72 REFORM AND DEMOCRACY 



other governments in suppressing the traffic. 

 The subject was repeatedly brought up in con 

 ference with the representatives of the United 

 States, and a treaty was actually agreed to in 

 1824, but failed through the unwillingness of 

 Great Britain to accept amendments made by 

 the Senate. The difference between the two 

 governments over the right of visitation and 

 search was the real cause of the failure. It was 

 clear that the slave-trade could never be ex 

 tinguished save by some arrangement for an 

 international patrol of the coasts and seas where 

 the traffic was carried on. Such arrangement 

 would necessarily involve the examination by 

 a war-ship of suspected vessels flying colors 

 other than those of the overhauling cruiser. 

 A reciprocal authorization of such procedure 

 as between American and British cruisers the 

 United States would never consent to; since 

 it was held to admit the right of a British cap 

 tain to search a ship bearing the American flag, 

 and this the United States was firm in its reso 

 lution never to concede. The British were 

 equally tenacious in opposing any kind of ar 

 rangement that might be construed as an aban 

 donment of the right. 

 The long-standing tension over the right of 



