Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-03-25

under the tropics will moi say never. thai word
does not belong TO the deeds of man. but rarely has she
Withdrawn IT. Whenever she has asserted pretension
she has adhered to through good port and through
evil report, in prosperity and adversy with an iron
will and firm hand, of which the hstory of the
world affords no equal example, since the proudest
days of the Roman Empire &c, "and the time has
come when must look her designs in the face and
determine to resist, TO yield War is great evil,
but there greater evils than war and among these
is national degradation. This we have never vet ex.
perenced and trust we never shall
"lf Lord Ashburton goes out with such modified pro-
POSITIONS upon The various questions pending be-
tween the two Governments, as yon honoraby
accept the result will De subject OF lasting grati6ca
ton to our country. And, moro particularly it. as
trust, before entering into any discussions, he is pre-
pared to give such explanations, will show that we
have misunderstood the intentions of the British Go.
vernmen respecting this claim OF n right 10 change The
law OF nations, IN order to accommodate Il 10 their
Treaty supua.ions, and lis practical consea uence.-a
claim TO enter and search vessels al all times and
IN all places This preliminary proceeding would be
worthy OF the gravity of the circnms ances and EQUALLY
honorable TO both Goyc.nmeuts
Whether, Ill said above respecting the teosclv
OF England IN The prosecution of her claims new or
DID, was justified by the Characteristic traits Of her
history lei me b. judged by the late emphatic decara.
ton OF The Che! of The British Cabinet, made 10 tho
House OF Commons, and through them 10 the world.
and which we are significantly told was chee,ed bv
both sdss OF the House; and whether | am r,oht in
saying, that never though. of proposing that ube
neht should be offered to England Tor the relnqush-
menl oil inns pretenslon, as you aege, let be judged
by my words.
My letter of December lst is in accordance s,itb
these views After stating the nature Of this claim
continue Now, here, it appears 10 me- the Govern.
ment should have stopped. The Eagish neGocator
should have been told, sbhor as much rs YOU do,
this traffic in human beings and will Go all our ne
cuar Institutions permit 10 put end 10 it, Blu, we
will not suffer this matter TO be made the p.etext for
woundIng our honor and violating our rights We
will not take single step, till you have renowned this
claim We have already denounced it; and if VIC
should negotiate upon this subject matter without set
ting this preliminary question, i, would seem Ike an
Abandonment OF The ground we have taken or an in.
difference 10 the onsequences.
This last paragraph touches, in my opinion the true
issue between us, Of this part of the controversy You
say that the insertion of declaration against the right
Of search would have been no more suitable 10 this
treaty than declaration against the right Of soaking
our towns IN time nj peace, Nc, &c ; and hence
draw The conclusion that lis omission both honor
able and polite AS The sin OF omission the prin.
clpal charge make against this treaty, and i, is the
one you labor most earnestly 10 reason away must To
permitted again briefly 10 refer to il.
The British Government, IN order, as they sad to
execute certain treaties they had formed for the sup-
preston of the slave trade, claimed the rbt 10 board
and examine American chips. The American Govern.
meni denied this pretenson; and thus stood The parties
heiure The world. Then British negociaiur tn
our Shores TO settle the subjects in difference between
the two countries. Two OF these settled One il,
this slave trade questionable very question which gave
rise 10 the monstrous preenson that preparing for us
so much trouble; and this is distinctly admitted in the
Presidents message, which states, that after the
Boundary, the question which seemed to threaten the
greatest embarrassment, was that connected wi the
African slave trade. You negotiated upon the sub
jec matter. knowing The construction the Britain 90.
vernment had given lis other slave trade trea.
ties and knowing what IS clear in itself, as stated in
my letter oi October 3d. 1s42, and what SIR Robert
Peel has fully confirmed, that "if British
cruiser meet vessel bearing the American flag,
where there is American ship TO examine her,
obvious, il is quite as indispensable and jusnfaJe that
the cruiser should search this vessel ascertain her
nationality, since the conclusion of the treaty, as it
was before. The error, therefore in negotiating
upon this very subject leaving TO The other party 10
say, ne have concluded arrangement respecting the
slave trade with you, since our mutual pre,enslous,
concerning the right of search, have been made known
You aware that claim out Of that subject
and, you have not guarded ogains. it, we shall en-
force it.
As to the analogy between such claim and one to
sack town in lime OF peace it is sufficient answer
To cay, that, when such pre,enson is solemnly put
forth 10 the world, By England, shall think any Go.
rernment deserving The severest reprG5atop, which
would 60 and negotiate upon a subject matter, con.
rec,ed with the origin Of such clam, without suf.
cent security against it, More particularly it, in
this case, the subject relates 10 question IF general
ianhropic mo,ires, hut which just principle requires
10 nermed6ie WITH at the sacrifice OF The first
butes Of our independence You make some remarks
upon the improperly of requiring from any nation
solemn remuneration Of an unjust pretension; and you
proceed observe thai the President "has not sought
butt the contrary, has seduousy avoided to change
The ground and to place the Just rights OF The country
upon the assent, express or implied, Of any power
wha;ever." 1.-The Government thought skilfuily
extorted promises necessary in any such cases.
a u q Tart. nj n ia &C
ethics, which has place here As to the proprety
Of requiring nation formally disavow en- unjust pre-.
tension, before entering into negotiation with her or
she will not do so, o their telling her. we shall stand
upon public denial of your caI,n and will not ne
goiiae with you; j, seems TO me- that such course 10
equally honorable and polite. IS not Diplomatic his
tory full OF these efforts 10 procure such dsavowcs
and who before ever expressed doubt of the policy of
these measures Have we moi, time after time, endea.
vorcd 10 induce England 10 stipulate that she would
not impress ssamen from ships; And did you not,
III the course ofthe late negotiation with Lord Ashbur.
ton, strive 10 procure the solemn Abandonment of this
claim There is conclusive proof of tn in yonr letter
TO the British Minister of August 9Th, 1912, where
you say after having conversed with him. that the
Government of the United States does not see any
utility in opening such negotiation, unless the British
Gorernnent IS prepared to renouacc nc practice in all
future 1cars."
You remark also, il the same letter, that both be-
fore and snce The war, negotiations have taken place
between The two Governments, with the hope Finding
some means OF quoting theea complaints" (of impress
ment Yon a!!ude, Also to the convention formed for
this purpose by Mr.. King, in 1903, and to the ''utter
failure of many negotiations upon this subject"
Were ell these futess efforts, so long carried on,
Liable 10 the objection you raised that any nation cali
ing upon another to dsavow unjust pretensoa,
weakens lis cause, and "tha: no Interpolation Of
promise TO respect them Chat is, rights and Dig
n,y) ngenously woven into treaties, would be likely
TO afford such protsc iiob'"
Nov, what becomes Of the analoey YOU seek to e.
tablsh, and which, by rtduc,io ad Gbsurdum is in.
tended to show, that these conventional dsavowas Of
contested preens'ons skilfuy ex.or,ed p.omises
inconsistent with our dignity ard interests, What
becomes of the claim 70 sack towns in time &c
peace, and Of 'praesa.' which you !sen 10 Chinese
figures painted cities, 20 Tighten away The enemy
From the lime Of Washington 10 this day, almost every
Administration has sought :" procure from the British
Government solemn REIMBURSEMENT of her claim TO
impress ssamen, and before was il discover
ed, that the effort was unworthy and dshonorable
And during all the periods Of the long war between
England and France, at the clcse If the last century,
and beginning Of this, when The laws Of nations and
the rights Of neuiras equally con;er.ned how ma
ny attempts were made By our Government i, ;nsocc