50 ARGUMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



by the American negotiators (although no such argument is reported 

 in the published records of the negotiations) 'that there was a large 

 population in the United States wholly dependent for their means 

 of livelihood on the fisheries, and they appealed to the benevolence 

 and humanity of Great Britain to preserve this industry to this 

 community.' ' : 



The statement in the British Case, referred to in the above passage, 

 is borne out by the evidence before the Tribunal. In the negotiations 

 which led up to the treaty, Mr. John Quincy Adams was unable to 

 convince the British Government of the justice of any claim of right 

 to participation in British coast-fisheries, but he strongly urged, 

 among other arguments, that which has been just referred to. In a 

 conversation with Lord Bathurst in September 1815, Mr. Adams said 

 (British Case, App., p. 66) : 



" These fisheries afforded the means of subsistence to multitudes 

 of people who were destitute of any other; they also afforded the 

 means of remittance to Great Britain in payment for articles of her 

 manufacturers exported to America." 



In a letter to Lord Bathurst (25th September, 1815), Mr. Adams 

 reiterated his oral argument, and said (British Case, App., p. 68) : 



" In the interview with which your Lordship recently favoured me, 

 I suggested several other considerations, with the hope of convincing 

 your Lordship that, independent of the question of rigorous right, it 

 would conduce to the substantial interests of Great Britain herself, 

 as well as to the observance of those principles of benevolence and 

 humanity which it is the highest glory of a great and powerful nation 

 to respect, to leave to the American fishermen to participation of 

 those benefits which the bounty of nature has thus spread before 

 them ; which are so necessary to their comfort and subsistence ; " 



Replying, at a later date (22nd January, 1816), to a letter received 

 from Lord Bathurst, Mr. Adams said (British Case, App., p. 76) : 



" In submitting these reflections to the consideration of His Majes- 

 ty's Government, the undersigned is duly sensible to the am- 

 58 icable and conciliatory sentiments and dispositions towards 

 the United States manifested at the conclusion of Lord 

 Bathurst's note, which will be met by reciprocal and corresponding 

 sentiments and dispositions on the part of the American Govern- 

 ment. It will be highly satisfactory to them to be assured that the 

 conduciveness of the object to the national and individual prosperity 

 of the inhabitants of the United States operates with His Majesty's 

 Government as a forcible motive to concession." 



If Mr. Adams were now United States Secretary of State he 

 would surely agree that the "American fishermen " and the " inhabi- 

 tants of the United States" referred to in the treaty which he was 

 then negotiating are identical with the "American fishermen" on 

 whose behalf he made his appeal to the British Government; that he 

 was not negotiating on behalf of men of any nationality but his own ; 



