400 DANIEL WEBSTER 



laws. This clause of the treaty was known as the 

 "cruising convention." The old grievance of the 

 impressment of seamen, which had been practically 

 abolished by the glorious victories of American frig- 

 ates in the War of 1812-1815, was now formally 

 ended by Mr. Webster's declaration to Lord Ashbur- 

 ton that henceforth American vessels would not sub- 

 mit themselves to be searched. Henceforth the 

 enforcement of the so-called " right of search " by a 

 British ship would be regarded by the United States 

 as a casus belli. When all the circumstances are con- 

 sidered, this Ashburton treaty shows that Mr. Web- 

 ster's powers as a diplomatist were of a high order. 

 In the hands of an ordinary statesman, the affair 

 might easily have ended in a war; but his manage- 

 ment was so dexterous that, as we now look back 

 upon the negotiation, we find it hard to realize that 

 there was any real danger. Perhaps there could be 

 no more conclusive proof, or more satisfactory meas- 

 ure, of his success. 



While these important negotiations were going on, 

 great changes had come over the political horizon. 

 There had been a quarrel between the Northern and 

 Southern sections of the Whig party, and on the nth 

 of September, 1841, all the members of President Ty- 

 ler's cabinet, except Mr. Webster, resigned. It seems 

 to have been believed by many of the Whigs that a 

 unanimous resignation on the part of the cabinet 

 would force President Tyler to resign. The idea 

 came from a misunderstanding of the British custom 

 in similar cases, and it is an incident of great interest 

 to the student of American history; but there was 

 not the slightest chance that it should be realized. 



