Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-05-30


SPAR OF Tic British government taking n |,
nv decisive step, ne had az last de,ermin.
ed TO try VIA, could he eGeGled by such
resources Us America could furnish, and
might be willing 20 afford hin, either as
an enterprise sanctioned by pubic auyho.
r''y or undertaken by Individual adyen
tursrs.
Your ms morialist was well assured that
this letter was about the latter end of No
rember, communicated To the secretary
ct state and 10 Ike nrssiden, OF the Unit.
I'd States; that after it hsd been some
days iii tire ha"ds of fhe secretary Of state.
the receiat OF IT was ackuo yiedged by
. INN and that about the las, of the same
month, general Miranda proceeded to
washington 10 communicate personally
his plan 10 the govcrament. That i'm.
rnetlialelY after his arrival ut Washington,
! general Miranda visited the secretary of
state; tina. in his first interview he in
formed The secretary that he desired TO
make AN important and confidential com.
municasion tothe government as soon as
The president should permit it 10 be re
ceived; that at a subsequent interview
the secretary of state informed him ,ha,
having consulted the president on the
subject ot their former conference, he was
, authorised to receive his communication
that general Miranda then opened to the
secretary ofstate his objeG in comingyto
the United States, cxposed the condition
OF the province Of Caracas, the general
discomfort OF its inhabitants, and the ease
with which it Nigh, become indepcn.
dent. rnnCtnflno ku
counienance and succour of the govern.
tneht. That at subsequent interview
Tue secretary of state informed general
Mirandatthat he had communicated 10
the president what had passed in their
preceding conference /; that the presi.
dents sentiments could notibe doubted,
| but that government could afford neither
succour nor aid TO the enterprise in which
he was engaged. That upon this gene.
raj Miranda remarked that without ,b.
i coantenance oil government, individuals
might. be unwilling to assist him, and ,he
secretary replied that the United States
was a free country, where every one
might do what the laws did not forbid.
That general Miranda then observed ,ba,
the oil depending for prohibiting the ex
porta!lon OF arms and ammunition might
impede his measures, and the secretary
answered that the bill might not become
a law !; that general Miranda informed
the secretary that he had conferred with
certain persons in New York respeelinp
ms views, and if government should pr,'
vately make him small advance of mo-
ney he might with the assistance of those
persons lind the supplies he wanted to
winch the secretary replied that the mer-
chants would advance money whenever
they became satisfied that they had an
interest IN doing so, Sc enquired what sup
pies he might want, SS who were the per.
sons with whom he had conferred: gene.
rai m1rahds answered that he wanted a
lie" omcsrs and privates, together with
quantity OF arms and ammunition, and that
he hadconlerred with commodore Lewis g.
colonel Smith, who had named your me.
morialist to general Miranda as the pro.
Prietor OF vessels suitable TO his views.
Whereupon the secretary expressed him.
self iavorably concerning the fitness of
these persons named by general Miranda.
adding IN reference to your memorialist
that 1t would be better than the Saint Do.
mingo trade, in which your memorislist
mad been some time engaged, and that
colonel Smith was more qualified for mi.
litary service than for the custom bouse.
in consequence of which last observation.
general Miranda then said that colonel
Smith would go with him, if he could
have leave of absence but the secretary
replied that such permissions were unu.
sual and could not be granted in this in.
stance, and that the conference ended
with an inlimation on the part of the Sc.
cretary OF state, that whatever might be
done should be discreetly done, and with
the understanding on the part of general
Miranda, that though the government
would not aid his enterprise, it met Its
appreciation and encouragement, and tina,
IT would not be opposed that general
Miranda remained at Washington four
teen days, and had several interviews
with The president and secretary in
which time he wrote to colonel William
5. Smith two letters, of which copies fol.
low;
Wasbingfon. lib Dec. 1906.
ny dear .fricnd.
have received your letter of the Is, and 9Th
OF this month, and our commodore's of the s,h
1 Il = hrNN