Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-01-29

any commenced AT the time when your Ges-
patch was written, was however contempla~
ted as more than probable, and tie n~ecessi-
~ which obliged the Emperor to take a part
IN 1t was mentioned to me as a Cause of re.
sret to the American government. But it
was hoped it would not in the slightest de
gree affect the friendly dispositions between
Russia and the United States. That /. was
informed by you that the principal subjects
OF discussion which had long been subsisting
between us and France, remained unsettled.
That shere was no immediate prospect 6hat
there would be n satisfactory settlement of
them /; but that whatever the event in this
respect might be, it was not the intention of
the government of the United States to enter
into any Ioore nitrate connections with
Fr&nce.-Iiis disposition 1 added was ex
pressed in terms as strong and clear as /
thought language could afford. it was even
observed that the government of the United
States didnot anticipate any event whatever
that could produce that effect, and ! was the
mare happy to find myself authorised by
my government to avow that Intention, as
different Representations of their views had
been widely circulated as we'll in Europe
as in America.
The Count received this communication
with assurances of his own high satisfaction
at it's purport. and of his persuasion that it
would prove equally sa :isfactory to the En-
pcror, before whom he should layit without
delay. He said that with regard to the
friendly and commercial relations with the
United States, IL was the emperor's fixed de
termination to maintain them so far. as de
pended upon hini in their fullest extent. He
asked me if I had any objection to us com
municating to the British government itself
that part of my information to him which re-
latedto trance. Isaid that. on the contrary,
as c British government had in the course
of our discussions with them frequently inti.
mated the belief sliat the Americas govern
ment was partial to France, and even actu-
ated by French Influence, I supposed that
The knowledge OF this frank and explicit
statement, with a due consideration of the
time and occasion upon which it was made,
must have a tendency to remove the preju-
dice Of the British cabinet, and l would hope
produce on sheir part a disposition more in
Ginning to eopoiliatiop.
Yesterday the Count sent a note reques
ing me to call upon him again, which i ac-
cordingly did. He showed ne the draft OF
a despatch to;hejCount Liesen, the Russian
ambassador in England, which he had pre-.
pared to lay before the Emperor fer his APP.
probation, and which related the substance
Of my Conversation with him, particularly in
regard to the intentions of tie An-ericang go
eeruiaciI with reference 10 France; in
structing Count Lieven to mskeit known to
Lord Castiereagh, and TO use it for the pur
pose of convincing the British goyernmeutnf
the errorin suspecting that of the ". States
OF any sub seryiency to France, in the expec-
tation that it would promote in the British
ministry the disposition to peace with the u
nited States, which he Count Lieven) knew
his Imperial Majesty had much at heart,
believing it equally for the interest of both
powers, and also for that of his own empise.
The chancellor said that as this despatch
woull refer to what / had verbally stated to
him in our preceding conversations, he wish
ed before submitting it TO the Emperor, that
Should peruse II TO satisfy himself tEat he
bad conneciedly Represented the purpcrt of
my COMMUNICATION to him, and he desired me,
If 1 should md any isacuracy or variation
from what Ihad said IT, him, 10 point il oat
20 him, ttathe might make fhC 6espatch Per
fectly correspond With What ihad said. ]
did accordingly notice several particulars,
in which the exact purport of what | had
said, MIGHT be expressed with more preci
sion. Re Immediately struck out the pas
sages which ! noticed in this manner from
the draught, and altered them to an exact
confornity with the ideas ! had intended to
convey. The changes were incons;derable,
and were no otherwise material than As |
was DESTROYS Of he utmost acc uracy ia The
relation of what l had said under the au-
thQrity of your despatch.
The c~ommgnication of the settled deter
mination of the American government not to
contract any more Intimate engagements
with France, will thus be made to the Bri-
fish ministry With my full consent. The
cl,ancelior's despatch does not say hat he
was authorized by Ue to make il. 1t mere
ly relates the substance of that part of my
conversation with HIM, and directs Count
Lieven 20 use it with a view to promote the
purpose of p~acifCatiop. The chancellor un-
derstands that my consent was merely my
own act, without authority from you , my
motive in giving it was the same with that
of his instruction to Count Lievep, because |
believed it's tendency wonld be to promote
the spirit of pacific alton in the British cab
met. told the chancelio. | was aware that
its effect might be different. That the very
certainty that we should u { seek or even ac>
cept a community of cause with their most
dreaded enemy might make them more in
different to a peace with us. But, in calcu>
lating the operation OF a generous purpose, e.
ven upon the mind OF an inveterate enemy.
feel an irresistible impulse to the ~conclu-
sion that it will be generous like itself. /
asked the chancellor whether he had recei-
we'd an answer from England upon the pro
posal of the Emperor's mediation. He said
that, without accepting or rejecting it, they
had intimated the belief, that it would not
be acceptable in America.
! am, &c.
(Signed) JOHN Q. ADAMS.
Extract ofa letter from Mr.. adams TO the
Secretary Of Stare, dated 81. Paers6urg,