Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-03-10

llelY read IN the presence of all the diplo
matte corps assembled at Washington, s.
given TO the whole world through the pub.
lie press. no foreign power has right to
complain. 10 demonstrate, or to ask ex,
plantations of any language used toward.
itself, however offensive that langua I'd
may be. am not about to express any
opinion upon that principle bat il it be
true, all must agree that the Chief Magis.
trate should use the utmost caution and
clrcunspeclion in the official language oi
such docaments. All must also admit the
rule OF reciprocity: s., consequently that
although The Niug Of France in addressing
the Chambers, or the King OF Great Brit.
ain in addressing Parliament. should
charge the United States with bad faith
aud the violation Of solemn pledges, and
should, pending peaceful earnest endeayors
to settle controversy, threatea an appeal
TO force. the United States would be bound
TO submit to the insult and indigni;y, with
out complaint, without remonstrance, and
without the poor satisfaction eleven ask
ing an explanation.
But LET US test the theory and the prac
iiee under this principle during the pres
ent administration. Great praise would
be due. Il II be merited, for guarding oue
domestic concerns against all foreign in
teriereace or iatermeddiag But what
1 course was pursued 90 tie memorable CO
) lonial question! A late secretary of state
I IN giving instructions TO the Minister Of
/ the United States at the court Of Grea,
/ Britain, authorized him 10 say that the
/ government of the United States that is
TO say, preceding admlnistra ton had
INSISTED too long upon particular preten-
sion, and that II bad been condemned by
the people Of the United States The at
tention Of Great Britain was challenged 10
the parts which, on that question, had
/ been acted by the new administration
that Is, 10 the parts respectively taken BY
the secretary OF state, by the secretary of
war, by tue secretary Of the treasury, by
the secretary OF the navy, and by the mi
MISTER himself, in the Congress Of the Uni
ted States. Gould there have been a
more distinct or dangerous invitation 10 a
foreign power In respect TO our internal
concerns? of a more Ineligible hint 10
grant concessions founded upon previous
friendly services?
And what was this pretension, in regard
to which the prior administration had dis
/ played too much pertinaciyp II was no.
thing more than The humble privilege of
Carrying our own products in onr own yes
! sels 10 British colonies or ports on the
same conditions as siialar products might
be brought there from any other place in
any other yessel.- privilege asserted by
( the act of The third of March, 1928, Zoe
( which, believe, the Secretary had him.
self voted,
] But let us test the principle alluded 10
by what has transpired 10 our negotiations
/ aud correspondence with France alone
Ii was violated 10 1850, when Mr.. Riyes
made 40 exploitation 20 Prince Polignac,
oil message OF the president 10 congress,
which had given offence 10 France; and
when the then secretary Of slate (although
the prlace hal been previously salsled)
pressed upon Dir. hlves IA further and an
elaborate apology for the offensive lam
suage Of the message, II was violated by
AlF. Livingston, when, 10 January Of last
year, he undertook, without Instructions,
to explain the Message Of December 1884;
aud surely it cannot be coniended that the
case OF an Unauthorized explanation,
which IS subsequently approved, is less
strong than when the authority precedes
the explanation. Ia tie former instance
the dangerous precedent is set Of "a minis
teF's assuming 10 act without instructions.
IL was violated III June last, when The sec
rotary OF state, with the previous authori.
| ~ OF tue president, in complimentary
letter TO hlr. Livingston, approved sec.
DAD time OF the explanation which be had
| given TO France. 1t was again violated IN
the message Of December last, when the
President, almost 10 the very language,
certainly embracing every idea, made the
explanations required by the Due de Brog-
lie 10 his despatch TO Nj. pageot. II is
manifested that, although the copy Of that
despatch was twice refused, and although
air. Forsyth, three days after it was first
! read by him, transmitted TO MIR. Barton
his final Instructions, without saying one
word about 1t, that the explanatory laa-
guage OF tie message was made 10 Goa
form to the requirements Of the despatch.
The message was prepared to obtain with
France tue merit OF satisfactory expla
nation, and with the people Of the United
States The merit Of refusing, upon high ma.
tional ground, all explanation. The pre-
sldent protested be never would apologize,
and made an apolgy! that he never would
explain, and made satisfactory explana
ton rejoice tina, France, much AS she
has occasionally erred, had the wisdom TO
recognize and receive i! as such. She had
taken false position in Withholding the
payment of a just and uncontes;ed debt
until supposed STAN, inflicted upon her
coed faith and honor, was cffaccd.
The best yindication Of her good faith
was the payment Of the debt; and. when
paid, She would have been in fair disin-
terested attitude for demanding satisfac
ton 10 her insulied honor. Finally, the
principle alluded to, was violated in the
terms in which the British mediation was
accepted. Whilst the president viii not,
he declares, make France directly any ex
PLANTATION, all the means are put by him
IN The hands of the common mediator 10