PERTAINING TO NEGOTIATION OF TREATY OF GHENT. 247 



On the subject of the fisheries, the undersigned expressed, with so 

 much frankness, at the conference already referred to, the views of 

 their Government, that they consider any further observations on that 

 topic as unnecessary at the present time. 



On the question of the boundary between the dominions of His 

 Majesty ami those of the United States, the undersigned are led to 

 expect, from the di^-cu^sion which this subject has already undergone, 

 that the northwestern boundary, from the Lake of the Woods to the 

 Mississippi, (the intended arrangement of 1803) will be admitted 

 without objection. 



In regard to other boundaries, the American plenipotentiaries, in 

 their note of August 24th. appeared in some measure to object to the 

 propositions then made by the undersigned, as not being on the basis 

 of uti possidetis. The undersigned are willing to treat on that basis, 

 subject to such modifications as mutual convenience may be found to 

 require; and they trust that the American plenipotentiaries will show, 

 by their ready acceptance of this basis, that they duly appreciate the 

 moderation of His Majesty's Government in so far consulting the 

 honor and fair pretensions of the United States, as, in the relative 

 situation of the two countries, to authorize such a proposition. 



The undersigned avail themselves of this opportunity to renew to 

 tin' American plenipotentiaries the assurance of their high considera- 

 tion. 



Gambier. 



1 I ENRY GoULBURN. 



"Wii.lt am Adams. 



The American to tin' British plenipotentiaries. 



Ghent, October 2^, 181 If. 



The undersigned have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the 

 note of the British plenipotentiaries of the 21st instant. 



Amongst the general observations which the undersigned, in their 

 not«- <»f the 34th August, made on the propositions then brought for- 

 ward on the part of the British Government, they remarked that 

 those propositions were founded neither on the basis of uti possidetis 

 nor on that of status ante helium. But so far were they from sug- 

 gesting the uti possidetis as the hasis on which they were disposed to 

 treat, that, in the -aim- note, they expressly stated that they had been 

 instructed to conclude a peace on the principle of both parties restor- 

 ing whatever territory they might have taken. The undersigned also 

 declared in that note, thai they had no authority to cede any pari of 



th<' territory <>f tin- Dnited States; and that to no stipulation to that 



effect would they subscribe. And in the note of the '.Mh September, 

 after having shown that the basis of uti possidetis, such as it was 

 known id exist ai the commencement of the negotiation, save no 

 claim t«> lli- Britannic Majesty to cessions of territory founded upon 

 the righl of conquest; thej added that. even if the chances <»f war 

 should gi\e to the Briti h arms a momentary possession of other parts 

 of the territory of the United State-, aucn events would not alter 



their- views with regard to the terms of peace, to which they would 



give their consent. 



The undersigned can now only repeat (hose declarations, and de 



cline treating upon the basis of uti possidetis) or upon any other 



