140 THE TREATY OF WASIIIXGTOX. 



by extra-judicial accusation and inculpation of tie 

 United States in the " Eeasons " of Sir Alexander. 



And it is amusing to read the imputations of " con- 

 fusion " " vague and declamatory," " ignorance of law 

 and history," which he applies to the American Coun- 

 sel, in view of what his own countrymen say of his 

 own methods of argumentation. Indeed, it would 

 seem that the hard words of Mr. Finlason and others 

 concerning him had made such effectual lodgment in 

 his brain that, whenever he writes, they rush forth 

 hap-hazard to be applied by him without reason or 

 discrimination to any occasional object of argument 

 or controversy. 



If, like Mr. Charles Francis Adams, Sir Alexander 

 had simply prepared brief and temperate opinions on 

 all the questions, whether favorable or not to the 

 United States, both Governments would have been 

 left in an amicable mood. As it is, in professedly 

 tlirowing off the character of a judge, — wliich alone 

 belonged to him of right, — of certain specific charges 

 of the United States against Great Britain, submitted 

 to liim by the Treaty of Washington, — and in undei- 

 takino; to become the mere accuser of the United 

 States, — he does but insult the American Govern- 

 ment, while subjecting his own Government to much 

 present inconvenience and great future embarrass- 

 ment. 



There is one particular feature of tlie "Eeasons" 

 too remarkable to be overlooked. 



In reading these "Reasons" carefully, one can not 

 fiiil to be struck by the frequent manifestation of the 



