Star.
London, England, 1810-01-08 00:00:00

lion between the two countries. Without ativeting
to the ambiguity of the term, " oentually," with
the mark of emphasis attached to it, and to other run-
the in the phraseology, it is clear that the au-
thority referred to, whatever it may be, is derived
from instructions subject to his own discretion, and
not from a patent commission, such as might be pro-
perly called for. It is true also, that in his letter of
ale 4th of November, subsequent to his proposal, he
iays he was possessed of a full power in due form for
the express purpose of concluding a Treaty or Con-

Eynon-
But it still remains uncertain, whether by the
'reaty or Convention to which it related was not
aeant an eventual or provisional Treaty on the gene-
al relations between the two countries, without any
eference to the case of the Chesapeake. Certain it
; that the British Government, in formei like cases,
s will be seen by the adjustment of that part of the
,ffair at Nootka Sound, which is analogous to this
.ase, did not consider any such distinct full power
is necessary ; nor is there the slightest ground for
arposing that Mr. Erskine, although confessedly
Imuected to adjust this very case of the Chesapeake,
was furnished with any authority distinct from his
credential letter. That Mr. Jackson has any such
commission is the less to be supposed, as it is but
possible, that possessing it, lie should not, on
occasion, or in some form, have used a language
tible of no possible doubt on this point.
But proceeding to the proposal itself, it is to be
at in mind,. that the conditions forming its basis
.e the very conditions for the deviating from which.
ir. skine's adjustment was disavowed. Mr. Jack-
in, if not on others, is on this point explicit. " I now
dd, (says he) that the deviation consisted in not re.
• rding in the official document signed here, the abro-
tion of the President's proclamation of the 2d July,
rw7, as well as the two reserves specified in the paper
fmtmozanda enclosed in ray official letter to you
;1.,! 27th ult.
Considering then the conditions in the proposal as
ultimatum ; in what light are we compelled to
;env such an attempt to repair the outrage committed
a the frigate Chesapeake, and to heal the disappoint-
, at produced by a disavowal of a previous equitable
.:paration ?
11 is impossible on such an occasion not to recal
:.ccircumstances which constituted the character of
'a! outrage to which such an ultimation is now ap-
A- A national ship, proceeding on an important
ice,waswatched by a superior naval force enjoying
:the time the hospitality of our ports, was followed,
,d scarcely out of our. waters when she was, after
ilsulting summons, bttacked in an hostile man-
;'and the ship so injured as to require expensive
pairs, the expedition frustrated, a number of the
ew killed and wounded, several carried into capti-
ity, and one of them put to death under a military
.ntence. The three seamen, though American citi-
,ens, and therefore on every supposition detained as
xeongfully as the ship would have been detained,
:are, notwithstanding, remained in captivity between
wo and. three years ; and, it may ta added, after
t has long ceased to be denied that they are Ameri-
'an.citizens. •
Under these.circumstances, w are called upon to

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knsom— the- captives:
Ist. By ocknoWledging. that a precautionary:pro-
clamation., justified by events preceding the outrage,'
by the outrage itself, and by what immediately fol..-
lowed it, was unjustifiable, and that a repeal of it
was properly a condition precedent to a reparation
for the outrage. And this requisition •is repeated,
too, after such an acknowledgement had been uni-
formly asserted by this Government to be utterly in-
dmissible, and, what is. particularly remarkable, at
- time when the proclamation, as is well understood,
as no longer in force. The occasion obviously in-
ited a silent asssumption of the existing fact, and
his would have excluded the difficulty heretofore
ound to be insuperable.
2d. By throwing into complete oblivion the conduct
if the Officer answerable for the murderous transac-
ion, with a knowledge too on our part, that instead
if being punished, or even brought to trial, he has
.n honoured by his Government with a new and
ore important command.
3d. By admitting a right on the part of Great Bri-
tain to claim a discharge from our service of deserters
generally, and particularly of her natural born sub-
jects, without excepting such as had been naturalized
in due form under the laws of the United States.
It has not been •explained, whether it was meant,
Is the universality of the term ‘, deserter" would im-
port, to include American citizens who might have
left the British service. But what possible considera- ,
ton could have induced the British Government to
tipect that the United States could admit a principle
that would deprive our naturalized citizens of the
leitid privileges, which they hold in common with
their native fellow-citizens. The British Government
"tight net to have made such a proposition ; because
toot only,like others, naturalizes aliens ; but, in re-
lation to the linked States, has even
.refused to dis-
charge from the British service native citizens of the
United States, involuntarily detained. If an Ameri-
ca Seaman has resided in Great Britain, or has mar-
ried therein, or has accepted a bounty in her naval
mice, his discharge therefrom, on the regular appli-
take to the British Government, has been invariably
refused by its Board of Admiralty. This I state on
the aulhority of the official reports made to this de- I
7Artmelit. It is, therefore, truly astonishing, that,
eith a knowledge of these facts, such a pretension
should have been advanced at all ; but, above all, that
it should have been made a sine qua non to an act of
plain justice, already so long delayed. This is the
mere to be regretted, as the omen does not favour the
belief we would willingly cherish, that no predetermi-
nation exists in the councils of his Britannic Majesty
3reconcileable to an amicable arrangement of an
214ir, which, affectisig so deeply the honour of the
United States, limit precede a general regulation of
the mutual interests of the two Countries.
After the correspondence with Mr. Jackscn was
terminated, two notes, of which copies are herewith
.sent to you, were presented to me in the name and
by the hand of Mr. Oakeley, the British Secretary of
.Legatier..
The first requested a decument, having the effect
r'F a special passport or safeguard to Mr. Jackson and
•ii, family during their stay in the United States. As
:lielaws of thts country allow an unobstructed pas-
`'fie through every part of it, and, with the law of
aims, equally in force, protect public ministers and