The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-05-14


(DUPLKcArE)
cn LONDON, Alhr1 s2, 1907.
49, We. had the honor to receive your l9+.
ter of February Sd, on the 9th instant. and
are now to give you detail of th,. measures;
we have pursued in obedience to tbs. jnstrnc
tons 1t communicated.
To enable you 70 form lust idea Of those
measures, it will be proper to state concise
ly what had occurred at the time Of rccejyiD,-
your letter, after the departure OF Mr.. Pur.
nance with the treaty, and our dispatch of
the Sd ofIanuary.
Soon after that date wc resumed our con-
ferences with the British commissioners. az
we lnpnated it was our intention to do, and
had nearly discsted with the project of sup
Elemental convention upon tie principal to-
PICS alluded to in the last para granh oethat
dispatch, when an entire change took place
IN the British ministry lord Grenvjllc and
MS associates being compelled to retire in
I2Vor OF the friends of MIR. Pitt. This changes
OF course, suspended the farther progress of
the business, and IN that state it still remains
Before this change in the administration
we had presented to the British commission
eFs, according to an agreement which accom-
Pamed the signature of the treaty, an ante
dated note on the subject of indemnity, and
another to lord Howicls or the same subject.
previously seen and approved by the British
commissioners, With these papers (of which
COPIES are now tTansmtted) the British COM
mssioners not only expressed their perfect
satisfaction, bat assured us then, as they
hayefrequently done since, that the lust con.
hdencs; with which that agreement had IN.
sP!red us, IN regard TO its object, would not
be disappointed.
We had many Conferences with the Bri--
ush commissioners, previous to the late
change, upon the subject of impressmcDts.
IN whIch they invariably declared 10 us, that
Phe practice OF their government would be
s!rictly conference.-the TO the spirit Of the ar
ucie, which they lad settled with nc ana
which was afterwards rejected by the cahi-
net They stated that the prcjldice of the
navy, and OF the country generally. was SO
Strohghh favor Of their pretensicn chat Tho.
ministry could not encounter il, in direct
form and that, in truth, the support of
parliament could not have been relied on =,
such case. 1t was their idea, that nv dis
continuing the practice in the mode prcDos-
ca by them, which might be done without
sN!hS any shock to tho public feeling, this
''h arrangement by treaty OH this very deli
cate and difficult subject rendered 1,tim4ta-
y practicable. The T. States wonid in ~.
interim enjoy the security thew sorci,t v,;,b
ouI any abandonment Of their r;grts end he
induced to yie.d in return, rs tl,eir co,t.
dsnce increased, the equivalents which We
mad ofiered ~ our project.
:, ne lo9tihg upon which thc note of tbe
d. comm winch is and must be con,i ;e,.sd 40.
e. ay Htory as II actually Inserted ia
tle treaty) let this point, was sl,nosed 70
be the less liable to exception on ~ 10
because whilc it affords a pledge u,,6m6ii,;on.
any intended TO secure the subetaneg, rs ,,,i,.
oDjGCt' ana constantly admitted here toI,e o..
qu''' 70 'hat effect, it keeps it, neyertbSlces
WI our advantage, completely oDen far g.,
ture negotiation and more formal a,l6,sfrne,,,..
I nc note declares that the discussion Of a,,5
pan VIII be entertained that can be devircl,
W secure the interests Of both states Win
';;yui! 20 'iBhtS which they are res
it;;da. g.! a.l"Giien, ana consequently pro
'lIeS ior renewal ofnegotiaeion win . Gin.
cere view TO such an Arrangement &c Gu
be practically consistent with the decIarnI.
prctensions OF the =. States. a,d cot 1oa.,,,
untouched the British principle or inltbe,..
words, an Arrangement, i'm which &. a.
tan shall agree TO cOnforn1 he,. c,,rl,,, ,,,,,-
views, without renouncing the clai,, ,yt;,,
Sne mas iu'herto maintained and acted ,,,,>,p.
~ vas siPPoscu, therefore, to be the clear
III OF that note that The coDduct OF Great.
Britain would not. while the dierr,yi1,, -
such plan as it might be pyoper 70 ;ns,.,. T.,
treaty $1,000 postponed at the request Of
us commissioners encroach in praciice M
ON rights, winch wc had so strongly assent
Cd and indicated rs rights not 10 be 3bandsn-.
ca, Wh'ch 1T was weilunderSto9d our govern
ihent and country would not suffer 70 be. in
yaaeo IN future as they had been djring the.
past, and which the British commissioners
themselves, acting under tl.,iip,re,Iiatc or
GERS oi She cabinet, had in their note tl,e,i,,.,-
~ recognized as Ii to be preserved h,reaf. 4
ter from injury ard violation This c,nc,u-
SION was thought TO be more Just and nat,,.a
"hen J; was remembered that il was u
ported, not only by the verbal sdinioe,
and declarations of the British cenrpi
ers, which would of course, as ill.,