The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-11-24


WAS in the country and / was obliged To
write 20 him without previously seeing him.
however accompanied my Official note
(A%l with private letter OBJ offering ex
piaaa,ion, il required, and soliciting dis
patch.
waited until two o'clock, the 10th inst
without hearing from his Lortlship, when
was mnc!, surprised as,ceceiviny note (C)
FROM Mr.. Hamilton, the unter secretary, in
definitely ,,os,panins III, official reply.
70 giNe mole precision TO the transaction
Unsteady addressed to him an answer D) &
little before FIVE O'Clock on the same day.
] received an Invitation (s) from Lord Cas-
tlereagh To meet him at his house that even
ing a; nine o'clock.
WAITED on his Lordship, at the time ap-
pointed, q found him ia company with Mr..
Hamilton, at table loaded with the re-
cords of American correspondence, which
thsy appeared to have been examining.
was courteuusly received, and after a
conversation at few minutes on indifferent
subjects led the way TO the business on
which came, BY observing that had once
more been authorised TO present the olive
branch and hoped it would not be again re-
jected.
His Lordship observed that he had de-
sired the interview TO ascertain, before. he
submitted my communication of the 10Th
inst. To the Prince RI gent. the form and ma
ture of the powers under which acted
To-sarisfy him at onCe on both these points
put into his hands your letter of the 9th
OF July. the more willingly adopted this
mede OF procedure, as, besides the confidence
which its frankness was calculated 10 pro-
duce, the letter itself woad best define my
authority and prove the moderation and con-
ciliatory temper of my government.
His Lofs'ship read 1t atten,ively-He then
commented ut some length both on the shape
and substance of my powers With regard
to the former he observed that all my au-
thority was contained in a letter from the
Secretary of State which, as my diplomatic
functions had ceased, appeared but scan
ty foundation on which TO place the impor-
tant arrangement l had been instructed to
propose. With regard to the extent of my
powers, he could not perceive that they eS-
sentially differed from those under which
had brought forward the propositions con-
tanned in my note of the Oath of August
He considered that to enter with me into
the understanding required, as 4 prelimina-
ny to convention for an armisticc, he would
be compelled to act On unequal ground as
from his situation he must necessarily
pledge his government, when from the ma
ture OF my authority, could give no similar
pledge for mine. He could not therefore
think of committing the British faith and
leaving the American government free to
disregardits engagements. Besides it did
not appear to him that at the date of my
last instructions the revocation of the orders
in council on the 23d of June, had been re-
ceived ct Washington, and that great.hopes
were entertained of the favorable effect such
intelligence would produce there. The cues
doa of impressment, he went on to observe
was attended with. difficulties Of which nei-
Their or my government appeared to- be a.
ware. 50 Indeed, he continued there has
evidently been much misrepresentation on
this subject, and an erroneous belief en-
terta;red that "a arrangement, in regard TO
1t, has been nearer an accom- plishment than
the facts will warrant. Even cur friends
IN Congress- mean" observing perhaps
some alteration IN my countensnce) az those
who were opposed to going to war with us,
have been SO confident in this mistake that
they have ascrihed the failure of such an
arrangement solely to the misconduct of the
American gevernment.-Tni error proba-
bly, originated with MIR. King, for being
much esteemed here, and always wsH re-
ceived BY the persons then in power. he
seems to have miscoastrged their readiness
TO listen tn MS representations and their
warm, professions OF q disposition to renov-
the complaints of America, in relation to
imp~ssment. into supposed conviction on
their part Of the propriety of adopting the
plan which he had proposed. But Lord
49, ' ''NC'i's "i'Oili hC UliblI nave Thought
he Had brought over to his opinions, APP
pears never for moment to have ceased to
regard all arrangement on the subject TO be
attended Will, formidable, if no, instr
mountable obstacles. This ia obvious from
letter which his LoVdshp addressed TO
sir William Scott at that time" Here Lord
Castlereagh read a letter, contained In the
records before him, in which Lord St. Vim
cent states to sir William Scott the zeal
with which Mr.. King had assaied him on
sc subject OF ImpT@s,Fnent, confcsses his
own pcrple1ity and total incompctency to
discover amy practical project for the safe
dsscontinuance Of that practice and asks for
Council and advice. Thus you see," pro-
Eecdcd Lord Castiereagh," that the con-
Whence of AIR. King OH this point was entire
ny unfounded.''
he extreme difficulty, if not total i'm
lpracticability of any satisfactory arrange
fnent for the disccntiBuance Of impressment
Is most clearly manifestedby the result of the
snegociation carried on between Mcssss Mon
,iyoe and Plnkney and Lords Auckland and
Holland. The doctrines of which these no.
blemen had been the advocates, when in op-
position, bound them by all the force of con-
s'stency to do every thing under their com
mission for the satisfaction Of America rel
ative to impressment, which the subject
would possibly admit. There were many
circumstances on that occasion peculiarly
proptIous TO an amcable arrangement on
this had c,trh