DEPUTIES’ FALSEHOODS.
In consequence of the insult thus offered to the President, Mr. Morrison again went on shore in the afternoon, in company with Mr. Fowler, for the purpose either of obtaining an apology, or of handing the deputies, for the information of the minister, a protest from the envoy against the adoption of such language. They now withdrew what they had said in the morning; and, having previously torn up the paper on which they had written, they denied that they had said what was attributed to them. “The other day,” said they, “you told us that your President is elected by the people; we asked, therefore, whether he was really a king or not: and letters, we said, should be humble and decorous.”
Had there been any doubt (which there was not) of the real sense of what they said in the morning, the total incoherency of what they now advanced would afford strong presumption against its truth; for who could write in one sentence, the question, “Whether or not the President is a real king;” and the assertion that “letters should be humble and decorous,” with other than the insulting views attributed to them in the morning? But, as they denied having spoken by command of their master the minister, and wholly disclaimed any intention of insult, the apology was thought sufficient, and the envoy’s protest was not handed to them. They were again told that, though the President did not bear the title of king, yet he was equal to any king or emperor, and was so acknowledged by all with whom the United States had intercourse.
This point being set to rest, a list of the refreshments, which had been received from them at different times, was handed to them, with a request that they would say whether it was correct or not. They were then told, that if the business of the mission were to end unsuccessfully, the refreshments they had sent could not be accepted as presents, but must be paid for. This they strenuously resisted, saying, repeatedly, that the things were of small value. “Nothing,” they were answered, “of the smallest value, could be accepted, if the mission ended without going to Hué. Should the mission proceed thither, they would be accepted as tokens of a friendly disposition between the two countries; but otherwise, no friendly intercourse being established, every thing must be paid for.”
As the feast, when brought on board, had been represented as coming from the emperor, it was now asked how that could be the case, since the emperor was not yet apprized of the vessel’s arrival? The deputies replied, that it was customary to present such refreshments to foreign vessels on their arrival; therefore it was considered as coming from the emperor, although prepared by the provincial officers, at the direction of the minister.
They were then asked what the minister’s object was in thus delaying the business of the mission, and refusing to report to the emperor. They replied, as usual, that their wish was to expedite, not to retard the business of the mission; which was hindered, they said, only by the envoy’s refusal to act according to their advice. It was argued, that if any one had business with them, he would not stay to explain his business to their servants, but would require to speak with themselves at once. Arguments, however, proved useless. They either could or would not comprehend them. The two deputies, who were returning to Hué, had not left, but were to start the same evening.
ENVOY’S LETTER.
January thirtieth. The deputies appearing to act under specific orders, from which they could not deviate in the least, the envoy now addressed a letter to the minister of commerce, specifying the objects of the mission, and enclosing a copy of the President’s letter, with a Chinese translation of it. The following are copies of the documents:—
Letter from Edmund Roberts, Esq., special envoy from the United States of America, to the Cochin-Chinese minister of foreign affairs, commerce, &c.:—
“Edmund Roberts, special envoy from the United States of America, desires to inform your excellency, that he wrote, on the eighteenth of the present month, acquainting your excellency with the wish entertained by the President of the United States to open a friendly intercourse with the emperor of Cochin-China; and with his consequent appointment of myself to be the bearer of a letter which I am to present to his majesty; having, at the same time, full powers to treat, on behalf of the President, for the important objects which he has in view.