82 
lAsSlON TO ASHANTEE. 
Coomassie, July 9, I817« 
To John Hope Smith, Esq. Governor in Chief, &c. &c. &c. 
Sir, 
The messengers returned on Saturday the 5th instant. 
To be confirmed bj your approbation, in the opinion that my 
zeal for the pubHc good had not exceeded my duty, is a most 
flattering satisfaction. The appointment you have conferred on 
me, is an acknowledgment so far transcending my conduct, that 
it must stimulate every abihty to exert itself for the success of the 
Mission, to justify such an honourable distinction. 
The box containing the letters was opened in the King's pre- 
sence, but being engaged in a custom on the death of a son, he 
deferred the reading of your letter, retaining it with the notes. His 
acknowledgments of your justice were associated with the decla- 
ration, that, although you had sent him the notes, still, if I could 
not fortify him with the prices of the various articles to be received 
in payment, you would have it in your power (though he did not 
suspect you) to reduce the intrinsic of the whole, to that of the 
moiety rejected. The proposition of the same prices as those 
attached to the Accra note, was annihilated by the argument, that 
Accra was a small fort, and not like Cape Coast or Elmina. So 
much stress was laid on the instance of the latter, that I felt called 
upon to declare, as the only striking conviction, that you did not 
wish, in the payment of these notes, to treat the King like a trader, 
and therefore would not allow the Elmina Governor to act more 
liberally in prices than yourself : the conviction was entire and 
instantaneous. 
The next audience did not take place until Monday, Mr. James 
being present. I did justice to the utmost of my ability to your 
impressive letter ; the effect was honourable to you, and encou- 
