The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-12-01


ther had relied npon these, in his pamphlet
written III the desesse OF his son. as suffici-
ent TO justify the arrangement concluded by
him, and since disavowed by the British
government, Mr. Smith finds that he has
done too much, and by such AN admission, 10 J
has acquitted the British government OF ali
III faith. which he discovers subsequently in
his correspondence, to be necessary to RELY
upon. and deems il sxpedieot to intimate to
nr Jackson, the existence of secret instruc-
ions !; which Mr.. Jackson uaeguivocaily
denies (h) Whac then arc Mr.. Smith al
ternatives. Why, he must either stick to
It that such secret instructions existed and
in the end prove their existence, and account
for his knowledge of them; stand convicted
OF lie; or break up the pending neg,ciati-
alton. He prefers the last. a. AS to
the former ones, his dilemma rs ;alpable
Tor it is not sufficient that Mr. S. should con-
lecture the existence OF secret instructions,
to warrant his predicating an argument up
'on them to Nir. Jackson. Now, whether
there were secret instructions. or no, is one
OF these sort ct facts which could not be so,
at by discussion, with out some sort of evil
dsnce, ard as It never has been admitted bv
tae British government or any o. it's repre-
sentatlves that there ever were any srch in
structioDs. 1T surely cannot for 4 moment be
commended that the surmise, Conjecture or
lbeliet OF our secretary formed a basis for ne
S'clation on that point /; nor co6ld his posi-
tive assertion he admitted. unaccompanied
ny any proof or assurance, either that he had
seen such secret instructions. or that the
late minister had admitted that such were
IN ms possession. But it would not do to
assert positively Il knowledge of Mr.. Frs
kine secret instructions, after protesting
total ignorance of any instructions at all
1t would not only convict him of n former
talsehood, but thereby renderh his word CUES
tionable I'm any present declaration for who
would believe that Mr.. Smith could get
sight of a secret instruction, and never OBJ
tam perusal Of those, which were open x
not intended for concealment, and perfectly
at the disposal of Mar. Erskine?
May 1t. not be thuss (r) (The writer
then goes ON in the same way of ingenious
lsuhfos'ftons, to prove Zvhy the Secretary of
state should have preferred the alternative
OF breaking up the pending negociation'-
and after having thus most correctly played
the part OF the historian, he then, with c.
lqual lioerality and ease, takes upon himself
the character OF the frotthct. Mark then
the predictions OF this wonderful wizard y
MI. smith likes NOT any of the alterna-
tives but last, which possesses an additional
advantage to that of getting rid of Mr.. Jack
son and this Is no other than the gaining
time tor another arriUdi from France, which
the urgency of the British minister was no,
favourable to. And if the arrival should
not be satisfactory and another negotiation
necessary to be opened with England. it need
| not be considered a wonder, if Secretary
Smith. finding that although mystery and
doubt suit the purposes of guilt, for the con
cealment or defence of crime, vet, for its
farther Preparations. ii is expedient some
times. that art and hypocrisy shall give place,
and an attitude of desperate boldness assum
ed. He may ferhatts believe it necessary
TO lie boldly. (s) and Machiavel like. deter
mine 1T the lesser evil, to save his reputation
at the loss of conscience (t) and resolutely
declare, that he saw Mr. Erskine's secret
| instructions. and that nothing but a matter
OF great state necessity, imposed on him by
| his duty to his country, could induce him to
reveal the true character of this tran saction
htpresent, if Mr.. Jackson states facts, and.
the National Intelligencer is not disowned
by the administration, we should not be sur
prised, if this is the course adohted By Mr.
smith, and that his only hope for belief would
be in the hatred, prejudice and all other o.
dunn that can be contrived to be heaped up
on Great Britain, to bias the opinions of the
Americas people.