The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-05-29

The extraordinary delay of the Marquis
Wellesley in answering the letter of Mr..
Pinkney fropes the British ministry to have
been governed by events in their occurrence
posterior to the dIsmission Of Mr. Jackson
Had they, as they should have, been, exclu
sively influenced by that act, with the circum-
stances that led to it, no reason for delay
could have existed. The case was tooplain
and isolated to embarrass the most ordiha.
ny judgment. The facts were amply stated
by both parties. The wide field of antece-
dent negotiation on the complicated affairs
of the two nations in this instance presented
no obstacle, and Mr.. Jackson was at least as
fully heard as our government. The regui
sitions on our part were few and simple, and
called for dispatch. In such a state of
things the reflection of day was as good as
that of a month, and the judgment must have
been as ripe for decision as it ever could be.
a prompt compliance with our requests
would have been no less honorable to the
British government, than promotive of the
best interests of the nation it represented.
1t would have revived the wanting good will
of the two nations, and produced, certainly in
this country, a Jealous disposition to yield
much for the sake Of an entire restoration of
harmony. On the other hand, that govern.
ment must have been sensible that a reluc amt
C tardy acquiesceDce in our demands, would
assume more the air of policy than of justice,
Of compulsion than of spontaneous disposi
ton to do what was right. Such must have
been the feeling of the British government,
had it considered our acquisitions reasona-
bic. On the contrary, had itvlewed them
as unreasonable, the obligation was equally
strong 10 give an Immediate answer, that
we might be enabled 20 form an unamoigu-
Gus estimate Of It's disposition, aud pursue
measures dictated by the actual state Of
things, instead of being bewildered in the in
eXtriCabie mazes OF doubt and mystery
The demand made 10y us, indeed, so loudly
called for speedy decision. that the annals
of diplomacy may be ransacked in vain with
out finding an analogous case attended with
such delays even in those dark periods when
force was the acknowledged arbiter between
nations. At this day such delay woHld NOT
have been tolerated by any European gov.
ernment, which would, long before it elaps~
ed, have done itself Justice by dismissiug line
offending minister. England herself would
most PROFESSIONALLY have pursued this
COURSE
The delay, then, was unequivocally there
sult of circumstance foreign from the origi
nal case. These were, either
The existing state of parties in Eng
land
2. The Poiiticaid divisions amongu us (; or
3. The Inc Of policy Of France towards
Us:
Separately, or collectively, these causes
dicta,ed the stately and measured answer of
the Marquis Wellesley.
1. We know that the present English min
istry ;ottered to dissolution q, The very mo-
ncnt il drew its first breath, and that it has
ever since been exposed 20 the sevc-.st par
czycus, Of which the Parliament has been
the theatre. In this state Of mixed infancy
snd dotage, Il was all important, to avoid any
thiDg like rupturo with America. In the