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respectiug the cruisers themselves, and -which by his
literal exposition would be defeated. You do not seem
to be aware of the dilemma, to which this mode of
reasoning exposes you. If Mr. Hammond be correct,
then are your complaints against the admission of prizes
and our anxiety to prevent it, wholly unfounded : and
our harbours may swarm with them. If he be incorrect,
the concession amounts to nothing. Between us it surely
is of no avaiL-'whether a british_ minister reasons well,
or ill ; though I do not recollect, that he has repeated
this branch of his position, since he has been apprised
of its tendency. Wheresoever truth lies, it is our duty
to follow ; and I rest our construction upon this franc
principle : that notwithstanding the letter of the treaty,
its spirit, its context, and the rules of interpretation will
uphold the regulations of our government.
In a procedure like this, it will not be easy to find
a leaning or subserviency to Great-Britain. It is a lea-
ning and subserviency to the character of our nation.
Your letter strongly demonstrates the propriety of my re-
mark, that a neutral nation, while it defends itself against
charges from one of the warring powers, may seem to
palliate the misdoing of another» But we surely ought
to have been exempt from this reflection ; as you are
particularly desired not to infer from my justification of
the executive that the validity of the proclamation of
blockade is assented to ; as you admit, " that we are
indignant at the injuries which Great-Britain has done
us;" and as we have employed no argument which
is not derived from national law. Until you shall per-
mit yourself to be more specific in your accusations,
we cannot surrender the consciousness of our political
purity.
It is with real regret, that I read in your last letter
an idea, that we have not done justice to your pro-
clamation, to your displeasure at the crew of the Con-
corde, and to your general conduct towards our govern-
ment. Hoi* much more is that regret increased, when
«nyofmy expressions can be wrought into an attempt