Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1810-01-01

honest politics, and calculate ,Ipou "
cess from intrigue they soon sss, s,
themselves inFolsed in difi:culti.s " 1
Secretary SnliA says, our coer.n.. ~
knew not what were Mr.. Erski0e,. IT
structions. But is adaAnis,gs,;or -
ware of the conclusion to De dn..
from this concession Then il
Mr.. Madison made an arrangement ~,
entered into s,ipulations with thr h. u
ish minister, deeply affecting tie nv
ests and welfare of this co,Inuv M,
out knowing whether that misister
instructions and powers TO author;.4
him in his agreements. Mr.. Sm;,I :,
bors hard to shew, that this arrara Il
ment was very different from treq,s
in order to fasten his charge ofilI ~
on Great Britain. Surely then H.
Madison was bound 10 know vba.l".
the British Minister acted aeree,hlr :.
his Instructions in this affair. IN ;us,;s
TO this country and in support of 49,
commercial rights, be certainI, ouol.
to have FULLY ascertained the fact, thar
MIR. Ers.-ine was clearly empowered !
make or agree to the propositions. ~
which the arrangement was bottomed
II was not only the part of prudenr.
but it was his daty, to have acted WIKI
his eyes open in this business. u.
ought to have refused or postpsned
making such an important agreement
until he. was certain of the British =
gent. Instead of ccnsuring the Ems.
lish, then, for not performing on their
part wha, they instructed the;,
agent TO propose or agree to, have We
not reason to charge our administrot;oD
with imprudence and haste in maxine
the arrangement under the cireamstsr.
ces of the case
1t is admitted, that Mr.. Erskine d;d
state to Mr.. Smith the terms and
conditions, in conformity to or connex.
ion with which, the agreement was "a
be made. Our government, then.
knezc Of these terms. But they saw.
they su77'osed or understood Mr.. Fr.
skine had others. Why did they not
request view and inspection ofthem
Suppose they could prevail on Mr..
Erski7ae to believe, that his government
would probably agree TO other terms.
& that the conditions which were sub.
stituted were in substance or effect the
same as he was instructed to agree 10.
this does not justify-this does not ex.
cuse them for their conduct. Before
taking SO important measure, they
should have something more than
S11ffosz!fons or zndsrsfandtngs -
They should have knozvn that the agent
OF the other nation had full and precise
powers 10 authoIise him in the steps
taken.
We insist on this view of the subject
For We think 1t very important. /.
shows that the difficulty and the EN-.
barrassments now existing are chiefly
owing to want Of discernment and of
caution in our Rulers. 1t would be
painful 10 suppose for moment. that
this state OF things was DESIGNED byour
Cablnet--that, knowing Mr.. Erskine
had exceeded his powers, they consen.
ted to the arrangement, with the view
OF having neFo causes of complaint a-
gainst England, who, 1t was foreseen
could not, under such circumstances.
fulfil the agreement.
Let it be here noted, that The friends
OF administration predicted at the tI,nt
that the British would not abide by the
stpulauons entered into with Mr.. Er.-
k1ne, and that they reioiced the mo.
ment they heard tie English had disa-
vowed the transaction. And The clam
our OF course now is, that the British
government has terfd5onsly refused to
confirm the doinss Of its authorised a.
gent. But the fact really is-not that
they refuse to complete a bargain or
fulhh promises which they authorised
any one to make for them. But they
olSaVow or deny The authority Of their
agent 10 make the promises or agree to
the terms he did, And is this pcrhdi-
Gus It's worse than Childish to COM
PLAIN OF this. Who ever imagined q
man Cound BY the conduct or overture
OF even his real agent, if that agent had
particular instructions and mowers del
egated to him to do certain things on
Certain conditions, but not power to
bind him in all cases, or to act on con-
uilons different from those particularly
given If enc should in this case re-
iuse to fnlhli an agreement not author.