Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-12-22

Afr. Nrsk;ne. two sets OF insfrJctlorss Cat
"a ,he ssd of that month, but not forward !.
"a iii some time afterwards, the hrst 90
Wh;ch related 70 The business Of the Chesa--
peakr, and she SECOND to.ths-orders m eolln.
EciI. and the proposed commercial arrange !,
I n,sn,s. These .i,,structlonsr together win
I N, nassapss IN Mr.. Efskine's lstisr, WRIT
E,rn t believe ia December last. which con-
aainrd the above mentioned representations
and some other details which ought NOT TO
renest. Mr.. Canning read to me-.
:. Although Mr.. Canning made me ac-
ouainted with Mr.. Erskins s instructions,
she did not in any degree appsize me OF the
explanations, transmitted by that minister,
Fof' fairgrounds and motives OF his proceed
kirps and / could not be sure, from any
thing which Mr.. Canning had stated to me'
thai / was made toupderstand the exact n;'-
/ ture and character of the transaction. l
believed. therefore, that il beloved ne to
be particularly careful how received what
Mr.. Canning thought f, to disclose to me.
( In looking backgupon the past | discovered
no Undue ements TO a less cautious course, /
remembered that Mr.. Canning had not told
me in our conversations in January (cne OF
which occurred the day before the date OF
his letter to Mr.. Erskinc) that he intended
to confde to him such epowers as ne must
then have been in the act Of preparing, or
indeed any powers at all. That in our con-
ferences in April, after the arrival of the
Pacific, the same reserve was .practiced.-
That in the last of those conferences Mr..
Canning admitted only (and that too upon
being pressed BY me) tina. in the business Of
the Chesapeake, he " had written to Mr..
Erskine, in compliance with what he un-
derstood to be my wish, that the settlement
Of that affair should be transferred TO Wash
ing,on," that even then tae time when he
had done so was not mentioned and that
as to the orders in council, was suffered
to suppose that negotiation in America had
not been authorised. It occurred to me,
moreover, that, as it had already been de-
cided that Mr.. .Erskine was 10 be disavow-
ed, and as that decision had been made
public through the board of trade, could
not hope to prevent that dis'vowal, and that
with my imperfect knowledge of facts, it
might be worse than useless by labored dis
cussion to astrmpt it. -a. =
With these impressions could do lit
tie more than manifest my concern that con.
ciliatory arrangements between the Ameri-
can secretary of state and his majesty's &C.
credited minister 4, Washington, acting in
consequence and protesting to act in pursu-
4fsrfy haze fb~. af..-. .~i.:sL --~. na..a
rally 10 be expected from them:
" / undertook, however, to declare with
confidence that the American government
had met Mr.. Erskine's proposals in Just
and friendly spirit, and with sincere de-
sire that, while its own hooor and essential
interests were fairly consulted and main
tanned, liberal respect should be shewn for
those of Great Britain" ......
Extract Of a letter fran 'Lr. Pnkaey to the |
Secretary Of State, dated London, 1une [
6, 1909.
MIR. Canning tells me that the converse
ton detailed in Mr.. Erskine's letters did
not, as | had supposed, suggest that the
government of the United States would al
low it to be understood that British cruz.
ers might stop American vessels attempt
ing to violate the embargo and non inter.
course, continuing as to France, &c. after
they should be Withdrawn as to Great Bri-
tain. They suggested that the u. States
would SIDE WITH the powers revoking
its elicts against the power persevering.
This Mr.. Canning says he considered (al-
though he did not so insist upon it in the
recapitulation contained in his instructions
to MIR. Erskine) as compromising what |
thought he had represented the actual sus-
geation to be. and what b.. sunnnsed hi