550 
tion the author’s name, frem 2a presump- 
tion that they were uninterested in the 
name of a’ person. with whom they had 
nO acquaintance; but, sure fam that I 
never gave the most distant reason for 
supposing that 7 was the author of the 
production alluded te. ‘The ‘history of 
the poem is as follows; About twenty of 
us have formed a society for the purchase 
ef books, for which purpose_each of us 
subscribes half a dellar monthly. In Ja- 
nuary we haye an anniversary dinner, 
alter which one of the members delivers 
an oration, and another an ode, composed 
for the occasion. ‘The Three Recorders 
made a part of Mr. More’s poem, for the 
anniversary celebration in January, 1808. 
And now, sir, that f am on the subject 
ef book societies, permit me, as I have 
ebserved that you occasionally notice 
them, to introduce to your readers one 
that is probably unique. In this city 
there is a book society, consisting alto- 
gether of boys of from twelve to fourteen 
years of age, some few may be nearly 
fifteen. Each boy, on becoming a mems— 
ber, stocks a certain number of volumes, 
which become a part of the common pro- 
perty of the society. Every Saturday 
evening they publicly debate some his- 
toric fact, The subject of the last night’s 
discussion was, ‘* What was the true cha- 
racter of Mary Queen of Scots?” A sub- 
ject which pre-supposes.a degree of his- 
toric knowledge, rarely met with at that 
period of life, and leads us to hope that 
the next generation will outstrip their 
predecessors in useful knowledge, and 
with equal zeal maintain the rights of the 
people, and the independence’ of their 
country. ; 
From the laudable ambition of boys, 
fet me call the attention of your sub- 
scribérs to the follies (to use no harsher 
term) of men. Early in Mr. Pitt’s 
war, the government of England con- 
templated sending Mr. Jackson as 
its representative to the United States. 
But. there was even then something so 
objectionable in the character of Mr. 
Jackson, tbat Mr. Rufus King, our then 
ambassador, objected to the appornt- 
ment; and in conversation with Mr. Pitt, 
adduced such reasons as led that minis- 
ter to abandon the intention. As this 
fact was well known in the United 
States, and as Mr. Jackson had acted so 
very conspicuous a part at Copenhagen, 
his appointment to. succeed Mr, Erskine 
gave very general dissatisiaction to our 
citizens. Many believed that he was 
ouly sent to insult our government, and 
Book Societies. at Washington. 
[Jana 
at some places they went so far,at the 
public meetings as‘to enter into resos 
lutions expressive of their hope, that the 
American government would not receive 
orack:iowledge Mr. Jackson as the minis- 
ter of England.’ In this temper of the na- 
tion, the president, however, wisely, T 
think, determined to hear’ what he had 
to say, received him in due form: and the 
world will be surprized at (fany thing Mr, 
Jackson does can surprize), and I hope 
the thinking part of the British nation 
will not justify, the return he has made. 
But before F detail the circumstance I 
allude to, I shall relate one or two facts 
which I have on such authority as to 
command implicit belief. E will no 
pretend to say whether Mr. Erskine had 
or had not written instructions from Mr, 
Canning, subsequent to those of the 23d 
of January, ult, but it is certain that Mr, 
Oakley, the confidential agent of the 
English ministry, left London some time — 
after that date, and, consequently, if he 
did not bring written, he most probably 
did verbal, instructions. Nor is there the 
least doubt but Mr. Oakley was associ, 
ated with Mr. Erskine by thé English - 
ministry, in the negociation with the 
United States, as when that gentleman 
met with any question peculia ly impor- 
tant,he used to defer his assent, by words to 
this import, ‘I will take time to consider 
the subject, and consult Mr, Oakley 
about it;” a degree of complaisance na 
minister would have avowed, had not the 
person to be consulted had a claim to 
the distinction. And it is universally 
believed here, that Mr. Oakley has uni- 
formly justified Mr. Erskine’s conduct, 
since tlf— moment it was known that the 
British ministry refused to , ratify his 
agreement with the United States. 
Having premised thus much, I shall state 
thac on Sunday last it was generally un- 
derstood among the best-informed ci~ 
tizens, that Mr. Jackson had conducted 
himself very extraordinarily towards our 
government, and that in consequence he 
was no longer considered as a public 
functionary; and yesterday’s National 
Intelligencer laid the following summary 
before the public, which may be deemed 
official from the American government. 
“As soon as the preliminary ceremonies, 
were adjusted, a correspondence took 
place between Mr. Smith, (the American 
Secretary of State) and Mr, Jackson, in 
which the latter stated} that the dispatch. 
of the 93d of January, was the only dis~ 
patch by which the conditions were pre= 
scribed to’ Mr. Erskine, for the conclu, 
* 4 ae ay dae sSiot — > > 510 
