Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1809-12-11
From Mr.. Erfkine TO MIR. Smith.


WeysisgsOr, Argsa l4fb, 1909
SiR-I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt OF your latter of the 9th inf. informing
me you had juf received letter from Mr.
pinknry, incloiing printed paper, purporting
TO be copy of defpatch, TO me from Mr..
Canning, which fates, among other things,
" from ,he report of your conversations with
MIR. Madiion, Mr., Gallatin and Mr.. Smith, it
appears;
" It. That the American government is
prepared, in the event of his Majeffy's con-
enting TO withdraw the orders in council Of
January and November 1907, to withdraw con-
tenporaneouily on its part, the interd cfion Of
It's harbors to ihips of war, and all non.inter-
courle and non.importstion acts 70 far as re-
fpects Great Britain, leaving them in force with
re!peet to France and the powers which adopt,
or act under her DEGREES.
." Cd That America is willing TO renounce
during the prelent var, the projections OF car
ryipg on, in time of war. ali trade with the
enemies colonies, fl ON which ihe was excluded
during peace
" 9dly. Grea, Britain, for the rnrpofe Of
feeuring the operation ofthe embargo, aud The
! bona fds intention of Ametica to prevent her
citizens from trading with France and the
powers adopting and acting under the French
DEGREES is to be eonldered as eing ar hber.y
| TO capture all fuch American velfels as may
be found attempting TO trade, j with The ports
| of any OF ihefe powers, without which iecuri,y
for the oblervance of the embargo, the raiGag
| it nomisi'y with refpect 20 Great Britaa a'one.
would in fAct raife II, with refpecf 10 al ,hs
| world"
The explanations which you relueff from
L IL ~. n Il. III
dour, and will proceed, accordingly, to lay
before you an abarad of the communication
which made 10 his Majeify's government re.
latlye TO the unofficial conversations which
had held with Mr.. Madifon, Chen Secretary
of State,) Mr.. Galatin and yourfelf a, the time
and upon the occahon alluded to by His MAJ
efyis Secretary of State tMr. Cdnning) in that
part of his naruetions to me of which You in
form me you have received printed copy
from MIR. Pinkney,
Upon referring TO my defpatches, addrelIed
TO His Majeity's government of the Sd and 4,h
December 'ait, in which lheie communications
alluded to muit have been held fome days pre-
vous to that period, and were to the following
effect
Mr.. Madifon, Chen Secretary Of S,are) 10
repreiented by me to have urged various ar
kdhehts 'thtihS W piNfb tNAI TIC
| States had eIerted all their efforts to periuase
the French government Z, Withdraw their un-
Jun reftrictions upon neutral coirue-ce, and
| that recourie might have been had TO meaiures
of more activity aud decihon againfi France
than mere remoniirances, bu, that, in the mean
time Great Britain had ifued her Orders in
, Council. before il was known whether the u
ni,ed States would acqmelce in the asgr.ions
1 of Eranra and tharat>v -
| to dihnguiih between the conduct of the two
bellieerents who had equally committed ag-
| greiEons againlt the United States.
After fome other obferva,ions MIR Madfon
IS ftated by me at that time to have added thar
! as the world mull be convinced that america
! had in vain taken all the means IN her power
to obtain from Great Britain and France iull
attention for her rights as a neutral power BY
approximations and remonitrance. thai fie
| would be fully utilized in having reeourfe To
holtilities with either hel,'gerent, and hat The
| only helllated to do 10 from the difficulty of
| con,endipg with both but that the mutt BE
driven even To endesvor TO maintain her rghts
againlt the two grestef powers in The world
unlefs either of them fboud relax their RETIRE
tons upon neutral commerce in which cate,
the United States would a, once ide with thar
power againf the other which might continue
its aggreihons.
Tia; every opinion which he entertained
respecting the bea intereiis OF his country led
him to with that good understanding il,ould
take place between Great Britain and The
United States, and that he thought that the
obvious advantages which would thereby re.
iult 10 both countrie. were inflicient pledge
of the hncelity of his ient,menls
Thete obfervations, Sir, | beg leave 10 re-
mark, were made to ME by Mr. nadifon a.
bout month after the intelligence had been
received in this country of the rejection bv
His Iaieny's government of the propoftion
made through Mr.. Piakney by the Proficient
for the regnoval OF the embargo as re,pe nd
Great Britain, upon condition tina, the Orders
in Council ihoald be withdrawn a, refpec(ed
the United States: And he ien,imenis were.
as conceived, exprefed 10 me, in order that
might convey them to His Mzieay's gov
eminent, % as to lead TO reconsideration of
. the proportion aforementioned, with view
TO the adluit3ent OF the differences upon that
iu5jeet between the respective eountr,e..
But never coniidered tia, MIR Maa,fon
meant that the government, of ,hs Untea
States would pledge themlelves beyopd the
propoii,on reipeeting he embargo, as above
itaied, hecaule that was the eY,en, of The now
err OF the Preldent by the Contribution Of the
United States.
! underaood, very diflinGlly, that the OBJ.
iervations of the fecre,ary of flare were inten.
ded to convey an opinion of VIVA, ouph, and
woad be the eourie purified by the United
States, IN the event of Ills Maetys Order,
in Council being Withdrawn.