Star.
London, England, 1810-06-28 00:00:00

,
proof, but against all colour of p.
sobabiliti. It could piper in question states, that Mr. Jackson had ,
conviction ready been once most grossly insulted by the ib• ,
scarcely have been advanced under any cony n a 1 h
that it was necessary to the case which Mr. Jackson tants of Hampton, in the unprovoked language i
was to maintain ; -for his Majesty's Government had abuse held by them to several Officers bearing the
disavowed. Mr. Erskine's. arrangement, according to King's uniform ; when these officers were themselves
Mr. Jackson's own representation, without any refer- violently assaulted and put in imminent danger.'
ence to the knowledge which this accusation imputed . 66 lam given to understand, my Lord, that the
to the Government of the United States; and it need stilt here alluded to was for the first time brought
not be stated that no allusion whatever Was made to under the notice of the American Government b•
it by Mr. Secretary Canning, in those informal corn- this paper ; that it had, indeed, been among the
munications to me, which Mr. Jackson has mention- mours of the day, that some unbecoming scene 1
ed. It was not, moreover, to have. been expected taken place, at Hampton or Norfolk, between so
that, in the apparent state of Mr. JaCkassies.pdoser4 ' Officers belonging to the Africaine frigate and so
and in the actual posture of his rtegociation;- he , of the inhabitants, and that it took its rise in the
would seek, to irritate where he could. not arrange, ; discretion of the former ; that no attention to the
and sharpen disappointment by studied and unprove- cumstance having been called for, and no inco
ked indignity. 1 having been made, the truth of the case is unknown
" The course which the Government of the United but that it was never supposed that Mr. Jackson'
States adopted on this painful occasion. was such as at.. self, who was on board the frigate, had been
once demonstrated a sincere respect for the public char; sonally insulted ; nor is it yet understood in what
meter with which Mr. Jackson alai invested, and a du. e he supposes that he was so. lam authotisel to add,
sense of its own dignity. • Mr. Jackson's conduct hit. that any complaint or representation on the subject
left a feeble hope that further intercourse with him, I would instantly have received every proper attention.
unproductive of good as-it must be, might still be re- I 441 he other communication (of which the sill:.
concileable with the honour of the American Govern- `stance was soon afterwards published to the Arneri-
i ment. A fair opportunity was accordingly presented ' can people, in the form of a circular letter from Mr,
to him of making it so, by Mr. Smith's letter of the Jackson to the British Consul in the United Stater.)
Ist of November, of which I beg leave to insert the seems to have been intended as a justification of his,
concluding paragraph : conduct in that part of his correspondence, which had
' I abstain, Str, from making any particular ani- given umbrage to the American Government. This
madversions on several irrelevant and improper allu- paper (bearing date the 13th of November)) is not
sions in your letter, not at all comporting with the' very explicit ; but it would appear to be calculated to
professed disposition to adjust in an amicable man- give rather a new form to the statements which NJ,
ner the differences unhappily subsisting between the Jackson had suffered the Government of the United
two countries. But it would be improper to con- States to view in another light, until it had no choice
dude the few observations to which I purposely limit but to act upon the obvious and natural interpretation
myself, without adverting to your repetition of a lan- of them sanctioned by himself.
guage, implying a knowledge on the part of this Go- 46 It was never objected to Mr. Jackson (as this
vernment, that the instructions of your predecessor paper seems to suggest that he had stated, that the
did not authorize the arrangement formed by him. three propositions in r. Erskine's original instroc.
After the explicit and peremptory asseveration, that Lions were submitted to Mr. Smith by that gentle.
the Government had no such knowledge, and that man ;or that he had stated it as made known to hint
with such knowledge no such arrangement would I by Mr. Canning, that the instruction to Mr. En.
have been entered into, the view which you again pre- kine, containing those three conditions, was the only
sented of the subject, makes it my duty to apprize one from which his authority was derived for the con-
you, that such insinuations are inadmissible in the in- elusion of an arrangement on the matter to which it
terconrse of a foreign Minister, with a Government related.
that understands what it owes to itself.' " The objection was, that he had ascribed to the
44 Whatever was the sense in which Mr. Jackson American Government a knowledge that the propo.
had used the expressioos to which the American' Go. sitions submitted to its consideration by Mr. Erskine
vernment had taken exception, he was now aware of were indispensible conditions ; and that he did so,
the sense in which they were understood ; and, con- I even after that knowledge had been distinctly dis.
sequently. was called upon, if he was misapprehend- I claimed, and he had been made to perceive that a re•
ed, to say so. His expressions conveyed an injurious petition of the allegation could not be suffered I
meaning, supported, moreover, by the context ; and willingly leave your Lordship to judge, whether Mr.
the notice taken of them had not exceeded the bounds Jackson's correspondence will bear any other con
of just admonition. To hive explained away even an struction than that it in fact received ; and sslie.
imaginary affront would' have been no degradation ; ther. supposing it to have been erroneously collot tied,
but when al occasion was thus offered to qualify real his letter of the 4th of November should nut have
and severe imputations upon the Government to corrected the mistake, instead of confirming and
which he was accredited, •it could scarcely be other- establishing it.
wise than a duty to take immediate advantage-of it. 44 As an expatiation, this paper was even worse than
44 Such, however, was not Mr. Jackson's opinion.. nothing.. It had not the appearance of an attempt
He preferred answering the appeal, which had been Ito rectify misapprehension. It sought to put the
made to him, by reiterating with aggravations the i American Government in the wrong, by assuming
offensive insinuation. He says, in the last paragraph I that *hat had given so much umbrage ought not to
of his letter of the 4th of November, to Mr. Smith— I have given any. It imported reproach rather than
6 You will find, that, in my correspondence with you, I explanation.
I have carefully avoided drawing conclusions, that 64 It kept nut of sight the real offence, and, intro-
did not necessarily follow from the premises advanced dating a new and sufficient one in its place, seemed
by me ; and least of all should I think of uttering an to disclose no other wish than to withdraw from the
insinuation, where I was unable to substantiate a fact. I Gnvernmeat of the United States the ground upon
To facts, such as I have become acquainted with 1 which it had proceeded. Its apparent purpose, in 4
them, I have scrupulously adhered. In so doing I word, was to fix a charge of injustice upon the past,
must continue, whenever the good faith of his Ma- I not to produce a beneficial effect upon the future. In
iesty's Government is called in question, to vindicate 1 this view, and in this only, it was perfectly consistent
its honour and dignity, in the manner that appears to : that it should announce Mr, Jackson's determination
me best calculated for that purpose.' I to retire to New York.
"To this, my Lord, there could be but onereply. 1. " The time when this paper was presented will not
Official intercourse with Mr. Jackson could no longer I have escaped your Lordship's observa::ons.. It fol.
be productive of any effect,s that
,were not rather to i lowed the demand already mule; of a safertard for
be avoided than desired ; and it was plainly impassi„ 1 '•Mr. Jackson, his family, and the gentlemen attached
ble that it should continue. He was, therefore, in. to his mission ;' a demand which cannot tae regarded.
• formed by Mr. Smith, in a letter of the Bth of No. especially if we look to the inducements to which
vember, which recapitulated that inducement to this it was referred, as either conciliatory or respectful.
unavoidable step, that no further communications It followed too, the letter of the 4th of November.
would be received from him ; that the necessity of which, had explanation been intended, ought un.
this determination would. without delay, be made doubtedly to have contained it, but which, in lieu
known to his Government ; and that, in the mean of it, contained fresh matter of provocation. It
time. a ready attention would be given to any corn- was itself followed by the publication of its own
munication affecting the interests of the two nations' substance in another garb. On the very day of its
through any other channel that might be substituted. date, when Mr. Jackson, if he meant it as an expla.
" The President has been pleased to direct, that I nation, could not be justified in concluding that it
should make known this necessity to his Majesty's would not be satisfactot y, it was moulded by him
Government, and at the same time request that into the circular address to which I have before allu-
Mt. Jackson be recalled. And lam particularly in- I ded ; and immediate steps appear to have been taken
strutted to do this in a manner that will leave no Ito give to it in that sh spe, the utmost publicity. I
doubt of the undiminished de.)ire of the United States have no wish, my Lord, to make any strong remarks
to unite in all the means the best calculated to esta- upon. that proceeding. It will be admitted that it
blish the relations of the two countries on the solid was a great irregularity; and that if Mr. Jackson had
foundations of justice, of friendship, and of mutual been particularly anxious to close every avenue to re-
interest. I am further particularly instructed, my conciliation between the American Government and
Lord, to make his Majesty's Government sensible, .himself, he could not have fallen upon a better ape-
that, in requiring the recal of Mr. Jackson, the Unit- client.
ed States wish not to be understood as in any degree I " I have now only to add, my Lord, the expel,-
obstructing communications which may lead to a i sions of my own most ardent wish, that out of the
friendly accommodation ; but that, on the contrary, . incident which has produced this letter, an occasion
' they sincerely retain the desire, which they have con- ; may be made to arise, which, improved as h*VIM
stautly professed, to facilitate so happy an event, and ! to be, and_ I trust.will be, by our respective Go
that nothing will be more agreeable to them than to ! ments, may conduct them to cordial and t
lasting
find the Minister, who has rendered. himself so justly friendship. Thus to endeavour to bring good oof
obnoxious, replaced by another, who, with a different , evil, would be worthy of the rulers of two nations
character, may carry with him all-the authorities and ' that are only in their natural position when they ale
instructions requisite for the complete success of his engaged in offices of mutual kindness, and largc
ul7
mission, or, if the attainment of this object through contributing to the prosperity and lumpiness of each
my agency should be considered more expeditious, or other.
otherwise preferable, that it will be a course entirely " I have the honour to be, with the highest cad,
satisfactory to the United States. deration, my Lord, your Lordship's Molt-obedient
66 Theft instructions, which I lay before Lord- humble servant. (Signed) " WK.aml v•
ikaie
ship without disguise, require no comment. "The Most Noble the Marquis Wellesley. bi. See.
64 Before I conclude this letter, it may be proper " Foreign Ofire, Mardi 14,iont
very shortly to advert to two communications, received ig Sot—The letter which I had the honour to !t-
-hy Mr. Secretary Stnith from Mr. Oakley, after the , ceive from you under date of 2d January, together
correspondence with Mr. Jackson had ceased, I with the additional paragraph received on the Si
" The first of these communications (of which I , January, has been laid before the King.
am not able to ascertain the date) requested a do- 64 The several conferences which !lave held with
cument, having the effect of a special passport or I you respecting the transactions to Which your lent
safeguard, for Mr. Jackson and his family, un d •ng refers, have, I trust, satisfied you, that it is the sincese
their further stay in the United States. This apple-- desire of his Majesty's Government, on the prase
cation was regarded as somewhat singular ; hut the occasion, to avoid any discussion which mightobstrast
document, of which the necessity was not perceived, the renewal of amicable intercourse between the two
was. nevertheless furnished. The reasons assigned countries.
for the application eicited some, surprise. I hare ~ The correspondence between Mr. Jackson wha
troubled your Lordihip, in conversation, with a few . Mr. Smith has bee; submitted to his Maidtri Oesi.
remarks from lIT instructions, upon one of thoie deration.
reason, which I wlll take the libettV to repeat.—Thy
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