amendment in
the Chamber Of Deputies, nothing more
than the simple expression of the personal
sentiments Of MIR Livingston. This is
an observation which did not ESCAPE his
t. notice.
We will also observe that by the pub
lication of M. Livingston's correspond
ence, the government of the United States
had excited against him such feeling
OF irritation, that it would have been out
OF our power, even supposing that we had
considered that correspondence as con-
tanning nothing but what was right and
proper, to avail ourselves of a document
bearing his signateure, to repel in one or
the other Of the Chambers the amendment
under consideration. a1
will now proceed to the examination
of the expla nations which have been offer
cd to us. H07ll
NJ Livingston is right in thinking that
our objections to the message of the Pres
ident are confined to these two points.
lst The message impeaches the good
faith of his His Majesty's Government.
I'd 1t contains a threat to secure the
execution ofthe treaty, by fear of repris-.
ais.
1t is indeed under this double point of
view that the message of President jack
son, excited in France the greatest indig-
nation The Cabinet Of Washington will
readily admit that if the allegation was
real, the indignation would be lust. No
nation could for one moment bear, without
degrading itself, either the direct or indi-
rect imputatton Of want of good faith. or
the idea Of another government, or anoth-
or people endeavoring to obtain from il
through menace what could only be grant,
ed by it to justice. 1t must equally be