DESPATCHES, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 265 



157 I observe with satisfaction that Mr. Webster now clearly 

 perceives and fairly admits the correctness of the construction 

 of the Convention of 1818 maintained by Her Majesty's Government. 

 The opinion of the Queen's Advocate and of the Attorney General is, 

 Mr. Webster said, " undoubtedly right " : and he afterwards in- 

 formed me that the President, from whom he had just received a 

 letter on the subject, now concurred in that opinion. 



Mr. Webster remarked however that he thought that more had been 

 conceded on the part of the United States by the Convention of 1818 

 strictly interpreted, than had been intended, or ought to have been 

 conceded : and that at all events a very important American interest 

 had grown up under its practical operation : an interest which was 

 now threatened with destruction by a strict enforcement of its pro- 

 visions, and one which the American Government could not, if it 

 would, abandon. Any injury which should be now inflicted upon 

 that interest by the measures contemplated by Her Majesty's Gov- 

 ernment, would not fail to excite an angry feeling on the part of the 

 inhabitants of the new England States against the neighbouring 

 British Colonies, which he was most anxious to prevent : He felt 

 therefore, he said, most desirous that the whole matter might now be 

 taken up by negotiation, and he read to me a letter addressed to the 

 President of the United States, in which he recommends the adoption 

 of this course in preference to a settlement of the matter by legisla- 

 tion, stating his apprehension that the arrangement of the matter by 

 the latter mode, though preferable on some accounts, might be sub- 

 jected to indefinite delay. 



Congress in the meantime has at length taken a step towards the 

 settlement of the question of reciprocal trade with the British North 

 American Colonies by the Committee of Commerce of the House of 

 Representatives bringing up a report on this subject by which a com- 

 prehensive measure for this purpose is recommended. I fear how- 

 ever at this late period of the session and in the midst of other 

 pressing business, and also perhaps in the presence of the feeling 

 which has been got up in regard to the measures of Her Majesty's 

 Government for protecting the fisheries, which measures are repre- 

 sented as meant to constrain the United States to negotiate with us 

 " under duress," there is but little prospect of the immediate success 

 of this measure. 



Mr. Webster informs me that the President, in consideration of the 

 strong feeling which exists upon this subject at Washington, and 

 the loud calls which were made for such a measure, has instructed 

 Commodore Perry to proceed to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in the 

 steam frigate " Mississippi " for the protection of American fishing 

 vessels there. I could not learn what were the exact instructions 

 given to Commodore Perry, but as the United States Government 

 does not now seem to differ with Her Majesty's Government as to 

 the construction of the Convention of 1818, I should suppose that 

 these would not be of a nature to produce collision or disagreement 

 between the American naval forces and the naval forces of Her Maj- 

 esty or the Colonial authorities. 



With regard to the suggestion contained in the letter of the Presi- 

 dent to Mr. Webster, a copy of which I had the honour to inclose in 

 my despatch No. 106 of the 26th ultimo, that Mr. Webster and myself 

 should unite in a joint publication for the purpose of allaying the 



