The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-08-30

fH been received IN time, would, in ali pro-
liability have connected the restoration of
! The property eonhscated under the Ram
bouii'cr decree, with the revocation of the
Berlin and Milan DEGREES, as conditions on
/ which our non interso curse should take place.
| Let any one Judge which was strongest and
most useful, the intended letter or Mr. Ma
| disnn's substitution Which WAS most en-
ersetic. an argument to prove what was
selt evident, or an appreciation, and thereby
| the adoption, OF the vigorous remoastrance
| OF our minister in Frances And our rea
ders will rccoIlect that Gen. Armstrong, at
the date of the Duke of Cador.'s letter &C
ceptins the terms of our law august
1870 had not yet officially received the law
OF May 1, 1910; nor did he receive il un
til some time afterwards, and of Course had
only the naked law, as taken from news
paper, withou, the Instructions which &C.
companied it The law itself did not REQUIRE
any such restoration. oS our property rs the
President was induced. by his sensibilty to
the rights of our injured citizens, to require
to be connected with the revocation Con, en-
plated by law. But the connection OF the
two was an act discretionary with the Exc.
cutive, and for which he took the respon,i
biity on himself. Unfortunately, perhaps,
tor those whose property is in Jeopardy, the
French Government acted upon the law. as
taken from newspaper befnreii was Off
cially received by Gen. Armstrong from the
Department OF STATE; and the law on the
face OF it did not contemplate a restoration
OF any sesuestered property as Il condition
Hence arose the impossibiliy OF afterwards
making 1t a condition precedent to the Ike
vivai OF the non-interCearse as to G.. b.
however desirable such connection of ces.
sation and repatriation of injury would have
been.
But Mr.. Smith wishes to produce "A con-
viction tina; Mr.. Madison was unwilling to
exhibit the conduct of France in an odious
point Of view Why did he disingenuousy
pass over the letter addressedto Cen Arm.
strong with MIR Madisop's appreciation,
subsequently to the date of the letter sub
tituted for that prop osedby Mr.. Smith p
The letter to which we allude. dated July
5, our readers will perceive from its date.
was subsequent to the arrival OF the John
Adams. and tothe preparation of he letter
which Mr.. 5. accuses The President of an
undue bias towards France for not sending
The following is the FIRST paragraph
" The arrival of the John Adavls bro't
your letters of the LIST Aih, 18th and 1eth.
April.
From that of the 18th April, it appears,
| that the seizures of the American property
lately made, had been followed up by IT'S
actual sale, and that the proceeds had been
You have presented. in such jlst coiors, the
enormify of this outrage, that / nave only
to signify 20 you, that the Presiden, entire
Ly a51flr0ves the Siefi that has been taken 6y
you, and that he does not doubt that il will
be followed by you, the person who
may succeed you, with such fHr!her inter
! Positions. as may be deemed advisable
! He instructs you, fdrffEgiGTty. to make the
| French government sensible of the deep
impression made here, by so signal an az.
! !gresSien o., The fTiHcitIes Of justice end Of
good faith and % demand eVery reharafi
en- of which the case is susceptible II IT
be not the purpose of the French govern
mcntto remove every idea Of freRdly at,.
justment with the u. States, it would seer-
! impossible but that reconsitie ration of this
| violent proceeding must lead to a redTes, of
it as a preliminary to general ascon~
mediation of the differences between the two
countries"
After perusing this letter, actually sent.
with what face can any man charge the
| President with disposition 10 paliate the
once stronger, and yet consistent with the
decorum by which all state papers should
be characterised , Nay, more, can any
one show rs language of greater egerhy in
any case, used by our government in reIati.
on to the British government We be
lieve not and yet there are those who
would not fail 20 produce it. If they could !;
lbec,use it would be JOY to their hearts 20
EXHIBIT The government as more partial to
one than the other of the beiligerente. The
more we reflect on this subject, the more
we are at loss to perceive reason for
the insertion Of this letter in Mr.. Smiths
address. unless TO display the talents exhi
bited in the jlretGrattoH OF il.
III. That Mr. Madison did not approve
the draft of letter to M. Serrurier, the
French minister to our government.
! This letter, il pans Us to say, was as
was the letter to Gen. Furreau, evidently
designed to embarrass and Confuse the pro,
Iceetiings of Congress. Mr.. Smith had q
previous conversation with M. SerrurIer,
by means OF an interpreter, and well knew
that in answer TO the letter which he fran.
ed, NJ. Serrurier would not be enabled 10
say any thing. Let is be remembered for
Iit is necessary TO the oue comprehension OF
ltnis APPARENT manouYrc--that M. Serruri
or left France OH the 1t of January; was
appointed months before was detained in
! Bayonnc long after he had received his in
strucuuns, aud certainly had no ns,ructi
ons subsequent to the I'd OF November -
These facts being as well known to Mr.
Madison as 70 MIR. Smith, he refused per
mission 70 catechise VI. Serrurier on points
on which Mr. Smith vas absolutely inlorm
ed, NJ. Serruricr was not instructed aud
in answer To which, he knew he could only
/ .rH