The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-11-29

and Of papers laid kefnrc CONGRESS- at their
last session. MIR. Hall brought me a letter
from General Armstrong, ofthc Goth of June
(of which send an extract) anG Mr.. UNISON
brought me private letter from him, with
the following postscript of the first of July
" An order has been received from Bayonne,
to condemn eight ether of our ships"
On Friday the 22d of July, l had an inter
view with Mr.. Canning. and renewed MY eff
forts to obtain revocation OF the British or
ders of January and November, 1907, and of
the other orders dependent upon them. /
have already informed you, in my private
letter Of the 29sh of June, that on the NOR
ming of its date, had long conversation
with Mr.. Canning, which had rendered it
somewhat probable that the object mentioned
in your letter of the S0th of April (of which
had received a duplicate by the packe y
would be accomplished, if should authorize
the expectation which that letter suggests;
but that some days must elapse De fore i could
speak with any thing like certainty on the
subject; and l have mentioned IN another
private letter (of the 10Th Of July) thatit was
understood between Mr.. Canning ard myself
that another interview should take place
soon after the propagation of parliament. In
effect, however, Mr. Canning was not pre-
pared to see me again until the ed o. July,
after had been recalled to London by the
arrival of the St. Michael and had in conse-
quence, remindedh him of Our arrangement by
private note.
! In the interview ofthc 2eth of June, soon
found it Necessary 20 throw out al, intima-
ton. that the power vested in the President,
by Congress, to suspend the embargo act and
its supplements, would be exercised, as re-
garrled Great Britain. if their orders were
repealed, as regarded the United States.
TO have urged the revocation, upon the mere
aground OF strict right, or ct general policy,
ord :c:c =: i:::.c !cc 81 S;.;lS
vas authorized to place it upon grounds in
, tinitely stronger, would have been, as it APP
pcarcd to me, to stop short of my duty. Your
| letters to Mr.. Erskine. (Which Mr.. Can
ming has read and considerably had exhaust
cd the first Of these grounds, and endleys
discussions here, in every variety of form,
in and out of Parliament, had exhausted the
second. There was, besides, no objection,
of any force, to my awaiting myself, without
delay, Of the powerful Inducements, which
the intimation in question was likely to fur
nlsh to Great-Britain, to abandon her late
system and it seemed to be certain that.
by delaying to present these inducements to
Mr.. Canning's consideration, should not
only lose much time, but finally give TO my
conduct disingenuous air, which, while it
must be foreign TO the views and sentiments
of the President, could hardly fail to make a
very unfavorable impression on the minds Of
Mr.. Canning and his colleagues. thought,
moreover, that, if l should reserve the sug-
gestion for a late stage of our discussions, IT
would be made to wear the appearance of
a concession reluctantly eXtorted, rather
than what it was, the spontaneous result of
the characteristic frarkness and honorable
policy of our government.
The intimation once made, complete de
velopement of its natural consequences, if
properly acted upon, followed Of Course
and, taking advantage of the latitude, af-
forded by the informal nature of n mere con-
vcrsation, endeavored to make that devel-
opcmcnt as strong an appeal as, consistently
with truth and honor, could, (and there was
no necessity to do more) to the Justice and
the prudence of this government.
1t was not possible, however, that Mr..
Canning could require to be assisted by my
explanations. 1t was plain, upon their own
principles, that they could not equitably per-
severe in their, orders in council, upon the
foundation of an imputed acqucscence on
our part in French invasions of our neutral
rights, when it was become, (if it was not
always,) apparent, that this imputation was
completely, and in all respects, an error;
when it was manifest that these orders, by
letting loose upon our rights more destruc-
tive ana Offensive li.dn 1t was III
the power of France to maintain, interpo-
sed between us and France, furnished an
swers to our remonstrances against her de-
crees and pretexts for those DEGREES, and
stood in the way OF that very resistance which
Great. Britain affcctedto incucatc as duty,
at the moment when she was taking the
most effectual measures to embarrass and
cenfolnd it; and when it was also manifest
that a revocation of those orders would, if
not attended or followed by revocation of
the DEGREES of France, place us at issue with
that power, and resultin precise opposite
on by the United States to such parts of her
nti-commercial edicts as il became us to
repel.
In a prudential view, my explanations
seemed still less to be required. Nothing
could be more clear than that, if Great
Britain revoked her orders, and entitled
herself to suspension of the embargo, her
object, Of it were any thing short of the es-
tablishment and practical support of an ex-
elusive dominion over the seas) must, in
some mode or other, be accomplished, whe-
Their France followed her example or not
In the first case, the avowed purpose of the
British orders would be fulfilled, and com
merce would resume its accustomed prOspe-
rity and expansion. In the last, the just re-
sstance of the United States ignore effica- |
cious than that Of the British or Ts,) to
French irregularities and aggrcssions would |
be left to its fair operation, (and it was i'm |
II. 4.