The Delaware gazette. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1809-1810, 1809-12-13
DOCUMENTS,
Which accompanied The Massage Of the President
of the United States.
Mr.. Smith to Mr.. Pinkuey.
DEPARTMENT Of state, Nou. 90, 1909.

NV letters in the correspondence with Mr..
Jackson, already transmitted to you, sufficient
lyevince the disappointment that was felt, on
finding that he had not been charged to make
TO this government either the frank explana-
tons or the liberal propositions which the &C.
casion manifesty required Instead of this OBJ
vious course Of proceeding, il was in the outset
perceived, that his object was to bring lis to re-
sumo the subjects of the arrangement Of April
in way, thpt would imply that we were aware
that the arrangement was not binding on his
government because made with knowledge ON
our part that Mr.. Erskine had no authority to
make il, and thus to convert the responsibility
of his government for the disavowa into a re-
proach on this Tor its conduct in the transaction
disavowed la the first instance il was deem
ed best rather to repel his observations argu-
mentatively than to meet them as an offensive
insiuuation. This forbearauce had not the cx-
pected effect of restraining him from repeti-
lion Of the offence. And even on his further
insinuations nothing more was done than to
premonish him Of the inadmssblity Of SO in
dccorous a course of proceeding. This also
being without eject, nothing remained but the
step inally taken. And there was the less he
station in shutting the door to further oppor.
,unisics for insulting insinua'ions, as the dis
closures he had made and the Split Of his dis
cussions had SO entirely Shut it 10 the hope Of
sny favorable result from his mission.
will not dwell on his reluctance TO give up
the uncertainties OF verbal for the precision OF
written discussion; nor on the manner or the
time of his denial that he had given any room
at all for statement which in order TO guard
against the misconceptions incident 10 verbal
conferences, | had placed before him in wri
ting, with request that he would point ou
any inaccuracies, and to which he did rot Tie,
object otherwise than by intinating that hs
could not have made the statement soim the par.
tieular piezv uhieh seemed TO be supposed. MOI
will dwell on the various instances in which
partial or Inconsistent views ofthe subject have
taken place of its real merits. But it may moi
be amiss to make some observations on the
correspondence as it relates to the justification
Of his government in having disavoWed the &C
of his predecessor.
With respect to the orders in council, tht
ternxad Of the dsavowal is the difference between
the arrangement and the printed dispatch o
MIR. Canning to Mr.. Erskine Of the esd Janu
any. According to this dispatch then the ar
tangement faiied in three points.
st. In not reinquishing the trade of TIL
United States with enemies colonies.
With respect to this point it is not nccessar
at this time TO discuss the right OF that trade
IT is sufficient to remark, LIST. that AS the trad
is admitted to have become, in the view of G
Britain. Of little practical Importance, why ha
it been mads ground Of the disavowal, and
especially, al important considerations onl
could upon principles of public law have JUST
6ed measure of SO serious character? I'd
tha, as the colonial trade is subject no wis
concerned, either with the order in council o
with the affair Of. the Chesapeake, why has
been permitted to frastrass arrangement re