The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-11-24

OF the United States, to afford a sufficient
motive Tor breaking of an important nego-
citation. and for putting an end to all com.
mun,cat'on whatever with me. AS the minis
ter charged with that negotiation, SO interes-
ting to both nations, and. OIL one most mate.
rial point of which an answer has not even
been returned to an official and written over
ture.
why does not the British Minister stop
mere Why does he go on tn state the
POINTS Of controversy. between him and the
President OF the U. States, and attempt to
justify himself at the eXpence of cur GOV
ernment If he had no other object
IN view, than to inform the British agents,
that they must no loager adtlres him at
Washington. but to New York, he would
merely have stated the fact, that the Presi-
dent OF the United States had put an end to
all communication with him, and the reso-
luton. that he had thereupon adopted, of re-
moving ms head quarters to New York.
BIT the terms OF this paragraph are Of
fensive Instead of merely avowing the fact
OF his dismission, they convey, with subtil-
ty, more peculiarly worthy of his cause,
strong and direct reproacbes against the Ex-
ecutive. Why is this negotiation represented
as so g Important" so interesting TO
both nattons'--svhy add, that son one
most material point" he had even gone the
length OF presenting '' an official and written
overture" to which &c an answer has not r.
Uen been returned? The gdcsign is most
gross and paipable. It is to persuade the
people OF the United States, that their Exc
cutive is so indifferent to their interests as
even TO risk the peace OF the country, upon
a mere point of etiquette!
AS 70 his "otiiCial and written overture
On one most material point" it is plain, this
expression conveys an erroneous imputation
There is no risk in asserting. that no " o.
ventures were made by him, and of course
no answer" could have been "returned, !" un-
til his gross Installations had been made a.
gainst the veracity & faith of our government
Then. they had something else to do than to
reply to the overtures Of an insulting minis
ter-they had to look to the dignity and
respect, which was due to the government
One ot the facts alluded to has been adj.
United by the Secretary OF State himself i'm
his letter to me of the 10Th October, viz
That the three conditions, forming the sub
stance of Mr. Erskine's original Instruction.
were submitted to him by that gentleman.
lhe other, viz That, that instruction is
the only one in which the conditions were
prescribed to MIR. Erskine for the conclusion
OF an arrangement on the matter to which
it related, is known to me by the instr .ctions
which have myself received.
INC liree CONDITIONS FORMING the sub
stance OF Mr.. Els original instructions were
submitted" to Mr. Smith. Is This, at all. the
question: Mr., Erskine might have known
that they were the su6stance-but was Mr..
Snith TO know what Il. knew The ONLY
point is this-did the Secretary of State
Know, that these were the su5StQHce--that
they were the sine qua non of an adjustment ?
What avails it, thatthese were the Substance
of the Instructions, if he did not knowit.
Even IT ne knew that these were the sub
stance OF certain instructions received by Mr..
T.. what OF thar Z did he know that these
were the only instructions received. Is any
thing more Common among diplomatic men
as we'll as the bargaining transactions of
private life, than to have two sets of propo
sltons. one to be produced at the outset, ans
the other to be reserved as an uitima.u5l !?
--F1ow wassMr. Smith to know, that this
zvaS not me case, in the present transaction !?
Had MIR. Erskine have told him, that on
such day he had received dispatches CON.
tanning such and such propositions, was Mr..
>. TO know that he had not received Others /?
But surely every doubt must have vanished
when Mar. +. came forward to lay other pro
positions before us, accompanied BY solemn
assurances that he was :. authorised" tn
make them.
But there Is an important dilemma growing
out OF the last part of this paragraph The
J0ct, made known to Jackson =" by the i'm
structlons" which hehad himself received viz
that this was the only instruction which Err
skine had had upon the subject, is altogether
different from the fact that this instruction
had been laid before our government. The
last S argument only, and very Door one
as we have shown, drawn from the former
Here then is the dilemma---oilher, Jack
son was directed by his instructions" not
/ only to state the first fact, but to urge the
latter tnStn~dtfon, or he was not. Ifhe 7yas.
his Cabinet is justly entitled to the odium of
bringing forward charges against our
executive, of a want of veracity, and of faith,
1t he was not, it remains for his own govern
ment to punish this gross transgre ssion of
his instructions In any event, should his
Cabinet not dsavow his conduct, it is an
affair tor the two governments to settle be-
tween them.
in stating these facts and in adherine tn
them, as my duty imperiousiy eajoined me
| to do, In order TO rcpel the frequent charges
of i'll faith which have been made against
his Majesty's government, could not ina
CINE that offence would be taken at it by the
American government, as most certainly
none could be intended on my part and this
view OF the subject has been made known To
Mr.. Smith. But as | am informed by him
that no further communication will be re-
ceiyed from me, j conceive that have mo
alternative lett which is consistent with th %
Kings dignity, but to- withdraw altogether
from this city, and await elsewhere the ar
| rival of his majesty's commands upon the
unlocked for turu which has thus been given