The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-07-11

Mr.. ADAMS'S
CORRESPONDENCE CONTINUED.
To the Printers .1'fse nos,on pst,;o.

Mr.. HHMILToN, in his pamphlet, page %.
speaking OF Ta!leyrand's dispatches, says, >" o.
ventures so circuitous 3: informal, through per-
son who was not the regular organ Of the French
government for making them, to person who
was not the regular organ of the French gov
eminent for receiving them, &c were We 4
ry Inadequate basis fer the institution of a new
mission
Here. again, Mr.. Hamilton's total ignorance
or oblivion OF the practice of our government,
as well as the constant usage of other nations in
diplomatic proceedings, appears in all its lustre
In 1874 the Congress of the u. y. the then sovc.
reign ofour country, issued fifteen commissions,
rs remember If mistake the number Col |
Humphreys can correct me, for he was the Sc |
cretary OF legation to them all, and possesses as
suppose, the original parchments, to John A.
dams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson [
TO form commercial treaties with all the com. |
mercial powers of Europe, and the Barbary
states. Our instructions were TO communicate
these credentials to the ambassadors OF these
powers at Versailles, not to GO to those courts !
And we did not communicate them in this infor.
mai and circuitous manner, and received very CT
vii answers. We were not told, if Congress
wishes any connections with US, commercial or
political, let them send ambassadors directly to
our courts 1t is inconsistent with our dignity to
receive, or pay any attention to such Indirect cir.
cuitous, and informal overtures.
These indirect and circuitous COMMUNICATIONS
rs Hamilton calls them, are of established usage,
and daily practice all over the world Instances
OF them without number might be quoted IL
SNAIL only recitc two or three.
The Baron de Thulemier ambassador from
Frederick the great, king of Prussia, whose
name and character Mr.. Hamilton affects to adj
mrc, wrote me n letter when was minister pIc-
nlpotentiary in Holland, informing me that he had
received the commands of the king, his MASTER
10 make me visit, and communicate something
TO me as minister from the United States of a
merica, and desired to know at what hour
would receive him. wrote him in answer that
would have the honor ofreceiving him Mt IL o.
clock, oftbe next day, or if he wished an earlier
interview would call on him, Mt his hotel at a.
ny hourEe should be pleased to indicate. To this
lreceved no answer, but at the hour had men
rioned his excellency appeared Mt nv house. in
the habiliments and with the equipage of his
Ministerial character. He said that the king his
master, had ordered him to visit me and asl; nv
opinion of a conneXion and treaty between Prus.
STA and the United States of America What
Inquire should / have made, If had said this is
all circuitous and informal! Your master if he
wishes aconnection, commercial or political with
America, must send an ambassador to Phiiadel.
phia, and propose it to congress. Yet Mr. Ham
ittons doctrine and reasoning would have re-
CURED this. The King however would have ex-
pected more sense OF propriety, more KNOWLEDGE.
ofthe intercourse of nations, and more rational
answer from deputy OF one ofour savacra tribes
or one OF the migratory hordes Of Africa or Tar
tary-My answer was, be pleased, sir, to pre-
sentmy most profound respects to his majesty,
and inform him, that though have no commits.
sion or instructions to enter into official confer
FENCES upon the subject, am very sensible of the
high honor done me by this communication,
d have no hesitation of Xpr ess;nr myiprivate o.
plnon, that such correction between the Uni.
red States and his maiesty's domnions would be
RiShy honorable and advantageous, and ] had no
doubt but congress would he una,in,ous in the
hat Loo go.
would transmit to them an ccount of this con
Versat'on, and no doubt they would authorize
minister to treat with his maiesty's minister.
The Baron then said he was farther directed to
ASK my OPINION OF proper basis of n treaty. |
answered, our treaty lately concluded with HoJ-
land would i'll my opinion he sucI, basis.
congress, when they received this information
from nae, did not say, this is all Informal and IN
direct, from obscure and unauthorized agents.
the King OF PRUSSIA must send us an embassa
dor Yet sent them no official act of the king
no official letter under hand and seal f,om lis
prime minister, MIR. Murray did to me An
was mere parol evidence /; mere verbal con-
versaton Yet congress immediately sent com.
missions to Adams, Franklin and jefferson. 10
sreaf with the kings minister. The king sent
commission to his minister, & treaty was nero
ciated concluded and ratified, which now re-
mans among the archives and printed docu.
ments OF our country, not at all to her disgrace
me kHg had previously ordered his embassa-
dor to express to me hi entire satisfaction with
the lnterview between his ambassador and mo
that he had maturey examined a treaty With
Holland. and approved it as basis of negocia,i
with isiin :"
Another instance, Mr.. Weens Young rem
tleman OF liberal education from Virginia or Ma
ryland, went to England in hopes of obtaining no.
~ orders III the church. He wrote a Ie,ter Tn
me, as American Minister in Holland tho,,mh he
lad never seen me, S indeed has not seen me since
bitterly complaining not only of the stern ref,
sal, but even of the rough treatment he had re-
oeived from the English bishops, and even from,
thegreat HuTd. He desired to kno%y ifhe copd
receive ordination from the bishops in Holland
There were no biships in Holland but there
were protestant bishops in Denmark AT nc
hrst meeting OF the ambassadors ! askeT ,ir
de SAINT Saphorln, the ambassador from Den.
marx, whether an American candidate f,r the
ministry could receive from the bisSniis IN lie
country Espiscopal ordination and whether a.
ny oatfs, subscriptions or professions of faith.
would be required and whether the articles Of
the church OF England were sufficiently confirm
aoie TO the faith Of Denmark "Mon Diem
Jen'en sals rien" Ny God said St Saphorin 7
Know nothing ofthe matter but if YOU desire il
WIZ soon inform myself I thanked him, and
should be much obliged to him. In shorter
ume than could imagine, he came to inform
me mat ne had written our conversation 10 the
prime munster OF his court, who had laid !,
oeiore the KING, who bad taken it into conside
ration W his council, and had ordered It 10 he
,a'd before ire conyocation, who had unanimous
~ determined that any American candidate nfl
proper qualifications and good moral character
snou'G at any time receive ordination from any
lenf n1fL Nth