DOCUMENTS. (A.) Extract of a Letter from Mr. Barlow to Mr. Monroe, dated Paris, May 12, 1812. [See page 438.] The duke of Bassano to Mr. Barlow. Paris, May 10, 1812. [See page 439.] Copy of a Letter from the Minister of Finance to the Count of Sussy, counsellor of state, director general of the eustoms, dated December 25, 1810. [See preceding vol. page 305.] FRENCH EMPIRE. PARIS, DEC. 26, 1810. Copy of a Letter from his excellency the grand judge, minister of justice, to the counsellor of state, president of the council of prizes. [See preceding vol. page 303.] Palace of St. Cloud, April 28, 1811. NAPOLEON, emperour of the French, &c. &c. [See page 348.] (C.) Extract of a Letter from Mr. Barlow to Mr. Russell. Paris, May 11, 1812. "I HAVE concluded to despatch the Wasp to England, expressly to carry to you the documents herewith enclosed. "I was not a little surprised to learn by the declaration of the prince regent in council, of the 21st of April, that it was still believed by the British government that the French decrees of Berlin and Milan yet remained in force, as applicable to the United States. On reading that decla ration, I, therefore, addressed to the duke of Bassano a note bearing date the 1st of May, of which I enclose you a copy. "This drew from him the answer of which I likewise hand you a copy with the three documents that accompanied it. The most remarkable of these is the decree of the 28th April, 1811. This piece I had never before seen; it appears that it had not been published at the time of its date, and not finding it among the archives of this legation, I suspect, that by some omission or negleet, it was not communicated to you as it ought to have been. The duke, however, assures me that it was so communicated. Be this as it may, I am convinced it has not been made known to the British government." (D.) Extract of a Letter from Mr. Russell to Mr. Barlow. "London, May 29, 1812. "YOUR letter of the 11th of this month, with its enclo sures, was handed me on the 20th, and I immediately communicated copies of the letters from the French minister's of the 21st of December, 1810, and also of the decree of the 28th of April, 1811, to this government. The letters were already known, but the decree, from the cause undoubtedly which you so justly assign, namely, "an omission or neglect in not having communicated it to me," was entirely new. "The duke of Bassano has unquestionably full faith in what he assures you, but the date of the decree is so very remote, that it is not surprising that our memories should not accord on the subject." (E.) Extract of a Letter from Mr. Russell to Mr. Monroe, "London, May 30, 1812. WITH regard to the French decree of the 28th of April, 1811, Mr. Barlow, in a letter to me, makes the following remarks: This piece I had never before seen; it seems that it had not been published at the time of its date, and I am not finding it among the archives of this legation, I suspect, that by some omission or neglect, it was not communicated to you, as it ought to have been. The duke assures me that it was so communicated. Be this as it may, convinced it has not been made known to the British government.' I content myself with saying, that until communicated to me by Mr. Barlow, I had never heard of such a thing. I persuade myself that there is no necessity of my adding any further explanation or comment on this strange business. With great respect, I am, sir, &c. JONA. RUSSELL (Signed) (F.) Mr. Russell to Mr. Monroe. London, May 25, 1812. [See page 347.] Mr. Russell to Lord Castlereagh. 18, Bentinck Street, May 20, 1812. [See page 348.] Lord Castlereagh to Mr. Russell. Foreign Office, May 23, 1812. [See page 349.] (G.) Mr. Russell to Mr. Monroe. London, May 25, 1812. SIR, THE assassination of Mr. Percival has led to a dissolution of his ministry, and I hope may lead to an abandonment of his system as far as we are concerned. The vote, on the motion of Mr. Stewart Wortley, on the 21st, for an address to the prince regent, to form a more efficient administration, has driven the old ministers to offer their resignation. The new arrangements are entrusted to lord Wellesley, but nothing is yet effected. Mr. Canning appears to be associated with his lordship in this business, which I cannot consider as a circumstance very auspicious to us. There will, undoubtedly, be much difficulty in forming the new cabinet; none of the old ministers will act under lord Wellesley, he having so recently refused to act under them. Besides there is considerable difference on essential points of policy. The members of opposition have a repugnance to act under any leader not taken from their own ranks, and they certainly will not constitute a part of any administration that does not adopt their system. The probability therefore is, that either lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning will not succeed in performing the task imposed upon them, or that they will perform it so imperfectly as to expose their work to early destruction. Whatever may be the ingredients of which the new cabinet may be composed, I am not altogether without hope that the orders in council will be modified if not removed. The effects of our embargo, the evidence before parliament of the distresses occasioned by those orders, and the change of ministers itself, afford both cause and colour for this proceeding. I say nothing of the French decree, of which I this day send you a copy, as without the circumstances just mentioned, it would, I am persuaded, have been disregarded. I shall dismiss the Wasp as soon as the new ministry is formed, or before, unless that event happens in a few days. She will return to Cherbourg. With great respect, I am, &c. (Signed) JONA. RUSSELL. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Russell to Mr. Monroe. London, June 13, 1812. "THE difficulty which has been encountered in forming a new cabinet, has appeared to render it necessary to support the old one; and upon this ground the house of commons appear to have acted last evening, in giving to ministers, on the second motion of Mr. Wortley, a majority ⚫of 125. "Notwithstanding these inauspicious circumstances and all the prejudice of the men now in place, respecting the United States, yet I know not how the orders in council can be maintained without the most serious consequences both to this government and country. It is impossible, in the face of the evidence now before parliament, to deny the vital importance of our intercourse to this nation, and obstinate as the ministry is, I do not entirely despair that it will be forced from its system, or from power. I have some slender hope that this evidence may, even on the motion of Mr. Brougham on Tuesday next, produce some change, although it hardly seems probable that the ministers will allow the question to come on without the certainty of a triumph." Mr. Russell to Mr. Monroe. London, June 18, 1812. SIR, I HAND you herein the Times of yesterday, containing the debate in the house of commons on the preceding evening, relative to the orders in council. From this debate it appears that these measures are to be abandoned, but as yet no official extinction of them has been announced. The time already elapsed since the declaration of lord Castlereagh, excites a suspicion that either the promised revocation will not take place, or what is more probable, some other measure, equally unjust, is now under consideration, to replace those which are to be revoked. I hope, until the doings here are ascertained with certainty and precision, there will be no relaxation on our part. With great respect, your very obedient servant, JONA. RUSSELL. (Signed) Extracts of a Letter from Mr. Russell to Mr. Monroe. London, June 30, 1812. "I HAVE, at length, had the satisfaction to announce to you, in my letters of the 26th instant, the revocation of the orders in council. "You will, without doubt, be somewhat surprised that this revocation is founded on the French decree of the 28th of April, 1811. ❝ The real cause of the revocation is the measures of our government. These measures have produced a degree of distress among the manufacturers of this country that was becoming intolerable; and an apprehension of still |