242 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC., PRIOR TO TREATY OF 1818 



all trade beyond the cape of Good Hope; and to cede Louisiana to 

 Spain. We cannot believe that such a demand will be made. Should 

 it be, you will of course treat it as it deserves. These rights must 

 not be brought into discussion. If insisted on, your negotiations 

 •will cease. 



I have the honor to be, with great respect, gentlemen, your most 

 obedient servant, 



Jas. Monroe. 



[Inclosure.] 



Whereas, by the peace in Europe, the essential causes of the war 

 between the United States and Great Britain, and particularly the 

 practice of impressment, have ceased, and a sincere desire exists to 

 arrange, in a manner satisfactory to both parties, all questions con- 

 cerning seamen, and it is also their desire and intention to arrange, 

 in a like satisfactory manner, the commerce between the two countries, 

 it is therefore agreed that commissioners shall forthwith be appointed 



on each side, to meet at , with full power to negotiate and 



conclude a treaty, as soon as it may be practicable, for the arrange- 

 ment of those important interests. It is, nevertheless, understood 

 that, until such treaty be formed, each party shall retain all its rights, 

 and that all American citizens who have been impressed into the 

 British service shall be forthwith discharged. 



Protocol of conference, August #, 181Jf. 



The British and American commissioners having met, their full 

 powers were respectively produced, which were found satisfactory, 

 and copies thereof were exchanged. 



The British commissioners stated the following subjects, as those 

 upon which it appeared to them that the discussions between them- 

 selves and the American commissioners would be likely to turn : 



1st. The forcible seizure of mariners from on board merchant ships 

 on the high seas, and, in connexion with it, the right of the King of 

 Great Britain to the allegiance of all his native subjects. 



2d. That the peace be extended to the Indian allies of Great 

 Britain, and that the boundary of their territory be definitively 

 marked out as a permanent barrier between the dominions of Great 

 Britain and the United States. An arrangement on this subject to be 

 a sine qua non of a treaty of peace. 



3d. A revision of the boundary line between the British and Ameri- 

 can territories, with the view to prevent future uncertainty and 

 dispute. 



The British commissioners requested information whether the 

 American commissioners were instructed to enter into negotiation on 

 the above points. But before they desired any answer, they felt it 

 right to communicate the intentions of their Government as to the 

 North American fisheries, viz: 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 British terri- 

 tories for purposes connected with the fisheries. 



August 9. 



The meeting being adjourned to the 9th August, the commissioners 

 met again on that day. 



