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

| these concurrent securities against suCh an
apprehension have any. value, the necessity
no longer exists; if they are of no value,
negotiation cannot be attempted, as the basis
npon which it rests, the mutual confidence
of the two parties, would be wholly want
ing
From the moment after the unfortunate
affair of the Chesapeake, that his majesty s
naval commanders, in these waters, had as
certained that they were safe from the eff
fervescenses of that popular fury: under
which the most glaring outrages were com
mitted, and by which they were very natu-
rally led to the superstition that they were
objects of particular hostility, and that
state of war against them, requiring pre-
| cautions on their part had commenced, no
conduct has beens imputed to them, which
could vindicate the necessity ofmaintaining in
force the Preside ut's proclamation. -.
Since that time such of those officers as
have been necessitated by the circumstances
OF the war to remain in these waters, have
held no communication with the shore, ex-
cept in an instance too tri1ing to dwell upon,
and instantly disavowed by the commanding
officer; and they have acquiesced quietly in
various privations, highly prejudicial to the
service they were upon, and in consequence
ct an interdict, which had they been re-
CARELESS OF their duties towards state in a.
NIFTY with their sovereign, and had they not
carefully redressed the feelings its tone and
language had direct tendency to provoke in
them, would have rather excited, than have
averted the evils it was stated to be intend
ed to prevent; were they rega rdful of these
duties, 1t was unnecessary. Had they felt
themselves obligated completely to evacuate
the waters of the United States, especially
whilst an enemy's squadron was harbored, in
them, they could have done it; but under
q of Ia o.;
der such compulsion, carried into full effect,
his majesty could not have dissembled the
extent of the injury received.
J. In the several cases adduced, in which
Great-Britain- required, certain prelimi-
narles, previously to entering into nego-
ciatisn. she regulated her conduct bv the
same principles to which she now adheres,
and refused, whilst no hostility was exhibit
ed OH her part, to treat with powers, whose
proceedings denoted it towards her; and
who maintained their right in what they had
assumed. -.
From the considerations thus offered, I
trust that neither the order of rea som or that
of usage are in contradiction to the demand
have urged, nor am aware how the order
OF time opposes the revocation in the first
instance of that act, which affects injurious
y one of the parties and is still avowed by
the other. 49, .,. .... Co.,. 90 ..- .,, -
The subject is thus presented to you, sir,
IN the light which it was natural that it
should offer itself to his majesty's gov
eminent. 1t certainly conceived the Pre-
sidcnt's proclamation to rest chiefly, and
most materially upon the attack made upon
the trigate of the u. States, the Chesapeake.
oy ms maJesty's ship, the Leopard, although
other topics were adduced as accessories
In this apprehension it may be held to have
been sufficiently warranted, by the precise
time at which, and the circumstances un-
der which 1T was issued, and by its whole
Context, and the more so, as the impulse I'M
DER which twas drawn up, appears to have
Deen SO sudden as to have precluded due
examination OF all the grounds of allegation
contained in it. And here beg leave to as
sure you, that with respect to the spirit and
tone ct that instrument, it would be highly
satisfactory to me, if could feel myself ius-
tined In expressing on the part of his ma
Jesty and degree of coincidence with the o.
plnions you have announced, or when thus
appealed to- and making every allowance
for the irritation of the moment, could
assemble the extreme surprize experienced
by Great Britain, that the government of a
friendly nation, even before an ameable de-
mand OF PREPARATION made, and vet meaning
TO make that demand, should have issued an
edict directing measures of injury very dis.
proportionate to what it knew was an unau-
thorized offence, and both in its terms and
It's Purport so injurious to the government to
which that demand was to be addressed, &
tending to call forth in both nations, the feel
ings under which a: friendly adjustment
would be the most difficult But if, as learn
from you, sir, the proclamation rests sub
stantially on other causes, it is then, pecu-
llarly to be regretted, that, together with
the demand tor redress made in September
last, the government of the u. States did not
think mt to offer negotiation, or an expla-
nation of SO momcntous measure, or to
declare that its recall must be more or less
connected with the adjustment of other al
lodged wrongs. ~ Neither did it think it ne
cessaiy to return any answer to return any
answer to the remonstrance given in by his
maJesty's envoy at Washington, on the 18th
July, 1907, in which he represented that
he considered that Introduction to be so I'M
friendly in its object, and so injurious in it's
consequences to his majesty's interests, that
he could not refrain from expressing the
most sincere regret that it ever should have
been issued, and most earnestly deprecating
its being enforced"
1t could not be supposed that circum-
stance of so great weight could be overlooked
oy his majesty's government, in determn-
ing the line of conduct to be held in the ne
gociatioh and as little could it be expected
20 pass 1t over, when OH the failure Of the
discussion with Mr.. Monroe, it directed a
special mission to be sent to the u States
Ii had the less reason to imagine that any
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