DESPATCHES, BEPOBTS, COBBESPONDENCE, ETC. 139 



reagh. He will doubtless remember, and may be reminded of, the 

 repeated efforts made by this Government to render it unnecessary 

 by an amicable arrangement, which should place on an equitable 

 footing of reciprocity the intercourse between the United States and 

 the British colonies; he will remember the repeated warnings given, 

 that to this result it must come, unless some relaxation of the British 

 prohibitions should take place; and his own equally repeated admis- 

 sions, that the exercise of the prohibitive right on the part of the 

 United States would be altogether just, and would give no dissatis- 

 faction whatever to Great Britain. 



You are, nevertheless, authorized to assure him that the President 

 assented to this measure with great reluctance, because, however just 

 in itself it may be, its tendencies cannot but be of an irritating char- 

 acter to the interests which it will immediately affect, and because 

 his earnest desire is to remove causes of irritation, and to multiply 

 those of a conciliatory nature between the two countries. Such has 

 manifestly been, on both sides, the effect of the equalising and re- 

 ciprocal provisions of the convention of July, 1815 ; and such, he has 

 no doubt, would be the effect of the extension of its principles to the 

 commercial intercourse between the United States and the British 

 colonies in the West Indies and on this continent ; and you are author- 

 ised again to repeat the offer of treating for a fair and equitable 

 arrangement of this interest. A further inducement for making this 

 offer may be stated in the expediency of looking forward, without 

 further delay, to the expiration of the convention of 1815, which has 

 now little more than one year to remain in force. It is important 

 that the commercial part of the community, both here and in Great 

 Britain, should have timely notice of the state in which the relations 

 between the two countries are to stand after the termination of that 

 convention. And, as there are other objects of moment to be adjusted, 

 the President desires you to propose an immediate general negotia- 

 tion of a commercial treaty, to embrace the continuance, for a further 

 term of - - years, of the convention ; and also, the other subjects in 

 discussion between the two Governments, namely the question con- 

 cerning the slaves, that relating to the fisheries, the boundary line 

 from the Lake of the Woods, and the Columbia River settlement. 

 The President prefers taking this course to that of submitting to com- 

 missioners, at least immediately, questions upon which he thinks it 

 probable the two Governments may thus, by a shorter process, come 

 to a mutual understanding between themselves. 



If, upon making this proposal, the British Government agree to 

 this negotiation, the President proposes that Mr. Gallatin and you 

 should be authorised, jointly, as plenipotentiaries, to conclude the 

 treaty, which it is very desirable may be concluded in season to arrive 

 here by the commencement of the next session of Congress, which is to 

 be on the third Monday in November. Instructions will be trans- 

 mitted immediately to Mr. Gallatin, to hold himself in readiness to 

 repair to London, upon receiving notice from you, should plenipoten- 

 tiaries be appointed to treat with you ; and, besides the instructions 

 which formed the basis of the existing convention, and others already 

 in your possession, further documents will be forwarded to you as 

 soon as possible, which may assist you in the management of the 

 negotiation. 



