Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-12-05

! your remarks, and par'lcuiarly OF the conciu o.
sion YOU have drawn from the two circum
lstances. LIST. That no trace Of compl1int
from this government against the diJavoU al
appeors ia the records OF the British mission
or was distinctly announced hy me in our con
'erences and 81, that from the fetal cor -
lrcspondence of Mr.. Erskine with his govern
ment, it appears, that although he did not
communicate in extenso his original iustruc.
tons, he submitted to M the three conditions
therein specified and received my observati-
ons on each.
II there be no trace of complaint against
the disavowal in tn Ar 'hieves of the mission
1t 10 because this government could not have
entered such complaint before q, reasons for
the disavowal had Seen evplSinei, and espe-
ally as the explanations Fere justly and coU-
fidently expected through the new functions
~. Aud a. 70 the supposed reserve on my
part on this subject in our several conferences
did imagine, that INV repeated intimStons 70
you ofthe Necessity Of satisfactory cxplanat;-
ons, as tn the dis1vo wal, were sufficient jntj-
cations OF the dissatisfaction ot tOIs sJ'ern
nent with respec; to the disavoYal i'sclG
The stress you have laid ON what yot nave
oeen pleased TO state rs the Substitution Of tae
Germs finally agrcel on Cor the terms fest PRO.
PISSED has excited no small degree oi s.tt-
Prise. Ger ain it is, that yo'ir predecessor
DID present fur my consideration tue three
! cnn,itions which no " appear N the printed
docu nent---that he was DISPOSED to urga
! them more than the p:uare of two o, Lse.u
(bpth p5aabiy iaadmisshic sNd oIe more
than m rely imrdmissbe! could permit, AMI
that on finding HIS first proposals unsuccessful,
tAe more reasonable terms cOnprized II tn
! arr 'ngement respecting the orders IN eOun.
icil ware adopted. Aud whit, sir, IS there in
! thls tn countenance tn. conclusion yu have
drawn N favor Of the right of lis Britannia
! Majesty 10 disavow tn, proceeding is ANY
tnihg more coamoa in pubic ncco lat lo">
man to begin with higher demand and, that
tar ing, TO descend to a lower To have, if not
two sets of Instructions, two, or more than
two grades of propositions IN the same set OF
instructions. to begin with what is the mos,
desirable and to end Wi n what is ind to be
admissible in case the more desirable should
not be attainable. This must be obvious to
every understanding, and it lie confirmed by
universal experience.
| What were the real and entire instructions
given TO your predecessor is a question essen
tally between him and his government. Thai
he had, or at least, that he believed he had
sumc'ent authority to conclude the arrange
| hent, his formal assurances, during our dis
| cussiqns, were such as TO leave no room to,
doubt His subsequent letter of the Is June
renewing his assurance 70 mo that tho
terms OF tne agreement 50 happily con-
GUIDED ~ the recent negotiation will be
\ '.
| - m evident Indication of what his persua
SION then was as to his instructions And wi,hI
view to shew what his impressions have
| neen even since the disavowal, I must take
lhe hDelty OF referring YOU to the annexed ex
tracts (See c. from ais ofIicil letters of the
oist July and Of the 18th OF August.
The declaration =" that the despatch from
Mr. Canning to Mr. Erskine Of the % Ianua-
Try IS the only despatch by which the ccnditi-
ons were prescribed to NJ. GrsSinc for the
conclusion OF an arrangement On the matter
| to which II relates" is now for the first tim.
made to this government And need hardly
add, thaG if -hs, despatch had been oommuni
Gated at the time Of the arrangement, o. if
It had been known thet the propositions con
I tlilet in it and which were at FIRST resented
by Mr.. hrstine, were the only ones, UA which
he was authorized 10 MAKE all arrangement.
the arrangement would not nave been made
As you have disclaimed any ruthority L,
offer explanations for tue disaYowal, as
you have been willing to AsCri5c tie wan
OF such authority to the consideration shat
other channels lad been pre- ferred and as
you have even considered the circumstan
ces under which the arrangement took place
to ~ sucn IS could OILY lead 20 q disayOwal
a0d therefore as superSeding the necessity
OF any explanation whatever, it IS 10 be re-
greeted, that you had ~. d emed iJ pro
i'Nl " iChA.CA piEIIHC htAl DiiCttg lDaL
par Of your letter whica seems to imply
that you td in ia oar conversations, IN re
ialion 20 the affair Of the Cnesape ke, fol.
lowing the words OF your instruc lens, held
our not only the manacr in which the re.
.paration had been accepted, but even the
form in which it had been rendered, as
lwarran,ing his majesty in even retract-
Ing the offer ofreplra'ion, and that you had
lelucldated the observation by reference
Ito the particular expressions which, az all
eyents, put 1t totally QUO OF his power q
confirm any act containing tho n.
VIVA aver may have been your intention
in this part Of our Conversation, Dr wla:e.
yer may be the import Of thc passage e
which have just alluded, have now tine
h7noF Of signifyng 10 you, tina, | arm au
thorised 70 receive IN a propes form what
ever eXpliCit explanations you may chus,
70 make, with respect 20 the grounds of thi,
part oil the Gisavowal and witHou, enqu..
ring whether your authority De derived from
! Instructions mat have been addressed {,
( Yourself, or that have deYoiy or yui a,
the successor of the minister VINO D I'D de.
lCuned 70 execute them.
As you have, atthe same time, been pleas
lei 70 say that his BRITAIN M1jssy h..
authorized you 10 renew enc oHsr Of sars.
F.rf.cp ayntcb Mr. ErrEitp ay.s iu.frt,.. , .