Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-03-29

our most oDed cnt humble scv't.
(Signcd) GEORGE CANNING.
JAMES MONROE, Esq.
&c. &c. tJc.
London, Aasust 4ih, 1907.
! avail myself of he opportunity eNnr-
ded by Mr., Bddlc, to communicates 10 vou
a copy OF Il correspondence, and the sub
stance 81 conference, between MIR, Can
ming and myself, rciat;ve to .he late agrees
sion on the peace and Sovereignty of tic u.
states, By the British ship Leopard, in an
attack Oh The Chesapeake, olF the capes of
Virginia.
Mr.. CAnning's private letter of July s5,
which ;sa"e Inc first intelligence of the &C.
currence, left il doubtful whether The Bri
tish officers had been culpable in l., and as
S"ew how very reprehensiblc their colt
duct had been on onr coast. on manv other
occasions, ami 70 What height the scnsibiii-
" at our citizens had been excited bv it, /
thought IT MT improbable that something
might nave occurred to divide tie blame
between the parties 1t wa. under that I'M
PRECISION that my answer was written. On
the ncxt day the leading features OF thu,
transaction Were presented 10 the puhlic,
through tile medium of the gazctteS, which
directly fr'm llahiay, by vessel which
had been dispatched by admiral Rerko!ey
win the ci'icia! one. By thsse it was evi-
ucnt shat the British officer was complete
~ the a3SreSsor, III an outrage of great
cnorn'ity, attended VITA circumstances
which increased the offence J. was UNDER
stood likewise from good authority, thar
the Official intelligence which the govern
ment had received, corrcspoEded with and
conilr med the other accounts already be-
fore the public.
On full consideration OF these circum-
stances, concluded that il wound BIZ high =
~ improper for me to leave the affair on
The ground OIL which Mr.. Canning had p,a-
ccd u. COULD sec no other motive in him
20 obtain further iTformatioU relative 20 the
transaction, tliah for the purpose of ascer-
'a'nlnE whether the men said 80 be descr-
GERS ard for whom the attack was made,
were Amer.csn citizens or British subjects
10 "ticn It VS. impossible for ne to give
any c2ontcnancc. thought it indspcnsa
Die therefore 10 call en- the government 70
i'saFow the principle and to engage sucI,
ether rSpar@.ion to the United States, as
treir !Gjnred honor obviously required. It
aEI'earea 20 ne, thus any delay in taking
ih,'L sep which, depended on an abstract
lr'pc'pie, AID required NJ argument 70 IL
ioN'fase; % i.f;s 20 support Il, wCu:d have
u trn'ie"cy 10 weaken a claim which wa
UAIucst:onahic, and g ctupGen.nce the idea
that 1t w,:iI!d not be suEpcrtabie with suit
al;le energy.
Ihtd, before ths kncwl,dge oftl!isevont,
Obtained the appointment of an interview
with Dir Canning IN other Business, to take
place ri the 20 u,,i,ro We net ACCORDING to
the ~Pp"Htmcnt Observed, in opcn.3g ihe
conference, thar although re topics Which
tad hfrugbt Us together. were inacrta NJ,
ne tale occurrence ut the entrance Cf the
E'csapeS had in great measure put
them cui q. sight. lie expressed his re-
ETct -; Such an event, which would at All
times t"TnISl' cause ofconcoFn. should have
iiaprzDc. Il ,iic present iine He asked If
ihe n'c1 ih qul.tioa werc'Americnn citizens,
or British Subiec5-2 ! replied ihat that
was poib; wbiCd Coul;l not come INTO view
- the case that ~ was one which accor
ring as tie fac; mish. be, would make the
Cause more OF less popular, in either couu-
-, 81. cmid ~. aHect the principe: that
o1 principle, 4 siiJ0 J war projected alithc
people on board, and could not he entered
% &c Searcncd i1r deseriers, or for any nur-
p's@, without violating the soverciruty Of
the uati"n wl'"sc Tag She bore tbac in the.
prescott case J nj been assured, that the
men were American citizens, and that the
British minister 1T Washington had been
made acquainted with it. Ic said little
on 'hr su,jecs, ru. by the tendency of what
he Gid say, seemed to imply that his CO.
vestr'ent could not Lose SIGH, Of the con-
s'fe:etion abnve alluded to, nor indeed did
be admit ~ my lhing that escaped him,
that The abstract principles Itself would
mt be insisted on. Ills remarks however
were rrncrt!iY eta concIliatoiy \ friendly
character ;w'th"ut pledging himaclfo any
paint, be sveuci desiroas IN SATISFY me-
ti'"t Hn rev orders had been issued bv
tie p:cscat mIGslry to tnc commardant of
the BfIGt1 squadron at Haitian. Io5serv-
ed, that Is tle notes win Oh had passed be-
tween rs, were i1lurmsl, and Oh a very II.
mited view % Shc subject, on my part, II