Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-05-17
n lbe remarks which we made day or two y


In the remarks which we made day or two ago
upon the tone of the government paper fegarul''s
our Foreign Relations, we were CAREFUL as - oui
wont, to make use Of no expression which couid
be tortured into personal application. we SPOKE
indeed, Of the necessity Of certain degree OF dig
nitv and decorum in the conduct OF our foreign re-
latons. and blamed what we considered the leyity
Of the government paper in such matters; afford
ina = our yeaders, at the same time, the fullest and
fairest opportunity Of judging between us and the
government paper by transferring to our columns
the article which was the subject Of our remarks.
Possibly, in our judgment of this matter we may
have been in the wrong, or, generally right we may
have erred in some particular. Perhaps, remem-
bering in what temper such questions were wont TO
be discussed during the administrations Of Pres-
dents JEFFERSON, MADISON, MONROE, and ADAMS,
by those who were honored by their confidence,
we may have expected too much from the change
which has been made from " the Globe" to the
Union,'' when we looked for revival, in the
new Administration paper OF the habits OF nose
good old times, when, instead Of clustering IN a
time of peace about crusade to the halls OF Mon
tezuma, or crusades any where, we were content to
maintain our oaon rights by argument as long as
peace lasted, and by arms, without vain boasting,
when war became inevitable. The organ OF the
Administration might have answered us, with some
plausbility that the character Of our countrymen
has undergone change since those days. and that
Mr. MADISON himself, could he be recalled to earth,
with his eminent virtues, his moderation in peace,
his frmness in war, his selfrespect and sefpos-
session under all circumstances, would be out Of
place at the head of the Government in our present
advanced state of civilization. All this the govern
inent paper might have shown in justification of its
unusual mode of handling questions of such inn
portance and delicacy as those which concern our
foreign relations. All this, and more, the govern
ment paper might have said, and said it, we dare
say, to the delight and edifcaton of its readers.
But, abstaining from direct reply to us, which
was perhaps polite, and which at any rate it had a
perfect right to do the government paper is JUS
titled in allowing an anonymous correspondent to
stand behind its back and dart his poisoned shafts
at us, as it has done in admitting into its columns
communicated article, in which we find the follow
ing passage:
as known, the organ of the British Government
for such excusiveness might conflict with its en-
gagements to the Mexicans. 1t is, however, we
believe, well informed to the views Of the Bril-
fish Ministry" &c.
The language of this passage is susceptible OF no
other construction than as assertion that the Ma
tional Intelgencer has engagements" of some
sort with the Mexicans," if it be not the organ
of the British Government
To such an assertion there can be no reply other
than that, by whomsoever made, it is detestably
false, and without the shadow of foundation; nor
less SO is the ianuendo which accompanies it.
The Editor of the government paper, by whom
this charge has been. no doubt, inadvertently ad-
mtted into its columns, will of course see to what
sheer malgnity that paper has been made the pan
der. We cannot for moment doubt that he will
at once disavow the Islander and infiict upon the
slanderer the rebuke which he deserves.