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

L
I wants,
| JAMES MONROE.
WILLIAM PINKNEY.
| p: 8. we are preparing letter to you,
Explanatory of the project of supplement
tai convention mentioned above, which will
be Forwarded in a few days. A copy of the pro-
llect ofthe b. commissioners, will be inclosed.'
tits not our intention toproceed, even if this
government should be so disposed, to do any
thing conclusive upon the subjects enbra-
ced by it, until the views of the president
shall be known to us relative to. such of the
topics. as were not contemplated by the in
structions originally given to the mission.
SIR.
We had the honor to inform you in our
letter OF the 22d inst that the British COM
miSsioners having proposed to us to endeavor
to adjust the terms of a supplemental con-
vention relative to boundary, to trade by
sea between tie United States and the Bril-
tlsh northern colonies, and to the subjects re-
served for future explanation by the I'd arti-
Gle OF our treaty, we had resumed our con-
terences with them, and had made consider
able progress in digesting the plan of such
convention, when the business was interrupt
ed by an entire change of the kings minis
ters, 1t is the purpose of this dispatch con-
cisely to explain that ne gociation and its OBJ
ljects.
After many interviews, and much discus
sion, the British commissioners at length
presented to US the project of which copy
is now transmitted. differing in many essen
| tial particulars from that which had been
Originally offered on our part.
| The first article in our plan, which, like
the hrst article in their project, defined the
lconnecting line between the mouth of the St.
Croix, as heretofore settled by commission
ers, and the bay of Fundy, was copied from
the convention of Mr. King and lurd Hawkes.
'bury, and adopting the ship channel between
Deer island and Campo Bello island, first
Included and then excepted the latter, The
British commissioners alledged that the ar
ticle in that shape accomplished its object
by useless Inconsistencies that it gave
line of property and Jurisdiction beyond its
own views, merely to furnish occasion for an
exception Of almost equal, Importance with
lthc whole residue of the subject; and
that the navigation OF the east passage being
secured to the United States by a precise
iprovision, The whole effect of the first arti-
Icle of the convention of 1908, would be pro-
duced at orce by running the line along the
middle OF the west passage. They, there
fore, proposed an article, framed on that
principle, to which no objection of any weight
has occurred to us. We do not perceive
that in substance this article is different from
the other, while it is more simple and intel
liigiblc in its plan. Even if the commence
mcnt Of one of the parallel east lines, with
i'll which, by the treaty of peace, the Uni
ted States are entitled to all islands within
twenty leagues of any part of our shores
(not within the limits of Nova-Scotia) should
lbe admitted to- depend upon the channel
,f.,l E. 81.
is conducted: to the bay of FuAdy, il would
tprobably be indifferent to the United States
| whether tie east or the west channel were
| adopted. Grand Menan seems to be consi-
derably southwark of an east line drawn e.
ven from West Quady Head, and we know
OF no other island, taking into consideration
the exception in the treaty of peace, to the
| title of which the commencement of that line
can now be important.
To the 5th article, regulating our bounda-
| ~ lii the north west, which has encountered
much Jealous opposition here, even in the
| form suggested by the British commissioners,
| from the prejudices, supposed interests, and
mistaken view of many persons, an explana-
F, ton of some of which will be found in an
| idle paper written by lord Selkirk, (of which
| a copy is inclosed) we finally objected, that
| the division line between our respective ter
| ritories in that quarter, ought to be drawn
| from the most northwestern point of the lake
of the Woods, due north or south, until it
shall intersect the parallel OF 40 degrees,
| and from the point of such intersection. due
west along, and with that parallel. This
was agreed to by the British commissioners
We objected also to the terms defining the
extension of the west line, viz. Gas far as
the territories of the United States extend
ed in that quarter" 1t appeared to us that
by these words great portion of the subject
was in danger of being set at large that
the provision would, perhaps, do no more
than establish between the parties the COM
mencement of the line; and might, of course,
leave it open to Great-Britain to found
claim hereafter to any part of the tract of
country to the westward of that commence
ment, upon the notions of occupancy or con-
quest, which you will find stated by lord
Selkirk, in the paper above mentioned, or
upon some future purchase from Spain, as
minated by others. We therefore propo-
sed to omit the words in question altogether,
which the concluding proviso appeared to
render wholly unnecessary, even upon the
| ideas of the British commissioners. This
was not agreed to but it was said there
would be no obection to give to this part of
the description character of reciprocity
| so as to make it read Gas far as, their said