JX 1407

67

1828

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

TREATY OF GHENT OF 1814 WITH GREAT BRITAIN.

Page

Little settled by Jay's treaty-Mr. King, minister to Eng-

land-Made no treaty-Succeeded by Mr. Monroe-Proposes

a convention to Lord Hawkesbury-Rule of '56-Account of

it-Injurious to American commerce-Special mission of

Messrs. Monroe and Pinkney-Conventions with Lords Holland

and Auckland-Most favourable ever made-President rejects

it without consulting Senate-Impressment-Account of it-

Opinions of Foster, Mansfield and Chatham-Convention with

Lord St. Vincent-Chesapeake-England offered reparation-

Refused to consider the affair in connexion with other topics

in discussion-Mr. Rose-Mission ineffectual-Orders in coun-

cil-Great sensation-Erskine arrangement--Unsuccessful-

Erskine withdrawn-Mr. Jackson-His correspondence with

government-Dismissed-England expresses no mark of dis-

pleasure-Antedated decree-England refuses to repeal orders

-Declaration of 1812-War--Remarks on neutrality-Medi-

ation of Russia-Not successful--Peace of Ghent-No disput-

ed point settled-Peace--Policy of America--War of 1812,

good effect on national character,
. 1

CHAPTER II.

COMMERCIAL CONVENTION OF 1815 WITH G. BRITAIN.

Pitt first proposed a reciprocity of duties-Introduced a bill

into Parliament in 1783 for that purpose--Failed-Eden's re-

marks-1790, date of navigation laws of this country-System

of protection still continued, though application altered-Ad-

ams, Clay and Gallatin negotiate a convention at London with

Robinson, Adams and Goulbourn--Points of laws of nations not

touched-Convention strictly commercial--East but not West

India trade regulated-Remarks on specie-Perfect equality

of importation duties and tonnage rates-Colonial possessions

give England great advantages--Theory of convention une-

qual--Still favourable in practice to U. States--No trade with

Indians allowed-Nor between respective territories on this

continent--Consuls--Adams minister to England-Bagot to

this country,

Page

59

CHAPTER III.

COMMERCIAL CONVENTION OF 1818 WITH G. BRITAIN.

Commercial stipulations the same as those of 1815--Re-

newed for ten years--Impressment--Tone of British govern-

ment unfavourable at Ghent--Subject much discussed in 1818

-Propositions of England--Remarks-Parties could not agree

-Will never be adjusted by a Treaty--A question of sove-

reignty to the United States--British propositions in regard to

other maritime rights--Nothing settled--Gallatin and Rush

for United States--Robinson and Goulbourn for England-

Fisheries--Extent and boundaries regulated-Curtailed-

American and British ground as to effect of war on Treaties-

Lord Bathurst's Letter defending British principle--England

renounced right to Navigation of Mississippi-United States

to certain portion of the Fisheries--Boundaries on the North

West settled--To the Rock Mountains--English anxious to

confine United States below the course of the Columbia, and

to divide the Navigation of the river, and the use of the har-

bour-Have ambitious projects in that direction--Possess an

accurate knowledge of the country by means of their hunters

-Americans and English have extended nearly across the

Continent--Rush, King, Gallatin and Barbour, ministers to

England--Canning and Vaughan to this country--Boundaries

-Proceedings on the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh Articles

of the Treaty of Ghent-Decisions and Reports of Commis-

sioners-Convention in regard to the North East--Advantages

to both parties from a settlement,

CHAPTER IV.

NEGOTIATION RESPECTING COLUMBIA RIVER.

Great distance of mouth of Columbia-Called Oregon-

Reason not given-Seat of a great empire-Rock Mountains

called the limits of the United States-Harbour of Columbia

very important-Fur trade and fisheries-Grounds of Ameri-

can claim-Discovery, examination and possession-Capt.

Gray enters the Columbia in 1790-Lewis and Clarke-Ac-

count of Astoria-Proposition of British commissioners in

1824-Not accepted-Boundaries in north-west remain unset-

tled-Convention of 1818 renewed for ten years-Sir A.

M'Kenzie sees the Pacific in 1793, but mistakes the river-

Great project of the English in regard to their fur grounds-

Their empire founded in commerce,

CHAPTER V.

TREATY OF 1819 WITH SPAIN.

Napoleon releases Ferdinand from Valancay-Letters of

Napoleon and Ferdinand-Erving attempts a negotiation with

Cevallos-Various delays practised by Spain-Burlesque

blockade of part of South America-Pizarro-Grants of land

Page

76

. 119

in Florida to Spanish subjects-Treaty of 1819 negotiated at

Washington between Adams and de Onis-Grants of land, an

evasion of it-Forsyth sent to Spain-King refuses to ratify

treaty-No reason assigned-Warm correspondence-Vives

sent to this country-No authority to ratify-Demands expla-

nations as to privateers and recognition of South American

provinces-United States extremely dissatisfied-Refuse ex-

planation or discussion-European powers endeavour to per-

suade Spain to a ratification-Refuse, on account of unwil-

lingness to have South America acknowledged-Policy of

England, France and Russia-Design on Cuba-Delays again

practised by Spain-Statement of the grant to Alagon, &c.-

Include best part of Florida-Spain, at length, ratifies—And

cancels the grants-Vives complains of Forsyth's letter of pro-

test-Nelson, minister to Madrid-Anduaga to Washington-

Piracies in West India seas-Vexatious and disgraceful-Spain

unable to protect her own coasts-President proposes to Con-

gress to pass a law, authorizing blockade of Cuba--Rejected

-Dangerous measure-Navy very active and successful in

suppressing piracies-Everett, minister in Spain-Tacon in

U. States-Negotiations with Spain next in importance to

those with mother country-Mississippi-Floridas-Louisiana

-Indemnity of $5,000,000, to U. States-Spain in a state of

decay-Diplomatic intercourse for the future, probably of

slight moment,

.

Page

129

CHAPTER VI.

CONVENTION OF NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE OF

1822 WITH FRANCE.

American and Ottoman Legations only asylums in Paris in

1814-Restoration of Bourbons led to slight suspension in

intercourse-Crawford-De Neuville-France unwilling to

make a Commercial Convention-Great advantages from state

of Trade-French commerce once very extensive-Gallatin

-State of Trade causes great uneasiness in United States-

Convention-Throws freights into American vessels-Claim