Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-01-08

to complain Of the disavowal. It's mate
rial here in the first place, to ascertain the
time 10 which AR. Jackson alludes when
he refers to Mr.. Smiths thoughts. Is the
period a, which the arrangement was made
intended, Not 50 surely, because there
was no disayowalo of which to complain
The sentence in this point at least is suffi'
ci.n,lv clear. Mr.. Madison very die,nct.
" SAYS, that during their conferences Mr..
Smith could not but have thought It unrea.
.onable to complain OF the disavowal of an
&C, done under such circumstances as could
only lead to disavowal. You will hear it
in mind tina. the conferences were had q
short time before the writing of the letter,
as Mr.. Jackson in it, declares that but a
very few days had elapsed since his intro
duction to the president. Now what were
the materials for thinking which Mr.. Smith
had at heperiod of the conferences.
From the papers on your table, sir, said
Mr.. E. you will find that our minister, at
London, on the 2sth Of May, gave our Sc.
cretary an accoun. of a conference with
Mr.. Canning, in which the English secre-
tary declared that MIR. Erskine had acted
not only without authority, but in direct
opposition to his instructions, and read the
dispatch of the Esd January, the substance
of which is contained in MIR. Pinkney's
letter. By Mr.. Pinkney's letter OF the 9th
June, it appears that tie instructions of
Mr.. Erskine had been laid before the house
of commons, and copy of them were then
enclosed to our secretary. In the letter OF
the Esd June, Mr.. Pinkney gives to our
secretary the reasons which Mr.. Canning
had stated to him for the disavowal. Mr..
Smith in his letter to Mr.. Erskine, Of the
9Th August, declares that he had just re-
ceived from Mr.. Pinkney the printed copy
OF the despatch of Mr.. Canning of the 2sd
of January, and it appears from the letter
of Mr.. Jackson, which am now testing,
that this despatch had been 4 subject OF
conversation between him and Mr.. Smith.
We have in review some things which
might in the conception Of the British mi
mister have found materials for thinking
for our secretary. He knew the prefer
slons of the British government that its mi
mister had violated its Instructions. He
had seen the despatch in its whole extent
and might have compared it with the ar
rangcment. Mr.. Jackson thought there
was substantial difference between the in
s,ructions and arrangement; and perhaps
he had a right therefore to conclude that
MIR. Smith did not complain, because after
what had come to his knowledge he found
that the act was done under such circum-
stances as justified the disavo wal-Nay,
sir. he must at this very time have had ~
mind the latter part of the letter OF Mr..
Smith to Mr.. Erskine which l have just
alluded TO, in which after the conditions in
the despatch of the 23d Of January are
mentioned, our secretary says" l tor
bear to express 10 you, sir, the surprIZe
tina. is fel, at the extraordinary pretens'onss
set forth in this letter of instructions and
especialy at the expe citation that this 60
vernment would as a preliminary recog-
Mise conditions two of which are so ma.
nifestIy irreconcileable to the dignity and
interest of the United States" The ses"e'
,ary had thus officially volunteered his OPT
MON respecting the differences between the
instruction of the Esd January and the ar
ranpement to the English legation itself.
If however there is yet room tor Jaun-
diced o. jealous mind to suspect an insinu-
alton in the sentence before US it must be
obvia.ed by whatimmediately follows in the
same letter.
at was not known when I left England,
whether Mr.. Erskine had, according to the
liberty allowed him communicated to you
in extcnso his original instructions. ltnow
appe ars that he did not. But, in revertius
20 his official correspondence, particularly
to despatch addressetl'on the Goth OF A.
pril to his majesty's secretary otsst ate tor
foreign affairs, find that he had submitted
to YOUR consideration, the three conditions
specified in thoee instructions, as the ground
work of an arrangement, which according
to inform alton received from this country,
it was thought in England might be made,
with prospect of great mutual advantage.
Mr.. Erskine then reports oerbatim ct ser'-
MIN YOUR observations upon each OF the