CASE OP THE PEARL. 179 



to this case, as those I had furnished were not within his reach, the Em- 

 peror having taken my note of November 8, together with its inclosures, 

 to Farshoe Sels, since which Count Nesselrode had heard nothing; more 

 of them. In conformity to this request, I sent the next day fresh copies 

 of the documents in question, requesting the count's early attention to 

 them. And yesterday I received a private letter, of which a copy is 

 herewith sent (No. 2), stating that General Baron de Tuyll is authorized 

 to ascertain by conferring with the American Secretary of State what 

 may be the indemnity due to the sufferers in the case of -the brig Pearl. 



I have the honor to be, sir, most respectfully, your obedient servant, 



Henry Middleton. 



To the Secretary of State. 



[Inclosuro No. 1 in Mr. Middleton's dispatch, No. 36, of 23d April-5th May, 1824. Verbal note.] 



The minister of the United States thinks it his duty to remind his 

 excellency the Secretary of State, at the moment of signing the Con- 

 vention, which is just concluded, of the affair of the vessel Pearl. He 

 has been anxious to avoid every complication which might interrupt 

 the progress of the negotiation which has just been terminated, but at 

 present it is proper to mention that, in conformity with the orders 

 which he has received, he ought not Avithhold his protest against this 

 arbitrary act of the Russian authorities. 



It would be extremely agreeable to the minister of the United States 

 to be enabled to announce to his Government, by the messenger who will 

 carry the Convention, that His Imperial Majesty, of his own proper 

 motion, ordered his minister at Washington to concert with the Sec- 

 retary of State of the United States what would be a fair indemnifica- 

 tion to be given in the case above mentioned. 



St. Petersburg, 5th April, 1824. 



[Enclosure No. 2 in Mr. Middleton's dispatch No. 36, of 23 April— 5 May, 1824. Verbal note.] 



[Private.] 



Count Nesselrode to Mr. Middleton. 



Sir: I have submitted to the Emperor the papers which you did me 

 the honor to communicate to me relative to the claims which your Gov- 

 ernment made on the subject of the sending back of the American brig 

 the Pearl. 



In our former conferences I did not fail to impress upon you, sir, that 

 we could not consider this claim as founded in right, nor recognize the 

 principle upon which it is based. The Emperor's opinion has not 

 changed in this regard. 



However, I have this day the satisfaction of informing' you that His 

 Imperial Majesty, wishing to give the Government of the United States 

 a new proof of his desire to maintain their relations of good under- 

 standing and friendship, has just authorized General de Tuyll to enter 

 upon the subject of the affair in question by conferences with the Sec- 

 retary of State and to come to an understanding with him upon the 

 amount of the indemnification which is wished to be given to the persons 

 whose interests may have been injured by the sending back of the brig 

 Pearl. Our minister at Washington will discharge this order, but he 

 is authorized to inform the Secretary of State of the point of view in 



