MISSION TO ASHANTEE. 183 
Coomassie, Sept. 16, 1817. 
John Hope Smith, Esq. Governor in Chief, &c. &c. &c. 
Sir, 
I DID not receive your letter of the 25th of August, until the 11th 
instant, four days after I had advised you oi the execution of the 
treaty. I considered it ray duty to acquaint you of every variation 
in the prospects of the Embassy, although, even when communi- 
cating the discouraging circumstances of my letter of the 10th ult. 
I could not abate my hopes, or allow doubt to sicken my exertions. 
I valued on the reflection, that I had not been heard before the 
King in vindication of the Residency ; the motives of which I 
knew to have been grossly misrepresented by our natural enemies 
the Moors, to whose arts the suspicion of the natives have been, 
suitably auxiliary. My confidence was justified by the favourable 
impression the King and the Government manifested, when the 
subject was publicly advocated ; since which I have never heard 
of an objection to it : it has indeed, become a favourite measure 
with the superior captains, who, as far as may be judged from the 
respect and deference with which they have treated us from that 
time, seem not only to have been conciliated, but won by the 
recent circumstances of the negotiation. The terms of the treaty, 
by exceeding your expectations, will compensate for the accumu- 
lation of difficulties which have been opposed to us. We are taught 
to believe that no law has ever been enacted in this kingdom with 
equal solemnity, or an oath, so serious, .been before submitted to 
by the King, or imposed on the captains. Had the treaty disap- 
pointed, instead of exceeded our expectations, I must have viewed 
it as inviolable, and submitted myself to your candour ; which I 
would now, and justify myself by answering the reasonable appro- 
