§ Mr. Whitbreadmoved, that that paragraph in the Prince Regent's Speech, which related to the discussions with America, should be read, in order to entitle him to ask a question on that subject. [The paragraph was then entered as read.] He had on a former night put a question to the right hon. gent, opposite relative to the State of the discussions so long pending 175 between his Majesty's government and the American minister, and he then rose to request some further information on this subject, in explanation of what the right hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer had said in reply to him on Friday night. He had then asked that right hon. gent, whether the hopes held out in the Speech, of a favourable termination of our difference with America, were done away, the American minister having had his audience of leave? The right hon. gent., if he understood him right, answered, that the hopes of a favourable termination to the present discussions were not at an end; for that, though the minister had indeed had his audience of leave, a chargé d'affaires still remained to conduct these discussions. It was added, that a minister plenipotentiary had been appointed here to proceed to the United States. It was of the utmost importance that the real state of the case should be thoroughly understood. He therefore took that opportunity to state to the right hon. gent., that he had it in a circuitous way, but from good authority, that the American minister considered the discussions as at an end before the audience of leave; that though a chargé d'affaires was to remain here, he was not to carry on those discussions; but that Mr. Foster, on his arrival in America, would have to originate the whole anew. In this situation of things, he asked the right hon. gent., whether he would have any objection to lay the correspondence between Marquis Wellesley and Mr. Pinkney before the House? As to any influence they could have on the Americans, they would know them sooner through their own press than from their publication here, and it was of the utmost importance they should be known here as soon as possible. In the common channels of information he had seen articles, with some shew of coming from anthority, in which the differences were stated to be upon points which never could have been in discussion at all. He wished this matter to be set right. It was highly desirable, not only that the property of the merchant should be secured, but that the minds of the people in both countries should be kept free from whatever irritation and hostile feeling might arise from error and misconception.
The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, he had not been misunderstood in the main part of his statement, although the hon. gent, had certainly mistaken what he had said on 176 some points. He was pretty sure that when he mentioned that an American chargé d'affaires was to be left in this country, he stated that it was for carrying on the accustomed political intercourse and diplomatic relations between the two countries; but that he never staled or implied that the chargé d'affaires was to carry on the particular discussions. That was certainly not the province of a chargé d'affaires, and therefore those discussions were terminated in this country previous to Mr. Pinkrey taking his audience of leave. There was a great deal of difference, however, between such cessation of the discussion and the discussion being altogether broken off, as had been stated by the hon. gent. His Majesty's ministers most unquestionably did not conceive the discussions to be closed. On the contrary, the minister who was going to America would take over propositions on the part of this government, which they conceived to be intitled to a favourable re ception in America. The hon. gent. had asked him, whether he had any objection to lay before the House the correspondence between Marquis Weliesley and Mr. Pinckney on this subject? He must answer, that he saw very considerable objections to it. Although it" America, the practice might prevail of publishing such correspondence before the discussion was terminated, yet it appeared to him that such a practice was often very prejudicial to the successful termination of the discussion itself. For example, if there should be a parliamentary discussion on points actually in discussion between the two governments, it was not unlikely that arguments and topics might suggest themselves to the ingenuity of some members of that House, which had never occurred to the American Government, and which being so suggested and published in our papers, might retard the desired termination of the discussions, by encouraging the other party to carry their pretensions farther than they would otherwise have thought of. He thought it, besides, an inconvenient and bad practice, to expose the confidential communications of two governments before the discussion was completely terminated.
§ Mr. Whitbreadnow understood the right hon. gent, to mean, that the chargé d'affaires was not to continue the discussions on the matters in dispute, but merely to keep up the general diplomatic correspondence between the two countries. The 177 points of difference he conceived were three; the business of the Chesapeake, the system of blockade, and the orders in council. It did certainly appear very extraordinary, that the American minister should have considered the discussions on these points as terminated, while the government here thought otherwise. The right hon. gent. refused to lay the correspondence before the House, and blamed the Americans for publishing such documents. When the Americans got the right hon. gent.'s speech, perhaps, it would prevail upon them to alter the practice; but in the present instance, the misfortune was that the papers would be published in America before the speech could possibly get there. Besides, though they had the speech, the argument would not apply; for they, no doubt, would consider the discussion as terminated. But he thought it of such great importance that the whole of this business should be known, that on Friday, he would move for the production of the correspondence.