The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1810-06-19 00:00:00, page 2

judicial departments, are they not, so far as
character has a claim, justly entitled to our
highest respect, confidence and support t—
From men let us tarn our attention to tnea
sures; let us view the conduct of the fede
ral government, from the first burst oF the
Gallic Volcano, to this day ; let us look at
them on the honorable ground of neutrality,
charged, in turn, by each belligerent, with
mean degrading partiality, and repelling
with dignity, the unprovoked attack See
our federal tillers, robed in justice and ho.
nor, whilst Jiurofic convulsed to the cen
ter, has been in one great blaze of war. pre
•erving.for a series of years, their unoffend
ing spates in peace. Behold them, in the
choice of unavoidable evil*, struggling with
the impatience and afflic ions of the people,
under the painful, but indispensable opera,
tion for preserving the vital fluid of the na.
tion, their active property—And then let us |
declare the correct judgment of candour
and truth on the conduct of our government.
Whilst we admit that there is no perfeeti.
on in human nature, and that the greatest
men do often err ; let us not construe the ]
errors of honest functionaries into crimes ;
»ei us pia.ce in me opposite scale, tneir me.
titoriuus acts, and at least give them full
credit for the balance. When this is done,
tnay we not with truth declare, that the Fe
deral Givermnent have done well, and are
good and faithful servants of the public.
The provisions made by the constitution
and laws for the establishment and promo
tion of.literature, relig;on, morality and the
social virtues, supported, as they have been
and assuredly will be Dy Government, can
not fail.to attain their desirable objects.— <■ ■■
They are the true and only sources of pre
sent and future happiness. Without these
'tjoalities, what is man i A living sepulchre |
"With a fair and deceitful exterior, and an •
impure and polluted mind ;-8c possessed
of »hi m, is he not “ the noblest work of
G d ?*’ H m important then to society, is
the patron.fgv: of Gover ment for the insti
tu ion and support of schools, academies and
Colleges ? These are the inexhaustible
fountains of true piety, morality and litera
ture ; an l tbe solid foundation of liberty,
ha'uval Honor, and public happiness.
In the channels of husbandry and com
tnerce, flows in a great measure the active
property of this state. These are natural
allies, the aid of One is indispensible to the
o her, and it is fortunate fur both, that there
is a coincidence of friendship and interest
betweeh them. They are the great pillars
of this Commonwealth, and not a right of
^either" ought to be invaded, or impaired,
whilst she in subordination to the gene
ral government, has an arm to protect them.
Industry and enonomy, those great sour
bes of wealth, cannot be too much encoura
ged and supported. Happily for this coun
try, they in numerous instances, are inlist -
ed in the service of manufacturers and me
chanics. These valuable and important
classes of onr fellow citizens, have a just de
mand on government, for every reasonable
encouragement and support. Their pursuits
are practicable patriotism, and whilst our
national and state parchments, establish
our independence of right, their measures,
more solid, are establishing for us, an inde
pendence indeed.
When we reflect that the United States
are in possession of numerous blessings, po
litical, civil and religious, many of which
are not enjoyed by any other nation: that
we are remote from those scenes of war and
carnage; by which Europe is vested in sa
ble : that we enjoy the nncontroled right, on
principles of *rue liberty, to form, alter, and
carry into effect oiir federal and slate con
pritutinns : that founded on them and on law,
there exists a spirit of toleration, securing
toe» ery one the undisturbed rights of consci
ence, and the free exercise of religion : that
the people, at rtxed periods, have the choice
ot their rulers; andean remove those who do
■wrong ; that the means of ednea'ion in ail its
bianches, are liberal, general and successful:
that their national strength, resources and
powers, by proper arratgements, may ren
der these states invincible ; that by our hus
bandry. commeice, nvtnufacures, and me
cnanicai aria, tne wealth ol this country al_
most surpasses credibility ; let us not be
prompted by imprudent zealots of any des..
crip lion, to hazard the irretrievable loss of
all, or of any of these inestimable blessings ;
but let us secure them forever, with the aid
of divine providence, by rallying around the
standard of our national government, and
by encouraging and establishing a martial
spirit, on the solid foundation of internal
peace, order, and concord.
Accept. Gentlemen, I pray you, my un
feigned thanks, for your patience on this oc
casion, which I consider as a pledge of your
fmure liberality towards me ; unnecessary,
as my observations may be in regard to in
formation to yourselves, they have afforded
wean opportunity of discharging my obliga
tions to the public, by unfolding matters
■which may have impressed your minds with
much. if not with equal importance. As the
season requires, that for the benefit of the
c- uutry, your session should he short, nothing
shall be wanting on my part to promote your
objects. However interesting 10 the public
your measures may be, they will not ex
cecd my anticipations: and be always as_
sured, that consistently with obligations of
an rfheial nature, they will ever receive my
cordial co operation and support.
Anv other Communications, Gentlemen,
Which nuy be requisite, shall be submitted
to your consideration by message.
E GERRY.
Fnlnar J<me8.
In the House for the choice of a SMinor
to Congress, the whole number of votes
We re
48 8
II a. Joseph R Varnumhad ^Ot
Ho ■. Timo hy Pickering ISO
Scattering y
Sent up to the Senate for Concurrence,
where iiis presumed the votes will be 20
And 20.
IN SENATE— lone 6.
linn. Messrs. Dana ami Starkweather
irere clinscn a committee to inquire what
public fussiness ought to hr done the present
aession dt the Legislature, anti when they
nicy have a recess. Messrs. Poster, Ives
and Manri, of the house, were joined.
The honorable Mr. Ashman, a federalist,
offered a Kesolmion for the pnrpose ofrai
#«»K the Oovei'hor’s Salary—comftiitted.
JijirnjoRR, June 12.
THE JOHN ADAMS
Arrived thin morning in 51 dtitja from
ihvrr, in France. Thin anxiously eJtfiec
leaf igare bring* no unofficial tinea that
we can learn She, in general term*, cmi
fit tns ihe refiealtdaccounts tf the Amerieun
property being condemned in France, &e.
Ca/it. S. Evans, commander of the John
Adams, and the Messenger, landed at jin_
napolis and proceeded to Washington, with
despatches. Passengers in the John Adams
Messrs. Henry Fulford, John Holmes,
Henry M'Gruih, Christopher Green.
Fed Gaz.
WjsuiSGtON, June 13.
THE JO HAT ADAMS ARRIVED.
We are at length enabled, to aunoui.ee
with certainty the arrival of the John A
dams, at Annapolis af'era long and bois
teroun passage. She Irfl Havre the2A'h of
April, and met with almost a constant
succession of westerly winds during the
voyage.
| Captain Fenwick, the bearer of despair
dies from France, arrived in this city last
I evening, The Contents of the despatches
i have not yet transpired.
We learn from Cap'ain Fenwick, that
I General Armitrong.our minister in France.
( had proposed returning to the U. States in
I the John Adams, but had found her accom
| modations inconvenient for his family. It
was understood that he had taken his pas.
sage in a vessel to sail from Bordeaux-, Cf
indeed fhat part of his baggage had been al
ready forwarded to that place.
Captain Fenwick brings no continental
news of importance, whichhas not been an
ticipated by other arrivals.—Nat. Int.
FROM THE NATIONAL INTELLI
GENCER EXTRA.
London,- February 19th, 1810.
SIR,
I received on the 12 th inst. by Mr.Povr
el, whom I had sent some time before to
Fi ance, a letter from General Armstrong,
of which a copy is enclosed ; and keeping
in view the instructions contained in your
letter to me of the 11th of November last, I
have written to Lord Wellesley, to enquire
whether any, and if any, what blockades of
France, instituted by Great Britain during
the present war, before the 1st of January,
1S07, are understood here to be in force.—
A copy of my letter to lord Wellesley is
enclosed.
It is not improbable that this official en_
quiry will produce a declaration, in answer
to it, that none of those blockades are in
force; and I should presume that such a
declaration will be received in France as
substantially satisfy ing the condition announ
ced to me by gen. Armstrong.
I am not aware that this su^j^ct could
have been brought before the British go
vernment in any other form than that which
I have chosen. It would not, I think, have
been proper to have applied for a revucaii
on of the blockades in question, (at least,
before it is ascertained that they are inex
istence) or to have professed in my letter to
Lord Wellesley, to found upon Gen. Arm
strong’s communication my enquiry as to
their actual state. I have, however, suppo_
sed it to be indispensable (and nave sided
accordingly) that I should explain to Lord
Wellesley, in conversation, the probability
afforded by General Armstrong’s letter, that
a declaration by thi$ government, to the ef
fect above mentioned, would be followed by
the recal of the Berlin decree.
I cannot, perhaps, expect to receive from
Lord Wellesley an answer to my letter, in
time to send a copy by the John Adams,
now in the Downs or at Portsmouth ; but 1
will send it by an early opportunity, and
will take care that General Armstsong
shall be made acquainted with it without,
delay.
I have the honor to be,
With great consideration,
Sir.
Your most obedient,
Humble servant,
Wm. PINKNEY.
P. S. March 23, 1810—Since the wri
ting of this letter Lord Wellesley has sent
me the answer (of the 2d inst.) of which a
copy is now enclosed. It was not satisfacto
ry, and I pointed out its deficiencies to lord
Wellesley in conversation and proposed to
him that I should write him another letter
requesting explanations. He assented to
this course, and I have written him the let
ter of the 7th inst. of which also a copy is
enclosed. His reply has been promised very
frequently, but has not yet been received.—
I have reason to expect that it will be suf
ficient; but I cannot think of detaining the
corvette any longer. The British packet
will fuenish me with an opportunity of for
warding itto you; and I will send Mr. Lee
with it to Paris, by the way of Morlaix.
I have the honor to be, &c.
Wm. PINKNEY.
The Hon. R. Smith, kfc.
(COPY.)
From General Armstrong to Mr. Pink.,
nry.
Paris, January 25, 1810.
SIR,
A letter from Mr. Secretary Smith of
the 1st of December last, made it my duty
; to enquire of his Excellency the Duke of
jCadot-e, what were the conditions on whicJj
jhis Majesty the Emperor would annul his
j decree, commonly called the Berlin decree ;
and whether, if Great Britain revoked her
blockades of a date anterior to that decree,
his Majesty would consent to revoke the
said decree ? To these questions I have
this day received the following answer,
which I hasten to convey to you by a spel
cial messenger—
ANSWER
" The only condition required for the re
vocation by his Majesty the Emperor of the
decree of Berlin, will be a previous revoca
tion by the British government of her block
ades of France or part of France, (such as
that from the ElUe to Brest, See ) o. a date
anterior to that of the aforesaid decree.”
I have the honor to be.
With very high respect, &c.
(Signed)
JOHN ARMSTRONG.
(COPY.)
Great Cumberland Place,
February IS, 1810.
My LonD,
In pursuance of the intimation
winch I had tht honor to give to your Lord
sh»[> a few days ago, I beg to trouble your
Lordship with an enquiry, whether any,
and i! any, what blockades of France, insti
tuted by fJrrat Britain during the present
•var, before the In day of January, 1*07,ate
understood by It < Majesty’s government to
br io foifc. I am not able at present (o spei
cify more than one of the bloc kades to which I
this enquiry applies; namely that from the
Elbety Brest, deeUiefl in May, <806, aod
afterwards limited and modified; but I shall
be much obliged to your Lordship for pre,
cise information as to the whole*'
1 have the honor tube.
With the highest consideration,
M* Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient,
Humble servant,
"(Signed)
Wm. PINKNEY.
The most noble
The Marquis Welleslev, &c &c;
Foreign Office, March2,1810.
SLR,
I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your note of the fifteenth ultimo,
wherein you request to be informed whether
any. aud if any, what blockades of France,
instituted by Great Britain during the pre
srnr war, before the first day ol January,
1807, are understood by his Majesty’s go.
vernment to be in force f I have now the
honor to acquaint you, that the coast, rivers
and ports from the river Elbe ro Brest, both
inclusive, were notified to be under the re.
strictions of blockade, with certain modifi.
cations, on the 16:h of May, 1806; and that
these restrictions' were afterwards comure
hended in the Order of Council of the Till
of January, 180T, which order is still in
force.
I have the honor to be.
With great consideration.
Sir,
Your most obedient,
Humble servant,
(Signed) WELLESLEY.
William Pinkney, Esq.
(COPY.)
Great Cumberland Place,
7th March, 1810.
Mr Lobs,
I have had the honor to receive
your Lordship’s answer, of the 2d inst. to
my letter of the 15th of last month, con
cerning the blockades of France instituted
by Great Britain during the present war
befoic the first day of January, 1807.
I infer from that answer that the blockade
notified by G Britain in May, 1806, from
the Kibe to Brest, is not itsell in force, and
that the restrictions which it established,
rest altogether so far as such restrictions
exist at this time, upon an Order or Ordeis
in Council issued since the first day of Janu
ary. 18Q7.
I infer also either that no other blockade
of r ranee was instituted by Great Britain
dining the period above mentioned, or that,
if any other was instituted during that peri„
od, it is not now in force.
May I beg your Lordship to do me the
honor to intorm me whether these inferences
are correct, aad if incorrect, in wiiat respects
they are so?
I have the honor to be,
With the highest consideration.
Mv lord.
Ymir Lordship’s most obedient.
Humble servant,
(Signed)
Wm. PINKNEY.
The moat noble
The Marquis Wellesley,
etc etc. etc.
Extract of a letter from Mr. Pinkney to
Mr. Smith, dated March 27, 2810.
“ I have the honor to enclose a copy of
Lord Welleslex’s reply to my letter of ihe
; 7th inst. respecting the British blockades of
France before the Berlin decree.
“I do not think it of such a nature as to
justify an expectation that General Aim
strong will be able to make any use of it at
Pans ; but I shall nevertheless convey to him
the substance of it without delay.”
sir°reign 0rriCE’ March 26th. 1810>
I have the honor to acknowledge the re
ceipt of your letter of the 7th inst. request
ing a further explanation of my letter of the
2d. concerning the blockades of France in„
i stituted by Great Britain during the pre
I8f7 War> before the first daJ’ of January,
1 he blockade notified by G. Britain in May
1806, has never been formally withdrawn ;
it cannot therefore be accurately staled, that
the restrictions, which it established,’ rest
altogether on the order of council of the 7th
January, 1807 ; they are comprehended
under the more extensive restric.ions of that
order. No other blockade o* the ports of
j France, was instituted by G. Britain between
the 16 h of May. 1806, and the 7th rf J mu
ary, 1807, exceptingthe bl ckaflt of Venice,
instituted on the 27.a of J.ilj, icoG, which
is still in force.
I beg you to accept the assur tnce* of high
consideration, with which I a.ive the honor
to be, sir,
Your most obedient,
humble servant,
(Signed)
WELLESLEY.
William Pinkney, Esq.
etc. Ctc. etc.
London, Monday, 2nd April, 1810
SIR,
I had the honor to receive on Saturd
last (by Dr. L'gan in the British Pack
your letters of the 20-.li Jan. and I6.ii i
bruary.
I have only time to add that I am to i
Lord Wellesley to..morrow.
I have, the honor to be.
With great consideration.
Sir,
Your obedient humble servant,
Wm. PINKNEY
The hon Robert Smith,
etc. etc. etc.
n
Cofiy of a letter from General Jr m.it rang
to the duke of Cadore, dated Pari* '2\st
+cb. 1810.
The Minister Plenipotentiary of the U.
States has the honor to submit to Hi9 Excel
lency the Duke of Cadore the copy of a let.,
ter this instant received from B.vyonne, and
begs trom iiim an explanation ot the circum
stances mentioned in it.
“ The Ministerial dispatch under date of
the 5 It inst. is arrived at S'. Sebastian
bearing an order for the immediate trans„
portation, in small vessels, of all the seqnes
tered American cargoes, to Bayonne, lobe
placed in the CustomJmuse there. This
news is public at St Sebastian ; hut what is
not so as vet, is. that the same order says
,. “ 1st. That these cargoes are to he rent
to Bayonne, whether »hc commodities of
which they are composed may have come
frrm English commerce or fj-orn the produce
of the toil of the U. State:>.
*' 2ndly. That llicy should he sent to the
Custom house of that place lo be Solti there.”
The minister plenipotentiary offers to his
Excellency the assurances of his high con
sid-'rAtiou. ,
(Signed)
JOHN ARMSTRONG.
General Jtrmatrong to Mr. Smith.
Paris, 18th February 1810.
I wrote a few lines to you yesterday an
nouncing the receipt and transmission of a |
copy ot the Duke bt C adore*s note to me of
the 14th inst.
Afier much serious reflection I have tho’t
it best to forbear all notice at present of the
errors, as well of fact as ^f argument, which
may be found in the introductory part of that
note ; to take the minister at his word ; to
enter at once upon the pr<«posed negociati -
on, and. for this purp>>se, to offer to him a
project for renewing the convention of 1800
This mode will have the advantage of try
ing the sincerity of the overtures made by
him, and perhaps of drawing from him the
precise terms on winch his m is»er will ac
commodate. If these he ^uch as we ought to
accept, we shall have a Treaty, in which
nei her our rights nor our wrongs will be
forgotten ; if otherwise, there will he enough,
both of time and occasion, to do justice to
their policy and our own, by a free exami
nation of each,
1 have the honor to be.
Sir,
with very grra* respect.
Your unoit obedient and
very humble servant,
(Signed)
JOHN ARMSTRONG.
Hbn. Hobart Smith
Extract of a Ic'tcr to the same from the
fsuntr.
*' 10th March. I *u>ve at length rertiv_ I
cd a \erlv.il message in answer to my note or
the 21st ult. ft was fron the minister or
foreign relations, and in the following words ;
** His Majesty has decided to sell the Ame
rican property seized in Spain, but the mo
ney arising therefrom shall remain in de_
pot.” This message has given occasion to
a letter from me marked Na. 2.”
(No, 2.) Paris, 10th March, 1810.
SIR.
I had yesterday the honor cf receiving
a verbal message from your excellency, sta_ j
ting, that “hfs Majesty had decided, that the !
American property seized in the ports of
Spain should be sold, but that the money
ari«ing ‘herefrom should remain in depot.”
On receiving this information, two ques
tions suggested themselves—
1st Whether this decision was, or was
not, extended to ships, as. well as to cargoes;
and
2d. Whether the money arising from the
salts whith might be made under it, would,
or would not, be subject to the issue of the
pending nrgociation ?
The gentleman charged with the deliver*
of your message not having been instructed
to answer these questions, it becomes my du_
ty to piesent them to your excellency, and
to request a solution of them. N r is it less
a duty, on my part, to examine the ground
on which his majesty has been pleased to
take this decision, which I understand to be
that of refiritat suggested for the first time
hi the note you did me the honor to write
tome on the 14th ultimo In rhe 4*Vi para
graph of this notfc, it is said, that •• His ma
jesty could not have calculated on the mea
sures taken by the U, States, who, liaxing
no ground ; of. complaint against France,
have cnmprisfetfrher in their acts of exclu„
ston, and smee the mouth of May last have
prohibited the entry into their ports of
French ve%i»e!s, by subjecting them to coti,
fiscation ”
i It is tnir*. that the U States have since
' thr 20 h of May last foi bidden the entry of
French vessels into their harbors—at.d ii is
also true that the penalty of confiscation at.
; taches to the violation of this law. Hat in
what respect doer this offend France?
Will she refuse to us the right of regulating
commerce within our own ports? Or will
she deny that the law in question is a regu
j latiou merely municipal ? Examine it both
' as to the object & means—what does it more
than forbid American ships from going into
the ports of France, and French ships from
coming uim muse or me u. htates f And
why this prohibition ? To avoid injury and
in.-ult ; to escape that lawlessness, which is
declared to be “ a forced consequence of the
decrees of the British council.” If then its
object be purely defensive, what are its
me-ms ? Simply a law, previously and gen
erallv promu'gn'ed. operating solely within
the territory of he U. States, and punish,
ing abke the infractors of it, whether citi
zens of tlie said states, or others. And what
, is this but the exercise of a right, common
to all nations, of excluding at their will
reign commerce, and of enforcing that ex
c'liHinn ? Can this he deemed a wrong to
France ! Can this lie regarded as a leghi
• rtiate cause of reprisal on the part of n-pnw.
1 er. who makes it ihe first duty of nations to
! defend their sovereignty and who even de
nationalizes 'he ships of those w!u> will net
subscribe to the opinion ?
But it has been said that the “ U. States
had n -thing to complain of against France.”
I Was the capture and condemnation of a
ship driven on the shores of France by stress
I of weather and the perils of the sea—t.o
thing? Was the scisute and sequestrnt'.ou
of many cargoes brought to France in ships
violating no law and admitted to regular en
try at the imperial custom houses— nothing ?
Was the violation of our maritime rights,
consecrated as they have been by the solemn
fmms of a public treaty—nothin^- ? In a
word, was it nothing that our ships were
burnt on the high sras, without other offence
than that of belonging to die IJ. States ; or
other apology, than was to lie found in the
enhanced safety of the perpetrator ? Surely
if it lie the du'y df the U. Sues to renent
the theoretical usurpations of the British or
ders oi Nov. 1807, it cannot be less their du
ty to comftlatn of the daily and practical
outrages on the part of France ! It is indeed
true that were the people of the U. States
destitute of policy, of honor a:ul of energy
(ns has been insinuated) tiiey might have a
doptetl a system of discrimination between
the two great belligerents; they might have
drawn imaginary lines between the first and
second aggressor; they might have resented
in the one a conduct to which they tamely
submitted in the other, and in this way have
patched up a compromise between honor
and interest, equally weak and disgraceful.
But such was not the course they pursued :
aud it is pet haps a necessary consequence of
the justice of their measures that i hey art
at tins day an independent nation. But I
will not press mis pait of my subject ; it
would be off oi.tiul to your excellency (know
ing a* you do, tout there ate nut less than
onehundml Amerlcnn ships within hi* mu.
jesty’s pm session, nr that ol hfsuUic») towt*£
• iply proofs that the U. States have grotads
of complaint against Fiance.
My attention is necessarily called to aw>.
ther part of the same paragraph, which io.~
mediately follows the quotation already
made, v As soon,” says your excellency.,
“as His Majesty was informed of this measure
(the n. n intercourse law) it became hi* duty
to retaliate upon the American Vessels* not
only wiihin bis own territories, but also with- /
in the countries under his influence. Ik the '
ports of Holland, Spain, Italy and NapJtn.
the American vessels have been seized, be.
cause the Jmcric-jna had seized French
vesnel»”
These remarks divide themselves into the
following heads:
1st. The right of His Majesty to setxe
and confiscate American vessels, within his
own territories.
2d. The right to do so within the territo
ries of his allies ; and
3d. The reason of that right, viz.** fe<
canae Americana had seized French m
*eU. ”
The fi'-st of these subjects has been also*
dy examined ; and the second must be deci
ded like the first, since His Majesty's rights
wimin the limits of his ally cannot be grat
er than wi-hin his own—If then it has
shewn, that tIre non intercourse Iaw was
merely defensive in its object ; that it was
but intended to guard against that state of
violence which unhappily prevailed ;darit
was restricted in ns operation to the terri
tory of the United Spates, and that it w»
duly promulgated there and m Europe be-'
foie execution - l will be afraost mmeces*.
S“'T 10 repeat, that a tew of such a descri®
ttoti cannot authorise a measure of reprisal
equally stiddeu and silent in its enacnaeat
oc application, tonadfdi-n no previous mtit;
productive of no previous complaint, and 6
pt rating beyond the limits of His'MafesScY
territories and within those of sovereign*'
who had even invited tlie commerce of tke
United St-,vies to their ports.
It is therefore the third subject only, the
recnon of the right % which remains to be
examined ;and with regard to it I may otr
serve, that if the alledged fact which forms
this reason be unfounded, the reason itself
fads and tile right with it. In this view t£
the business I maybe permitted to enquire'
when and where any seizure of a French
vessel nas taken place under the non inter
course law ? and at the same time toexprcaa
my firm persuasion, that no such seizure
has been made : a persuasion founded alike,
on the silence of the government and of the
journals cf the country, 8c still more <*, the
! P0®dive declaration of several well informed
and respectable persons who have left /k
| merica as late as the 2dih of December Ia*st.
1 My conclusion therefore is—-that no French
' vessel having violated the law. no secure o3
, such vessel has occurred, aud that there
upon which has reached Paris is probably
founded on a circumstance altogether urn- '
connected with the nou~intevcoujse tew or
its operation,
' , 1 bough far from wishing, to proloug this
tet'er, I cannot close it without rental king
Srt*.at a|td sudden .change wrought i«
His Majesty’s sentiments widi regard or the
defensrae system adopted bv Uic United
b.ates. Tiie law, which is now believed io
lurni-h ground for reprisal, was first cm.
municated to His Majesty in Jane or
last, and certainly did not then excite any
suspicion or feeling unfriendly to tl>e \«,e
ricai: guyetunseat. Far from this, it* corn^
municaribn was immediately fallowed by
overtures of accommodation, whic.li, hoti 'it
productive of no positive arrangement ({»'!•
not make matters worse Ilian they found.
, them. ■
| ,Un the 32d of August last I was honored
wuui a full exposition of the views and prin
ciples which had governed, and which should
continue to govern His M jest , *s p they Lx
relation tothe United Sates, and in this we
do not find the slightest trace of cnm.datB*
against the provisions of the law in <yies,
lion. *
At h period later than the 22d of Mio,,,*
an American ship, destined to a port of Spain
was captuicd by a French putateer ‘
appeal was made ta His Majesty’S minis.er
of war, who, having submitted die case re
ceived orders to liberate all America % vs
sels destined to punish fiorr,Jt wince. n-l
not violated the Jtujn-rial decrees.
A not tier American ship, at a point r.f
time still later than tii<» capture of the pre>
ceding, was hr night into the port of Bty
onue, but having viola'cd no law of Tits
M jesty. was acquitted by his council of
prizes: and lastly —
In the long conversation I had the 'lrwmr tyf
holding with your excellency on the 25ih >f
January, no idea of reprisal was maintained
by you nor suspected by no; but on the coot r^
ry, in speaking of the seizure of American
Pr pt> ly in Spam, you expressly declared
that it was not a confiscation.
Can proofs be moie conclusive, tha’ from
the fii ji promulgation of the law down tot've
^Jdi of January last, nothing in she n-'iue
ot reprisal was Contemplated by His M jej.
vv .»at orcumst&nce may hare since ocm
! cur red to produce a change in his opinion.
I know not ; bnt the confidence I feci iu the
I open and loyal ptiiicy of 11 is Majesty, alto
i gether excludes the idea, that the rule was
I merely found f »r tlie occasion and made to
jus ity seizin cs not otherwise jus. ifi lOle.
I pray yo.ir Excellency to accep., Sc:. &c.
(Signed)
JOHN ARMSTRONG,
j Ilia I.7f<'ll,’vcv the Duke of Cadore,
Aiinialcr of Exterior Heiuuona.
Extract of a letter from General StrmU
airor.tr to Air. Smith, doled J’ans the
4'A sljiril 1810.
A Per sever r weeks detention in England,
the J hn Adams has at length got hack to
; France. She arrived in the roads of Havre
on the 28th ultimo,
l informed Mr. Champagny, 1st. that Mr.
Pinkney had not been able to send by this
conveyance the result of his application to
the British government concerning the block
ades of France prior to the Berlin decree;
but that he hoped to be able to send it in a
tew days by another conveyance; and 2nd.
that if he (Mr. Chnmpagnv) had any thing
to communicate which would have the effect
of changing the present relations of the t .o
countries, and which he. wished to be early
known to the government of the U States,
he would do well to let me know it within
24 hours, as the messenger would leave 1'a
i is in that time. To this message I receiv
ed from him the following answer : that “ for
some days past nothing in the nature of bu
siness and unconnected with the marriage
of the Rnipcis; could be tiansacted; and
that for some day* to conic the same rnnse
Of delay Would Cunlinui to (•!» fall' • It.a*