ber of her mch, entered on board and carried away, forcibly, several of the screw. The conduct of the British officer, which in itself formis an act of complete hostility, is rendered more reprehensible from the consideration that just before this aggression he held a station within the jurisdiction of the U. States, in the waters of the Chesapeake,where, while he enjoyed the rights of hospitality, he projected this attack against the ship of a neuiral power, whose commander relying on the good faith of his majesty's governinent, and the friendly relations subsisting between G. Britain and the U. States, could not have suspected the design. I might state other examples of great indignity and outrage, many of which are of recent dates, to which the U. States have been exposed off their coast, and even within several of their harbours, from the British squadron; but it is improper to mingle them with the present more serious cause of complaint. I have called your attention to this subject, in full confidence that his majesty's government will see in the act complained of, a flagrant abuse of its own authority, and that it will not hesi fate to enable me to communicate to my government without delay, a frank disavowal of the principle on which it was made, and its assurance that the officer who is responsible for it, shall suffer the punishment which so unexampled an aggression on the sovereignty of a neutral nation justly deserves.

MR. CANNING TO MR. MUNROE, AUGUST 3, 1807.

tone of that representation which I hav
just had the honor to receive from you,
But the earnest desire of his majesty to
evince, in the most satisfactory manner, they
principles of justice and moderation, by
which he is uniformly actuated, has not per
mitted him to hesitate in commanding me:
to assure you, that his majesty neither does,
nor has at any time, maintained the preten
sion of a right to search ships of war, in
the national service of any state, for desert
ers. If therefore the statement in your note,
should prove to be correct, and to contain all
the circumstances of the case, upon which
complaint is intended to be made, and if it
shall appear that the act of his majesty's offi-
cers rested on no other grounds than the sim,
ple and unqualified assertion of the preten-
sion above referred to, his majesty has no dif-
ficulty in disavowing that act, and will have
no difficulty in manifesting his displeasure at
the conduct of his officers-With respect to
the other causes of complaint [whatever they
may be] which are hinted at in your note, I
perfectly agree with you, in the sentiment
which you express, as to the propriety of not
involving them in a question, which is of
itself of sufficient importance to claim ase
parate and most serious consideration
have only to lament, that the same senti-
ment did not induce you to abstain from allu-
ding to these subjects, on an occasion which
you were, yourself, of opinion, was not fa-
vorable for pursuing the discussion of them.

MR. MUNROE TO MR. MADISON, AUGUST
4, 1807.
ff tot ob
SIRI avail myself of the opportunity
afforded by Mr. Biddle, to communicate te
you a copy of a correspondence, and the
substance of a conference between Mr.
Canning and myself, relative to the late ag-
gression on the grace and sovereignty of the
U. States, by the British ship Leopard, in
an attack on the Chesapeake, off the capes
of Virginia.-Mr. Canning's private letter
of July 25, which gave the first intelligence
of the occurrence, left it doubtful whether
the British officers had been culpable in it,
and as I knew how very reprehensible their
conduct had been on our coast, on many
other occasions, and to what height the sen
sibility of our citizens had been excited by
it, I thought it not improbable that some-
thing might have occurred to divide, the
blame between the parties. It
Lowas under

Sir I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your official note of the 29th ult. which I have lost no time in laying before the King As the statement of the transaction to which this note refers, is not brought forward either by the authority of the government of the U. Statce, or with any precise knowledge of the facts on which it is founded, it might Have been sufficient for me to express to you, his majesty's readiness to take the whole of the circumstances of the case; when fully disclosed, into his consideration, and to make reparation for any alledged injury to the sovereignty of the U. States, whenever it should be clearly shewn that such injury has been actually sustained, and that such reparation is really due. Of the existence of such a disposition on the part of the British government, you, sir, cannot be ignorant: I have already assured you of it, though in ati unofficial form, by the letter which I ad-that impression that my answer was written. Jaressed to you on the first receipt of the intelligence of this unfortunate transaction : and IS may perhaps be permitted to express my surprize, after such an assurance, at the

On the next day the leading features of the transactions were presented to) sthes public through the medium of the gazettes, which were taken from private secounts received

directly from Halifax, by a vessel which zens, and that the British minister at Wash had been dispatched by admiral Berkley ington had been made acquainted with its with the official one. By these it was evi- He said little on the subject, but by the ten19 dent that the British officer was completely dency of what he did say, seemed to imply's the aggressor, in an outrage of great enor- that his government could not lose sight of! mity, attended with circumstances which the consideration above alluded to, not inincreased the offence It was understood deed did he admit by any thing that escaped¶ likewise from good authority, that the of him, that the abstract principle itself would ficial intelligence which the government had not be insisted on. His remarks however received, corresponded with and confirmed were generally of a conciliarery and friendly the other accoun's already before the public. character; without pledging himself on any -On full consideration of these circumstan- point, he seemed desirous to satisfy me, stances, I concluded that it would be highly that no new orders had been issued by thế improper for me to leave the affair on the present ministry to the commandant of the a ground on which Mr. Canning had placed British squadron at Halifax. I observed;} it. I could see no other motive in him to that as the notes which had passed betweende obtain further information relative to the us, were informal, and on a very limited transaction, toan for the purpose of ascer view of the subject, on my part, it would taining whether the men said to be deser- be proper for me, now, that the circum ters, and for whom the attack was made, stances were better known, to present him were American citizens or British subjects; an official note on it; he admitted the proto which it was impossible for me to give priety of it. I then drew Mr. Canning's any countenance. I thought it indispensi- attention to the subjects on which I had ask ble therefore to call on the government to ed the interview; being the case of the Imbrs disavow the principle and to engage such petueux, captain Love's correspondence, other reparation to the U. States, as their the conduct of capt. Douglas, and of the injured honor obviously required. It apBritish squadron generally on our coast, w peared to me, that any delay in taking that observed that I had heretofore postponed any step, which depended on an abstract princi- official communication on these points, from ple, and required no argument to illustrate, a desire to connect them with the greater or facts to support it, would have a tenden- objects depending between our governments,--/ cy to weaken a claim which was unquestion- and of course, from motives the most able, and to countenance the idea that it friendly that I brought them to his view would not be supported with suitable energy. at this time, in consequence of Mr. Pinck-I had, before the knowledge of this ney and myself having commenced other event, obtained the appointment of an inter- business, as he knew had been done, he view with Mr. Canning on other business, promised to attend to them.-On the 29th to take place on the 29th ult. We met ac- July, I wrote Mr. Canning the note which h cording to the appointment; I observed, in I had promised him in the late interview :[" opening the conference, that although the addressed it in terms which I thought suit topics winch had brought us together, were able to the occasion, observing to state in it, important, the late occurrence at the en- that I took the step from a sense of duty, trance of the Chesapeake, had in a great applicable to my station as the resident mimeasure put them out of sight. He ex- nister, and without authority from my gopressed his regret that such an event, which vernment I considered the act as that of would at all times furnish cause of concern, the British officer, in which the government should have happened at the present time. had no agency, was not bound to support, 9 - He asked if the men in question were Ame- and which it would be honorable for it tousill rican citizens or British subjects? I re- disavow. I flattered myself that some advan-d plied that that was a point which could not tage might arise from the measurey and upɔr come into view in the case: that it was one that under the circumstance in which it was no which according as the fact might be, would taken, no injury possibly could. His rendens make the cause more or less popular, in ply is dated on the 3d inst, which though adeus either country, but could not affect the dressed in rather a harsh tone, maybe con principle: that on principle, a ship of war sidered as conceding essentially the pointd protected all the people on board, and could desired. It is my intention to say nothing not not be entered to be searched for deserters, more to him on the subject, till hear fromonas or for any purpose, without violating the you, and in the mean time to observe the sovereignty of the nation whose flag she most conciliatory conduct that circumstances bore, that in the present case I had been will admit →Such is the state of thisecoue: to assured, that the men were American citi-try, at the present crisis, that it is impossible

925]

JUNE 11, 1808.--Official Papers

to Foresee what will be its course of conduct towards the UK States. There has been at all times since the commencement of the present war, a strong party here for extending its ravages to them. This party is coinposed of the ship owners, the navy, the East and West India merchants, and several political characters, of great consideration in the state. So powerful is this combination, that it is most certain that nothing can be obtained of the government on any point, but what may be extorted by necessity. The disasters to the north ought to inspire moderation, but with respect to the northern powers, it seems to have produced directly the opposite effect. A fleet of about 25 ships of the line, with a suitable number of frigates, &c. and above 20,000 men, has been lately equipped, and sent to the Baltic, as it is said, to take possession of the Danish and Russian navies. This measure is imputed to an understanding which it is supposed has been established between the cabinets of Russia and Paris by the late peace, and which has for its object a concert of measures for the purpose of attempting to force on this country a maritime code, more favorable to neutral nations. The motive assigned for the expedition, is that of taking possession of the Danish fleet, to keep it out of the hands of the French; that the Russian fleet is one of the objects is not so generally believed, though perhaps not less probable.-Mr. Pinckney and myself have taken the first step in our business. We will write you in a few days the state of it. You may be assured that we shall do every thing in our power to promote, in the mode most likely to succeed, the object of our instructions, and the interests of our country. Want of time prevents my going into further detail.

MR. CANNING TO MR. MUNROE, AUGUST 8, 1807.

[926

waiting for, any explanation, on the part of late unfortunate transaction, upon which the British government, with respect to the the determination to resort to these measures is professed to be founded?

MR. MUNROE TO MR. CANNING, AUGUST 9, 1807.

SIR-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of yesterday, and should not hesitate to communicate the information which you have desired, if I ny government on the subject of the unpossessed it; but as I have not heard from fortunate occurrence alluded to, it is not in part of my government respecting it. I my power to state to you any thing on the very few days, to make a communication have no doubt that I shall be instructed in a to his majesty's government, on that highly interesting event, in which I shall be enabled to furnish a full and just view of all the circumstances attending it. As soon as I receive instructions I shall hasten to apprize you of it.

MR. MUNROE TO MR. MADISON, AUGUST
14, 1807.

Sir; I had the honour to transmit you correspondence with Mr. Cauuing, relative with my letter of the 14th inst a copy of a Chesapeake frigate. You will receive with to the late aggression in the case of the subject.-Mr. C.'s queries in his last note, this a copy of a more recent one on the same embargo on American vessels. I could not I was led to consider as preparatory to an conceive why he should request information of me, whether the president's proclamation was authentic, and when it would be carried into effet, if it was not intended to found some measure on my reply of an unfriendly nature. The information desired was, not necessary to remove any doubts of his go SIR; Having received from his majesty's vernment on the points to which it applied, minister in America, an unofficial printed or to enable it to do justice to the U. States, paper, purporting to be a copy of a procla in regard to the aggression of which they mation of the president of the U. States, I bargo was intended gained strength from complained. The presumption that an em have to request that you will be pleased to acquaint me, whether you the circumstance that most of the gazettes have received communication from your government which had recommended, and that the public enables you to pronounce mind seemed to be essentially prepared for if such paper be authentic in the event of your being em. it. It was my most earnest wish to prevent, powered to admit its authenticity, I have as far as in my power, so unjust and pernis further to request of you, that you will in-plated, whatever it might be, seemed to be cious a procedure. As the measure contem form me whether you are also authorized to suspended for my answer, I was extremely e announce its to be the intention of the go- solicitous, by the manner, to deprive thisera vernment of the U States to carry into effect the measures istated in the proclamation of the kind alluded to. By replying general< e government of all pretext for any measure of the president, without requiring, orly that I had no instructions from my gamit dubi

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any