Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-11-20

we're opposed to gong - Ms "a, n;..tr
h.xs been SO confident in this mlstaKe
tina. they have sscribed the tal,u's
such an arrangement solely to the 'nl'
conduct of the American government
This error probably originates wy" 80
King, Tor being much esteemeo ~ n.y..
and always we'll received by the Pr , ,G
then in power, he seems to nav 80 h;s
construed their readiness to hstch - 60.
representations and their warm pro's
sions offs disposition toremovs the cor,
plants of America, in relation - ION
pressment, into supposed coh''s nj.
on their part of the proprle'y OF auor
inc the plan which he had proposed =,
But Lord St. Vincent, whom nc mig
have thought he had brought over 10 III
opinions, appears never tor mo'nen
to have ceased to regard all arrangement
on the subject to be attended VIVA 'o'-
midable, if not insurmosntahle oos.a'
ces. This is obvious from letter wn'ch
his Lo dship addressed to Sir w li''a"'
Scott at that time" Here Lord Cas'ie-
rcarh read letter, contained in the re-
cords before him, in which Lord 81
Vincent states to Sir William ocott inc
zeal With which Mr.. King had assal'ea
him on the subject of impres'msnt' con-
fesses hi. own pcrplexity aud total IN,
competency to discover any prac'icai
project for the safe discontlnuance OF
that practice and asks for council and ad.
vice. "Thus you see," proceeded lord
CsstIereagh, " that the confidence OF
Mr. King on this point was entirely uh-
founded"
The extreme difficulty, if not tota!
impracticability of any satisfactory ar
rsnxement for the discontinuance OF I'M
pressment is most clearly manifested by
the result Of the negsclatlon Carried On
between Nessrs. Monroe and Plnkney
and Lords Auckland and Holland. The
doctrines Of which these noblemen had
been the advocates, when in opposition,
bound them by all7the force OF consis-
tency to do every thing under their COM
mission for the satisfaction OF America
relative to impressmens, which the sub
icct would possibly admit, There were
MANY circumstances on that occasion
peculiarly propitious to an amicabir ar
rangement on this point. Ind such an ar
range uent been at ali a,talnable. Both
parties accordingly appear to have ex-
haus'sd their ingenuity in at ampt'ng TO
device expetiients satisfactorily TO per-
form the office of impressment, and no.
thing can more cnnclusively demonstrate
tie inhcrcn: difficulty Of the matter, and
the utter iHpossibiii,y of finding the ex-
psd!ent which they sought, than that all
,neir labors, pursued on that occasion
with Observation-Disclosures, cordially &
good faith. should have been in valn.
His Lordship now turned to let'.r
in volume before him addressed at the
close Of the negotiation by these COM
missioners to the American ministers,
conceived in The kindest spirit of cenci'
liarion. in which thsy profess the most
earnest desire to remove all cause OF
complaint on the part of America con-
ce:ning impressmcnt, regret that thel"
endcuvors had hitherto been Intellectual,
lament the necessity OF continuing the
practice and promise to provide as far
as possible against the abuse of it.
{" IT," resumed his Lordship, "sucb
was the result of negotiation enter
tanned under circumstances SO highly
favorable, where the powers and the dis,
position of the parties were limited on.
" by the Difficulties Of the sub cct, what
reasonable expectation can be encourage
ed that in the actual state Of things. with
your circumscribed and imperfect au-
thority, We can come to mare sue
cesstul issue D.? shall have to proceed
in so wcighty a concern with the ut
most deliberation and circumspcction !;
lud it will he necessary for me to con-
suit the great law officers Of the crown.
You gre not aware OF the great sensibi-
tjty and jeslousv of the people OF Eng
land on this subject, and 10 ad'ainstra-
ton could expect to remain in power
that should cersent to renounce the
right of impressmelt, or to suspend
the practice, without the certainty of
an arrangement which should obviously
be calculated most uneeuivocally to Sc
cure Its object. Whether such an ar
rangcment Gun DC devised is extremely
doubtful. but it is very certain thai you
have no sufficient powers for its accom-
plisNment."
Sch was the substance, and, in ma
ny parts, the language of his Lortship's
discourse. To which replied that the
main object Of my powers being to effect
suspension Ct hostililies, their form
could not be material. 1t vas sufficient
hat they emanated from competent au-
thority and were distinctly and clearly
conferred. That in requiring as con-
lition to an arrnistlce clear understand
ing relative to impressment and other
points of controversy between the two
countries, il was intended merely 10 lay
the basis OF an amicable adjustment and
.be rehy IN li,,,spi. Dcnh. IA DE, of