Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-02

With the highest consideration,
Sir,
Your obi. humble servant,
VIM. PINKNEY.
TIE han. flames iladison,
SC. SIC. SEC.
LONDON, December 5, 1908.
8 / have the honor to send enclosed,
copy of my reply to Mr.. Cannings letter to
me of the ed ult. A copy of the letter,
to which it is an answer, was transmitted
few days since by the British Packet,
and duplicate has been sent to Liver
pool.
The ship Union is not yet arrived from
France. and we have no Intelligence OF
her.
have the honor to be,
With the highest consideration,
Sir,
Your most ob't. humble sery't.
VIM. PINKNEY.
The hon. Ianes Madison.
FOREIGN OFFICE,
November %, 1903.
SIR,
Iregret exceedingly that an unusual &
underwriting pressure OF Official business
has prevented me from finding an earlier
opportunity to reply to your letter OF the
10th of last month.
The observations which [ have to offer
] Il, l.3sa
deed, of such nature, as to make 1t matter
OF any great importance whether you re-
ceive them week sooner or later, as taey
refer less to any point Of public interest to
our two governments than 70 what has pass
ed personally between ourselves.
But I should have been much mortified
if you could have been led to believe me
deficient in attention to you the manner, as
well as the substance, of the communication
which have had the homer to receive from
you, emitting it to the most prompt and can
did consideration.
Your understanding Of the motives which
induced me to accompany my official note
of the Cd of September, with my letter OF
the same date, is so imperfect, as that you
seem to imagine that the wish to guard "a
gainst misrepresentation was the only mo-
tive whicE induced me to write that letter;
and that, from that motive alone, should,
in any case, have troubled you with it
Whereas, / must have expressed myself
very incorrectly indeed, if did not con-
vey to you the assurance, that, il what
had passed between us lii conversation had
not been referred to by you in your official
letter of the 23d Of August, | certainly
should not have thought it necessary Or
proper to preserve any written record OF
your verbal communications, which IN
derssood at the time to be confidential and
which certainly was so far from attempt
ing TO 6 discouutenance, that have no
doubt but what expressed myself as YOU
say did in favor Of :" the course which |
YOU adopted as well suited to the OCCASION
But YOU state, at the same time, most cor
rectly, that it was as !" preparatory" course
that I understood and encouraged this YER
bal and confidential communication. Inc
yer did, nor could understand it as being
intended to supercede or supply, the place
of an official overture. never did nor
could suppose that the overture of your go
vernment and the answer Of the British CO.
vernment to it, were intended to be en-
trusted solely to our recollections. Ac-
cordingly, when the period arrived at which |
you appeared to be prepared to bring for
ward an official proposal | did, no doubt,
express my expectation that should re-
ceiye that PROPOSAL In writing.
1t is highly probable that | did not, Jas |
you say did not assign to you, as the |
motive of the wish which | then expressed, |
my persuasion that written communications
are less liable to mistake than verbal ones,
Il - i 1,.