Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-03-16
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
CORRESPONDENTS IL RELATION TO THE GUlNTuPLt
TREATY CoNcLuprDl


gust 30 announcing the conclusion Of a treaty wit
Great Britain, and accompanied by copy OF 1t and 0
the correspondence between the ministers charged WIZ
the negotiations, and directing me to make known .
MIR Guizot the sentiments of the American Government
upon that part the treaty. which provides tor the co
operation of the u s. the Efforts making 10 suppress
the African slave trade. thought would bes, full
your intentions by communicating copy, IN e1tcnSo
of your letter Tins | accordingly did yesterday
trust shall be able, before my departure, to trans
mi. to you the acknoa Judgement OF It's receipt by Mr.
Guizot.
In executing this duty, felt too we'll what was due
tom Government ana country To :ntimate any fe9fe
foreign power, tlt some declaration had not pre-
ceded the treaty, some stipulation accompanied H.
by which the extraordinary petens!on OF Treat BRIAN
TO search ships, al al! times and IN all places, mrs
put forth the world by Lord Pamerston on the 2'tt
August 1S4l and the 18th October following, again
perempory claimed as right by Lord Aberdeen, would
have been abrogated equally Incompatible with the
laws Of nations and with the independence OF The u ,
confined myself therefore, TO 4 simple communication
Of your letter
But this reserve ceases when | address my own Go
vernment, and, connected as feel my official conduc'
and reputation with this question Of the right of search
/ am sure shall find for what might other
wise be considered presumption, H. as one OF the last
acts OF my official career, submrto you and through
YOU 10 the President the peculiar circumstances IN
which placed by the conclusion OF this treaty,
and by the communication OF your letter 10 Mr.. Gu
got
Before proceeding further, however, permit me 10
remark, that re,oces more sincerely than DO
at the termination Of our difficulties with Great BrI-
tan so far as Meyare terminated. That country and
ours have many moral and material interests invol
we'd in their intercourse that their respective Govern
lnents and inhabitants may well feel more than ordina
ry solicitude for the preservation of peace between
these two great nations Our past history, however,
will be Improbable, if il DO not teach that unjust
pretensons, affecting our rights and honor best
met by being promptly repealed when i-st urged, and
BY being received in spirit of resistance worthy the
character ofour people and Of the grcp; rust coadtd
10 us the deposilsgieS of the freest sysiem of Go
vernnent which the worl! has yet witnessed.
had the honor, in my le,te. of the l7tl ui.imo, 10
solicit permission to return TO the 1. s That letter
written the day copy Of the Treaty. reached Pa
ris and the remark which then made TO you, that 81
could longer be useful here has been confirmed by
subsequent reflection and By the receipt OF your letter
and OF the correspondence accompanying IL feel that
could no longer remain here honorably for myself or
advanageously for our country.
In my letter TO you of the 18th February last,
t,"s COPY of my 'o,es, The ratification OF
the 2untupie Treaty for lie suppression OF the African
slave trade, took the liberty Of suggesting the pro-
priety Of demanding from Lord AShhurton, prev-
ousy to entering into any negotiation, distinct
nuncation OF this claim search vessels. though:
then, as do now, that this course was demanded by
just efrespec and would be supported by that trbu.
nal Of public opinion which sustains Government
when right, and corrects it when wrong. The preen-
son ITSELF of the most fragrant outrages which
could be aimed at independent nation and the mode
of its enuncation coolly con!emptuous di
pomatic ingenuity could suggest. We were told that
to the doctrine that American vessels free from
the search of foreign cruzers in time of peace, 'he
British Government never could or would subscribe.
And we were told, too, there 10 expect that
the U. S. would themselves become 10 the
same opinion; and tins expectation founded on the
hope, that 'hsy would cease 10 coniound Two things
which are in their nature entirely different, and would
look TO things and not 10 words And the very con-
GLIDING paragraph Of the British correspondence tells
u.s. IN effect, that may take Whatever course we
please but that Eo.and VIII adhere this pre;ension
to board vessels, when aud where her ma
lind them pur;ion of this paragraph is equally sig
nliicalive and nuceremonious cit is for the American
Government, says Lord Aberneen, "alone to deter
mine what may be due TO just regard for their nation
al dignity and national indie pendence. doubt II, in
the wide range cf modern diplomacy, more obnox-
ious claim has been urged in obnoxious man
ner.
This claim, thus asserted and supported, prompt
ly met and firmly repealed by the President in his
message at the commencement OF the last session 81
Congress-; and in your letter to me, approving the
had adopted in relation 10 the question of the
ratification by France Of the quniupie treaty. you con
slider the principles OF that message the established
policy of the Government. Under these circumstances
Of the assertion and denial Of this claim OF mari
time police, the eyes Of Europe upon these two
great naval powers, one of which had advanced pre-
tension and avowed her determination 10 enforce it.
which at any moment would bring them into collision
So far our national dignity was incorporated.
Bnt England then urged the L S. to enter into
conventional arrangement, by which might be
pledged to concur with her measures for the sup
preston of the slave trade Till then, we had executed
own laws IN our own way. But yielding 10 th:
application, and departing from our former princpl,
Of avoiding European combinations upon subjects no
American, siipus,ed in q solemn treaty, that We
would carry into effect laws, and fixed The
minimum force would employ for that purpose. -
Certainly, laudabe desire to terminate THIS horrible
mans stealing and selling may we'll Justify us il
going further, in changing Of the fundamental
principles OF policy, order TO effect this object
than would go TO effect any other. II is so much
more question of feeling than Of reasoning, that we
can hardly be wrong in yielding to that impulse which
leads TO desire to unite efforts with those of othe
nations for the protection of The sacred human
rights. But while making important concession
to the renewed application OF England it seems to me
might well have said to her, "Before treat upon
this matter there is preliminary question connected
with it, which mus, be settled We will do no ac
which may, by any possibility, appea, to be recogni
ton OF your claim TO search vessels That claim
has arisen out of this very subject. any rate this
subject has been the pretex for lis assertion and if we
now negotiate upon IT, and our concurrence is Welded
you must renquish, solemnly as you have an
nounced, this most offensive preenson If this is mol
done, by now making conventional arrangement with
you, and leaving you free TO take your course we
SHALL IN effect, abandon the ground we have assumed
and with it our rights and honor
In carefully looking at the seventh and e;shth
articles OF the Treaty. providing for cooperalioa
IN the measures for The suppression Of this traffic
do not see that they change the slightest degree the
Pree1isting right claimed by Grea, Britain 10 ares,
and search our vessels That claim as advanced both
by Lord falmerston and Lord Aberdeen, rested OIL
the ASSUMPTION that the Treaties between England
and other European powers, upon this subject, could
not be executed without lis exercise and that The hopp.
concurrence OF these p0.'es not ony justified tts erer-
I,k~
Treaty, We are 10 keep squadron upon the coast Of
Africa We have kept one there for years, during ;hc
whole term. indeed. Of these efforts pu, stop to hi
most Ubiquitous commerce. The effec, of the Treaty
is, therefore, 10 render It obligatory upon bya Con
vention, 10 do what have long done Voluntarily
TO place our municipal laws, in some measure, beyonc
the reach of Congressman to increase the strength
the squadron employed on this duty. Buff British
cruiser meet vessel bearing the American flag where
there's no American ship OF war 10 examine her. it i.