Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1840-08-20


been called in question; and have been
made the pretended groundwork of his
rejection. For years, Messrs. Adams
and Clay had been endeaVoriDg to secure
the trade Of the West Indies; but, by their
overmanagement and diplomatic arts,
they had utterly failed to accomplish this
great object, so important to the CONNER
cial interests of the country.-They had
superciliously refused fair and honorable
propositions from the British Govern.
ment. And it was not until that Gov
eminent, disguised with their chicanery,
declined all fAFiher negotiation, that they
were compelled to abandon their vain
pretensions, and hunbly ask the very
privileges which had once been offered
and declined. Our late minister, Mr..
Gallatin, was instructed by Mr.. Clay,
then Secretary ofState, to accede to the
former proposition of the British Govern
ment. But, that Government, tired of
such a vacillating, time-serving policy,
rigldly 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 people, and
Gen. Jackson placed at the head of the
Government. On entering upon the du-
ties of his Office, Mr. Van Buren, forthwith
set about recovering this important
branch Of trade, which had been lost by
Mr.. Clay.-Wth characteristic frankness
he met the question. He commenced
the negotiation in plain business like
manner, as ifhe meant what he said, and
SAID what be meant. Unacquainted
with the dissimulaiion, and despising the
hypocrisy of courts, like an honest far
mer, in making bargain, ne came right
TO the point. In respectful and proper
terms he told the British Government
what he wished and what he would do.-
In his Instructions TO Mr.. McLane, he
said it was MT necessary TO "enter into a
particular defence Of the omission on the
part of the United States, seasonabiy to
embrace the offer of the direct trade
made by Great Britain in the year 1926,
and to which allusion has SO frequently
been made. Whether il be a subject
more of regret than of censure, it ought
TO be enough that the claims advanced
in Justification of it have since been aban-
doned by those who made them--have
received no sanction from the people of
the United States; and that they are
now arrived" What else could he say?
What less could he say, to satisfy that
Government that, when we were asking
them to open a negotiation which our
own folly had closed, we did not intend
again to trAe with them as they had
been triaed with before e?--This frank
ness on our part was met by correspon-
ding frankness on theirs. The result is
known 10 the American people. The
country has been vastly benefited by the
success ofth negotiation, The Senate
of the United States has confirmed the
arrangement by which these benefits were
obtained-has confirmed the nomination
of Mr.. McLane as Secretary Of the Trea-
sury, who was the ncgotiator in this mat
ter, with discretionary power, under the
instructions Of MIR. Van Buren,; and yet,
unparalleled injustice! has rejected the
nomination of the man through whose in
strumentality, and under whose direction
these advantages were secured!
We are toldAhe wounded honor of the
country required this sacrifice; and garb-
led extracts from Mr.. Van Buren's in
structons, and msstatements Of facts are
put forth to the community as a iustifca-
ton Of this outrage upon the feelings of
the people, and upon the character Of the
nation. If time permitted me to 90 into
detailed history of this whole transac-
ton, would tear from these vain preten-
defs the "tattered mantle7of hypocrisy
that has been interposed to cover them.
They talk Of the wounded honor OF the
country! How comes it, that this nice
sense of national honor has just been
reused? Where has it slept for two years
past2 In 1880, copy Of these very in
structions, about which so much is said,
together with the communications which
passed between Mr.. McLane and the
British Government, was submitted to
both Houses of Congress-this very Sen
ate then added its sanction 10 these in
structions, by passing an act authorizing
the President TO accept tho trade and
to open the ports, pursuant to the terms
offered 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 hui
initiating attempt 'to propitiate,' in the
language of Mr.. CLAY, the favor of the
British Kingr Where then was Mr.
Webster'S sense Of 'dutyp Why did he
not then set upon these Instructions his
mark of disapprobationg' No sir, it is
an afterthought, disguise it as they will
they cannot give it credence. They diC
not then anticipate that Mr.. Van Burer
would retire from the Department oi
State, and accept mission to that court
where his fame has already preceded
him. They did not then anticipate tbs