Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-02-06
But. said 1k. c.. let rs turn 70 the con-

versy. Ii the implied obligation on
the part of the French Executive wa.
such as | suppose. there was a cor
responding one, on the part OF ours,
to interpose no obstacle in obtaining
the assent OF the Chamber. How
stands the fact! Mr. Rives, in COM
to our Executive the re-
suit of the negotiation, boosted of his
skill, and the advantage he had acqui-
red over the French ncgotiators.
pass him by. 1t was perhaps, Datur-
al for him to boast. What does the
Executive do! With a full knowl-
edge Of all the facts, forewarned Of
the difficulty which the French min
istry would have to encounter in the
Chambers, he published to tie world
this boastfnl communication, which
produced a sensation in France, such
as might have been expected, which
increased in the Same proportion the
difficulty of obtaining the assent OF
the Chambers TO the appropriation.
The next step increased the difficulty.
knowing, as he did, that the appro-
priations depended upon the Cham
Der, the then Secretary Of the Treas
ury, without Whiting for its action,
drew bill for the payment Of the
first instalnIent, before the appropri.
alton was made, and before, ofcourse.
il could possibly be paid. A protes,
necessarily followed, accompanied
wit, much irritation on both sides.
With these obstacles, created by
our own acts, the treaty was submit
ted to the Chambers. Every effort
was made to obtain the appropriation.
The Minister displayed uncommon
zeal and abilities in defence of the
treaty; but in, vain, under these null
tiplied difficulties. The bill was re-
jected by a majority "feight votes: a
number so small. in SO large a body,
that it may be fairly presumed,
without any violence, that, had not
Mr.. Rives' letter been published,
and the draft drawn before the appro-
priation was made, the majority
would have been on the other side,
and all the unhappy train Of conse-
quences which have since followed
would have been prevented. So ear
nest was the French Ministry in their
efforts to carry the bill, that their de-
feat dissolved the Administration.
With these facts before US, who
can doubt where the responsibility
rests! We had thrown the imPedi-
ments in the wayne, who had been
50 urgent to obtain the treaty, and we
who were to profit by its execution.
1t matters not, in the view in which ]
am considering the question, to what
motives the acts Of our Executive may
be attributed-whethcr to design or
,houghtlessness, it cannot shift the
responsibility.
Let us now, said Mr.. c., proceed
to the next stage Of this most un-
fortunate affair.
pass over the intervening period;
] come to the opening Of the next ses-
sion Of Congress. In what manner
does the President, in his message at
the opening Of the session. notice the
the failure of the French Chambers
to make the appropriation. Know
inc as he must how much the acts to
which have referred had contributed
TO the defeat Of the bill, and that his
administration was responsible for
those acts. it was natural to expect
that he would have noticed the fate Of
the bill in the calmeSt and most gen.
tie manner; that he would have done
full Justice to the zeal and fidelity Of
the French Executive in its endeavor
to obtain its passage. and would have
thrown himself with confidence on
the Justice and honor of the French
nation for the fulfiIment of the treaty.
In a word. that be would have done
all in his power to strengthen the Ex-
ecutive Government in France in
their future efforts to obtain the ap-
preparation. and carefully avoid eve
~ thing that might interpose addition
al obstacles. Instead Of taking this
calm and considerate course, so well
calculated to secure the fulfilment Of
the treaty. ana 50 DelittiuS tuc AuSut-
" and justice Of our Government. he
sends a message to Congress. couch
cd in the strongest terms, and recon-
.nenGing that he should be invested
with authority to issue letters Of
ma-que and reprisal in The event Of
:hc appropriation not being made-a
measure. i, not tantarnount TO war,
leading to it by almost a necessary
consequence. The message was re-
ce,ved IN France. with the deep feel