The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-07-05

room, ] remarked to him, IA would duly
consider whether the offer .ue ."'ss,o'' ~,
knssia would afford SUI an opportunity.
With inexpressible .s.un'snmeiN' nowc-
, yer; IL, m "a few d t;ssin members Of Con-.
rress had bee1 enabled. in returning to
their resnecti.s homes, to state, that this
identical Off would be made to me with the
view of,p,.Eing Mr.. Monroe in the Depart.
rnent Of SAFE, This intelligenceI. of course.
mentio.sd with q becoming indignation
to NJ, Madison upon his application af-
sersards TO me for the result of my
objections on the proposed mission. He,
Amn ediately, but with evident confusion,
protested that he had not in any manner
WHATEVER authorised such report. or even
such an idea. / replied. that surely ought
Hot TO attribute to President of the u.
States a transaction so base But as re-
port of SO delicate a character had actual
ly gone forth, my sense OF honor could not
hesitate a moment in rejecting the offer of
the mission. Nor could l, upon the same
principle, allow myself, under such cir.
Cumstances. to retain my commission of Sc
cretary of State. closed the conversation
by remarking, with great composure that
there must have been in this affair a most
shameful intrigue. And, with very great
difficulty I suppressed the inclination felt,
TO tell him, that of this intrigue he had IN
considerably been the dupe. -
The power of a President of the u. S. to
remnve any officer, other than Judge, will
not he controverted. Nor will any preten-
sion be set up SO absurd, as right to an of
ace. But il is maintained that this power
cannot, consistently with the genius of our
Government, and with the respect due to the
Senate, be exercised, as Under an arbitrary
Oespotism, at the mere caprice of the
Chief: but that in every such exercise of
power. a President of the u. States must
necessarily act upon his responsibility TO
his constituents for the rectitude of his mo-.
tives. This brings me to the ground to be
examined, namely, the measures alluded to
by MIR. Madison, upon which has been
founded his conduct towards me on this oc--
'casion. Each. then, of the several Hie asures,
important, or unimportant.in which there has
been at anytime, a difference of opinion be-
tween / will now, unreservedly in dis
tinct articles, present to the view of the A
merican People with hope, perhaps de-
iusive, that they will therein find an apollo
ssy, if not a justification. in my behalf
LIST The following letter was not prepa-
red in virtue of any direction, or even iati-
nation from Mr.. Madison. It was written
and sent by me when he was at his seat in
Virginia. Before his departure from WASH
jpgton, he, however, knew, that ], had it
IN conte mp, ation to make such a call I'M
on Mr.. Erskine, and, as he had expressed
mo Misrepresentation, it of course took place.
But ] have since learned that he was not
"a little displeased that such an enquiry had
been at all stirred.
My fellow-citizens. in reading the letter.
and in adverting TO the denouemenf, will. /
trust, have no difficulty in estimating the
purity of my motives. and as little in disco
vering the ground of his displeasure.
Sc Mr.. SMITH TO Mr.. ERsKINE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Aug 9, 1909.
SIR,
l have just received from MT Pinknev. a
: setter, inclosing printed paper, purportiog to
bea copy Of despatch to you from Mr. Can
nng, which states, among other things, that
- from the report Of your conversations with Mr..
Madison, Mr.. GaIlatin and Mr.. Smith, it ap
pears.
1st. That the American government is pre-
pared, in the event of his Msjsstys conserving
10 withdraw the orders in council of January (.
November, 1907, to withdraw contemporane
ously on IS part, the introduction of its harbors
TO ships of war, and all non intercourse and non
importation acts, SO far as respects G. B. leay
ing them in force with respect to France, and
She powers which adopt or act under her de.
crees
I'd ' That America is willing to renounce.
during the present war, the pretenson of carry-
ing on in time OF wsr all trade with the enc
shicS FotoiiiSS, iTUt.i WHICH BIC was excluded
during peace:
Sd :" G. b. for the purpose of securing the
.perat'on of the embargo, and the bona tide in
tention OF America, to prevent her citizens from
Trading with France, and the powers ADOPTING
K acting under the French DEGREES, is to be con.
,sidered as being at Liberty to capture all such
American vessels may be found attempting to
trade with The ports of any of these powers I;
without which security for the observance OF
the embargo, the raising It nominaiiy, with res
pect 10 G. alone would in fact raise il with
respect to all the world"
have the honor to request you TO favor NE
with such explanations as your cardor will at
once suggest, in relation TO these imputed con-
ycrsa;ions.
iorbear to express TO you, sir, tire surprise
that is felt at the extraordinary pretensions set
forth in this letter Of Instructions. and espec, sIy
st the expectation that this Government would
rs preliminary, recognize conditions, two of
(which are manifestiy irreconcileabie to the
dignity and interest of the u. S. 1, however.
would remark that, osd you deemed it proper
ohave communicated in cxtenso this letter, 1T
would have been impossible for the President
10 have perceived IN its conditions or in it's spi.
ait, dat conciliatory disposition which had been
protested. & which, il wss hoped, had really
existed.
am, &c.
lSigned>
r. SMITH"
The Hon. d. NJ. 6rSEire
Cd. There was a serious difference of O.
49, -, h..Na. n n H~I Il