PERTAINING TO NEGOTIATION OF TREATY OF GHENT. 245 



In referring to what the British plenipotentiaries represent as alarm- 

 ing and novel pretensions, which Great Britain can never authorize, the 

 undersigned might complain that these alleged pretensions have not 

 been stated, either in terms or in substance, as expressed by them- 

 selves. This, however, is the less material as any further recognition 

 of them by Great Britain is not necessary nor required. On the other 

 hand, they can never admit nor recognise the principles or preten- 

 sions asserted in the course of this correspondence by the British 

 plenipotentiaries, and which to them appear novel and alarming. 



The article proposed by the British plenipotentiaries in their last 

 note, not including the Indian tribes as parties in the peace, and 

 leaving the United States free to effect its object in the mode conso- 

 nant with the relations which they have constantly maintained with 

 those tribes; partaking, also, of the nature of an amnesty, and being 

 at the same time reciprocal, is not liable to that objection, and ac- 

 cords with the views uniformly professed by the undersigned of plac- 

 ing those tribes precisely, and in every respect in the same situation 

 as that in which they stood before the commencement of hostilities. 

 This article, thus proposing only what the undersigned have so often 

 assured the British plenipotentiaries would necessarily follow, if, 

 indeed, it has not already, as is highly probable, preceded, a peace 

 between Great Britain and the United States, the undersigned agree 

 to admit it in substance as a provisional article, subject, in the man- 

 ner originally proposed by the British Government, to the approba- 

 tion or rejection of the Government of the United States, which, hav- 

 ing given no instructions to the undersigned on this point, cannot be 

 bound by any article they may admit on the subject. 



It will, of course, be understood that if, unhappily, peace should 

 not be the result of the present negotiation, the article thus condition- 

 ally agreed to shall be of no effect, and shall not, in any future nego- 

 tiation, be brought forward by either party by way of argument or 

 precedent. 



This article having been presented as an indispensable preliminary, 

 and being n<>w accepted, the undersigned request the British plenipo- 

 tentiaries to communicate to them a project of a treaty embracing all 

 the points deemed material by Great Britain, the undersigned engag- 

 ing on their part, to deliver, immediately after, a counter project with 

 respect to all the articles to which they may not agree, and on the 

 subjects denied material by the United States, and which may be 

 admitted in the British project. 



John Qi im v Adams, 

 .1 \ mis a. i'»\1 ari), 

 I Ii-nuv ( JLAT, 



Jonathan Ri ssell, 

 Albert Gallatin. 



]\fr. Monroe to ih< American plenipotentiaries at Ghent, 



Department of State, October in. 1814- 



Gentli mia : F have the honor to inform you thai your despatches 

 l>\ the John Adams have been received, and that your determination 

 i" reject the terms proposed l»\ the British commissioners is entirely 

 approved by the President. 



