172] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. 



vention with Great Britain will 

 expire early in the month of July 

 next, and it was deemed impor- 

 tant that there should be no inter- 

 val, during wliich that portion of 

 our commerce which was provid- 

 ed for by that convention, should 

 not be regulated, either by ar- 

 rangement between the two 

 Governments, or by the authority 

 of Congress, the Minister of the 

 United States at London was 

 instructed, early in the last sum- 

 mer, to invite the attention of the 

 British Government to the sub- 

 ject, with a view to that object. 

 He was instructed to propose, 

 also, that the negotiation which it 

 was proposed to open, might 

 extend to the general commerce 

 of the two countries, and to 

 every other interest and unsettled 

 difference between them ; parti- 

 cularly those relating to' impress- 

 ment, the fisheries, and bound- 

 aries, in the hope that an arrange- 

 ment might be made, on principles 

 of reciprocal advantage, which 

 might comprehend and provide 

 in a satisfactory manner for all 

 these high concerns. I have the 

 satisfaction to state, that the pro- 

 posal was received by the British 

 Government in the spirit which 

 prompted it ; and that a negotia- 

 tion has been opened at London, 

 embracing all these objects. On 

 full consideration of the great 

 extent and magnitude of the 

 trust, it was thought proper to 

 commit it to not less than two of 

 our distinguished citizens ; and, 

 in consequence, t:ie Envoy Extra- 

 ordinary and Minister Plenipo- 

 tentiary of the United States at 

 Paris has been associated with 

 our Envoy Extraordinary and 

 Minister Plenipotentiary at Lon- 



don ; to both of whom corres- 

 ponding instructions have been 

 given; and they are now engaged 

 in the dischai'ge of its duties. It 

 is proper to add, that, to prevent 

 any inconvenience resulting from 

 the delay incident to a negotia- 

 tion on so many important sub- 

 jects, it was agreed, before enter- 

 ing on it, that the existing con- 

 vention should be continued for 

 a term not less than 8 years. 



Our relations with Spain remain 

 nearly in the state in which they 

 were at the close of the last 

 session. The convention of 1 802, 

 providing for the adjustment of 

 a certain portion of the claims of 

 our citizens for injuries sustained 

 by spoliation, and so long sus- 

 pended by the Spanish Govern- 

 ment, has at length been ratified 

 by it; but no arrangement has 

 yet been made for the payment of 

 another portion of like claims, 

 not less extensive orwell founded, 

 or for other classes of claims, or 

 for the settlement of boundaries. 

 These subjects have again been 

 brought under consideration in 

 both countries, but no agreement 

 has been entered into respecting 

 them. In the mean time, events 

 have occurred which clearly prove 

 the ill effect of the policy which 

 that Government has so long 

 pursued on the friendly relations 

 of the two coiuitries, which, it is 

 presumed, it is at least of as 

 much importance to Spain as to 

 the United States to maintain. 

 A state of things has existed in 

 the Floridas, the tendency of 

 which has been obvious to all 

 who have paid the slightest atten- 

 tion to the progress of affairs in 

 that quarter. Throughout the 

 whole of those provinces to 



which 



