frient of hostilities, and not to obtain reparation for vio 

 lated rights and a permanent security for their future 

 inviolability. 



Such is the foundation of that mighty reputation 

 which has been reared up for the wise men of Ghent. 



The whole commission saved the Territory of the 

 United States, excepting Moose Island, an integral part 

 of old Massachusetts ! 



They saved to us a right of going to the British East 

 Indies with solid specie, and returning with Indian 

 cottons, to compete with ours, and Indian silks to clothe 

 our yeomanry. 



Whether the labour of preservation was divided of 

 not, I do not know : but Mr. Adams claims the exclu 

 sive merit of SAVING the FISHERIES. 



For this, his admirers claim for him a reputation 

 equal to that of Sully, or Richelieu, or the Duke of 

 Marlborough. 



We are informed in Mr. Adams pamphlet contain 

 ing his remarks upon the private letter and duplicate 

 of Mr. Russell, that immediately after the meeting of 

 the Commissioners at Ghent, the British Commissioners 

 notified the American delegation &quot; that the British 

 Government did not intend to grant to the United 

 States gratuitously, the privileges formerly granted by 

 Treaty to them, of fishing within the limits of the 

 British sovereignty, and of using the shores of the Bri 

 tish territories, for the purposes connected with the 

 fishery.&quot; Shortly after he says, &quot;the only way in 

 which it was possible to meet the notification of the 

 British plenipotentiaries, without surrendering the rights 

 which it jeopardized, was by denying the principle 

 upon which it was founded. This was done, by assert 

 ing the principle, that the Treaty of Independence of 

 1783, was of that class of treaties, and the right in 

 question of that character, which are not abrogated by 

 a subsequent war ; that the notification of the intention 

 of the British government, not to renew the grant) 

 could not affect the right of the United States, which 

 had not been forfeited by the war ; and that considering 



