The President therefore desires, that you will immediately enter into
explanations on this subject with the British government. Lay before
them in friendly and temperate terms all the demonstrations of the
injury done us by this act, and endeavor to obtain a revocation of it,
and full indemnification, to any citizens of these States who may have
suffered by it in the mean time. Accompany your representations by every
assurance of our earnest desire to live on terms of the best friendship
and harmony with them, and to found our expectations of justice on their
part, on a strict observance of it on ours.
It is with concern, however, I am obliged to observe, that so marked has
been the inattention of the British court to every application which
has been made to them on any subject, by this government (not a single
answer I believe having ever been given to one of them, except in
the act of exchanging a minister), that it may become unavoidable, in
certain cases, where an answer of some sort is necessary, to consider
their silence as an answer. Perhaps this is their intention. Still,
however, desirous of furnishing no color of offence, we do not wish you
to name to them any term for giving an answer. Urge one as much as you
can without commitment, and on the first day of December be so good as
to give us information of the state in which this matter is, that it may
be received during the session of Congress.
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