Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-10-19
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE, COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL
SATURDAYS BIZ sxowDEr q sLMa
ne 1919

might 'hfiueace the President and his
cabinet, .e Russian government
c6nId have none; and hence 10 pos:
sible fair reason for withholding the
communications in question frbfil
the Senate car be presDncG 10 exist.
From the facts and reasOning5
which have row been exhibited, I
presume the conclusion OF every iiiis
partial reader must be, That tho 6f'
fer formally communicated frsfH
bis Imperial Majesty. the Emperor
Of Russia. of his mediation, as the
common friend Of the Unile,l States
ard Great Britain, for the purpose
cfiacilitating peace between them"
as stated by the President in bis mess
sage to Congress. was merely tt8
offer Of the Russian minister Mr..
J ascbkof, withoui an, orders or ms
strdctions from his government:
But rs ! am in1uiring into The
truth of facts affecting the pnbl6
welfare. and desire to coaccal n0H6
which can throw amy Iigh. on this ins
teresiing subject. il is proper Tor ME
to add, That have Lately been iiis
formed that letters received front
Nr. John Quincy adams. our minis
ter in Russia. mentioned. that on tho
10th Of October last. the Emperor az
lerander offered his mediation 10
Lord CGthcart (the British Minis
ter and to himself. This, am
told, was tie yerba! information lates
ly given by Mr.. Aiams's brother to
a gentleman 10 Boston.
To this ] answer.-Tbat it is DOT
only very possible but. for impertans
reasons before suggested very pfos
baGle, that she Emperor Of fussix,
with the frankness which appears to
be distinguishing trait in his chs.
raeter, mentioned to Lord Catbcart
and Mr.. Adams his willingness and
the pleasure ii 1could gre him, TO act
the part Of a mediator between the
United States ant Great Britain, to
bring about q peace: that he might
even desire them TO sound their res.
pectiue governments on tie sntject}
end add. that if acceptable 10 both. hs
would formally offer his mediation.
But thai ne would IN tue I1rs1 IHJ
sisnce. positively Offer biz Dediatioh
10 the United States before le should
know whether il would b. secepta'
bic 10 either. and especial, 10 Great
Britain. his great ally III tie war ~
gainst France, is, for The reasons 1
have before stated. highly in prOba.
bic, and ip my view altogether il.
credible.
Let il be remembered, that our
administration d. not pretend there
was any other offer of the Russian
mediation than that made b, Mt
Dastkof,. first verbally to Mr.. Msa.
roe, on the list, ed, Sd or 4th Of
March, and " formally" il writing
on the Sth. That il was OF thi. Of
fer on which (for reason. hereafter
to he giycn) the president eagerly
seized: and. as he says in his mes
sage, I" determined 10 avoid inter.
mediate delays, incident 10 the dis
lance of The parties by dciieiiive
provision for the contemplated ne
gotiafion": that is. B.. INN ediately
appointing ard sending his ministers
Eayard and GalIaiin 10 ST. Peters
burg. there to join Mr. Adams,
"with the requisite powers to con-
cIude treaty of peace with persons
clothed with like pow ers on the part
Of Great Britain :" without knowing
whether Great Britain would accept
the Russian mediation. or even whe-
tler it had been formally offered to
her government. Ard where tie
President in his message says. that
an offer was formally c0mmuDei.
Gated 10 him from his imperial ma
,iesty. the Emperor Of Russia. Of his
Observation-Disclosures imposing the
language, and calculated TO indncs
the mass Of readers to think that tho
offer came directly from the Empc-
ror himsels-no more is TO be undcr-
stood than that the offer was formal.
~ made by the Emperor's minister,
MIR. BaseikoR. probably influenced
thereto in he pannerI shall present.
~ mentioa. The Presidents strong
In The case furnishes no
proof 10 the eonfrary.-Ve uDf6rin-
nately know to the disboDor and mi