Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-27
Iwenty-fourtil Congress list scss.
IN SENATE.


f'. eat ~ IN SENATE.
On Monday last, after the Presidents message was
MIR Clay propose the proper disposition of the
Message without being sure what would be the most
appropriate agreeable the Senate But before he
submitted any motion he hoped he would be allowed IN
express the satisfaction shared he certain by every
member OF the Senate which the aiicable termination
OF oar unhappy controversy with France had produced
And he could not withhold his congratulations for the
important agency which the Senate had exercised IN
bringing about this suspicious result If (said Mr. CD
the Senate had not ut the last session. by unanimous
vote, declared its conviction that legislation whae
was necessary in respect French relations at that
time; and il they had lent themselves 10 the o
the President, to pass law authorizing Reprsas upon
Ftenoh ptoperty-does, can any man doubt thai War
with all ITS tram OF horrors, would be raging be-
tween tive enlightened countries? Or if the Senate had
yielded TO the unconstitutional APPROPRIATION Of three
millions OF dollars irresponsbly proposed the very
close of the last session. without any
cihcaten of object, is there cause to fn,
insteadof nsw enjoying all the blessings of peace we
should be suffering all The calamity of most unneces-
sary power:
Twill not Continued Mr. Clay a,,emp, to diminish
the qualification which all must feel from The happy adj
justnent now announced Great mistakes i'm The no.
gotiations and correspondence between tile two Go
Verihnents, have bcenconitted both sides but ON
all these | shall not dotan the Senate. 1t may not
however, be without it's future use To advert for mo-
ment TO the chief obstacle which has obstr,cted The
settlement of the difference That has been the as
serton OF the principle that when the President of the
United States charged by the Constitution with main
tanning our Intercourse with all foreign nations sends
public message to Congress, publicly read =: The
presence OF all the diplomatic corps assembled Wash.
ington and given TO the whole world through The pubc
press, no foreign Power has right to complain 10 re-
nonstrae Ia ask explanations of any LANGUAGE
towards ITSELF however offensive that language may be
am not about To express any opinion upon that Drnc
pe but, IT 1t he true all agree that the Chief Ma
glstrate should tile utmost caution and crcumsnec
zion IN the ioficidl language of such documents All
snust also admit the rule OF reciprocity; and CONSEQUENT
iy that, although the King OF France in addressiny The
Shahbcrs, or The King OF Great Britain, addressing
raInainent, should charge the United States with bad
iait ard the violation OF solemn pledges and should
pending peaceful and earnest endeavors to settle CON
oYersy, Threaten an appeal TO force the United States
would be bound to submit TO the insult aud indiyntv
without complaint, without renionstrance without lie
poor satisfacon Of even asking an explanation
But let us test he theory and the practice uader this
principle during the present Administration. Great
praise would be due, ii it be merited for guarding our
domestic against all foreign interference or in
termeddhng But what course was pursued on the me-
msraoie colonial auettion? A late Secretary of State
IN giving instructions TO the Minister of the United
States at the Court of Great Britain authorised him
to say that tie Government of the United States
that ~ TO say preceding Adninstraton-ha insist
ed too ioRg upon particular tension and that
bad been condemned by the People of the United
states Inc attention OF Great Britain challenged
to the parts which that question: had been acted
by the new Administration, that is, TO the parts re.
specuvely taken by the Secretary of State, by the
Secretary of War, by the Secretary of the Treasu.
ry, by the Secretary of the Navy and by the Minis.
ter himself, in the Congress of tie United States-
could there have lbeen more distinct dangerous
70 IoTulIH ROVER IN respect to internal
concerns Ineligible hint to grant concessions
tosnded upon previous friendly services?
And what was this prelension I'm regard which the
PRIOR Administration had displayed too much pernaci.
w III wac nothing less lhan the humble pri.
vAege oil carrying products in our Om vessels
to British colonial ports the conditions MS smi.
lar products might be brought there from any other place
IN any other vesselsa privilege asserted by act OF
the 90 OF March, le25 for which, peye, the Score.
tary had himself voted
But let US test the principle alluded 70 BY what has
am
France alone. IL violated in 1880, when Mr. RiyEs
made an explanation to Prince POLIGSAC of message of
the Presdcntto C0agress which had given offence TO
France; and when the then Secretary oil State (ahough
the Prince hadbeen previously sased pre- ssed upon Mr.
RvEs further and elaborate apology for the offensive
Language oftle message ia violated by Mr. iySes.
Tos, when, in January ofIast year he undertook with
out instructions, 10 explain the message of December
1884 AID surely cannot be conended that the case OF
an unauthorized explanations which subsequently ap-
proved, isess strong than when tie Authority prrcedes
the explanation In the former instance the dangerous
Peoedentls set OF ministers assuming act without
INSTRUCTIONS 1t wasYol3ted June last when the Sec
rotary of STATE with the previous aathory of the pfes
dent, m complimentary letter To Mr.. LiylSosroS ap.
proved second time Of the explanation which he had
gwen to France IL again violated ia the pessage
of December last when tie President almost in the We.
ny language certainly embracing every IDEA fngde The
explanations required by the Do; de BRoeLIE in his DE-
spatch TO NJ PAGEoP. Ii is manifest that although The
copy OF that despatch twice refused and although
Mr.. F0RsYrH, three days after il was fret read bv bio
transmtedt to MIR BARrOS his final insirsctious without
saying one word about IT, that the explanatory language
OF the message wss made 10 conform exactly TO the re-
quiremeHts OF the despatch The message was prepared
TO obtain onk france the merit of satisfactory explains
ton, and let NeeopLe NJ hs u SUITES Die merit reias.
ing, upon high national gfound all panaton The Pc.
sdent protesl0d that Nc erer would apologze and nad
an apology that he would expain and made sa-
usiactory explanation, rejoice that France much as
think she has occasionally erred, had the wisdom to re-
cognsr and receive 40 such. She had taken false
position N Withholding payment Of Just and uncon
tested DEBT until supposed stain, inflicted upon her
good taith and honor, caced The best vndcation
of her good faith would have been the payment Of the
debt and when paid, she would have been in fair and
disaeresled attitude for demanding satisfaction 10 her
insved honor. Finally, the principle alluded to was
violated ~ the terms in wich the British mediation hoe
been accepted, Whilst thc President will not he ,Js-
clares, make France dlreedy any expisnaton, oil the
means are PUTTY bin in the hands OF tie common DE
oiator 70 ansfd 1e sost ample and satisfactory plaza
ton.
Bot will moi ieagx dwell upon the sainfu incidents
OF our late unfortunate controversy Let them be alb
sorbed IN the general satisfaction waich its happy DER
nina,lon will dRuse throughout tie land or be- reco
lected only 10 guard hereafter against tie repetition Of
similar errors. We have escaped thank Cor we
have escoped-fron al Danger of WAR with FaAecr
would have been war, II had hssken out the scan
dal OF an enlightened age and hgkly dscredii .,e 10
beth Psrtlesa war IN which neitker civil liberty nor
maritime, nor territorial rights, national independ.
ence, nor true national honor was involyed-a war Of
which the Immediate was an unfortunate message
snd the ultimate object hconsdcrabe debt cancelled
The very act declaring ia message which was re