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

/: misconduct an his part. AS matter
iof opinion, cannot, l own, assent to
the preference which you give to writ.
ten over verbal intercourse for the pur.
pose ofmutual explanation and accom-
modation. have thought it due to
the public character with which f,ave
the honor TO be invested, and to the
confidence which His Majesty has
most graciousiy peeu pleas d to repose
IN me, to state I'd you uEreseryedly my
sentiments on this point. I shall now
proceed to the other parts OF your let
ter, and apply TO them the best consid-
Grafton that can arise from zeal pro-
Portioned to the increase of difficulty
thus thrown in the way of the restora-
ton ola thorough good understanding
between our respective countries.
You state, sir, very truly, that an ar
rangement had been made between
you and Mr.. Erskine, and that His
Majesty had thought proper to disa-
VOW that arrangement.
have, here in the outset, to regret
the loss of the advantage of verb al in
tcrcourse with you, as [ shout, hav-
availed myself of it to enquire whether
by your statement, it were YOUR inten-
ton to complain OF the dislvowal it.
self, or of total want of explanation
of it, or of the circumstance of that
explanation not having been made
through me. [ observe that in the
records of this mission there is no
trace of a complaint, on the part of the
United States, Of His Majesty having
disayowed the act of his Minister.
You have not IN the conferences we
have hi herto held, distinctly aunounc-
ed any such complaint, and have seen,
with pleasure, in this forbearance, on
your part, an instance of that candor,
which doubt not viii prevail in all
our communications, in as much as
you could not bat have thought it un-
reasonable to complain of the disavow-
al of an act, done under such circum.
stances, as could only lead to the conses
quences that have actually followed.
1t was not known when 1 left En-
gland, whether Mr.. Erskine had, ac-
cording to the liberty allowed him,
communicated to you IN e.rtenSo his
original instructions. 1t now appears
that he did not. But, In reverting to
MS official correspondence, and parti-
cularly to a dispatch addressed on the
Goth of April to HIS Majesty's Secer-
tary of Sale for Foreign Affairs,
End that he there states, that he had
Submitted to your consideration, he
three conditions specified in those in
structions, as the ground work of an
arrangement which, according 20 inior-
nation received from this country, it
was thought in England might DC made
with prospect of great mutual adj
vantag4. Mr Erskine th-n reports
UerbGtim CT Seriatim your observatiorS
upon each of the three conditions, and
the reasons which induced YOU TO
Think that Others might b. substituted
In lieu OF them. 1t NAV have b en- con-
Guided between you that these latter
were an equivalent for tie original con-
| ditlons F.; but the very act OF substitute
on evidently shews that thcse original
conditions were, III fact, very explicit
! ly communicated to you, and by YOU
of course laid before the President tor
his consideration. l need hardly add,
that the difference between these con.
dilons and those contained in the ar.
rangement Of the 18th and 10Th April,
IS sufficiently obvious to require no {
iucidatlon nor need draw the con-
clusion, which consider as admitted
by all absence of complaint, on the prri
OF the American government, viz.
that under such circumstances, His
: Majesty had an undoubted and incon-
trsyerible right to disavow the act oil
his Minister. l must here allude q
| a superstition, which you have more
than once mentioned to me, and by
= which, if it had any the slightest foun.
, dation, this right might perhaps have
: been in some degree affected. You
} have informed me that you understood
that MIR. Erskine had two sets Of in.
) suuctions, by which to regulate hi,
conduct; and that upon one OF them
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