PERTAINING TO NEGOTIATION OF TREATY OF 1818. 297 



I shall be happy to receive the proposition which the President 

 may wish to make whenever you will do me the honor to communicate 

 it; and although I am not authorized again to propose to the Com- 

 manders of His Majesty's Ships on the Coast of North America, that 

 they should suspend, during it's consideration by my Government, 

 the orders under which they are now acting. I shall take the earliest 

 opportunity of forwarding it to my Government, in the hope that, 

 if it should lead to an arrangement, the Orders consequent upon that 

 arrangement may be given with as little delay as possible. 



I have, etc. 



Charles Bagot. 



Mr. Rush, Acting Secretary of State, to Mr. Bagot. 



Department of State, May 30, 1817. 



Sir: I had the honor to receive, and have laid before the President, 

 your note of the 27th of this month. In answer to it, I have the honor 

 to state that this Government is not yet prepared to make known, in 

 any definite and final shape, the nature and extent of the accommoda- 

 tion desired by its citizens engaged in the fisheries along the coast of 

 His Britannic Majesty's dominions, according to the invitation held 

 out. by order of the Prince Regent, in your note. At the same time. I 

 am directed by the President to inform you that he recognises, in the 

 terms of this invitation, not less than in the general scope of your 

 note, a spirit of friendly accommodation, which this Government, not 

 foregoing lights which it feels itself bound to look to, will neverthe- 

 be desirous, in the fullest extent, to reciprocate. 



On the return of the President from a tour through part of the 

 United States, which he is now upon the eve of commencing, it is 

 expected that this Department will be enabled to offer such proposi- 

 tion- as diking for their basis the principles stated in your note, it 

 is confidently hoped may end in an adjustment of this important 

 interest, upon terms reconcileable with the views of both nations, and 

 serve to strengthen the harmony and good understanding which it is 

 so desirable to cultivate ami preserve between them. 

 I have the honor to be, &c. 



Richard Rush. 



Tii^ Right Hon. Charles Bagot. 



Mr. h'n.h. Acting Secretary of State, to Mr. Bagot. 



Di;r\i; i mi \ t or Static, August £, 1S17. 

 Sin: ^\ becomes my duty to addre - you upon a subject of deep in- 

 tere I to all those citizens of this country who are concerned in the 

 li heri< 



By representations made to this Department, it appears that, at 



the commencement of the present li hing ea on, twenty sail of fishing 



els, of from twenty five to forty five tons burden, belonging to 



port- of the United States, were fitted <»nt and Bailed for the purpose 



of fishing on the western bank-. That) while on their way, a number 



