The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-04-15

branch of their trade, ought certainly to restore
| what the treaty suspended
These observations are made not with a view
to any negotiation whatever leading at The pre-
sent moment to treaty or those or any other
| commercial points, or TO discussions which mi,ht
De msconstrued into a wish to take unreasons-
tDie advantage of a critical moment, bu, TO ena
Die you to present the ideas of YOUR government
| with more precision, to vindicate our commerce.;
al policy against misconceptions, and to Avail,
yourself The better of fit occasions for obtaiuno-
] from the British government such relaxations as
may be due to our example, and be calculated TO
cherish aTmty and useful intercourse between the
two nations.
" In my letter Of stated the rea-
sonableness ofadmitting American consuls in the
| dependencies OF Great Britain, whenever and
Wherever the American commerce should be adj
mitted. The principle urged in this case is APP
plcaoie 10 the East well us to the WestIr
dics: During the last war an American agent
wasintornally at least allowed TO reside at Cal
cutta and take care Of the trade of his country
men, Mr.. Jacob Lewis, vino was appointed to
| succeed him, proceeded TO London on lis way
| thither, but peace having interviewed, his apnli
cation Tor an exequatur WAS refused. Its fre-
al Importance To our trade with that country ,b.t
| such functionary should be permitted to reside
| in 1t; the more SO lift be true that the rule for
bidding foreign factors te io be enforced there
| BE so good as TO sound the British government
on this subject, and communicate its sentiments
Tor the interpolation OF the President"
Ertracs Of letter from Mr.. Madison 70
DIr Monroe.
| DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
SIR,
" The experience Of every dav shews
more and more the obligation on both sides
to enter seriously on the means of guarding
the harmony of the two countries, ag ainst the
dangers with which ii is threatened b. 1ef.
severance OF Great-Britan ia. her ireEa.a-
rites on the high seas, and la1lioGis ID %. he
impressmerts from Ancrio suE vessels The
extent in which these have IL q 5asE -ince
the commcncCneut Of tie Haf Nilf e- seen
by the enclosed report gc. ID t..l. NOM rNie de-
partment, by a VOC 81 .Ic ,tru.e eeii1e-
sentatives and the ca. for It, whist slaae-
Citations on the subject were unacts IL 20 &C
in train, is itself proof of the pu1.c Sc ST.
| bility to those aggressionS On the securit, Lf
our citizens, and the rights OF our ilag. a
further proof viii be seen in the motion al
so enclosed, which was made by Mr.. Crown
inshield, and which will probably be revived
at the next session. This motion, with his
remarks OF it, appear very generally in the
| News-PaPefs, with comments preceding
from a coincidence of the sensibility ont of
doors with THAT within. A still stronger proof
of impatience under this evil, will be found
| iii the proceedings authorized by an act of
| Congress just passed, and which is likewise
inclosed, against British officers committing
on the high seas, trespasses or torts on board
American vessels, offences manifestly inciu-
ding cases of impressment.
g In communicating these circumstances.
it will occur toyou, that whilst they may be
allowed to proclaim the growing sensibility
| of the United States, on the subject of i'm
pressments, they ought, by proper explana-
tons and assurances, tobe guarded against
INSTRUMENTATION into marks of illiberai or hos
tile sentiments towards Great Britain The
truth is, and 1T may be so statedby YOU, tlfat
this practice fnnpressments, aggravated by
so maEy provoking incidents, has been so
long continued, and so often in vain remon-
strated against, that, without more encou-
ragement than yet appears to expect speedy
redress from the British government, tn u
, nited States are in manner driven to the
necessity Of seeking for some remedy depen
dent on themselves alone. But it is no lie
true, that they are warmly disposed to che
rIsh all the friendly relations subsisting with
Great-Britain that they wish 70 see thatne
cessity banished BY just and prudent arrange
ments between the two governments; and
mat with THIS view, you were instructed TO
open the negotiations which are now Deepen
p, ding. il is impossible for the British gov
ernment to doubt the sincerity OF these SEN
timents. The forbeaTaDce OF the United
States, year after year, and war after war,
to avail themselves Of those Obvious means,
/ which, without violating their national obi
cations OF any sort, would appeal in the stron-
gest manner to the interest of Great-Britain.
is of itself sufficient demonstration of the
1 amicabie spirit which has directed their
public councils. This spirit is sufficiently
manifested also, by the propositions which
have been lately made through you, and by
the patience and cordially with which you
have conducted the negotiation. might add,
as further proof to the same effect, that
| notwithstanding the refusal Of which we have
official information, from Glasgow and Lii
verpool particularly, to- restore American
seamen deserving their ships in British ports,
the laws of many Of the states have been
left, without interruption, to restore British
deserters. One of the states, Virginia, has
even at the last sessioniof its legislature pass
ed an act for the express purpose of resto-
ring such deSerters, which deserves the more.
| attention as it was done in the midst of irri-
tations resulting from the multiplied irregu-
larities committed by British ships in the A
merican seas.
Mr. Merry has expressed some inquie-
tude with respect to the clause in the act a..
bove referred TO, which animadverts on Bri-
tish tresspasses on board American vessels;
and his language on several late occasions
has strongly opposed the expectation that G..
l Il, l. z