Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-05-30

to that passage Of the note delivered to
you oy Mr.. Monroe and Mr.. Pinckney
"hich states that " soon after the suspen-
s'on OF the negotiations, it was suggested
ny ms maJesty's commissioners that if the
topic relative TO impressments should be
expressly reserved for future conventional
arrangement, and pledge given to the u
nlted states for resuniag the conside ration
VI at convenient season, w tn that view ::
ana, that, IT in the mean time such an in
Iormat understanding should be substituted,
as IN its practical effect would remove the
vexations complained of, il might perhaps
DC YET possible to conduct the negotiation
90 result which would not be unaccepta.
ole to the respective governments. Aud
IN pursuance of this suggestion, the Bril-
tisn commissioners presented their official
note OF the S'h day of November last"
AZ appears to US that the several parts of
'nis statemant taken with the conte xt, have
all the accuracy, and honorable and right
meaning which We experienced in the me-.
gociation.
When the American commissioner
speak OF Z" such IN informal understanding
10 De substituted, as would in its practical
erect remove the vexation complained of"
they do not mean, & certainly his males.
" commissioners never meant that there
siiou'd De forbearance or Suspension or
oiscontinuance of the practice and exercise
OF the impressment of British seamen.
On the contrary, they proceed TO " that
pursuant to the suggestion of the British
comm'ss oners, the official note of the 9Th
OF November was presented" To that
note we beg leave t. refer.
we considered that not, and still con-
slider 1t as pledging his m jestv's govern
ment 10 give instructions TO British crui.
ger" To be very Cautious in the exercise
OF the right of impressng British seamen.
to take the strictcst care to preserve the
citizens of the United States from molesta-
tion or injury, and to redress any prieyan.
ces which might be sustained by them"
Wheh the Degociation proceeded after
our delvery OF that note, We thought, and
stu think, that the treaty which we sigued
COMMITTING the point Of impressment, and
several other points afterwards inclu,ed IN
the proposed add tionaI articIes) was il
self complete and unconditional, and suaisc.
to no reservation on their part except
that which was expressed in our second note
OF the S0th December, on the signature of
the treaty.
LII circumstances had not taken place.
which made II our duty to suspend the
signing OF the additional articles, and which
eventually discontinued the negotiation in
our hands, we should have conidered our
selves as bound to advert bona tide to the
further pledge contained in our Official note
OF the 9th November. We mean that pa
ragraph which states, {" that no recent Ca
ses of complaint had occurred, prospecting
the exercise Of the right of imprsssnea,l
and that no probable Inconvenience can re.
sui from the postponenent of an article
subject to so many difficulties still. tia,
his majesty's commissioners are Instructed
to entertain the discussion of any plan that
can be devised to secure the interest of
both states, without any injury to rights to
which they are respectively attached -
The obvious sense of this paragraph, and
the forms and substance of the completed
treaty, and the proposed additional ar.
icles, appear 10 Us to leave no doubt re.
lative 10 the mutual understanding and
views of those who were employed in a ne
sociatiofi OF such Importance to their res.
spective countries.
We have the honor to be, SC.
(Signed) VASSAL HOLLAND.
AUCKLAND.
Right hon. George Canning.