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verament of the United States, a more satisfactory proof of the conciliatory spirit of his Majesty's Government cannot be given, than by not requiring any stipulation on those subjects, which, though most important in themselves, up longer, in consequence of the maritime pacification of Europe, produce the same practical results. On the subject of the Fisheries, the undersigned expressed with so much frankness, at the conference already referred to, the views of their Government, that they consider any further observations on that topic as unnecessary at the present time. On the question of the boundary between the dominions of his Majesty and those of the United States, the under

A memorial is said to have been presented by the French Ambassador Talleyrand, in which it is declared, that France having returned to her boundaries in 1792, can recognize none of the aggrandisements of the other great Powers of Europe since that period, although not intending to oppose them by war. These circumstances indicate that the new basis for the political system of Europe, will not be so speedily settled as had been expected, The principle thus assumed by France is very extensive in its effects, and opens a field for negociation much wider than had been anticipated. We think it does not promise an aspect of immediate tranquillity to this Continent, and that it will disconcert particularly the measures which Great Bri-signed are led to expect from the discussion which tain has been taking with regard to the future destination of this country, among others, and to which she has attached apparently much importance. We have the honour to be, with great respect, Sir, your very humble servants, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, J. A. BAYARD, H. CLAY, JONA. RUSSELL, ALBERT GALLATIN.

No. IX. NOTE from the British to the American
Ministers.-October 21, 1814.

this subject has already undergone, that the North Western boundary, from the Lake of the Woods to the Mississipip (the intended arrangement of 1803) will be admitted without objection. In regard to other boundaries, the American Plenipotentiaries, in their note of August 24, appeared in some measure, to object to the propositions then made by the undersigned, as not being on the basis of uti possidetis. The undersigned are willing to treat on that basis, subject to such modification as mutual convenience may be found to require; and they trust that the American Plenipotentiaries will shew, by their ready acceptance of this basis, that they duly appreciate the moderation of his Majesty's Government in so far consulting the honor and fair pretensions of the United States, as in the relative situation of the two countries, to authorise such a proposition. The undersigned avail themselves of this opportunity to renew to the American Plenipotentiaries the assurance of their high consideration. (Signed) GAMBIER, HENRY GOUL

BORN, WILLIAM ADAM.

tish Ministers.---Oct. 24, 1814.

The undersigned have had the honour of receiving the note of the American Plenipotentiaries, of the 1° th instant, cornumicating the acceptance of their article, which the undersigned had prepared on the subject of the pacification and rights of the Indian Nations, The undersigned are happy in being thas relieved from the necessity of recurring to seveal topics, which though they arose in the course of their discussions, have only an incidental connection with the differences remaining to be adjusted between the two countries. With a view to this adjustment, the undersigned preferring, in the present state of the negotiation, a general state- No. X.---NOTE from the American to the Briment to the formal arrangement of articles, are willing so far to comply with the request of the American Plenipotentiaries, contained in their last The undersigned have the honour to acknowledge note, as to waive the advantage to which they think the receipt of the Note of the British Plenipotenthey were fairly entitled, of requiring from them tiaries of the 21st instant. Amongst the general the first projet of a treaty. The undersigned hav-observations which the undersigned, in their Note ving stated at the first conference the points, upon which his Majesty's Government considered the discussions between the two countries as likely to turn, cannot better satisfy the request of the American Plenipotentiaries than by referring them to that conference for a statement of the points, which in the opinion of his Majesty's Government, yet remain to be adjusted. With respect to the forcible seizure of marines from on board merchant vessels on the high seas, and the right of the King of Great Britain to the allegiance of all his native subjects, and with respect to the maritime rights of the British Empire, the undersigned conceive, that after the pretensions asserted by the Go

of the 24th August, made on the propositions then brought forward on the part of the British Government, they remarked that those propositions were founded neither on the basis of uti possidetis, nor on that of status ante bellum. But so far were they from suggesting the uti possidetis as the basis on which they were disposed to treat, that in the same Note they expressly stated, that they had been instructed to conclude a peace on the principle of both parties restoring whatever territory they might have taken. The undersigned also declared, in that Note, that they had no authority to cede any part of the territory of the United States, and that to no stipulation to that effect would they sub

scribe; and in the Note of the 9th September, after | ceived. We have the honour to be, with perfect having shewn that the basis of uti possidetis, such respect, your obedient servants, „JOHN QUINCY as it was known to exist at the commencement of ADAMS, J. A. BAYARD, H. CLAY, Jona. RusSELL, A. GALLATIN.” the negociation, gave no claim to his Britannic Majesty to cessions of territory founded upon the

rican Ministers.-October 31, 1814.

right of conquest; they added, that even if the No. XII---NOTE from the British to the Amechances of war should give to the British arms a momentary possession of other parts of the territory of the United States, such events would not alter their views with regard to the terms of peace The unto which they would give their consent. dersigned can now only repeat those declarations, and decline treating upon the basis of uti possidetis, or upon any other principle involving a cession of any part of the territory of the United States. As they have uniformly stated, they can treat only upon the principles of a mutual restoration of whatever territory may have been taken by either party. From this principle they cannot recede; and the undersigned, after the repeated declarations of the British Plenipotentiaries, that Great Britain had no view to acquisition of territory in this negocia tion, deem it necessary to add, that the utility of its continuance depends on their adherence to this principle. The undersigned having declared in their Note of the 21st of August, that although instructed and prepared

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The undersigned have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the note addressed to them by the American Plenipotentiaries on the 24th instant, in which they object to the basis of uti possidetis proposed by the undersigned, as that on which they are willing to treat in regard to part of the bounda ries between the dominions of his Majesty and those of the United States. The American Plenipotentias ries in their note of the 13th instant, requested the undersigned to communicate to them the projet of a treaty, embracing all the points insisted on by Great Britain, engaging on their part to deliver to all the immediately after a contra projet as articles to which they might not agree, and as to all the subjects deemed material by the United States, and omitted in the projet, of the undersigned. The undersigned were accordingly instructed to waive the question of etiquette, and the advantage which might result from receiving the first communication, and confiding in the engagement of the American Plenipotentiaries, communicated in their notes of the 21st instant, all the points upon which they are instructed to insist. The American Plenipotentia

into an amicable discussion of all the points, on which differences or uncertainty had existed, and which might hereafter tend to interrupt. the harmony of the two countries, they would not makeries, have objected to one essential part of the prothe conclusion of the peace at all depend upon successful result of the discussion; and having since agreed to the preliminary article proposed by the British Government, had believed that the negotiation, already so long protracted, could not be brought to an early conclusion otherwise than by the communication of a projet, embracing all the other specific propositions which Great Britain intended to offer. They repeat their request in that respect, and will have no objection to a simultaneous exchange of the projets of both parties. This course will bring fairly into discussion the other topics embraced in the last note of the British Plenipotentiaries, to which the undersigned have thought it unnecessary to advert at the present time. undersigned renew to the British Plenipotentiaries the assurance of their high consideration. (Signed) JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, JAMES A. BAYARD, HENRY CLAY, JONATHAN RUSSELL. A. GAL

LATIN.

The

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SIR,---The detention of the Chauncey at Ostend, enables us to send the inclosed Note from the British Plenipotentiaries, which we have just re

jet thus communicated, but before the undersigned
can enter into the discussion of this objection, they
ruust require from the American Plenipotentiaries
that, pursuant to their' engagement, they will deli-
ver a contra-projet containing all their objections
to the points submitted by the undersigned, toge-
ther with a statement of such further points as the
Government of the United States consider to be
material. The undersigned are authorised to state
distinctly, that the article as to the pacification
and rights of the Indian nations having been accept-
ed, they have brought forward their note of the
21st instant, all the propositions they have to offer.
They have no further in demands to make, no other
stipulations on which they are instructed to insist,
and they are empowered to sign a Treaty of Peace
forthwith in conformity with those stated in their
former note. The undersigned trust, therefore,
that the American Plenipotentiaries will no longer
hesitate to bring forward, in form of articles or
otherwise as they may prefer, those specific propo-
sitions upon which they are empowered to sign a
Treaty of Peace between the two countries. The
undersigned avail themselves of the present opportu
nity to renew to the Plenipotentiaries of the United
States the assurance of their high consideration.
(Signed) GAMBIER, H. GOULBURN, WM. ADAM,

Capt. Blakeley's official Account.

Copy of a Letter from JouNSON BLAKELEY, Esq. Commander of the United States sloop of war Wasp, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated United States Ship Wasp, September 11, 1814, lat. 40. N. long, 16. W.

Sin---After a protracted and tedious stay at L'Orient, I had at last the pleasure of leaving that place on Saturday the 27th August. On the 30th captured the British brig Lettice, Henry Cockbain, master, and 31st August the British brig Bon Accord, Adam Durny, master. In the morning of the 1st September discovered a convoy of ten sail to leeward, in charge of the Armada, 74, and a bomb ship; stood for them, and succeeded in ontting out the British brig Mary, John D. Alleit, mas ter, laden with brass cannon taken from the Spa niards, iron cannon and military stores, from Gibraltar to England, removed the prisoners, set her on fire, and endeavoured to capture another of the couvoy, but was chased off by the Armada. On the evening of the same day, at half-past six, while going tree, discovered tour vessels nearly at the same time, two on the starboard, and two on the larboard bow, hauled up for the one most on the starboard bow, being farthest to windward. At seven the chace (a brig) commenced making signals with flags, which could not be distinguished for want of light, and soon after made various ones with lanterns, rockets and guns. At 26 minutes atter nine, having the chrace under our lee bow, the 12 pound carronade was directed to be fired into him, which he returned; ran under his lee to prevent his escaping, and at nine minutes after nine commenced the action. At 10 o'clock believing the enemy to be silenced, orders were given to cease firing, when I hailed and asked if he had surrendered. No answer being given to this and nis fire having recommenced, it was again returned. At 12 minutes after 10, the enemy having suffered greatly and having made no return. to our two last broadsides, 1 hailed him the second time, to know if he had surrendered, when he answered in the affirmative. The guns were then ordered to be secured, and the boat lowered to take possession. In the act of lowering the boat a second brig was discovered a little distance a-stern and standing for us. Sent the crew to their quarters, prepared every thing for another action, and awaited his coming up; at 36 minutes after 10, discovered two more sail a-stern standing, towards us.

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,fit my di compelled to forego the satisfaction of destroying the prize. Our braces having been utaway, we kept off the wind until others could be zove, and with the expectation of drawing the sound brig om his companions, but in the last

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we were disappointed. The second brig continued to approach us until she came close to our stern, when she hauled by the wind, fired her bron which cut our singing and sait ons derably, sad. shot away a lower main cross her, and perracud her steps to join her censort, wien de were met on sitated to abandon the prize; he appeared us every sp.ct a tutal wreck. I co some time firing guns of distress, until probably delivered by the two last vessels who made their appearance. The second brig could have engaged us if he had thought proper, as he neared us fast, but contented himseif with fixing a broadside, and immediately returned to his companions. It is with real satisfaction I have again the pleasure of bearing testimony to the merits of Lieutenant Reilly, Tillinghurst, Baury, and sailing-master Cart: and to the good conduct of every officer and man on board the Wasp. Their divisions and departments were attended and supplied with the utmost regulanty and abundance, which, with the good order maintained, together with the vivacity and precision of their fire, reflects on them the greatest credit. Our loss is two killed and one slightly wounded with a wad. The hull received four round

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shut, and the foretast many grape shot. Our rigging and sails suffered a great deal. Evety damage was repaired the day after, with the exception of our sails. Of the vessel with whom we were engaged, nothing positive can be said, with regard to her name or force. While hailing him previous to his being fired into, it was blowing fresh (and then going ten knots) and the name was not distinctly understood. Of her force, the four shot which struck us are all thirty-two lbs. in weight, being a pound and three quarters heavier than any we had belonging to our vessel. From this circumstance, the number of men in her tops, her general appearance and great length, she is believed to one of the largest brigs in the British navy.-I have the honour, &c. &c.

1

J. BLAKELEY.

P. S. I am told the enemy, after his surrender, asked for assistance, and said he was sinking. The probability of this is confirmed by his firing signalguns for some time after his capture. The action took place in lat. 47. 30. N. long. 11 W.

G. HOUSTON: No. 192, Strand; where all Communications addressed to the Editor are requested to be forwarded.

VOL. XXVII. No. 5.] LONDON, SATURDAY, FEB. 4, 1815.

129]

HAMPSHIRE MEETING.

Property Tax.———Trick of the London Press.

HAVING taken apart personally at this meeting in my own county, it was not my intention to have made its proceedings a subject of observation in print, because it seems rather unfair to avail myself of an advantage, not possessed by those gentlemen, from whom I had the misfortune to differ in opinion. But, I am compelled to do this, on the present occasion, in my own defence, seeing that the London daily news-papers have wholly misrepresented the proceedings; have garbled every thing that they have touched; have suppressed the Petition which I moved; have exhibited me as guilty of the most glaring inconsistency, and as having behaved in a disorderly and even ridiculous manner. I shall, I trust, therefore, be excused for giving an account of the Proceedings, through the only channel that I have access to, especially as the discussion embraced some great political principles, in which the nation are, of course, deeply interested. When I have given an account of the Proceedings, 1 will give an account of the Trick of the London daily Press, and endeavour to open the eyes of the public to the true character of that venal instrument of all that is hypocritical and corrupt.

*

Before we come to the Meeting itself, we ought to notice the previous steps. A Requisition to the Sheriff, signed by 53 gentlemen, was left with the Deputy Sheriff at Winchester. These gentlemen were, principally, land-owners as well as farmers, but none of them distinguished as belonging to either of the Parties, as they are usually termed. After this Requisition was set on foot, another was put in circulation by what is, ludicrously enough, called the Whigs; and, though the former petition was first in the hands of the Deputy Sheriff, the Meeting was called upon the latter, on the ground,

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that it first reached the High Sheriff, notwithstanding that, in all other cases, an application to the former is looked upon, and, in law, is an application to the latter.

These circumstances would have been almost unworthy of notice, if they had not had an effect upon the proceedings of the day; but, as will be seen presently, they had a very material effect upon those proceedings, and tended to shew, in no very amiable light, the character and real views of the party, by whom the second Requisition was urged forward. For my part, I signed neither of the Requisitions, and, until my arrival at Winchester, had had no communication with any one upon the subject. I had determined upon the course to pursue, and left co-operation to chance, being ten thousand times more anxious to inculcate a sound principle or two, as to the rights and liberties of my country, than to relieve myself from the Property Tax, and all the other taxes put together!

About eleven o'clock, that is to say,about an hour before the Meeting took place, some gentlemen joined me at the inn where I was. Sometime after this, I drew up a petition to offer to the Meeting, in case the one to be presented by the Whigs, should not be such as I approved of. So far was I from having time to copy the paper, I was drying the ink at the fire, when word was brought us, that the Meeting was begun. Cramming the paper into my pocket, without reading it even once over, I hastened to the Castle, and entered the Court-house in the middle of a speech of Mr. PORTALL, who, I learnt, had opened the business of the day. The fairest way for me to act as to this Speech, is to insert the report of it as I find it in the Times newspaper of the 25th of January. The speech was an hour long; but, really, the reporter has had the ability to bring into about ten minutes compass all the material points of it. The Speech was delivered with

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great clearness and eloquence; but, ge-" who by their mental energy, and bodily nerally speaking, there was nothing new in it, which the report here inserted does

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health, were just in a condition to "maintain their families, and from whom "much of the fruits of their industry

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"Mr. PORTALL came forward to was torn by the operation of this tax. "move for a petition to be presented to "What could be more unjust, than that "the House of Commons, against the "such men should be obliged to pay the revival of this tax. He, as being a same tax for an income so acquired, as Commissioner for collecting this tax, "if their income had been the regular "had many opportunities of consider-" produce of large sums invested in the ing the machinery of it, and witness-" funds? This was not like the other "ing its unavoidable oppression: on this "taxes which were paid indirectly or account, he did not hesitate to put collaterally. It was a tax on the thing himself forward on this occasion, al-" itself. If he had ten guineas on his ta though there were many present of " ble, the tax-gatherer took one of them. superior weight and property in the "This appeared in its principle to be county. He should begin by entirely" something of a highwayman's-tax.' It disclaiming all party motives, and "was extorted, not by the means of a "therefore he should not consider who pistol, but by the surcharges and surwas the man who first proposed the veyors. The surveyor administered to tax, or who it was that increased it. If the party the oath of purgation, and "he felt any confidence that this most "then the inquisition followed. This obnoxious tax would be suffered to die "tax went to destroy all confidence beaway of itself at the period which the "tween man and man. No man dared "legislature had marked out for its de-" to speak of his circumstances, for fear cease, he should not have thought it " of being exposed to the surveyor. In necessary to disturb its expiring mo- "this country there were men who would ments. Ministers had, however, both" "by their demeanour and their language" in the House, as well as out of it, by "their refusing to answer questions, and by their sending private letters to their "friends whom they supposed to have "considerable local interest, shewed

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pretty clearly to the country, that it was their intention to propose the re"newal of the tax. If this tax was real-"

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not be afraid to take a lion by the beard, but who trembled before the surveyor, who is, in fact, the greatest bug-bear in the land. It might be asked, how came it that such a tax was ever suffered? It was because it was then stated that the enemy was at our doors, and that every thing which "we valued was at stake. Under such circumstances, the country was not very particular in enquiring into the means which were proposed for our safety. The Legislature had expressly "stated those circumstances in the first "act, the 38th of the King, and mentioned in the preamble," that the safety of his Majesty's Crown, the security of our holy religion, our laws, "lives, and properties, were at hazard.” "If Ministers now wished to renew the tax, it would be for them to shew that "the same circumstances now exist. The "Legislature had always shewn the greatest anxiety about the time in which the act was to expire; and after fixing "that time in all their acts, they added " and "no longer." The period at which "its expiration was fixed, was the 6th subject to a heavy fine on the renewal," of April, after the conclusion of the no deduction was made on account of "this fine. The case 66 was still harder "with professional men and tradesmen,

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ly as good in itself as any other tax by "which the necessary supplies were to "be raised, he should not have such great objections to it. He was 68 convinced, however, that this tax which "professed to be equal and impartial," was in fact the most unequal and the "most partial. It was said to be a tax upon profits, and yet no deduction was "made on account of the uecessary expense of repairs. Was the expense "that a landlord or farmer was obliged "to incur for keeping the premises in repair, to be called their profits? Were Were "the three-fourths of the tax upon land “which the farmers are obliged to pay "to be called a tax upon their profits? "When a lease was taken for 21 years,

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