The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-08-11
{ No..27.

open TO both the 5elligerent powers? When
our often repeated OTTER of reparation for the
attack on the Chesapeake was first made,
Mr.. Rose was only Instructed to procure the
recall OF the Proclamation interdcting our
ships from their waters. Every power, wher,
iaggrievet, had right to revenge the injuries
IL might have received, or to ex1ect an a.
toneinent from the offending party; but is
coud not possess a right to both II am a
tenement were expected, revenge was not
to he attempted, and If revenge were at
tempted. an atonement could not be expect
ed. America Thought proper to revenge
herself. Our ships were interdicted from
her waters, lille those of France were all
lowed an assylunI'in her harbors. This re-
solution on the part of America made great
diferencc between the Belligerent powers, as
1t gave France great advantage which G.
Britain WAS denied. Whei. the introduction
was extended to both. had a disposition to
caVil existed on,our side, we might have
| found even then Cause for complaint, as while
they lnterdicted our enemies, they excluded
us also. But this the English government
was far from doing; our offer of PREPARATION
was then again renewed. That Prociama-
tion Rad never been properly recalled, it had
only been merged in the Non Intercourse
and Non-lmportatiOn acts" and thus put the
two beiligerents, England and France, on a
footing OF equality. The non5intercourse 81
'oi sCts dS re before sta
teu. but temporary measure, and expiring
on the goth of May: agreeing to the treaty
made by Mr.. Erskine, we should have paid
the Price of our orders i'll council for having
about six weeks the advantage of France:
IN being admitted 70 enter the harbors Of AZ
meEIca exclusively; at the expiration cfthat
time we might have been excluded a,sd
France permitted to have the advantage %
yer us in her turn. Could it be thought thar
puhf ,,,r.,
treaty as this &c oud they have been ius-
titled. had they been content to have waited
SIX weeks to learn the effect Surely it
Gould not be thought OF. Had Mr.. Erslcine
transmitted to ministers the treaty before he
concluded 1t, their disapprobation Of such.
IN arrangement would have been immedi-
Aieiy expressed and there never would have
been question OF such nature before the
house. Mr.. Erskne would have been in
structed to have set it right as he WAS sure
no disposition existed on the part of go
vernment to take it out of his hands Bue
the treaty being concluded as it was, they
had only to adopt 1T or not adopt it, and not
adopting 1T, they were bound TO prove, that
1T had been concluded Contrary to the in,
s'ructions they had given. Thus stuateo
they were compelled to make the disclosure.
which had been made, but to 60 further. to
communicate every circumstance at present,
might tend to embarrass and mar the nero-
Citations still pending between the two coun
tries, which he still cherished hope would
be finally terminated to the satisfaction of
both parties. Mr.. Erskine was instructed
to obtain continuance of the Introduction of
commerce. not only with respect to France,
but to every power dependant on her: who
lever imagined that any one WOULD have been
extravagant enough to view Holland as not
under the influence of France, Holland
could only be considered as an exemption.
from two opposite admissions as if Deepen
Idant on France, she must share the fate os
France and if independent, she was the
more offensive TO Epgland, as voluntarily es.
pousing the cause of her enemy. MIR. Ers-
kline, Oil signing might have been led into an
error by verbal assurances as to Fgance, but
not so with respect to Holland, as he muss
have known that she had been exempted
from the Non Intercourse act'' 1t miehr
be said, that he expected Holland would be
placed on the same. footing as France. But
this, if true, would be strange indeed, when
the neutrality of Holland had been distinctly
recognized, while that of Italy, Otaly, whose.
Crown was on the head Of Bonaparte,) was
only doubted
Mr.. Erskine was instructed to REQUIRE,
not only that the non-intercourse act should
be repealed but that England should have
the benefit or partial repeal. If such were
the instructions given, he would ask the Mo-
bic Lord If they had been fulfilled, when
though he had gone to the full extent of the.
concessions he was Authorised to make. h.
had not gained even one of the conditions he
was instructed TO obtain, as would appear
on :. perusal of the papers before the House.
1t those did not carry conviction Of the fact.
nothing he could bring forward would For
reasons already stated, he should decline
entering at present farther into the subject.
Before he resumed his seat he must howe
yer state that he did not personally know
Mr. Erskine he never entertained v ore
judice against that Gentleman but withr
pect to his conduct on receiving note from,
the American Secretary OF State, he thoupht
him censurable He ought to have return
ed it unanswered, and put an end at once to
the correspondence onreceiving such an ex-
traorctlDary communication.
Mr.. NoRRIs;would not have risen, had not
the right hon. Gentleman stated that it had
been rumored out of doors, that Mr. Erskipe
had not exceeded his Instructions He did
not think such rumors could originate with
the relations of that gentleman, nor did he
believe that Mr.. Lrskine had not exceeded
his Instructions. He did not think such ru-
mors could origina'e with the relations Of
that gentleman, nor did he believe that Mr..
ErslSine had written a line to them on.
the subject. He would not then enter into a
defence of his relation, as he was certain
that he would rather suffer any thing, than