Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-12-08

treat, that was in contemplation.
In his dispatch Of the Esd of Jauua-
~, Mr.. Secretary Canning distinctly
says to Mr.. Ersline--" Upon receiv-
" ing through YOU on the part of the
" American government distinct and
F." Official recognition of the three a
C aforementioned conditions, his Ma
IS iesty will lose no time in sending to
" America minister fully empower
/" ed to consign chem to formal and
" regular treaty"
This Minister would, of course, have
been provided with full power, but
Mr.. Erskine was to be guided by his
instructions, and had the agreement
concluded here been conlormaale to
them, it would without doubt have
been ratified by his majesty, must
beg your very particular attention to
the circumstance that his maiesty's ra-
LITIGATION has been withheld, not be-
cause the agreement was concluded
without a full power, but because it
was altogether irreconcileable to the
instructions on which it was protested
" founded.--The question of the full
power was introduced by yourself to
give weight, by quotation from a
highly respected author, to your COM
plant of the disavowal, in answer TO
which observed that the quotation did
not apply, as Mr. Erskine had no full
power. Never did imagine, Or any
where attempt, to rest the right of dis
avowal upon that circumstance :-in-
dubitably his agreement would, never
theless, have been ratified, had not the
instructions, WHICH in this case took
the place OF full power, been viola
ted.
am surprized at the transition by
which it appears to you that this part
Of the subject is connected with the
authority empowering me to negoi cate
with you. | will not, dare say, have
ESCAPED your recollection that / in-
formed you at a very early period oil
our communications, that in addition
to the usual credsntial letter. his ma.
jjesty had been pleased to invest me
with full powerunder the great seal
of his Kingdom, for the express pur-
pose of concluding a treaty or canven-
ton. l well remember your testifyinl
your satisfaction at the circumstance
and have only now TO add thar | am
ready, whenever it suits your conve.
nience, to exchange my full power 4.
gainst that with which you shall be
provided, for the progress of our nego-
alton.
am concerned, sir, to be obliged
a second time to appeal to those prin-
ciples ofpublic law under the SANCTION
and protection OF which L was sent TO
this country. Where there is not free
dom of communication in the form
substituted for the more usual one Of
verbal discussion, there can be little
useful intercourse between Ministers
and one, at least, OF the epithets which
you have thought proper to apply to
my last letter is such as necessarily
abridges that freedom. That any thing
therein contained may be prevalent to
the subject it is of course competent in
iyou to endeavour 20 shew and as far as
you succeed in so doing, in so far will
my argument lose OF its validi!y-but
as TO the propriety of my illusions you
must allow me TO acknowledge only
the decision of my own sovereign
whose commands obey, and TO whom
alone ! can consider myself RESPONSE
bic. Beyond this it sufices that l dc
not deviate from the respect due tc
the government to which 1 am accre,
dited.
You will find that in my correspon
dence with you, nave carefully avoid.
ed drawing conclusions that did moi
necessarily follow from the premises
advanced by me, and least Of all should
think of u;tering an 1nsinuation
where l WAS unable TO subs,antiate q
fact. To facts, such as have become
acquainted with them, have scrupu.
lousy adhered, and in 50 doing
must continue, whenever the good
faith Of his maiesty's government is
called in question, to vindicate its hon.
or and dignity in the manner that ap.
r,eare q, me haef calcuiared for H..