133 THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON. 



&quot; Reasons &quot; proceed from beginning to end on the hy 

 pothesis that the British Agent and Counsel had neg 

 lected their duty ; that neither the Case, Counter-Case, 

 nor Argument of the British Government, by whom 

 soever prepared, nor the several supplementary Argu 

 ments filed by Sir Roundell Palmer in his own name, 

 contained a proper exhibition of the defenses of the 

 British Government ; and more especially that Agent 

 and Counsel alike had all been false to their country s 

 honor in not vindicating it against the charges of the 

 Americans. In view of this dereliction of duty, Sir 

 Alexander volunteers to supply, more suo, the place 

 of Counsel, and to respond to the American Agent 

 and Counsel. 



Against what charges? The existence of an un 

 friendly state of mind toward the American Govern 

 ment in Parliament, or in some of the British Colo 

 nies at the period in question? Sir Alexander ad 

 mits the fact in stronger terms than we had charged 

 it. Failure to exercise due diligence in arresting the 

 equipment of Confederate cruisers to depredate on 

 our commerce? Sir Alexander admits and proves it, 

 under three heads, as to the Alabama, and only es 

 capes the same admission as to the Florida by tech 

 nicalities as unsatisfactory to impartial minds in En 

 gland as in America. As the London Telegraph says, 

 in another relation, Sir Alexander, whilst indignantly 

 protesting against our accusation of British officers, 

 admits their failure to do their duty, which is the 

 foundation of the accusation. But for that marvel 

 ous confusion of ideas which distinguishes Sir Alex- 



