16] 
pretensions advanced by his ma- 
jesty’s ministers in the course of 
the negociations were, one by 
one, abandoned by them. The 
right hon. gentleman then dwelt 
upon the circumstance of the 
long, and as it appeared, the 
unnecessary delay of the sig- 
nature of this treaty. The final 
treaty with France was signed on 
May 30th, and it was fitting 
that the House should be inform- 
ed what obstacles prevented the 
conclusion of a definitive treaty 
with America immediately after. 
The first conference between the 
commissioners of the two coun- 
tries did not take place till 
August 8th, when terms. were 
laid before the Americans as a 
sine-qua-non, which were, pacifi- 
cation with the Indians, and de- 
fining the boundaries of their ter- 
ritories; the military occupation 
of the lakes in Canada, and the 
cession of certain islands which 
the Americans had occupied since 
1783. These terms were absolute- 
ly rejected by the American com- 
missioners; and. being trans- 
mitted to the president, and pre« 
sented to the congress, were una- 
nimously refused by that body, and 
by the people ofall parties. Bythe 
delay arising from these demands, 
which were all subsequently given 
up, except the simple pacification 
with the Indians, and the posses- 
sion of the islands, which was re- 
ferred to a future decision, the 
signature of the treaty did not 
take place till December 24th; 
and in the meantime military ope- 
rations had gone on, occasioning 
a great waste of treasure, and 
the shedding of the best blood of 
the country. . Mr. P. concluded 
with proposing a long amend- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1815. 
ment to the address, which con- 
tained all the points of inculpa- 
tion of the measures pursued in 
negociating the treaty that had 
been dwelt on in his speech. 
Mr. Goulburn then rose in de- 
fence of himself and his brother 
commissioners. With regard to 
the delay of the treaty, he said that 
the American commissioners had 
been instructed to make no peace 
without our relinquishment of 
the right of impressment, and our 
admission that-the American flag 
covered ‘all . who - sailed ; under 
it; and the 25th of June was the 
first. day on which they were 
authorised to allow these mat= 
ters to remain undecided, and to 
sign a treaty exclusive of their 
consideration, on which day the 
first conference was held at 
Ghent. As to the Indians, he 
said that stipulations would be 
found in the treaty, as well for 
their. line of boundary, as for a 
pacification with them. He ac- 
knowledged that in the progress 
of the negociations some points 
had been abandoned. The Ca- 
nadian line was laid aside for 
the purpose of securing for the 
Indians a recognition of their 
boundary as it stood; in!1810: 
and he asserted that, these people 
were not mere savages, \as had 
been represented, but that some 
of their nations were far ad- 
vanced in civilization, and were 
entitled to a fulfilment of all the 
engagements made with them. 
He said, that if the right hon. 
gentleman was in possession of 
the facts, he would alter his opi- 
nion that the delay arose from 
the pretensions of the British 
commissioners, who were bound 
to proceed with caution and cir- 
