Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-07-24

Su witch iic S''tcf.hiucc cSpcC.py iNS
best interests ofhis country led him to
wish that good understanding should
take place between Great Britain and
the United States, and tina, he thought
that the obvious advantages which
would thereby result to both countries
were suaicienspledg of the sincerity
of his sentiments. .at
The reasons which induce me to
believe that the views and determine
tions of this government. as descrioedi
- me by Mr.. Madison, are their real
sentiments, and that they will pursue
that course of conduct which they have
marked out, arise from immature con.
sideration of the actual state ofthe aft
fairs Of this country, the particular
situation of the government and ruling
party, and from certain private but
important communications which have
been made to me by some of the MEM
bers Of the administration, who are
sincerely DESTROYS of a Cancellation with
G. Britain.
tbs evident from every thing which
has lately taken place,in this country,
that the people at large are DESTROYS Of
having the Embargo removed but it
is also to be collefteds from.thc result
of tie selections throughout the United
STATES, that the present ruling party
have decided majority of the. people
with them, and as they have pledged
themselves not to repeal il, while the
restrictions upon their neutral rights
continue in force by both belligerents,
without substituting war measures, and
as they themselves acknowledge "thae
the ultimate and only efFectual mode
of resisting such-warfarc, il persisted
in, is war" and ssrht a permanent
suspehsion of oot,merce, would not
properly be resiss ace, but submis-
sion;" cannot thsf1fore conceive that
it would he possible I'd them toretract
their declarations, and indeed, they
would not havetfhe power Of continu-
ing the Embargo more than six months,
and OF, course, therefore, they must
substitute war measures when it should
be withdrawn, unless they were to a.
hsndon all the principles they have
laid down, and to change all the re-
solutions which they have so unequi-
vocally expressed.
II istrue that they might possibly do
SO, il they found themselves pressed
by the number and strength of their
opponents, or by a change In the OPT
mons of their Majority amongst the
people; butt is. plain from the decisi-
.oniethe Housesof Representatives in
Congress, upoa.4bes-es slatious pro-
posed hyth co3Alttee a ,oointei 70
consider the slt9rSf offheir Foreign
relations, which were carried bya ma
iority of eigh,y-four to seventy.one.
that they have not lost ans ground in
the present Congress, and the result of
the elections for members of Congress,
proves, that although thsy have lost
some votes in the Eastern states that
they viii have great majority OFT Of
the whole number of the next Con-
gress.
gIbr these reasons conclude that
the government party coeld carry a.
long with the m the support of the peo-
pie in thesmeasures which they might
resolve TO take, and have already
explained, why 4 believe they will a
doptthe course of conduct which Thave
described in the foregoing part of this
dispatch, arising out of the state of
the country and their own particular
situation, and will therefore proceed
to explain my private reasons for feel
ing confirmed in their opinions, and
viii have the honor OF laying before
you some important communications
which were msde,to me by some of
the members ofthis government, unof-
fcially, but with a desire that they
might produce a favorable effect to-
wards conciliation with Great Bri-
tain. beg leave to refer you to my
next number in which they are detail
ed.
have the honor to be, with
the highest respect, Sir, =
Your most obedient humble servant,
u. III. ERSKINE.
mo. o.l