The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1810-12-11 00:00:00, page 2

the most perfidious manner, the violation of
ordinances, sanctioned and established by
bimself as the law of the land.
Being thus left without any hope of pro
tection from the mother country—-betrayed
by a magistrate whose duty it was to have
■ . provided for the safety and tranquility ot
the people and government committed to
his charge, and exposed to all the evils of a
staie of anarchy, which we have so long en
deavored to avert • it becomes our duty to
provide for our own security as a free and
independent state, absolved from all allegi
ance to a government which no longer pro
tects us.
We, therefore, the representatives afore
said, appealing to the Supreme ruler-of the
world for tbe rectitude of our intentions, do
solemnly publish and declare the several
districts compusing this territory of West
Florida tobe a rtiEfc and independent
isTATE—and that they have a right to insti
tute lor themselves such form of govern
ment as they may think conducive to their
safety and happiness—To form treaties_To
establish commerce—To provide for their
common defence—and do all acts which
may of right be clone by a sovereign and in
dependent nation. At the same time de
claring all acts within the said territory of
V\ est Florida, after this date, by any tribu
bal or authorities not deriving their powers
from he people agreeably to the provisions
(established by this convention, to be null
aud void—and calling upon all foreign nati
* Otis to respect this our declaration, acknow..
ledging our independence, and giving us
such aid as may be consistent with the laws
End usages of nations.
'f'his declaration made in convention at ,
the town ot' Baton Kouge, on the twenty .
sixth day of September, in the year of our \
Lord bne thousand eight hundred and ten._i
We the fepresentatives, in the name afore- I
Said, and on behalf of our constituents, do
hereby solemnly pledge ourselves to support
, 'With our lives and fortunes
I By order of the Convention,
(Signed) JOHN RHEA, President.
^Signed) AnIj. Steele, Secretary.
MR. smith to governor holmes.
Urfiartmcnt of State,
j\ov. I5t/i, 1810,
MR,
1 hftve received your letter of the 17th of
October, enclosing the memorial of the Con
VeiHion of West Florida. To repress the
unreasonable expectations,therein indicated,
io relation to the vacant land in that Terri
tory, it is deemed proper to lose no time in
Communidatiug to you and to Governor Clai.
borne the sentiments of the President on the
subject.
The right of the U. 5. to the Territory of
West Florida, as far as the River Perdido,
/ vvas fairly acquired by -purchase, and has
been formally ratified by Treaty. The de
livery of possession has, indeed, been del
ferred, and the procrastination has been
heretofore acquiesced in by this government
l from a hope, patiently indulged, that ami
I cable negociation would accomplish the equi
I table purpose of the U. S But this delay,
which proceeded only from the forbearance
nf the U S. to enforce a legitimate and well
known claim, could not,impair the legality
of ilieir tide, nor could anv change in the
internal state of things, without their sane,
tion. howsoever brought about, varv their
Tight. ,It remains, of course, as perfect as
it was bet .re the interposition of the Con
Ventioh. And the people of West Florida
tnustJnot for a moment be misled by the ex
pec £tion that the U. S. will surrender for
theii-exclusive benefit what had been pur_
ch-sed with the treasure and for the benefit
ot the whole. The vacant land of this Ter
ritory, thrown into common stock with all
the other vacant land of the Union, will be
£ property in common for the national uses
of all he people of the U. S. The commu.
j fii'y of interests upon which this government
invariably acts, the liberal policy which it
h s uniformly displayed towards the people
of the Territories (a part of which policy has
/ ever been a just regard to honest settlers)
/ will, nevertheless, lie a sufficient pledge to
the inhabitants of West Florida, for the
early and continued attention or the Federal
Legislature to their situation and their wants.
These observations will apprise you, Sir]
of the sentiments of the President, as to the’
propositions in the memorial in relation to
the vacant iand in West Florida, and
will enable you to make, when necessary
and proper, suitable explanations to the peg
pie of that Territory. You will, however,
keep in mind that the President cannot re!
cognize in the Convention of West Florida
any independent authority whatever to pro
pose or to form a compact with tiie U. sf
I am, Sir, with the highest respect, your
most obediem servant, 1
(Signed) R. SMITH.
Hi* I'jtcellency David Holmes,
Governor AJiaainni/i/ii,
DESPATCHES .FROM MR. SMITH TO MR.
PINKNEY.
Extract of a letter from Mr. Smith Secre
tart/ oj State, to .Ijr Pinkney, Minister
Plenipotentiary of the U. S. at London,
dated Department of State, Januaru
20. 1810. I
** In my letter to you of the 11th Novem
her, 1309, you were authorised to assure
the British government, that the IJ. Stales
sincerely retained the desire, which they
have constsutly professed, to facilitate a
friendly accommodation of all the existing
differences between the two countries, and
that noth M g would be more agreeable to
them than to find the successor of Mr. Jack
son invested with all the authorities neces
isary for the accomplishing of so desirable
an event, ntid moreover, that if the attain*
nunt of this object, through your agency,
should be considered more expeditious or
otht i wise preferable, it would be a course
entitely satisfactory to the U. S.
I now charged by the President to
transmit to you the enclosed letter* autho
rivhig you to resume the negociatintis With
the British gov» rmneiit, under the full pow
er that had been given severally and jointly
to you and Mr, Monroe; And in your dis
cussions therein you will be regulated by
the instructions heretofore given to Mr. Mon
roe and yourself. It is, however, not inten
ded, that you should commence this negoci
ation until the. icrjuisite satisfaction shall I
havr been m ale in the affair of the Chcsa
pp^" : And, io the adjustment of this case,
you Will be guided by the instructions which
you havt heretofore received horn (his de
par*ment in elan n toil.
It is, moreover, r!e,-irable, that prepnra
*' y to a treaty tij . , *11 the points i t dif.
i-if bet ween h two countries, an nr.j
' merit should be made for the revacati i
. hu letter in Hurttxtd. {
3t\ of the orders in council. As it is uncer
tain what may be the ultimate measures of
Congress at the preset! session, i» canno* be
expected that the President can at this
time state the precise condition 'nbe annex
ed to a repeal of the orders in council: But
in general you n ay assure the British g»
verument of his cordial disposition to exer
cise any power with which he maybe inves
ted, to put an end to acts of Congress which
would not be resorted to but for the orders
in council, and at the same time, of his de
termination to keep them in force against
Franee,in case her decrees should not also he
repealed.”
[Enclosed in the foregoing letter ]
JDe/iurttnem of State
January 20. 1810.
cll\t
The President, anxious to adjust he
existing differences between the U. S. and
Great Britain, and deeming it expedient to
make another effort for that purpose, has gi
ven it in charge to me to instruct you to re
new negociations in Condon, under the com
mission dated 12th May, 1806. authorising
Mr. Monroe and yourself severally, as well
as jointly, “to treat with the British go.
verument, relative tothe wrongs committed
between the parties on the high seas or
other waters, and for establishing the prin
ciples of navigation and commerce between
them.”
I have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)
s # R. SMITH.
Dcfiantnent of Stale,
SIR MaV- 22 1810.
• Y>ur despatch of the 27,h of March, bv
the British packet, was received on he 17th
of this month.
Tile Ptesident has read, with surprise &
regret, the answer of Lord Wellesley to
your letter of the 2d Jan. and also his replv
to your note requiring explanations with
respect to the blockade of France. The one
indicates an apparent indifference as to the
character of the diplomatic intercourse be.
tween he two countries, and the other evin .
ces an inflexible determination to persevere
in their system of blockade.
The provision made for the diplomatic
agency, which is to succeed that of Mr.
Jackson, manifests a dissatisfaction at the
step necessarily taken here with regard to
that minister, and at the same time a di
minution of the respect heretofore attached
to the diplomatic relations between the two
countries. However persevering the Presi
dent may be in the conciliatory disposition
which has constantly governed him, he can
not be inattentive to such an apparent de
parture trom it on the other side, nor to the
duty imposed on him by the rules of equali.
if reciprocity applicable in such cases,
it will be very agreeable to him to find that
^provision in question is intended merely
to afford time tor a satisfactory choice of a
; plenipotentiary successor to Mr. Jackson,
and that the mode of carrying it into effect
may be equally unexceptionable. But whilst
from the language of the marquis Welles
ley with respect to the designation of a
chatge d affaires, and from .he silence as to
any other successor to he recalled minister,
it is ie.: .o be interred that the former alone
is it. contemplation, it becomes proper to
ascertain what are the real views of the
British government on the occasion, and,
should they be such as they are inferred to
be, to meet them by a era respondent change
in the diplomatic establishment of the Uni
ted States at London. The President re
lies on your discretion for obtaining the re
qutsi-e knowledge of this subject, in a man'
ner that will do justice to the friendly poli- I
cv which the United States wish to be re j
ciprocal in every instance between the two
nations. But in the event of its appearing
that the substitution of a charge d’affaires
for a minister plenipotentiary, is to be of a
continuance not required or explained by the
occasion, and consequently justifying the
inference drawn from the letter of Lord
Wellesley, the respect which the United*
States owe to themselves will require that
you return to the United States, according
to the permission hereby given by the Pre
sident. leaving charged with the business of
the legation such person as you may deem i
most fit for the trust. With this view a
commission, as required by a statute of the
last session, is herewith enclosed with a
blank for a secretary of legation But this
step \ ou will not con s<der yourself as instruc
ted to take, in case you should have com
tnenced, with a prospect of a satisfactory re
sult, the negociation authorised by my letter
of tiie 20th January.
In a letter of the 4'h of this month, I
transmitted to you a copy of the act of Con
giessar their last session, concerning the
commercial intercourse between the U. S.
and G. Britain and France. You will here
with receive another copy of the same act.
in the fourth section of this statute you will
perceive anew modification of the policy of
me U. S and you will let it be understood
by the British government, that this provi
sion will be duly carried into effect on the
part of the U. S.
A satisfactory adjustment of the affair of
the Chesapeake is very desirable. The
views of the President upon this delicate
subject, you may collect not only from the
ins> ructions heretofore given to you, but
from the sentiments that had been inanifes.
t» d on the part of this government in the
discussion with Mr. Rose, and from the
T^irns and conditions contained in the ar
rangenunt made with Mr. Erskinfc. And
conformably with these views, thus to be
collected, you will consider yourself hereby
instructed to negociate and conclude an ar
rangement with the British government in
relation to the attack on the fi igate Chesa
peake.
I have the honor to be, 8cr,
R. SMITH.
Department of State.
clo July 2d 1810.
r>J K,
Vottr several letter* of the 8th anti 9th
Apr'l. anti 2d and 3d ot May, have been re
ceivcd.
Whilst it was not known, on the one hand,
how far the Piench government would nd..
here, totbe apparent import of the Condi tL
on, as ft »t communicated, on which the
1‘rtlin decree would be revoked, and on the
other hand, what explanations would br
given by the British government with res.
pect toits blockades prior to the decree, the '
course deemed proper to be taken, was that I
o- m'ed out in my tetter to you, of the 11th
ot !n verobrr and in that to general Arm
strong, of the 1st of December i he pve
rise and formal derlata;ion since made bv
the French g vcnmient, that that condition
w„s limited to the blockades of France, or
parti of i ranee, yf a date ptior to the dve
jf the Berlin decree, find the acknowledge. i<
meiit by the British government of the ex 1
1 stcuce of such blockades, particularly that
ot May 1806, with a failure to revoke it, or '
even to admit the constructive extinguish
ment of it held out in your letter to the mar
quis Wellesley, give to the subject anew as
pect and a decided character.
As the British government had constant,
ly aileuged, that the Berlin decree was the
original ugg'ession on our neutral com. I
merce; that her orders in Council were but
a retaliation on that decree, and more
over, on that ground, asserted nn obli
gation on the U. States to take effectual
measures against the decree, as a prelimi.
uary to a repeal ot the orders, nothing could
be mote reasonable than to expect, that the
condition in the shape last presented would
be readily accepted. The President is
therefore equally disappointed and dissatis.
fied at the aboniveniss of your corrcspoti
dence with lord Wellesley, on this impor
tant subject. He entirely approves the rle.
termin i ion you took to resume it, with a
view to the special and immediate obligati
on lying on the British government to can
cel the illegal blockades, and you are in
structed, in case the answer to your letter
of the 30lh April, should not he satisfacto
ry, to represent to the British government
m terms, temperate but explicit, that the
U- S. consider themselves authorised, by
strict and unquestionable right, as wtdl as
supported by the principles heretofore up \
plied by G. B to the case, in claiming and
expecting a revocation of the illegal block
ades ot France, of a date prior to that of j
the Berlin decree, as preparatory to a i
further demand of the revocation of that de !
crec
It ought not to be presumed, that the Bri j
tish government, in reply to such a repte.
sentation, will contend, that a blockade like
that of May 1806 from the Eloe to Brest, !
a coast of not less than one thousand miles,
proclaimed four years since, without havl
mg been at any time attempted to be duly '
executed by the application of a naval force,1
ts a blockade conformable to the law of na' i
tions and consistent with neutral rights_!
Such a pretext is completely barred, noton '
ly by the unanimous authorities, both of
writers and of treaties on his point, not ex
cepting even British treaties ; but by the ‘
rule of blockade, communicated by that go
yernment to this, in the vear 1804 in which
it is laid down, that orders had oeen given
not to consider anv blockade of those is~
lands, (Martinique and Guadaloupe) as ex- '
tiling, unless in respect of particular ports”
which may be actually invested, and then
not to capture vessels hound to such ports
unless they shall previously have been
warned not to enter them, and that they
(the lords of the admiralty) had also sent
the necessary directions on the subject to
the judges of the vice admiralty courts in
the West Indies and America. In this com
munication, it is expressly stated, that the
rule to the British courts and cruizers was !
furnished in consequence of the representa
tions made by the government of the Q. S.
against blockades not unlike that now in ,
question, and with the express view of re |
dressing the grievance complained of_
Nor ought it to be presumed, that the Bri ,
tish government will finally resort to the
plea that her naval force, although unap_
plied, is inadequate to tiie enforcement of 1
the blockade of May 1806, and that this
forms a legal distinction between that and
the Berlin decree of November following
Were it admitted, that an adequate force ex’ 1
isted, and was applicable to such a purpose
the absurdities of confounding the power to
do a thing, with the actually doing of it
speaks for itself. In the present case, the
absurdity is peculiarly striking. A port
blockaded by sea, without a ship near it, j
being a contradiction in terms, as well as a
perversion of law and of common sense:
From the language of lord Wellesley’s
two letters, it is possible he may endeavor ;
to evade the measure required, by subtle ;
comments on the posture given to the block i
ade of May 1806, by the succeeding orders !
of 1807, But even here he is met by the
case of the bl ckade of Copenhagen and the
other ports of Zealand, in the year 1808 at ■
a time when these, with all Danish po’rts,
were embraced by those very orders of 1807 ;
a proof that, however the orders and block1
ades may be regarded as in some respects
the same, they are regarded, in others, as
having a distinct operation, and may con
sequently co-exist without being absolute
ly merged in or superceded, the one by the
other. J \
In the difficulty which the British govern !
ment must feel in finding a gloss for the ex" !
travagant principle of ner paper blockades
it may perhaps wish to infer an acquies’
cence on the part of this government, from
the silence under which they have in some
instances, passed Should a disposition to
draw such an inference shew itself, you will
be able to meet it by an appeal, not only to
the successful remonstrance in the letter to
Mr •Thornton, above cited, but to the an
• The following is the letter to M-. Thornton
Mr. Mad,ton to Mr. Thornton, Charge det Af.
fairet of hit Britannic M.tjetly, dated Depart
ment of State, October 27th, 1K03
Bill,
Toe letter* of which copies arc enclosed were
received last evening ; one of them i« from the
British consul general at New York, the other,
a copy enclosed therein of u letter to him from
commodore Hood, commander in chief of his
Britannic majesty’s ships of war on u West In
dia station. The l itter beard date of the 25ih
otjuiy last, and requests that the Am-ncan
government and agents of neutral nations might
b -made acquainted, that the Islands of M rti
ni<|ile and C.itidaloupe .re and have been birr k
aded from the 17th of June preceding, by de
tachments from the squadron under his com
niand, in order that there may he no plea for at
tempting to enter the ports of the islands
It will, without doubt, occur to you, sir, that
such a communication would have been more
properly made through ano- her channel, than di
rectly from the consulate at New York The
importance and urgency of the subject however
supercede the consideration of forms, and 1 lose
no time in communicating to you the observati
ons which the 1’resulent deems it to require.
it will not escape your attention, that com mo
(lore Hood’s letter'is dated no less than three
months before it could have the effect of a noti
<i dion, and that bevides this remark ible delay,
tho alledgcd blockade is computed from a «|, e
more than one month prior to that of the letter
itself. But these circumstances, however im
portant it m.i* b», do not eontitute the main ob
jeclion to the proceeding of (he British comman
dcr. His letter, instead of staling tliat a p <nj
c.idar port or ports were blockaded, by a force
actually before them, dcrl.ires, generally, two
entire and considerable islands to be in state ul
bloi-kade. It can never be admitted that tin
trade of n neutral nation, in articles riot contra
hand, can be 1 .gaily obstructed to any place,
not :.cm illy block.fed, or that any notification or
proclamation can be of force, unless accompani*
iwer given to Mr. Merry, of June 1805. to i
he notification of a blockade, in the year
L8t)5, as a precise and autltcntic record of
;iie light in which such bloc k ides and the
notification of them were viewed by the U.
S- Copies of the answer have been hereto. I
hire tor warded, and another is now enclo-j
sed, as *tn additional precaution again* k
mi sen mage. '
Whatever may be the answer to the re*
presentation and requisition which you ar°
instructed to make, you will transmit it
without delay to tins department. .Should
it be of a satisfactory nature, you will has
ten to forward it also to the diplomatic
functionary of the U. S. at Paris, who will
be instructed to make a proper use of it,
t«»r obtaining a repeal of the French decree
of Berlin, and to proceed, concurrently with
you, in bringing about successive removal* by
the two governments of all their predatory
edicts. 1 avail myself of this occasion to
state to you, that it is deemed of great i:n
poitance, that our ministers at forcini
courts, and especially at Paris and London,
should be kept, the uae by the ottier. inform
ed of the state of our affairs at each.
1 have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)
r, K SMITH.
trilliam Pinkney, Etq. l?c. t5*c. e*c
Department oj State, July 5'/i, lRlo.
Sin,—Your last communications having
afforded so little ground for expecting that
the British government will have yielded -o
the call on it to originate the annulment of
the belligerent edicts against our lawful
commerce, b> cancelling the spurious block.,
ade of May, 1^06, (the first in the series) it
became a duiy, particularly incumbrnt up
on us, to press the other experiment, held
out in the late act of Congress, another co
py of which is herewith sent. You will ac_
cotdingly make that act, and the disposition
ol the President to give it effect, the subject
or a formal communication.
The British government ought not to be
insensible of the tendency of superadding to
a refusal of the course, proposed by France,
or mutually abolishing .he predatory edic s,
a refusal of the invitation, held out by Con
gress, and it ought to find, in that conside*
ration, a sufficient inducement to a prompt
and cordial concu rence. The British gov
ernment must be conscious, also, of its hav
mg repeatedly stated, that the acqnies_
ceoce, bv the Uni.ed Stales, in the decrees
of trance, was the only justification of its
orders against our neutral commerce. The
sincerity and consistency of Great Britain
being now brought to the test, an opportu
nity is afforded to evince the existence of
both It ma be added, that the form, in
w tch it is prescribed, is as conciliatory, as
the proposal itself is unexceptionable.
As the act of Congress repealing the late
restrictions on the commerce of the United
States with the two belligerents, must be un
equal in ,ts operation, in case G Britain
should continue to interrupt it with Fiance
inasmuch as France is unable to interrupt it
materially with her. the British government
may feel a temptation to decline a course
which might put an end to-his advantage.
But if the unworthiness and unfriendliness
of such a purpose should not divert her from
it, she ought not to overlook either the oppor
tum y afforded her enemy of retortiug the
inequality by a previous compliance with
the act °t Congress, or the necessity to
which the United States may be driven, by
such an abuse of their amicable advances,
to lesuine, under new impressions, the sub
ject of their foreign relations.
II the British government should be dis
posed to meet, in a favorable manner the
an angemeiu tendered, and should ask for
explanations, as to the ext, nt of »he repeal
oiiue r rench decrees which will be requi
red, your answer will be as obvious as it
ed with an actual blockade. The law of .mi
ons is perhaps more clear on no other point than
» £ir * S'^e °-r blo.ckade« *«ch as will justifi
a belligerent nation in restrain,ng the trade of
neutrals. Every term used in defining the case
imports the presence and p notion of a force ren’
de^ng access t„ the prohibited place manifestly
difficult and dangerous. Every jurist of reputa^
lion, who treats with precision this branch of the
hauWrkLuU*nS:rC‘-ra,10 acU,al jnd Particular
blockade Not a single treaty can be found which
undertakes to define a bio kade in which the de
hin k^T ?',lexc,udfe a general or nominal
» y n",llnK rl to ll,e case ofa sufficient
fo.ee so disposed as to amount to an actual and
ties Gr" .bl,£kade-. foa "umber of such trea
ties, Gr-at Britain is a party Not to multiply
references on the subject, I c nfine myself p, {lie
4th a.l.cle of the convention of June, 1801 be
tween Great Britain „nd Uussia, which navi.ur
been entered into lor the av„,ed purree “ of
settlnuran invar,able der rniination of their p, in
apt'* upon the right* of neutra.ity ” must .. ces- 1
*.* 8jh:tnn rec ignition ol*
.,n existing and general principle and rig ,t, not
"8“ •I'Pulation ol any new principle ,r ng .it, li
nuted to the parties themselves. The article is
m the words following : «• That in ord r to dc.
t irr in- what characterises a blockaded port i
|, t denomination is given only to a p rt where I
there is, by the dispositions of the power which
attacks it with ships stationary or Suffi-.ently I
neai , an evident danger of entering ” it c*n <
r^:eCreW{? 1dwf,i°n ’^inconsistency
ol hck|nclofb,,,ckade rle lared by emmodnj
J l,Th l,Cprin;'P,e l'id d *wn concerning
the lights of neutrality ,or on the consequences
of the principle, on which a blockade of whole
islands by a few ships is founded, to the com
merce and interesi* ol neutral nations. If the
islands of Martinique and Gotidsloupe, the |,f
ter not less than 250 and the former nearly 150
in.lrs ,n circumference, and each containing a
variety ol ports, can be blockaded by deta-li
m, n s from a commodore’s squadron, it is evi
dent that a very inconsiderable portion of the
Bnush fleet may blocks dc all the maritime
rountr-es witii which she is at w,r : * word
such a principle completely sacrifices the rights
ol neutral commerce to the pleasure oi the a,l i
cy of the parties at war But it deserves to be
particularly remarked, that a power to proclaim
general blockades, or any block.de not firmed
by the real presence of a suffi ced force to be
exercised by officers at a distance from t(u.
control of tneir government, and deeply inter
ested ,n enlarging the field of - apturcs which
they are »o share, offers a tempt*t,o„ that must
o ien -private the evils i.icidenl to the princi
ple ilsci, 1
Y ... will infer, sir, from these observations, the
serious light in which the President regards the
pio oct.ing, which is the subject of them, It will
perceive die grounds on which the injuries aeon.
"Ig fiorr.it to ou, Commerce, will const Httte just
cl oms o( indemnification from the British *ov
crn-nem To dimmish the extent of tliate ini-,
nos. as much as posfible, and to guard the g ,od
ur.dersiaiMl.ng U friendly relations of every sort
W ..cl. are so desirable to both ft dior.s, ;;g*inst the
tendency of such measures, will, I venture to a- i
Mir.- myself, be sufficient motives with you to
vm;doy the interpositions with commodore Hood
w»m-.h you may judge best adapted to the nature
oltoe case.
I have the honor to be, ?<»
(sighcj) James Madison.
xtdwufd fuornton,
r.iut be satisfactory. Thfe repeal aunt c .«
jrace every part of the French deci«.<.• ,
which violate tile neutral rights git irauttsd
to us by ihe law of na’.ioits. Whatever put t
t>f the decrees may not have this effect, as
wc have no right, as a neutral nation, to
demand a recal of them, G. Britain can
have no pre:ext, as a belligerent nation, to
utge the demand. If there be parts of ihe
decrees liable to objections of another kind,
it lies with the United States alone to de
cide on the mode of proceeding with res*
peat to the in.
In explaining the extent of the repeal,
which, on the British side, is required, you
will be guided by the same principle. You
will, accordingly, let it be distinctly under
stood, that it must necessarily, iuclud r an
annulment of the blockade of May, 1806,
which has been avowed to be comprehended
in, and identified with, the orders in coun
cil. and which is palpably at variance with,
the law of nations. This is the explanation
which will be given to the French govern*
ment, on this point, by our minister at Pa
ris, in case it should there be required.
But there are plain and powerful reasons,
why the British government ought to revoke
every other blockade, resting on proclama*
tions or diplomatic notifications, and not on
the actual application of a naval force, ade
quate to a real blockade.
I. This comprehensive redress is equally
due from the British government, to irs pro
fessed respect for the laws of nations, and
to the just claim-of a friendly power.
J. Without tliis enlightened precaution,
it is probable, and may indeed !>c inferred
from the letter of the duke of Cadore to
Gen. Armstrong that the French govern
ment will draw G. Britain and the United
States to issue, on the legality of such block
ades, by acceding to tire act of Congress,
with a condition, that a repeal of »he block •
ades shall accompany a repeal of the orders
in council, alledging, that the orders antf
blockades, differing little, if at all, other
wise than in name, a repeal of the former,'
leaving in operation the latter, would be
a mere illusion.
3. It it were even to happen, that a mutual
repeal ot the orders and decrees could be
brought about, without involving the subject
ot blockades, and with a Continuance of the
blockades in operation, how could the U.S.
be rxpec.ed to 'oibear an immediate call for'
then annulment, or how long would it pro
bably In before an appeal by France to the
neutral law of impartiality would bring up
trie same question between ths LT S. uS.
G. Britain ; and troin whatever circuinst.in*
ces the issue on it may arise, the impossi
bi!i(y of maintaining the British side, witU
even a color of right or consistency, may be
seen in rhe view taken of the subject, in
tlie correspondence with Mr Thornton and
Mr Merry, already in y-rnr hands.
If the British g .vernment should accede,
to the overture contained in the act of Con-'
gress by repealing or so modifying its edicts* <
as that they will cease to violate our neutral
rights you will transmit the repeal, pro
perly authenticated to General Armstrong,
and, if necessary, by a special messenger;
and you will lias cn to transmit it also to tine
department.
With great respect, 8cr.
(Signed) ' R SMITH.
William Pinkney, Rsq.lfc
JJeftanment of State, July 17, 1310.
H \ m will herewith receive duplicates
of my letters to you, of the 13 h, lota and
30 It June and 2d and 5th of J tly.
This despatch you will receive from lieut.
Spence, of the n.ivy, who is t.proceed Moru '
New i ork in the sloop of war Hornet. IMis
public vessel has oeen ordered to England
and to Prance, not only tor the po pose of
ti aiismittiiig dispatches u> > ou aou m our
functionary at P* is. but for the further pur
pose ».t affording you. as well us aim. a safe
opportunity ot conveying to this department,
before the next met mg of Congress, ull
in form a on of he ul’ima'e policy, in '.Ra
tion to the U. S. of the governments of Eng
land and Fiance. And with n view to vn
sure her return to *he U. S in due se ,son"!
her comman iing officer has received orders
not to remain in anv port of Europe af er
tbe first day of October next With respect
therefore, to the time you will detain VIr!
Spence in L mdon, vou will be influenced by
toe information which you may receive front
him, as to .he o-ders he may have from the*
Commanding officer of the Hornet.
I have the honor to be, &c.
o. , R. SMITH.
Ivm Pinkney, Esq life iJc.ifc.
(Document to he continued.1
We have great pleasure in learning by
letters from n very respectable source .. Sri.
etersburg that, notwi hstanding the iqier
•°ping trade carried on under the American
n g, and the many frauds which are dully
discovered to be perpetrated under the same
cover there is the si l ongest reason to be
lieve that every thought and act ot the Rus
sian government is in a p. culiar degree fa
vorable, not only to the support and encou
ragement, but to the extension, of the com
mercial relations be wo n that Country and
the U. b T is as hono able io Russia a> it
must be grateful to the U. S. that sh-, a!_
though almost .lone in the path of justice?
uninfluenced uy the con1 gion of example, or
by any other impulse, aff.ids n real /Vine,
ricau vessels a> d c-rg>es a hberai inter.
Course on terms ol reciprocity.—Aai. Int.
'■ —- i , -
Cungrtj#.
in senate! T~
I uesdav. Dec 4.
Mr Condit was stated in our last to have
appear d n Monday—it should have beed
Mr Crawford,
M ssrs. Matthews.™ R, id and Lambert /
attended.
Mtssis Smith and (iiman were appoint,
fd a Cofrfmi ic joi •. 1 v itii the committee
of the House ot K pr.scntatives to/wait on
the President of tin If. b. and inform him
that Congress was ready to receive any com
munication he nitgh* have in make.
Aitei adopting tne usual rules respectline
ne vspapers, &c. — 6
M.. Smith reported that the committee
appointed to wait ou the President of the U.
b. had received for answer from him. th it he
w< uld make a Communication to Congress
to.in irrow at 12 o’clock.
Mr. Smith of Md. gave notice that on to.
mo.-row be should ask leave to bring ... a
bid further to suspend in part tiic act, ertti
d ** An act regulating foreign coins, and
for other purposes.”
_ A
WkPXF.SOAV, H r.
^ Mr. Picturing and Mr. hradi. > .,-n