The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-04-08
mo. 1o5.

rect or empower me to enter upon matters
not connected with that of the Chesapeake :;
and they could with the less propriety do i,
IS in order to render the adjustment of dit
ferences OF such nature, the more easy &c
the more conspicuous, the ministers charged
especially with such Offices have been With
few IT any exceptions, restricted TO the pre-
else affair to be negotiated. With respect
therefore to those other causes of complaint,
upon which you inform me that the Presi-
dents proclamation rests, / cannot be fur
nished with documents enabling me either
to admit or to controvert those statements Of
grievances, foreign to the attack upon that
ship, contained in your letter, OF authorised to
| discuss the matters themselves shall there
tore not allow myself to offer such comments
as my personal Knowledge of some Of those
transactions suggests to me, although their
tendency would materially affect both the
marked manner In which those transactions
are portrayed, and the observation-disclosures
lights in which his majesty's government is
represented TO nave acted respecting them.
II am moreover led to the persuasion that NV
| government will be the more easily able to
rescue itself from inculpation, by the infer
ence arising from Passages in Mr.. Monroe's
letter to Mr.. Secretary Canning, of the 29th
or September last, that the differences I'M
happily existing between the two nations
were in a train of adjustment
III ms majesty has not permitted me to en-
ter into the discussion OF the search of ncu-
trail merchant. ships for British seamen, to-
sether with the adjustment of the amount
of reparation for the attack upon the Che
sapeak Ike lit was no-wise with a view of pre-
Guiding the further agitation of that CUES
ton at suitable time; but it was that the
negotiation might be relieved from the en-
harrassment arising from the connection of
the, present matter with the one so foreign
to 1t, and, as 1t was but too well known, SO
dlthcult to be adjusted, of a right distinctly
disclalmed, with one which Great Britain
! has at all times asserted of enforcing her
Claim. to the services of her natural born
subjects, when found on board merchant
vessels OF other nations claim which she
POUNDS in that principle of universal law,
which gives to the state the right of reuuir.
ing the aid and assistance of her native CT
tlzens. Ihe recurrence therefore, to that
course ct negotiation, which had been o,i-
glnally settled between Mr.. Secretary Cam
ming & Mr.: Monroe, and which had been a.
lone broken in upon blythe orders subsequent
ly received bythat minister, only can be con-
sidered as a resumption of that course Of
things which Great Britain strenuously con-
tended there was no ground to depart from
may observe, that this purpose might have
| been effected without the Intervention of q
| special minister. "
III VIII De III your recollection, sir, that in
our first interview, stated the condition.
winch makes the subject Of the present LETT
ter, before l was informed by YOU, that the
president of,the United States would consent
| tothe separation of the two subjects. 49,
| lhad trusted that the exposition, which
added IN my letter of the 26th January to the
verbal explanation had before offered, of
the grounds Of his majesty's demand, was
ooth III It's purport, and in the terms in which
IT was couched, such as to prevent suspi-
cion that they were in their intention deroe-
atory to the honor, or calculated to wound
the Just scnsibiity of this nation. | NAV ado
that such suppositlon could not be recon
| clied with the various ostensible and nne,-
qulvocal demonstrations of his maiestv's
| Sood 1ath and anxiety, that this transaction
should be brought to an amcable terminate
| on, which were exhibited even prior to snv
| remonstrances on the part, or by order of
| this government. The other topics which
| felt myself authorised to advance in that
! letter, In illustration of that amicable dis
position On the part of the king, were bro't
| forward from the conviction entertained
hat they must be of a nature to be satisfac-
tory tothis government, and therefore, such
as 1t was particularly my duty to. enforce:
out not with view to rest upon them the
right to advance the claim which have sta
ted. .
may mere remark, It is obvious that far
from requiring that the first steps towards
an arrangement of repatriation should be ia
Ken by the United States, Great-Britain has
already made them openly and distinctly -
they are indubitable testimonies to the ye-
spect borne and decidedly marke by treat
Britain, to the ties of amty subsistinp be-
tween the two nations and OF her cordial
desire to maintain them unimpaired and
as such alone they were urged
as his majesty would have derived sim
cere satisfaction from the evidence of cor
responding feelings on the part OF the United
States, so it would be the more painful tome
to dwell upon series Of insults and men
aces which, without any provoce ion of war
Ike preparation. on the part of Great-Bri-
tain, have been for months Accumulated nm
on her through the u. States, and but too
frequently from quarters whose authoritO
necessarily and powerfully commanded ct
teution.
ought, perhaps, to apologize fof' advert
ing to an incidental expression in YOUR letter.
II did not think 1T right to remove any am
6lgHity respecting the nature of the claim
winch ". butain maintained TO her seamen.
hatIVe ciuzenS of the realm, who have deser-
tea IRON her service 70 that OF other powers
IL is, tnat on demand they shall be discharq-
eaJorth7oith, and consequently they shall in
stantly be freed from their WY contracted
obligations.
Before close this letter, allow ne to state