The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-12-20
1ir. Pin&ney to Mr. Smith.
LONDON, Aug. Ia, 1910.
SIR,

long expected answer to my note of the 30th
of April, respecting the British blockades
anterior TO the Berlin decree, and his writ
ten overture in the case Of the Chesapeake.
Sent him OH the 6tl. inst. a letter, of which
2 copy is enclosed. No importantly had be
fore been spared, which II became me to
use.
need not trouble You with comments on
the obvious unwillinGness Of this government
TO touch the first menti oaed subject, or any
thing Connected with It's principles and praC-
tice respecting blockades, or with the sys
tenn of the orders in council. Justice and
policy both invite il to give the declaration.
which lhave required and certainly no.
thing has been omitted, oil my part, 10 induce
1t 10 take that course. fear, however, THAI
the declaration will be declined /; unless
Indeed, lord Wellesle should continue
TO cvade my application, BY returning TO
enswer toit-a new practice. / think, which,
little TO be commended as il rs, must
presume, ii persisted in here, be reciprocal
tau in America.
Its truly surprising. that, in the case OF
the Chesapeake, there should be the same
back wartness. l can Conjecture no motive
Tor this hesitation to propose. in writ
ing terms arranged in conference be
tween lord Wellesley and myself in an af
fair which tits the manifest interest of Eng
land to settle as soon as possible. 1t is now
almost six weeks since lord Wellesley last
assured me Gas he had before more than
once assured me- that he would put me in
possession of us formal overture in this case
Immediately. He knows that you have been
made officially acquainted with that assur
+ anoe for l Thought it advisable to submit
20 his perusal. before it was transmitted
'lfor the purpose principally of avoiding
MISUNDERSTANDING iny short letter TO you,
OF the 9th of last month, which states, that
sin the business of the Chesapeake, he will
write TO me in few days." and further thar
in that business, q do not expect any diff =
sculty'
There can be no misconceptiou as to the
fsrnss to be offered for besides that they
were stated with great precision, in the con
ference alluded to, in my letter to YOU of
the 9th ultimo, as well as in general ante
redeut interviews. wrote lord Welle sey,
the day after that Conference a firivate
noie of which copy is transmitted, enclos
ing memorandum in pencil Of the terms
which exclusive of any further mark of
displeasure TO. admiral Berkeley. very deci
dedly discouraged by lord Wellesley d" had
been spoken Of, in cur different conversati
.ons as TT to be proposed" l do not find
that retained any copy Of the memorandum
In pencil but the terms (agreeing in sub
stance with these to which 1 informed you,
in my letter OF the l3h June last, lord
Wellesley had 20 objection,) were to this eff.
tect.
/. The overture 10 con ain such n recital.
or statement, as is found in Mr.. Erskine' 8
letter 10 you of the 18th of April, 1869. of
the prompt disavowal, BY his Britannia ma
iesty, of the unauthorized act of his naval
officer, whose recall as mark of the
kings displeasurc from highly important
and honorable command, Immediately ensu-
Cd
2. To offer, qvifhout any reservation, xie
restoration of the men 10 TIE shih from
(Which they acre .forcibiy taken.
3 To offer, gcitAout any reservation, and
Us hart Of The terms Of inter national al
.JuStment, suitable pecuniary provision for
the families of the persons slain in the at
tack, and for the wounded survivors.
Il was, moreover understood that the pa
per, pruiirTinS THESE terms, would not Cen .
tain the illusions, which have heretofore &C
casoned embarrassment that the whole
affair would be made to take the most friend
1y character; and that / should be at liber.
ty to express, in my reply to the overture,
If | thought fit, the expectation of my gov
erument as to The further punishment Of ad
miral Berkeley.
ought to add, that, in all my converse.
lions with lord Wellesley, on the case of the
Chesapeake, he has shown, not only dis
position, pat a WISH TO accommodate 1t, &
that / am thei efore the mere astonshed at
the delay which has taken place.
In a few days intend 10 renew my efforts
to bring this matter to a conclusion, and 10
obtain an answer of some sort to my letter of
the SOth of April. am sufficiently inclin-
ed to present strong paper upon these sub =
jects but, inthe actual posture of affairs, &
In the absence of such instructions from you,
as would countenanCe such a step. ! think
il my duty to forbear little longer.
it is not impossible. that lord Wellesley's
backwardness, to close the case of the Ches
apeake, with me, may arise from desire,
that L should be adjusted in America, thro'
the new minister. II this were So howe
ever, he could have no inducement to con
ceal it from me, since he is aware thar I
have always entertained the same desire
Wien see him will advert to this. lam
not yet able to say, positively, who the new
minister will be. lord --------, and some
others are spoken Of. Lord Wellesley has
given no other written information, On the
SnbIect, than is contained in his letter the
I'D nltimo, already communicated to you.
Ills verbal Information has been toihe same
effect, with this addition, that he retained
his opinion, (mentioned IN my oficia! letter
TO you OF the 4ih Of January last) that the
minister to America ought to be a man of
rank As far as may be prudent, shall
not fail to do all that is in my power to ex-
pedite the appointments.
The letter from general Armstrong To
which my letter, Of the 9Th inst. to lord
wellesley alludes, is dated the oath of in