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

CONGRESS. y
Houss OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Wednesday, November Is.
AFFAIRS WITH BRITAIN.
The following message was received
from the President OF the United o'a'es
BY his private secretary Mr.. Io'es'
To the Senatc, and House Of Rehresenta-
nves ofthe United States.
transmit to Congress copies OF
communication from MIR. Russell to the
Secretary ofS,a,e. tits connected win
the correspondence accompanying my
message of the 18th instant, but haa not
at that date been received. /,
JAMES MADISON. |
November ls, 1912.
DOCUMENTS ACCOMPANYING
THE PRESIDENTS MESS AGE.
Mr.. Russell to the Secretary State.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 1919.
SIR have the honor to hand you
herewith an account of the conversation
alluded to 10 a postscript to my letter OF
the 10Th OF September and which l,
had not sufficient time then to Copy.
have the honor to be, With great
consideration and respect, sir, your O.
bedient servant,
IONA. RUSSELL.
The hon. james MoHroe, Esq. &c. sc.
Mfr. Russell to the Secretary Of State.
LONDON, Sept IL, 1912.
SIR-On the 18th inst. l had the ho-
nor TO receive your letter of the 27th of
July lsst--I called Immediately at the
Foreign Office to prepare Lord Castle
reagh, by impartlng to him the nature
and extent of my instructions, for the
communication which it became me to
make to him. His Lordship was in the
country and I was obliged to write to
him without previously seeing him -
however accompanied my official note
(As) with private letter OBJ offering
explanation, if required, and soliciting
dispatch.
| waited until two. o'clock, the 10th
instant, without hearing from his Lord
ship, when | was much surprised at re.
ceiving note CO. from Mr. Hamilton,
the under secretary, indefinitely post
poning an official reply.
To give more precision to the trans
action / instantly addressed to him an
swer (D) and little before five o'clock
on the same day, i received an invita-,
ton (E) from Lord Castlereagh to meet
him at his house that evening at Mite
o'clock.
waited on his Lordship, At tbs tine
appointed, in company with Mr.. Hami!-
ton at table loaded with the records
of American correspondence, which
they appeared to have been examining
was courteously received, and after
a conversation of few minutes on in
different subjects lad the way to the
business on which came, bv observing
that / had once more been authorised
to present the olive branch and hoped
it would not be again rejected.
His Lord.hip observed that he had
desired the intervicR to ascertain, be-
fore he submitted my communication of
the 9Th inst, to the Prince Regent, the
form and nature of the powers under
whisk acted. TIE satisfy him at once
on both these points put into his hands
your letter OF the 9th Of July. | the
more willingly adopted this mode OF
procedure as, besides the confidence
w!.:ch its frankness was calculated to
produce, the letter itself would best de-
fine my authority and prove the mode
ration and conciliatory temper Of my 60
vernment.
His lordship read it attentively-Hs
then commented at some length both
on the shape and substance Of my pow
ers. With regard 10 the former he OBJ
served that all my authority was contain
ed in letter from the Secretary of State
which, as my diplomatic functions had
ceased, appeared but scanty foundation
on which to place the import.n, arrange
meDt had been instructed to propose.
With regard to the extent of NY pow
ers, he could not conceive that they es-
sentialiy differed from these under which
] had brought forward the proposition
contained in my note of the e4,h Of Au.
gust. He considered that to enter vii,
me into the unders:. ding, required ..s
a preliminary to convention for az ar
miatics, he would be compelled to %ct
on unequal ground as from bis situation
he must necessarily pledge his govern
wcnt, When, from the nature of my au-
thority, | could give no similar pesge
for mine. H. could not therefore think
Of committing the British faith and leav.
ing the American government free to
disregard its engagements. Besides it
dld mot appear to hina that at the date of
MY hest instructions the revocation Ct
the orders i'll council on the 23d Of June,
had been received at Washington, and
that great hopes were entertained of the
favorable effect such inteIlircnce va,l,;