The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1810-01-03

then, was the use Of making proposals to Mr.
Jackson Did he imagine that the American
government, in the pursui; OF its rights
would waste its time and its labour tor his A.
muscmeni, to frame propositions merely to-
be received, and discussed, and rejected, by
him The gentleman has by this time dis
covered that hc has undcrvalucd the cabinet
of Washington, and committed his fame and
lis feelings (if feelings he has any,) to the
thorns of ridiculc and the sterile heath Of
contempt. W
But the American administration would
not be provoked into an early and abrupt re-
lection Of the hope Of accommodation, even
through such an ungracious Minister as Mr.,
Jackson. The President and his counccl-
lors appear TO have been determined to probe
MIR. Jackson more closely as to the object OF
his mission, and to bring him strictly to the
test, in the expectation that he had still in
store tho precious balm which was to heal the
fostering wounds OF the nation. According
ly, Mr.. Smith addressed to him on the 10Th
of October, very lucid and mastery letter, the
commencement Of which exposes the frivoh-
ry of tho exception which Mr.. Jackson had
taken to the prescription of written for ver-
bal communications. The reader must be
amused with the awkward and embarrassed cs-
cape which the new envoy makes from the
pcrplcxity of ignorance and humiliation which
he had prcsrmptuously brought upon him
self. No additional weight can be given, by
any remarks in this place, to the overwhelm-l
ing arguments by which Mr. Smith de-
monstrates the prcpricty of MIR. Jackson's'
presenting formal explanation OF the true
cause Of the disavowal Of Mr.. Erskine's ar
rangement, nor TO the sagacity and just rea-
soning with which the Secretary of State
points out an untruth advanced by the Re-
preventative of his Britannica Majesty reIa-
tive to taat explanation having been made in
London to Mr.. Pinkncy nor any force ad-
dcd to the repuIsion of Mr.. Iackson's insinu-
alton that the government OF the United
States had manifested no dissatisfaction at
the disavowal Of tho arrangement. ~
1t is in his letter Of the 10Th Of October,
Mr.. Smith states, that Mr.. Erskinc" did pre-
sent for his consideration the three condi-
tisns" contained in the printed despatch of
Mr.. Canning Of the 23d of january but that
finding they were rejected, Mr.. Erskine pro-
posed others which others were accepted. 1t
is particularly recommended to the reader to
perusc two or three times, and with atten-
ton, that part of Mr.. Smiths letter in qucs-
ton which Immediately follows the state
ment il places the subject in so clear
light that it cannot be mistaken; and, in
special IN amer, let this expression Of the
Secretary of State be remarked, viz (" That
he Mr.. Erskine had, or, at lcast,th he be-
licved he had sufficient authority to conclude
the arrangement, his formal assurances dur
ing our discussions were such as to leave no
room for doubt" Upon this ground, then,
the American government acted, namely
Mr.. Erskinc verbally suggested three propo-
sitions which have since appeared to be the
three conditions embraced in the despatch
from Mr. Canning of the .23d of January, and
which were rejected by Mr.. Smith and,
when the late British Minister proposed others
more consonant to equity and Of course more
agreeable, he gave formal assurances to the
Secretary Of State, that he was authorized to
make them tho basis of the arrangement.
Mr. Erskine did not tell Mr.. Smith (nor docs
Mr.. Smith say he did, and Mr. Jackson him.
self does not openly assert it) that the three
conditions first suggested were the Only ones
which hrs instructions contained. The Sec
rotary of State made no enquiry in that res
pec,. 1t was none of the Secretary's bust
ness. 1t was for Mr.. Erskine to look to il
that he did not disobey tho Orders OF the
king his master. MIR. Smith was treating
with the British accredited Minister !; a Min
lister with full general power to act for the
British government Mr.. Erskine never
Showed his instructions to Mr.. Smith, as Mr..
Jackson admits (; but merely in verbal way,
as any man, in making a bargain would do,
proposed them cxpcrimcntally He did pre-
cisely what an individual does at market So
whcn he could not make the arrangement,
(or, in other words purchase what he wante<l)
at one price, he gave another. II he disobcy-
cd his Instructions, that, as Mr.. Smith very
Justly remarks; g rs question essentially,
between him and his government" MIR.
Ecskine himself in his letter 10 Mr.. Smith,
asserts unrescrvcdly, that {" he conceived he
had confornrcd to His Majcsty's wishes and
to the spirit, at least, Of his Instructions To
this opinion he adhered to tho lase moment
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