The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-12-05
mo. 60.

ance of che non intercourse with France
should be made condition of that arrange
ment. Whilst on that subject, 1 viii add
an observation. though perhaps not imne-
dlately connected with the object of this
letter. think that the object of that.pro-
position, so tar as it agreed with your pre-
| vious understanding of the intentions of
| this government, has been substantially car
RED into effect on our part. 1t is truc that
your government might at the date of the
instructions have expected from the incipi-
ent proceedings OF Congress. that Holland
would be embraced by the restrictive laws
OF the United States. Net only however
was the omission nominal. since Amrricau
| vessels were at the time by the DEGREES Of
that Country refused admission into It's
| ports; but under the same construction OF
our laws by which me commercial inter-
Course with Holland WAS permitted, that
with Portugal was also considered as lie gal
in the event ut that codmtrv being occupied
by British troops III the name OF tie Prince
Recent.
1t is therefore principally as respects the
second condition which relates to the colo-
NAL trade, that erroueods iOiere might
De drawn from the Expressions used IN Mr..
Cannins's Instructions. Although the sub
ject must nave been mentioned here Incl
tentaly, ami only in a trdnseut manner:
as it is one to which I had PAID particular
attention, and on whch my opinion had ne-
vcr varied, | think that l can state with pre-
Cisien in what view have always considered
it, and must have alluded to it.
never could have given counteuanca
to an opinion that the Unlted States would
agree, on that it woild be proper to make
any arrangement whatever respecting the
Colonial trade, condition IF the revocation
OF the Orders ia Council. The two subjects
were altoSe ner unConneCted, and | am
confident that such proposition was never
suggested either by you, or by any ncGihcr
OF this administration. Such an arrangement
could be effected only by treaty and it is
with considerable degree of surprise thatI
see your government now asking not only
resistance to the French DEGREES, but the "a
abandonment of branch Of our commerce,
as the price OF the revocation Of tn. Orders
lii Council. This seems to give Z new Cha
racfer to a measure which had heretofore
been represented as All act Uf retaliation re-
iuctantly adopted, and had been defended
solely Oh the ground OF 4 Supposed .cQuies-
cence on the part of the u. S. in the injurious
DEGREES Of another nation.
2. In the event OF treaty, embracing all
the points in dispu E, and particularly that
OF Impressneuts, wilhoHt which trust no
treaty will ever take place, it was my OPT
mon, and may Certainly have expressed
it, that if the other subjects OF di Inference
were arranged, that respecting the colonial
trade would be easily adjusted. had consi-
dered the principles ec.gnized in a fermer
correspondence, between Lord Hawkesbury
aud Mr.. King, ON the subject of the colonial
trade, and subsequently, again adopted i'll
the treaty negotiated by Messrs. Monroe
and Pinkney, "a a general basis agreed OH
under different administrations, by both GO
Nern from WI ri, Inr
recede, and susceptible only Of modification
as to details. The instructions to OIL nj
ni-terS IN Loadon, on that subject, had also,
been published, aud were known to your go.
vernment. therefore believed t.tat the
United States, All the event of "a treaty, would
silt be disposed t. wave for the present, in
the manner and or the terms Coute mplsted
by those Instructions, their right to that
branch, and TO that branch only, of the CO.
,ouial trade, known by the name Of dirycs
| trude, that is TO say, the trade Carried III
| rectly from belligerenr colonies TO the belli-
sereuts in Europe, when tn@t trade wa,
| not permanently, IN peace as. ia wac. ner-
mitted by the laws OF the country to which
| those colonies belonged. The right TO a
| ade between such colonies ard the United
States geHeraiy. and 10 that In colonial ar
tIcics between the United States and other
countries, never can, or Will, ia llly opinion,
De abandoned, or its exercise be suspended
by this government. On the contrary, is
sole y IN order to secme, by an expires trea-
~ stipulation, that trade against the dam
ger of interruption, and thus, by a mutual
spirit ot accommodation, 90 avoid colisI-
Ons, that the abandonment of the direct
branch can ever be assehted to.
Permit me, therefore, to request, that YOU
Will inform me, whether you understood NE
Oil those two points, as Certainly meant to
be understood /; namely, that tue relinqa,sh-
ment. during the present war, OF what is
called the direct trade, was alone contemp-
lated and that no arrangement on that
subject was suggested as a condition of the
revocation of the oraers in council.
have the honor to be, with the highest
respect and consideration, sir, your obedl-
ent servant,
(ogucd) ALBERT GALLATIN,
Hon. ID. NJ. ErskiHe, Minister
PtenihoteHtiary, &c. &c.