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Subject Area: Economics
Subject Area: Political Theory

GALLATIN TO G. M. DALLAS. - 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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GALLATIN TO G. M. DALLAS.

St. Petersburg, 18th October, 1813.

Dear Sir,—

I cannot recommend to you too much discretion and caution during your stay in England. Whatever you may know or conjecture of our intentions or opinions, or of those of our government, you must nevertheless appear altogether ignorant of. The only thing you can with propriety say on the subject is that there is the most sincere wish on the part of our government to make peace, and the most cordial, nay, anxious disposition of ours individually to effect that object, but that our powers are simply to treat of peace with England under the mediation of Russia. To any question respecting a transfer of negotiation, either with or without mediation, to London or any other place, your answer must be that you can form no opinion.

In the mean while you may listen to everything which may be communicated to you as coming from the British government through either the Russian ambassador, Mr. Baring, or any other channel in which full confidence may be placed. And you will lose no time in transmitting such information to us, and also to our government, if you think it of such nature that they should be promptly acquainted with it. But you must not communicate to the Secretary of State any vague rumors, nor any information indeed which is not important and in the truth of which you do not place perfect reliance. Communications of that sort are but too often made, and never fail to mislead government and to injure the person who makes them. I will also add that, as you will be in England on sufferance, you must not seek for such information, but only receive it as it may be given to you. The only exceptions are Count Lieven and Mr. Baring. To the last you may say that you will be happy in communicating to me whatever he may think useful towards promoting the restoration of peace. To the Count you may mention that if there be, in his opinion, any information of which it should be important that our government should be immediately informed, I have authorized you to receive it and transmit it accordingly.

There is, however, but one point of real importance that I can anticipate which would render a communication to our government from you necessary. If it be the final determination of the British government to reject the mediation, and they be at the same time disposed to open a direct negotiation, our government cannot be too soon apprised of it, in order to enable them immediately to act upon the subject as they may think proper. But I must repeat that you must not encourage that prospect or give any opinion of the probability of its being accepted in America.