APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 465 



at tlie mouth of tlie Coluaibia River; but from tlie same statement it 

 appears that, in the year 17U9, the limits prescribed by the Emperor 

 Paul to the Eussiaii-Ameriean Company were fixed at the 5.jth degree 

 of latitude, aud that, in assumiuj;- now latitude of 57°, a new pretension 

 is asserted, to which no settlement made since the year 1799 has given 

 the colour of a san<;tion. 



This pretension is to be considered not only with relerence to the 

 question of territorial ri<;hts, but also to that prohibition to the vessels 

 of other nations, including- those of the United States, who approach 

 within 100 Italian miles of the coast. From the period of the existence 

 of the United States as an indei)endent nation, their vessels have freely 

 navigated those seas, aud tbe right to navigate them is a part of that 

 indej)endence. 



With regard to the suggestion that the Eussian Government nught 

 have justified the exercise of sovereignty over the Pacific Ocean as a 

 close sea, because it claims territory both on its American and Asiatic 

 shores, it may suffice to say that the distance from shore to shore on 

 this sea, in latitute 51° north, is not less than 90 degrees of longitude, 

 or 4,000 miles. 



As little can the United States accede to the justice of the reason 

 assigned ibr tlie proliibition above mentioned. The right of the citi- 

 zens of the United States to hold commerce with aboriginal natives of 

 the north-west coast of America, without the territorial jurisdiction of 

 other nations, even in arms and munitions of war, is as clear and iudis- 

 jjutable as that of navigating the seas. That right has never been exer- 

 cised in a spirit unfriendly to Uus.sia ; and altliough general complaints 

 have occasionally been made on tin; subject of this commerce by some 

 of your predecessors, no specific ground of charge has ever been alleged 

 by them of any transaction in it which the United States were, by tlie 

 ordinary hiws and usages of nations, bound either to restrain or to pun- 

 ish. Had any such charge been made, it would have received the most 

 pointtid attention of this (iovernment. with tlie sincerest and firmest 

 disposition to peribrm every act and obligation of justice to yours 

 whuh could have been required. 



I am commanded by the President of the United States to assure 

 you that this disposition will continue to be entertained, togetiier with 

 the earnest desire that the most harmonious relations between the two 

 countries may be preserved. 



lielying upon the assurance in your note of similar disjtositions 

 4 reciprocally entertained by His Imperial Majesty tow^ards the 



United States, the President is ])ersuaded that the citizens of 

 this Union will remain unmolested in the ])rosecution of their lawful 

 commerce, and that no effect will be given to an interdiction manifestly 

 incompatible with their rights. 



1 am, &c. (Signed) JoHN QuiNGY Adams. 



No. 3. 



Mr. Adams to Mr. Middleton. 



Department of State, 



Washington, July 22., 1823. 



Sir: I have the honour of inclosing herewith copies of a note from 



Baron de Tuyll, the Eussian Minister recently arrived, proposing, on 



the part of His Majesty the Emperor of Eussia, that a power should 



be transmitted to you to enter ujion a negotiation with the Ministers of 



S. Ex. 177, \)i. 4 uO 



