PERIOD FROM 1854 TO 1871. 563 



Her Majesty's Government, whilst deeply regretting the step which 

 the United States had considered it advisable to take, instructed you 

 on your arrival at Washington to state to Mr. Seward their willing- 

 ness to reconsider the Treaty in conjunction with the Government of 

 The United States, to negotiate for a renewal of it, or so^ to modify 

 its terms as to render it, if possible, even more beneficial to both 

 countries than it had hitherto been. You were further instructed to 

 invite Mr. Seward to inform you in detail of the points upon which 

 a modification of the Treaty was desired. 



Owing to events of urgent importance, which occupied the atten- 

 tion of the Government of The United States, and to the serious 

 illness of Mr. Seward, you were unable to execute Earl Russell's 

 instructions on your arrival at Washington, and you subsequently 

 deemed it more prudent, and thought that we should be more likely 

 to obtain the object we had in view, if you were to defer entering into 

 official communication Avith Mr. Seward on the subject. 



The Governors of the British North American Colonies were not 

 less impressed than Her Majesty's Government with the grave con- 

 sequences that were to be expected from the termination of the Reci- 

 procity Treaty, and were equally desirous either that it should be 

 renewed or that some fresh arrangement should be made having the 

 same objects. Mr. Gait, a member of the Canadian Government, with 

 a view to assisting you in any negotiations which might take place 

 for this purpose, proceeded to Washington at the end of last year, 

 for the purpose of ascertaining the course it might be most advisable 

 for Her Majesty's Government to pursue with reference to the Treaty. 

 Mr. Seward then declared that there were insurmountable objections 

 to the renewal of the Treaty, which could only be effected by a vote 

 of two-thirds from the Senate, which it was hopeless to reckon upon. 

 He expressed himself at the same time not unfavorable to the nego- 

 tiation of a Treaty, and he suggested thai as the question would be 

 brought before the Committee of Finance in connection with revenue 

 arrangements, an attempt should be made to obtain resolutions recom- 

 mencing the extension of the period allowed for the determination 

 of the Treaty. Mr. Seward appears to have subsequently expressed 

 thr same opinion to you. 



It appeared to Mr. GaH and yourself that it would be advisable to 

 take the course suggested by Mr. Seward, and you agreed that it 

 would be inexpedient to make any official overture on the subject of 

 the Treaty until the experimenl of obtaining an extension had been 

 tried, or until there would be reason to believe thai the United States 

 Government would manifest in reply a readiness to negotiate. 



You were accordingly instructed by me to take such steps as might 

 appear most expedient for procuring a prolongation of the Treaty, 

 and you were directed to communicate <>u the subject with the 

 Governor of ( lanada. 



Mr. (lalt and Mr. ETowland, the Postma ter General of the Prov- 

 ince "f Canada, proceeded to Washington I'm- the purpose of con- 

 ferring with you, and of urging through you on the Government of 

 The united State- the importance of postponing the termination of 

 the Reciprocity Treaty, o as to afford time for negotiation. 



The delegates from the British North American Colonies, after 

 repeated interview- with the Committees of Ways and .Means, of 

 which Mr. Monill was the chairman, in which they ascertained that 

 92909 s. Doc 870, 61 8, vol 2 H7 



