The Ohio Democrat and Dover advertiser. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1839-1840, 1840-06-26

his instructions 10 Mr.. MeLane, our
late minister at the Court Of ST. James.
have been called in question; and have
been made the pretended groundwork
Of his rejection. For years, Messrs.
Adams and Clay had been endeaVoring
to secure the trade of the West Indies;
but, by their overmanagement and di.
plomatc arts, they had utterly failed to
accomplish this greal object, go im-
portant TO the commercial interests OF
the country. They had superciIiously
refused lair. and honorable propositions
from the British Government. And il
was DO, uniit that Government, DISCUS
ted with their chicanery, declined all
farther negotiation, that they were COM
peled TO abandon their vain pretensions,
and humbly ask the very privileges
which had once been offered and de-
cliDed. Our late minis''r, Mr.. Galla-
tin, was instructed by Mr.. Clay, then
Secretary Of State, TO acce6e to the for
mer proposition Of the British Govern
ment. But, that Government, tired Of
such vacllating, time-serving pOllcy,
rlgdly adhered TO its former stand, and
would not even entertain the negotiation.
1t was for this, among other reasons,
that the preceding administration was
hurled from power by an indignant peo-
pie, and Gen. Jackson placed at the head
Of the Government. On entering upon
the du,les of his office, Mr.. Van Buren,
forthwith set about recovering this im-
por,ant branch of trade, which had been
lost by Mr.. Clay With characteristic
frank ness he met The question. He
commenced the negotiation in plain
business like manner, as if he meant
what he said, end said what he meant.
Unacquainted with the dissimuation,
and despising the hypocrisy Of courts,
like an honest farmer, IN making a bars
gain, he came right 10 the point. In res.
pectful aud proper terms lie told the Bri.
tish Government what he wished and
what he wnuld do. In hiS 10 sruction.
10 Mr.. MrLane, he said it was not ne~
cessary 10 'enter INTO a particular de-
fence of the omission on the part of the
United States, seasonably to embrace
Ire offer Ot the direct trade made by
Great Britain in the year 1925, and to
winch alhsioD has 70 frequently beer
made. Whaher it te subject more
Of regret than OF cen ure, 1t ought 10 bt
enous b that ,hs claims advanced in jus
tiGcation OF it have since cen abandon
ed by those who made them-have re
celved no sanction from the people o.
the United States; and that they are
now arrived What else could he say!
What less could he say, 10 satisfy thai
Government that, when we were asking
them to open a negotiation which our
own folly had closed, we did not intend
again 10 trife with them as they bad been
trifled with beiorel This frankness or
our part was met by a corresponding
frankness on theirs. The result is known
TO the American people. The country
has been vastly benefited by the sue
cess of this negotiation. The Senate
of the United States has confirmed the
arrangement by which these benefits
were obtained-has confirmed the nom-
nation of MIR. McLaDe as Secretary ol
The Treasury, who was the negctiator
IN this matter, with discretionary pow
er. under The instructions of Mr.. Van
Buren,; and yet, unparalleled injustice
has rejected the nomination of The man
through whose ins,rumentalily. and un-
der whose direction these advantages
we're secured
We are told the wounded honor ofthe
country required this sacrifice; and gar
bled extracts from Mr.. Van Buren's IN
structIons, and misstatemenls Of facts
are put forth 10 the community as a jus
tfication of this outrage upon the fee
lings ofthe people, and upon the char
acter Of the nation. If time permitted
me 10 90 into detailed history Of this
whole transaction, | would tear from
these vain prelenders the 'tattered man,
tie of hypocricy" that has been inter-
posed to cover them. They talk Of the
wounded honor of the country! How
comes il, that this nice sense OF nation
al honor has just been fousedl Where
has it slept for two years past? 10
1880, a copy of these very instructions,
about which 90 much s said, together
with the communications which passed
between Mr.. McLane and the British
Government, was submitted to both
Houses OF. Congress-this very Senate
then added it's sanction 10 these instruc-
tions, by passing an act authorizing the
President TO accept the trade and to
open the ports, pursuant 10 terms If
fered by the instructions, and in the
manner in which they had been execu-
ted. Why did not these patriots then
speak out : Why slumber upon this hu-