The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-09-08

But let any candid man read our correspon.
dence, and declare. if he can, that your pro.
testatiens were not altogether vague, from
the beginning to the end did you not know
before the publication of the dispatches of
the envov.. that, superior to prctexts. the
envov you nad selected to negotiate, declared
himself, for the reasons herein stated, unau.
thorised to treat Did you not, in conse.
qu-nce ot those reasons, and from a .convic-
zion OF their truth, pledge yourself to prepare
W5ormaHy with him, treaty, and to send
minister to the American government for
- ratification of it! And did you not, after
the PRONUNCIATION of the dispatches, depart
from the arrangements, and renew PROPOSE
lions long before made to and rejected by
him for treating separately IF then, sir,
ynnr protestatinns were no. vague, why did
you not. in the informal mode agreed on, dis
cuss fairly and substantially the important
subjects of the negotiation Whv, in lieu
thereof, did you propose formal epistolary
negotiation, and even in this confine Yourself
to the correction of consular convention,
which was soon to expirel Why did YOU not
enter on the most Important object, the pro.
jectoFa commercial treaty. OF what use,
without such treaty, wa a consular con-
vcntion Your beginning with the smallest
shtect or the negOciation, and indeed Your
whole cen'tnCt in that discussion amounted, in
my mind, to prcof positive, that you was
governed by no motive or expectation of at
tanning the important objects of the negocia-
ton, but that your sole view, SIS before stated,
was to amuse the French govern ncns ana
nation, and to divert from Yourself their in
dignation, resulting from the rupture of the
negotiation. Your letter then proceeds,
''when it became necessary to abandon the
idea of treating with that Envoy, qvho
thought IL intorsdnt oniy 10 kr,cvv hoqv a
-yr- ferEr
gave him tie most solemn Assurances con-
Corning the reception that a new pienipoten-
tiary would receive. But did that envoy
think 1t important only to know how a ncgo
CITATION might thereafter be resumede You
know, sir, he did not In his letters 70 your.
self of the 4th and goth of April, 1898, the
trst being before, and the last subsequent to
the departure from Paris of one of his col
leagues, he early proposed to "confer with
you informally and unaccredited, on any sub
Jtct respecting his mission, and co commune
cate to the government of the ". States the
result OF such conferences" He gave you
aereeaoly to yonr request, the outlines of
such treaty as he thought would have been
acceptable to your government and repeat
etlly urged you 10 come forward, on YOUR
part, with propositions for Terminating, all
differences, for the restoration of harmony
AID friendship and for the re. establishment
OF commerce between the United States ami
France" and to effect these objects he as.
sured yon OF his immediate and cheerful co.
operation Look at Your correspondence
with him, which you appear to have forgot
ten, and yon will there find record of these
and numerous other facts, proving his unre-
nitted eXertions while in France, to establish
commercial treaty and restore harmony
between the two republics. Is it not then,
much to be regretted. sir, that you have ha-
Zarded such unfounded assertions, and pro-
dnced the painful secessity of detecting
them?
, Yonr letter then proceeds to state, "tliat
you wished to encourage Mr.. Gerry by the
testimonies OF regard that his good intenti
ons merlted. although yoa could not
disSenDie, that he wanted decision, III a
moment when he might have easily adjust
ed every thing. That it does not thence fol-
low, you designated him; that You will even
avow, that you think him too irresoluce TO
De ut to hasten the conclusion of an affair of
ms KIND Testimonies nf regard. SIR,
III negotiations, inspire neither courage nor
confidence: they are seldom successfully
Practlsed and always Elusive and had YOU
manifested such to him, he must have can
o'diy declared to you. "fimeo danaos ct do
ia Jerenfes." His primary object was to
promote, on principles of reciprocity, the no.
nor, interest and welfare of his country. In
the pursuit OF these you was fully convinced
that he was above encouragement, and that
all your iinpediments aud discouragements
were of no avail
That he " wanted decision" 10 close 7viih
your migrating firchoSihons, is conceded
Ut is demonstrated by the correspondence yon
refer to- and 1t therein appears also that he
was "rresolute" 10 do wrong (; an irresou-
ton which he frankly avows, which he pre-
ters Infinitely to "diplomatic skill" or di.
piomatic artihce, and which permit him,
sir, from long experience and full convic-
ton that in public as we'll as private con-
Germs, " honesty is the best policy" to re.
commend to your consideration and patron.
age.
As duty which owe to myself. have
Transmitted copies of this letter to Yourself,
yn'ongh French and American channels,
~hich VIII ensure the delivery of it !; and
hsd you adopted similar measure, by send
ing to me copy of your official letter to Mr..
Fichon, IN which you very freely use my cha :
,facter, you would have received an imme-
Clate answer.
accept my assurances sir, of all due con-
slderation aud respect,
J.. GERRY.
Cambridge, Jnly 1909.
BAL7yycPg. tSeh 9