STATE PAPERS. 



441 



Hook, ten dH)S afttr tlie landing 

 oftliis dispatch, which 1 have di- 

 rected to call there with a flag of 

 truce for that purpose. I have the 

 honour to be, with the highest 

 consideration, 



John Borlase Warren, 



Admiral of the Blue, and 

 Commander in Chief, &c. 



Mr. Monroe to Sir J. B. Warren. 



Department of Stale, 

 Oct. 27, 1812. 



Sir, — I have had the honour to 

 receive your letter of the 30lh 

 ult. and to submit it to the consi- 

 deration of the President. 



It appears that you are autho- 

 rised to propose a cessation of hos- 

 tilities between the United States 

 and Great Britain, on the groimd 

 of tiie repeal of the Orders in 

 Council ; and, in case the propo- 

 sition is acceded to, to take mea- 

 sures, in concert with this govern- 

 ment, to carry it into complete 

 effect on both sides. 



You state, also, that you have 

 it in charge, in the event, to enter 

 into an arrangement with the go- 

 Ternment of the United States for 

 the repeal of the laws which in- 

 terdict the ships of war and the 

 commerce of Great Britain from 

 the harbours and waters of the 

 United States : and you intimate, 

 that if the proposition is not ac- 

 ceded to, the Orders in Council 

 (repealed conditionally by that of 

 the 2;id of June last) will be re- 

 vived against the commerce of the 

 United States. 



I am instructed to iaform you, 

 that it will be very satisfactory to 

 the President to meet the British 

 government in such arrangements 

 as may terminate, without delay, 



the hostilities which now exist 

 between the United States and 

 Great Britain, on conditions ho- 

 nourable to both nations. 



At the moment of the declara- 

 tion of war, the President gave a 

 signal proof of the attachment of 

 the United States to peace. In- 

 structions were given, at an early 

 period, to the late Charge d' Af- 

 faires of the United States at Lon- 

 don, to propose to the British go- 

 vernment an armistice, on condi- 

 tions which, it was presumed, 

 would have been satisfactory. It 

 has been seen with regret, that 

 the proposition made by Mr. Mon- 

 roe, particularly in regard to the 

 important interest of impressment, 

 was rejected, and that none was 

 offered through that channel, as a 

 basis on which hostilities might 

 cease. 



As your government has autho- 

 rised you to propose a cessation of 

 hostilities, and is, doubtless, aware 

 of the important and salutary ef- 

 fect which a satisfactory adjust- 

 ment of this diffierence cannot fail 

 to have on the future relations be- 

 tween the two countries, 1 indulge 

 the hope that it has, ere this, 

 given you full powers for the pur- 

 pose. Experience has sufficiently 

 evinced that no peace can be dura- 

 ble, unless this object is provided 

 for : it is presumed, therefore, that 

 it is equally the interest of both 

 countries to adjust it at this time. 



Without further discussing ques- 

 tions of right, the President is de- 

 sirous to provide a remedy for the 

 evils com|>lained of on both sides. 

 The claim of the British govern- 

 ment is, to take from the merchant 

 vessels of other countries British 

 subjects. In the practice, the Com- 

 manders of British ships of war 



often 



