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Subject Area: Economics
Subject Area: Political Theory

MADISON TO GALLATIN. - Albert Gallatin, The Writings of Albert Gallatin, vol. 1 [1879]

Edition used:

The Writings of Albert Gallatin, ed. Henry Adams (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1879). 3 vols.

Part of: The Writings of Albert Gallatin, 3 vols.

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MADISON TO GALLATIN.

Montpelier, August 31, 1808.

Dear Sir,—

Having communicated the enclosed letter from General T. to the President, he concurred in the propriety of asking from you the information on which an answer ought to be founded. I understand from the President that he has explained to you the principles regulating the indulgence allowable to these diplomatic applications. He will acquiesce, however, in giving effect to any misconceived permission under which expense may have been incurred, provided it be not essentially inadmissible. I am sorry for the trouble in which you are involved by these cases, but I can the less avoid giving it, as my memory does not supply the circumstances which I might command at Washington.

I have a letter from Mr. Pinkney of June 22. His expected interview with Mr. C. had not even then taken place; after hearing the arrival of the St. Michael at L’Orient he seems to have been willing to be first possessed of the information conveyed by her, in order to be on even ground with Canning, who had received Erskine’s communications as well by her as by the May packet. He says little on general subjects, and nothing that denotes relaxations on the part of the British government, which indeed was too much occupied and elated with the occurrences in Spain to think of American affairs. He enclosed a copy of Rose’s bill, conformable to his motion, in the newspapers. It takes the place of the expired Act, carrying the treaty of 1794 into execution; consequently leaves the East Indian trade subject to restrictions, which will, I suspect, be imposed, experimentally and politically at least.

What does Canning mean by declaring that no communication whatever had been received from this government subsequent to the return of Mr. R.? Does he really mean to make the public there believe that we are satisfied, and here that we have been neglectful or invidious? Or does he consider nothing worth the name of communication but concessions or overtures from this country? How are we to understand also his assertion that several special messengers had arrived after touching at L’Orient, when in fact one only (by the Osage) had arrived, and who, having left the United States in February, during the negotiations with Rose, and after Erskine’s communication, official though verbal, of the orders in council, could not be expected to be the bearer of more than explanatory communications to Mr. Pinkney? It is a fact, however, that Mr. P. on receiving his despatches glanced at the orders, and declined following up the subject, because he found no good could result from it. Canning also must have received by that conveyance, or probably by a preceding packet, the official, though verbal, remonstrance to Mr. Erskine against the orders in council, which I repeated to him at his own request, for the purpose avowed by him, of transmitting it to his government. After all, if communications, &c., had been received prior to Mr. R.’s return, as seems to be implied, or at least is not denied, how could a failure to repeat them, when no answer had been returned, be construed into the inferences of Mr. C.? There is the more attention due to this part of Canning’s speech, as it appears in several editions of it in English gazettes to be substantially if not verbatim the same. Pinkney inculcates a firm adherence to the Non-Importation Act, the President’s proclamation of July, 1807, and the embargo.

With respect to this last measure, the public mind in this quarter appears to be unshaken. You can judge better of its state northwardly. The Federal papers, I observe, form the most sanguine calculations.

The month of August has borne hard on the crops of corn and tobacco, being both dry and cold; and I learn that they were generally less promising than in this particular district. Beyond the mountains the crops of corn will be very scanty indeed.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully.