Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-07-11
THURSDAY, JuLYs1l, 1911.

i
ton arises from the hope. that similar infor-
nation may have been given &c the Danish
government, and from 2 sense of the happy
influence which such communication will
have had on the American property, that had
been seized and detained by the priyateers
OF denmark, upon tie supposition that these
| certificates Of origin were spurious and not
authorized by the French government. Ii is
nevertheless, to be regretted, that the func-
tionaries OF France in Denmark had not
made known to the Danish aa<horities, DUR
inS. the occurrence Of such cntrages On the
American trade, the error ofdeacuncing, as
illegitimate, authentic documents, which had
! been lawfully issued by the accredited agents
OF his imperial majesty.
have the honor be, &c.
sisned
r. SMITH.
Ger. 2c7reaw, Jc. Uc.
| Sth. II is within the recollection of the A.
| Fncrscan people, thattl members Of Congress
during the last session., were much emhat-
raised, as to the course most proper to be
taken with respect TO cur foreign relations,
and that their cmbarrassnents proceeded
| principally from the defect IN the communi-
cations totheni rs to tho vicwscfthe cnDer-
| q of the Frencb. To supply thisdeiect was
the great desideratum. At critical period
OF the perpleXitics the arrival al Ncrfolk Of
az cavny extraordinary from France was an
nounced. Immediately thereon Al their pro-
ceedings touching our foreign relations were
| suspended. Their measures as avowed b.
| themselves and as expected by the nation,
were then to DC shaped scccrdipg to the ~
| formation, that might DC reeeir ed from Mr..
Sernircr, especially, as NC necessarily must
have left France long after the aliimPortant
| first day Of November. Upon ms alriral az
! Washington and Immediately after he had
been accredited, knowing, rs disl, tat: i'm
| patience Of congress and ofpy c5eiRtrynlen,
! lest no time in having with him confer-
! ence. This conference concluded by stating
! that would take ting liberty Of addressing to
him note prapounding the segcral questions,
! that had just had the honor of putting to
aim In conversation, and that thus by his an
swer I should be enabled to lay before the
president with the utmost precision his COM
nunications to me. ] accordingly immedi-
ateiy prepared the following draught of let
ter, and considering the presidents sanction
| a matter Of course, | had it in dde official
form copied by the appropriate clerk. But
waiting on the president with it, and after
having reported to him verbally the result of
the conference, was, to my establishment,
told BY him that it would not be expedient to
send to Mr. Serrurier any such note. His de-
pertinent throughout this interview evinced
high degree of disquietude, which occasion
ally betrayed him into fretful expressions
Having in view nothing bat the dignity of the
government, and the prosperity of my coun-
try, and overlooking his peevishness, / entrca-
ted him, butin a manner the most delicate, net
t. withhold from congress any information
that might be useful to them at so moment
Gus juncture.
The following is a copy of the letter had
prepared, as proper in my opinion, to be sent
to Mr.. Serrurier. 1t needs no comment.
DEPARTMENT Of State, Fe6. 90, 1911.
DESTROYS of laying before the Presi-
dent with the utmost precision the substance
of our conference of this day, and knowing
| that verbal communications are not unfre-
| quently misunderstood, ! consider it proper
20 propose to you in a written form the ques-
tions, which Ihave had the honor of submit
| ting to you in conversation, namely:
1st. Were the Berlin and Milan DEGREES
| revoked in zvhoie or III hars on the first day
of last Novemberl Or, have they at any
| time posterior to that day been so revoked
| Or, have you in8t1uctio'fs from your govern
| ment to give to this government any assur-
| ance or explanation in relation to the reyo-
| cation or modification Of these decreesl
I'd. Do the existing DEGREES OF France adj
| nit into French ports with or without licen-
ces American vessels laden with the produce
of the u. States, and under what regulations
and conditionsS
| 81. Do they admit into French ports with
or without licences American vessels laden
with articles not the produce of the United
states, and under what regulations and CON
ditonsS
4th. Do they permit Americcn vessels with
or without licences to return from France to
| the U. states, and upon what terms and con-
| disionss
5th Is the Importation Into France Of any
articles the produce ofthe United States alb
soiatsly prohibited, and IF So what are the
articles so prohibited, and especially are TO-
! tacco and coffoH2
eSh. Have You hisfrHcfisHs from your gov
| eminent TO give TO this government any assur-
aace or explanation in relation to the Amer-
can vessels and caT5c Seized under the
Rambouiliet decrccl
| ] have the honor TO be, &c.
Il. SMITH
5fr. Scgrwisr, &c. 20.
9th. W my letter 90 Mr.. Erskine, Of April
II, 1sCo, Nj. Madison proposed, and, con-
trary to my ideas Of propriety, insisted OH in
scrting the following paragraph, viz.
" But Ihave IL in express charge from thc
| President 10 state, that while he forbears to
insist on further punishmcnt Of the oi6nd-