1914] Settlement of International Disputes 201 



that they were not slaves but free men. Much negotiation took place, 

 and at length, October i8th, 181 8, was signed a convention between the 

 two countries, which by Article V provided that the question whether 

 the United States were entitled to restitution of, or a full compensation 

 for these slaves should be left to some friendly sovereign or State, The 

 Emperor of Russia was selected, and he, April 22nd, 1822, made an award 

 in favour of the contention of the United States. 



8. Upon the award being communicated to the parties, they at 

 once entered (July 12th, 1822) into a convention for carrying it into 

 effect. 



It was agreed, Article II, first to determine the average value of the 

 slaves to be paid for. Each government was to appoint a Commissioner 

 and an Arbitrator, and these four were to sit as a Board. If the Board 

 or a majority could not agree, "recourse shall be had to the arbitration 

 of the Minister or other agent" of Russia at Washington. 



The British Commissioner was George (afterwards Sir George) 

 Jackson, a diplomat of great experience; the arbitrator was John Mc- 

 Tavish. The American Commissioner was Langdon Cheves, who had 

 been a member of Congress, Speaker of the House and a Judge of the 

 Supreme Court of South Carolina; the arbitrator was Henry Seawell, a 

 Judge of the Superior Court of North Carolina. These four made a 

 unanimous award, September nth, 1824. 



9. Article III of the Convention of 1822 provided that when the 

 average value of the slaves had been determined, the two Commissioners 

 should determine the number to be paid for. If they should not agree; 

 they were to choose by lot one of the arbitrators. They failed to agree ; 

 and the Governments got tired of the delay and settled by Britain paying 

 $1,204,960 in full satisfaction (under a Convention November 13th, 

 1826.) 



10. We have seen that the Treaty of Ghent provided by Article V 

 that if the Commissioners should not agree as to the northeastern 

 boundary, "some friendly sovereign or State" should be appealed to. 

 We have also seen that the Commissioners did not agree. A Convention 

 was entered into, September 29th, 1827, under which William, King of 

 the Netherlands, was chosen arbitrator. January loth, i83i,he made an 

 award; the American Minister promptly protested against it, and the 

 British Government did not insist. The line was afterwards settled 

 by diplomatic negotiation by Ashburton and Webster, and is set out in 

 the Ashburton Treaty of August 9th, 1842. 



11. After the Treaty of Ghent, many claims were made against 

 Britain by American citizens and many by British subjects against the 

 United States. On the part of the United States were such claims as the 

 wrongful seizure of vessels as slavers or for fishing in British waters, 



