PERIOD FROM 1836 TO 1854. 557 



None more fully than I do. A momentary inadvertence found its 

 way into that letter, which, under the public obligation cast upon me 

 by your call, I am not at liberty to pass over. It is the passage in 

 which he states that it was " an oversight in the convention of 1818 

 to make a concession to England, since the United States had usually 

 considered that those vast inlets or recesses of the ocean ought to be 

 open to American fishermen as freely as the sea itself to within three 

 marine miles of the shore." The letter was written when he was away 

 from his dejiartment. Full of diversified public occupation and with 

 his great mind under corresponding solicitudes, he may have been 

 momentarily at fault; at a season, too, when perhaps his health was 

 feeling the approaches of that fatal malady which was so soon after- 

 wards to deprive his country of his valuable life, and take from the 

 world one ot its towering names. This inference is the more strongly 

 forced upon me as in the same letter he refers to the opinion of the 

 English crown lawyers without noticing the grave error stamped 

 upon its face ; that they assured the existence of words not in the con- 

 /•' ntion. I should reproach myself for this allusion, but for the in- 

 fluence which the great name of Mr. Webster might otherwise lend 

 in directions unfavorable to the just rights of the country he so 

 dearly loved. Happy am I to think that this letter nevertheless 

 closes with a dissent from the construction given by the crown law- 

 yers to that solemn convention which it is the aim of this letter to 

 show is chargeable with no oversight. 



I have the honor to remain with great respect your obedient 

 servant, 



The Honorable W. L. Marcy, 



Secretary of State. 



Richard Rush. 



Consul Fraser to Mr. Marcy. 



United States Consulate, 

 Halifax, Nova-Scotia, 17th August, 1853. 

 Honble. W. L. Mabot, 



Secretary of State, Washington, 



Sir: Your despatch of 27th ulto. has been received, and I am much 

 gral ified with its contents. 



I now have the honor to acquaint you of the arrival at this Port 

 on the fiftli instant of the United States Steam Ship "Princeton" 

 Captn, II. Eagle, bearing the broad pennant of Commodore William 

 B. Shubrick, to whom I nave rendered all necessary attention during 

 In -lay. 



Commodore Shubrick was treated with the most marked attention 

 by the Military, Naval, and Civil Authorities, and Citizens of (his 

 place, and also with the Customary honor i<> which his rank, en- 

 tit led him. 



Tin- ('. S. Steam hip "Fulton" Lieutenant Commander Watson, 

 nl o arrived here "n the Bixth inst. hut [eft again early on the eighth 

 for Portsmouth, N. II., with despatches, and from whence the Com- 



