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0 or t « ft v*ond%nc t.
fitter from the Republican Members of the
V sw-Vork Legislature, to the President.
Albany, February 1332.
I'o his Excellency Andir-w Jackson,
President of the United Slates.
Sir—The under signed, in the perforin
sure of the duly with which they have been
charged by the republican members of the
legislature of the State of Nuw-York, have
the honor lo transmit herewith, the proceed
ings of a meeting belt) by them in the capi
tol of this State, on the 3d instant. In doing
so, they cannot restrain the expression of
the strong feelings of indignation with which
they view the act to which those proceedings
refer. _
A great majority of the citizen* of t is 1
State have given repeated evidence ot the
high estimation in which they held your ad-1
ministration of the affairs of the nation. Thei
inflexible integrity which has marked every
act of your public life—the more than mili
tary courage, with which the responsibilities
of your high station have been assumed, and l(
fdie constant regard manifested by you to the(|
patily of the Constitution, have strengthen- ,
cd their attachment to vour person aim your .
government; and they have been regardless,
*f dm manner in which the splendid career ,
~f a military lit-, has been followed by the,
many signal bussing* which your civt. a«M
ministration has bestowed upon uu 1 cou j.
tiy.
This State witnessed with pride, ,ne sc !
iec'ioo ot Mr. Van Buren by v, )UI Excel
lency as your Secretary of our citi - j
had given rerouted evidence of their!
•.on tide nee in bii'i. With the watch(ulnr»C
becoming a frre people, they had 7 gardudj
his conduct in the vari >us inations to which
he had been called, by the constituted au-1
ft. unties of the They had witnessed |
ns attachment, un.',cr all circumstances, to
.he principles of ibe democracy of the coun-!
» r y, and ,'ncy had then recently evinced di •{
extc.ii of their confidence by elevating him
to the highest (dime wi bin their gilt. I hey,
f„dt that your excellency’s removal of hiiU|
to a wider sphere was an act el justice at j
once to his capacity, honesty and fidelity toi
the constitution, and to the character id du-
Klate and die feelings ot its people, they
cheerfully ai quiesced in that removal cm
freely sun cohered their nmst distinguished
fellow citiz‘‘ii to your gall, because they re
cogn’ocd in it additional confirmation ot the
|.j a hoprs they find imbilied of the chaiac
ter of your administration. I iiey saw with
undissembled pleasure, his efforts to aid youi
Excellency in your successful attempt lo re
store thegovei nment to its puri.y; and when
ids withdrawal from the high station to
which yon 1 partiality had exalted him, be
came necessary lor the preservation ot your
pc ace ageinst (he attacks of those who were
alike enemies to your person and your pr.ll
- they beheld in your continued confi
dance in bun, irrefragib c proof, that no com
bination could close the eyes ot youi Ex
cellency, to die cause of your country, and
no personal considerations arrest youi ef
forts for die comm 11 welfare. I hey saw,
that amid the assaults made upon your prin
ciples by unfaithful servants, the honor of
our country was n t lost to your view, and;
(hey felt, that the same ardent patriotism!
which had bun manifested on die walls ot
New Orleans, had L mn brought into the ad
ministration ot die government. They sow
and felt this, in the effirt made by your Ex
cellency, to acquire by Tank and honest ne
gociatio ~ 11■ u 1 toe which wc had warred
with Great Britain; which had been aban
doned if not surrendered by sub'le dip'o
mucy; and upon which your Excellency, at
least, had not b •«"« silent.
The people of this whole country, ielt in
deed that their confidence in your Excellen
cy was not misplaced, tor they saw and
knew flu I no consideration* of a private
nature could for a moment affect your
ardent desire to promote the common
weal.
It is true they were aware that they ware
citV/ens in this Union, who could justify and
participate in this surrender of “tree trade
and sailor’s rights” who could “calculate
the value of the Uni in,” and could laugh at
cur calamities in a period of war and gene
ral distress. But they could not believe that
such feelings could sway any branch of our
hitherto unsullied government, and least of
.id, that they would ever dare coimvne to
imp ute the attempt of your Excellent j-, to
secure for our country, for vvhich we had
expended millions ot our money, &lor which
thousands of our citizens had laid dol Vl > their
lives.
Your Excellency has ever appreciated the
fee!i igs ot the people of this country, and it
will not now be difficult for you to judge of
those which pervade this whole community,
against an act unprecedented in the annals
of our country which fas impaired the hither
to exalted character of our national Senate
—which has insulted a State that yields to
none in attachm *n< to the Union; and which
■ii# directly attacked an administration that
u founded deep in the hff ctiuus of the peo
ple.
I'he Si&te of New-Yurk, sir, is expab'e in
*‘self, of avenging the indignity thus offered
to its character, iu the person of its favo.ite
sin.—Bat we should be unmindful of our
duty, if wc tailed in the iuoxpression ot our
Sympathy with your Excellency’s feelings
of mortification, at this degrad-ition of the
Country v>u have loved so well. Yet be as-j
*meu, that there ia a redeeming spirit
a pc >pla, and that those whom we have
the honor to represent, ardanlly Hatira at
opportunity of expressing their undiminiih
ed confidence in an administration, whief
' has exalted the charac'er of our country
jwlnch has restored the purity of the govern
ment, and haa shed abroad upon the whob
nation the continued blessings of peace am
; prosperity.
In the fervent hope, that your Excvllenc]
I 'may yet be spared many yaars to bless am
■pidoiii the only free nation upou earth, wi
•remain
Your sincere friends, and
Very humble servants,
; H. P. Tdllmage, John F. Hubbard,
Levi Beaidsley, Clias. L. Livingston,
J. VV. Edmonds, J. W. Williamson,
<i. Ostrander, Ed. Howell,
Peter Wood, William Seymour,
E. Litchfield. Jas. Hugh stun,
Aaron Remer, Win. H. Angel.
Thomas Armstror.!:.
I “ _
THE PRESIDENT'S REPLY.
Wv.hinotov,, February 23, 1832.
Oentleynm: 1 have had the honor to re
ceive y> ur letter of the 9th inst. inclosing
the res-.,lutings passed “ at a meeting of '.he
ItciMiolican members of the Legislature of
New-Yoi.K, on the rejection by the Senate
ol the ’United States of the nomination of
M'l’.un Van Buren as Minister to England.
I am profoundly greatful for the appro
•o it ion which that distinguished body of ir.y
• republican fellow-citizens of New York
have «a that occasion, been pleased to ex
press of the past administration of the af
fairs placed in my charge by the people of
jllie United S ates, ;.ml for their generous
|offi*)s of continued confidence and support.
iCoiiacious of the rectitude of my inlcn
{lions, my reliance, in .ill the vicissitudes of
liny public life, has been upon the virtue &
{patriotism of an enlightened people. Their
Igenerous support lias been my shield and
•my slay, when, in limes past, ilk z dims
{perforoiarice of the arduous military duties
{allotted to me, though crowned vvuh suc
cess, was sought to be made a ground of re
joroacb, and ibis manifestation on the pert
jof my follow -citizens of the great s'ate of
I New-York, assure? me that sci vices not
1 ]less taithiul in the rivil administration will
1 not be lens '••uccessUilly deiended.
When such reliance fails the public ser
■ vant, public liberty will be in danger; for
' if the people become insensible to indigni
’ ties offered to those, who, with puie inlcn
-1 nous devote themselves to the advancement
of the safety and happiness of tho country,
• public virtue will cease to be respected, and
1 public trusts will be sought for other re
wards than those of patriotism.
1 I cannot withhold my entire concurrence
1 with the republican members of the Legis
lature in their high estimation of their emi
nent fellow citizen, whom they have so ge
nerously come forward to sustain. To this;
1 will add the assurance of my undimipish-j
ed respect for his great public and private
worth, and my lull confidence in the irile-.
grity of his character.
In calling him to the department of stale
from the exalted station he then occupied
by the suliiages of the people of ins native
slate, I was not influenced more by hi* ac
knowledged talents ami public services,
than by the general wish and expectation
l Jol the Republican party throughout the Ull
- The signal ability and success which
{distinguished his administration of the du
' ties of tiiat department, have fully justified
'the selection.
I owe it to the late Secretary of State,
'{to myself, and to the American people, on
■{this occasion to stale, that as far as is known
{to me, he had no participation whatever
(jin the occurrence* relative to myself anil
the second officer of ihe government, or in
•jihe dissolution of the late cabine 1 ' and that
-'there is no ground for imputing to him the
' having advised those removals from office
• which, in (he discharge of my constitution
' {ill functions, it was deemed proper to make.
• During his continuance in the cabinet, his
{exertions were directed lo produce liarmo
ii]ny among its members ; and he uniformly
1 endeavoured to sustain his colleagues. His
£ final resignation was a sacrifice ol official
» station to what lie deemed the best mter
t.est* of the country.
-[ Mr. Mr Line, our then minister at Lon
tld-on, having previously asked permission to
r'return, it was my own anxious desire to
fjeommit the important points remaining o
-0 pen in our relations with Great Britain, to
0 a successor in whose peculiar fitness and
Ijcapacity I had equal confidence; and to
11 my selection Mr. Van Buren yielded a re
luctant assent. In urging upon him that
{sacrifice, I did not doubt that I was doing
ijthe best for the country, and acting in co
tjincidence with the public wish ; and it cer
f tainly could not have been anticipated that,
,j in the manner of successfully conducting
1 atul terminating an important and complex
-'{negotiation, which had previously received
Vi the sanction of both houses of Congress,
11 there would have been found motives for
I'embarrassing the executive action and for
t,interrupting an important foreign negutia
• lion.
I can never be ted to doubt, that, io the
1 instructions under which that negotiation
I relative to the trade with the British West
V Indies was conducted and successfully con
■ eluded, the people of the Uni ed S'ates will
find any thing either deiogatory to the in
i tiunal dignity ami honor, or improper for
such an occasion.
Those ports of the instructions which
'have been used to justify the rejection of
Mr. Van Huron’s oomiiutiun by the Senate
rf'Of th* Untied Stales, proceeded from in
i-lim n suggestion ; were the result of my ow
investigation and reflection; an
f,|now, as wlien they were dictated, appear t
i- 1 me to be entirely proper and consonant t
le my public duty.
d, I feel, gentlemen, that 1 am incapable c
tarnishing the pride or dig.ity of that coun
y! iy, whone glory, doth in the field arM in th
d (civil administration, it has been my obje^
0. eicvan ; i U-j| assured that the cxaltei
(attitude which the American people main
(tain abroad, and the prosperity with whici
jib ;y are blessed at home, fully attest ilia
jtheir honor and happiness have been unsui
1, dud >n my hands.
A participation in (he trade with the Bn
lish West India islands, upon terms mutu
ally sadsfactory to the United Stales and
Great Britain, had been an object of con
stain solicitude with our Government from
(its origin. During the long and vexitioUa
(history of this subject, various proportions
had been made with hut partial success ;
land ut the administration ol my immediate
predecessor, more than one attempt to ad
’ just it had ended in a total interruption ol
’ the trade.
I The acknowledged importance of this
'branch of trade, ihe influence it was believ
(■ cd to have had in elections which terminat
ed in the change of the administration, and
the general expectation on the part of the
people, that relieved elforts, on frank and
decisive grounds, might be successfully
made to recover, it, imposed upon use the
duly ol undertaking the task.
y Recently however, Great. Britain had
mure than once declined renewing the ne
go iation, and placed Iter refusal upon ob
jections which she thought proper to take
r* to the manner of our previous negotiation,
amt claims which had at various times been
made upon the p.c t ol our government,
Th- American government, notwiihstand
ing, continued its dlV's to obtain a partici
pation in the trade. It waived the claims
at hrst insisted upon, as well as the objec
tion to Hie imposition by Great Britain of
. higher duties upon the produce of the Uni
u>l Hiau-tt who-' imported into the West
[ [udirs, than upon the produce of her own
I possessions, winch objection had been tak
en in 1819 in a despitch of ibe then Seen-
Jta.y ol State,
A oarricipalion in the trade with the Brit
ish W. [. Islands could not have been, at any
lime demanded as a right, any more than
t in vhat to « lie British European ports. In the
posture of'affairs already advert'd to there
l’ to il, the Executive could ask nothing more
than to be pennitted to engage in it upon
(the terms assented to by his predecessor aud
J\vliich were the same as those previously ol
fered by Great Britain herself —Even these
had been denied to the Lie administration,
and lor reasons arising from the views eu
, tertaiued by the British goverumeut of our
'conduct in the past negotiations.
It was foreseen that this refusal might be
; repeated and on the same grounds. When
ill b xatno the duty of the Executive, rather
s than disappoint the expectations of the poo
i pie and wholly abandon the trade to con
. t.nue the application, tt was proper to meet
the objection to the past acts ol the Ameri
can administration, which objection, as had
, been foreseen, was actually made fur sbme
- time insisted upon.
)■ It is undoubtedly the duty of all to vus
. lain, by an undivided and patriotic front,
1 the action of the constituted authorities to
wards foreign nations; and this duty re
quires, that during the continuance of an ad
i ministration in office', nothing should be done
. to embarrass the Executive intercourse in its
r foreign policy, unless upon a conviction
j that it is erroneous A thorough change in
j the administration, however, raises up other
t authorities of i qu.vl dignity, and • qually on
u titled to respect; and au open adoption of a
e ilitferent course implies no separation of the
. different parts of the government; nor does
i, an admission of the inexpediency or im
g practicability of previous demands imply
. any want of respect for those who may have
maintained them,
s To defend the claims, or pretensions, as
I they had been indiscriminately called, on
- either side, in *he previous correspondence,
I which had been for a time urged by the
-;administration, would have been to defend
o what that administration, by waiving them,
0 had admitted to be untenable ; and il
that which had been by them conceded to
;i bo inexpedient, c mid not be sustained as
1 proper, I perceive nothing derogatory, and
a surely nothing wrong, in conducting the
- negotiation upon the common and establish
ed principle, that in a change of adminis
tration there may be a corresponding change
in the policy and counsels of the govern
ment. This principle exists and is acted
,lupon, in the diplomatic and public transac
vltions of all nations. The fact of its ex
it istencein the recent change of the adminis
-1 (ration of the American government, was
i,| as notorious as the circulation of the Ame
rjrican press could ivake it ; aud while its in
r fluence upon the policy ol foreign nations
-.was both natural aid reasonable, it was pro
per, according to my sense of duty, frank -
c ly to avow it, if tie interests of tho people
il of the United States should so require,
>1 Such was the motive, and such and no
■ thing more, is the true import of the in-
I structions, taken as a whole, which I di
- reeled to be given to our minister at Lon
-1 >u, and which >,iithor expressed nor im
plied condemnation of the government of
i the United States, nor of the late adminis
f (ration, further than had been implied by
J their own acts and admission-
ny I could nos reconcile it to my sense o
vn public duty, or of national dignity, that th
ml United States should sutler continued in
Injury or injustice, because a former admin
to t»t rat ton had insisted upon terms which i
had subsequently waived, or had (ailed sc*
o! sunably to accept an offer, which it had as
it terws'di been willing to embrace. Th<
lejconduct of previous administrations wa;
cl not to be discussed either for censuie or dc
:d iWice ; and only in case “ t'ne omission ol
I- (his government to accept ol the terms pro
;i> posed \ v heu heretofore offered,’’ should “be
it (urged as ad objection now,” it was made
l-'the duty of the minister “ to make the
(British Government sensible of the inj is
i- tice and inexpediency of such a course.”
Both the right and the propriety of set
tl ting up the past ads of previous adminis
jtraiiuns to justify the exclusion o! the U.
n'States from a trade allowed (o all o'her
s(nalions, was distinctly denied, and the in
s(structions authorised the minister to state
sithat such a course towards the United
e States “ under existing circumstances,
(would be unjust in itself; and could not
■Mail to excite the deepest sensibility—the
lone of feeling which a course so unwise and
Si untenable is calculated to produce, would
- doubtless be greatly aggravated by the con
-jsetousness that Great Britain has, by or-
I ders in council opened her colonial ports to
sjllussia and France, notwithstanding a simi
-1 lar omission on their part to accept the
Menus offered by the act of the sth July, 1
; 1825,” he was told “ that he could not press
(this view of the subject too earnestly upon
i'tbe consideration of the British ministry.”
- and (he prejudicial influence of a course on
■the part of the British government so un-(
ijwise and unjust upon the future relations
,'ot the two countries, was clearly announced
i in the declaration that “ it has bearings and
(relations (hat reach beyond (he immediate
question under discussion.”
If the British government should decline
Ean arrangement on the ground of a change 1
■|of opinion or in order to promote her own
((interests,” a prompt avowal of that purpose
| was demanded; but if they should not be
i( prepared to lake that ground, .‘‘but sutler
i jhemselves to desire that the United Stales
should in expiation of supposed past en
croachments, be driven to the necessity of
retracing their legislative steps without!
- knuiTk'dgn of its effect, and wholly depend-!
y ent upon the indulgence of Great Biitain,”(
i (hey were to !»e made sensible of the im!
e, practicability ol that course, & lobe taught
- to expect such measures on our part usj
j would vindicate our national interest aud
i honor. To announce distinctly to Great
1 Britain that we would not submit to a con
- linucd injustice, on the ground of any objac
; tion to the past conduct of the American
, government, whether it were right or wrong,
- was the obvious import of the whole inslruc
r tion..
If the executive had caused U to be stat
, ed to Great Britain that Hailing his psede
, cessors to have been in error, as was impli
r ed by subsequently waiving the terms they
had advocated, and had, in expiation of
those errors, abandoned the trade to the
. pleasure of the British government, the
linterests of the United States would have
jjsuffered, and their honor been reproached ;
e but in excluding such considerations, as in
appropiiate and unjust, and in clearly a
vowing his purpose not to submit to such
treatment, he hoped to promote the interests
' of his fellow citizens, and sustain the honor
and dignity of the country.
In all this,gentlemen, ! have the approba
e tion of my judgment & conscience. Acting
t upon, the principle, early announced, ot
n (asking nothing but what is right and submit
'ling to nothing that is wrong, I asked that
r ;only of which the justice could not ba deni
led. I asked a participation in the trade,
a ! upon terms just to the United States, and
mutually advantageous to both countries, I
s directed a simple and distinct proposition,
. in conformity with these principles, to be
submitted to the British government; and,
e resolving to be contend with nothing leas, 1
ultimately arranged the trade upon the basis
of that proposition, without retrac'ion, mo
llification or change. If the national honor
1 had not been thought tarnished by retracing
’ our steps, by claiming more and ultimately
consenting to take less, and in fact obtain
-1 ing, nothing I feel assured, that in requiring
J. that which my predecessors had conceded to
be enough, obtaining alt that was demand
-9 cd, my countrymen will see no stain upon
l their dignity, their pride, or their honor.
If I required greater satisfaction than I
e derive from a review of this sbbjcct, I should
' find it in the gratitude I feel for the success
i which has crowned my efforts. I shall
°i always possess the gratifying recollection,
'jthat I have not disappointed the expecta
tion of my countrymen who, under an ar
(rangement depending for its permanence
upon our own wisdom, are participating in
‘ j a valuable trade upon terms more advantage
ous than those which Ihe illustrious Father
‘ of his Country was willing to accept; upon
terms as favorable as (hose which regulate
* the trade under our conventions with Great
i Britain, aud which have been sought without
' (success from the earliest periods of cur his
e lory.
I pray you, gentlemen, to present to (he
i- republican members of the legislature ol
• New York, and to accept for yourselves
- individually, the assurance of my highest
- regard and consideration.
ANDREW JACKSON,
dj Messrs. N. P. Tallmage, Thomas Arm
•| strong, L-vi Beardsley, John F. Ilub-
T bard, I W. Edmonds, Chas. L. Living
ston, Gideon Ostrander, John M- Wii
of, Hamsun, Peter Wood, E. Howell, Ei'aiu
is, Litchfield, William Seymour, Aaron
i Reiner, Lines Hughston, William H
i-j Angel.
*' Yevy \atvi liom Europe,
e VIA NEW YORK.
s [a a second edition of the New-York
Courier Sf Enquirer, issued at 2i o’clock,
>f F. M on Siiuiiidj, we find the highly in
-1 teresling Foreign News, which is contained
e in fliis morning’s Courier,
e The most important intelligence by this;
e arrival, is (he account of a Conspiracy to
oyeriurn (he French Government, which cits-'
closed itself on the night of the Ist alt. but
- was put down, at least fur the present. Tha
- N«w-Yoik paper is full of the details, of
• which we have selected as much as we could
r find room for the morning.
-j The next subj .ct of interest, is the official
i recognition by France and England of Leu
i pold, as King of Belgium. The Plenipoten
, tiaiies of Russia, Piuisiaand Austria, stated
I (hat they had not up to the 31st January re
ceived the final instructions of their govern
-1 men* upon die subject; and at their request
I the protocol was allowed to remain open,
that it might be signed by them, if they
should hereafter receive instructions from
their respective governments to do »o. Lord
Palmerston stated, in the Mouse of Cod'
mons on the 4th ult. in answer to a question
put to him, that he confidently expected tha
f other three great powers would finally ratify
the treaty—tut a very different opinion is
expressed by sonic of the Loidon papers.
The King of Holland appears determined
not to submit to the conditions prescribed in
the treaty of partition, and at the last dates
was concentrating his army, all officers ab
sent on furlough, or otherwise, being order
ed to join their respective corps on or befotc
the Ist of March. The Prince of Orangv
& Prince Frederick were tn leave the 1 >gu;,
on the 3d ult. fer the head quarters at V-ms
le Due.
The enthusiasm of the Dutch people in tha
cause of their King, is evinced by the alac
rity with which the new loan required by tha
■ exigencies of the country is filled up, 77
millionshaving been subscribed m a very
f j short time.
l j The Cholera is increasing in North Bri
tain; there had been 344 cases and 98 deaths
’,at Musselburg, up to the Ist ult. and 5 cases
land 2 deaths in Edinburgh. The grand to
! tal in England and Scotland, as publisher!
tj on the 4th Feb. was 3418 cases, and 1009
I deaths.
Rumors had been circulated in London
that Lord Anglesey was about to quit the
Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland, but they were
1 not confirmed.
Office of the Courier &. Enquirer, New-Yerk, March JO.
Thirteen Dmjs Later from Europe.
Our ne.ws schooner the Courier & Enquire
er, boarded yesterday, CO miles east of San
dy Hook, the packet ship Sampson, Capt,
I Chadwick, and arrived at the city this mor-
Jningat 11 o’clock. We are indebted to Capt.
Chad wick for a London evening paper of the
1 1 6th Feb and have received by the Sampson
Ijour regular files of Lloyd’s Shipping Lists,
’ & London papers to the morning of that day.
The Sampson sailed from Portsmouth on
, the evening of the 7th February. She has
4 j not yet been telegraphed.
J A conspiracy of some importance, it will
jbe perceived, has been discovered at Paris,
. 1 but immediately put down ; the debates io
r ! the Chambers on the Budget continues and
fat times art; as acrimonious and violeu as
u-ual. The celebrated Sect of St. Sim*
(Imonians have attracted the attention of
—the Chief has been seized and
the Hall in which they held their sittings
| closed.
[ England and France have taken a deci
ded step in Belgain Affairs. They have
’jratified the Treaty agreed on by the Lon
;don Conference. We give the official di*
[ plomatic proceeding* on this interesting
j question. The two Governments it is said
_ have held the most decided language to the
pother powers.—The seizure of M. Steven» 0
She Ghent Editor, is justified by Leopolds
on the grounds that he instiga
ted the Belgian troops to desert. The ques
tion of the demolition of the Belgian for
’ tresses, it is asserted, has been arranged.
. The Belgian Government it is stated in an
; article from Brussels, desirous to establish
|as soon as possible commercial relatione
['with the United States, intends to send thi-
I ther immediately M. Desire Behrens, Min
giister-President.
I I The Reform Bill is still dragging on slow
ly in the House of Commons. Sir Henry
. Parnell, (lie Secretary of War, has rcsign
. ;t'd. He absented himself from the House
E on a question embracing the foreign policy
adopted by the British Government.
.) Four of the Bristol rioters have been hung,
r the rest pardoned. The court martial on
Capt. Warrington was still sitting. An im
e intense mob had collected at Manchester,
t in obedience to the call of the Political U ■
( nion Society, and been dispersed by the
. civil and military authority.
The state of Italy, it will be seen from on?
e extracts, is very unsettled.
I All exportations cf bullion from England
s ito the continent had ceased, but the E:
, changes had not sufficiently risen to brin
it back again.
Don Pedro had taken format leaver
. Louis Peillippe, preparatory to embarking
.on his projected invasion of Portugal, lie
.. was dressed i:ia Portuguese Field Martial*?
.uniform.