150 APPENDIX TO BEITISH CASE. 



justly prevailed in this country with respect to the right of impress- 

 ment as essential to our national security, and the jealousy with which 

 a stipulation to forbear its exercise under whatever limitations could 

 not fail to be regarded. We trusted therefore that in the determina- 

 tion of this Government, to forbear insisting upon one of those stipu- 

 lations, which they had originally thought a necessary check upon 

 abuse, the American commissioners would discover the best addi- 

 tional proof of their disposition, to make every practicable sacrifice 

 to maintain ,the present state of our friendly relations with the 

 United States, and to cement that perfect cordiality which was con- 

 sidered essential to the interests and happiness of both. 



We should not do justice to the American commissioners, if we 

 forbore to bear testimony to their acceptance of the proposition with 

 respect to impressment, in the spirit with which it was offered, and 

 to their expression that the bonds of union between the two countries 

 might by every means be cemented and confirmed. 



The conference concluded with their submitting to us two classes 

 of propositions, which appeared to them as in some degree connected 

 with the question of impressment, the one (marked from A to G) 

 relating to maritime and neutral rights, and the other (marked from 

 H to K) comprising some general regulations which as connected 

 with commerce, appeared to them not unfit to be introduced into a 

 commercial convention. 



We have the honour to be my Lord with the greatest respect your 

 Lordship's most obedient humble servants. 



J. ROBINSON. 

 HENRY GOULBURN. 



P. S. The American plenipotentiaries also submitted an article re- 

 specting the captured slaves which your Lordship will find inclosed 



88 No. 34. 1818, September 17: Extract from Protocol of Third 

 Conference held between the American and British Pleni- 

 potentiaries at Whitehall. 



Present : Mr. Gallatin, Mr. Rush, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Goulburn. 



The conference fixed for the 4th instant having been adjourned by 

 mutual consent, it was held this day. 



The protocol of the preceding conference was agreed upon and 

 signed. 



The American plenipotentiaries, after some previous explanation 

 of the nature of the propositions which they were about to make, sub- 

 mitted the five annexed articles, (A, B, C, and D,) upon the fisheries, 

 the boundary line, the West India intercourse, that of Nova Scotia 

 and New Brunswick, and the captured slaves. The two first articles 

 they stated to be drawn as permanent; and they accompanied that 

 respecting the fisheries with the annexed explanatory memoran- 

 dum. (E.) 



The British plenipotentiaries submitted the annexed projet of arti- 

 cles respecting the impressment of seamen, (F;) and they expressed 

 their conviction that a consideration of these articles would, under all 



