Doc. No. 75. 819 



Accept the assurance of the high consideration with which I have the 

 honor to he your most respectful and obedient servant, 



JOHN M. CLAYTON. 



Rt. Hon. Sir H. L. Bulwer, 



[No. 2,] British Legjation, April 19, 1850. 



Sir: 1 have had the honor of receiving your communication of the 19th 

 instant, enclosing the project of a convention between the two govern- 

 ments of Great Britain and the United States, which originated in our 

 mutual conferences and consultatiorjs shortly after my arrival in this 

 Country, and which you now state to be in such shape as enables you to 

 sign the same with the full approbation of the President. 



I need not observe, after reading through the project in question, as 

 now transmitted to me, that I have to remark therein some slight devia- 

 tions from the original text of the project which I submitted to Viscount 

 Palmerston's approval; but, as it is important that in the present situation 

 of this affair no further time should be lost in bringing it to a conckisioUj 

 and as the alterations I thus allude to are either merely verbal or are in 

 accordance with the general spirit of my instructions, and have been 

 adopted by us conjointly for various reasons which have appeared expe- 

 dient for the furtherance of those objects which our treaty specifies, 

 I am prepared to sign the said treaty on behalf of her Britannic Majesty^ 

 and will do so at such time as you may appoint f)r that purpose. 



In regard to the other portions of your communication, I might perhaps 

 be justified in expressing some regret that any treaty connected witli the 

 subject engaging our attention should have occupied the consideration of 

 the Senate before the convention we are about to sign had been sub- 

 mitted to it. But such is my prof mnd conviction of the great judgment 

 and abiUty which illustrate the distinguished body before which these 

 treaties will be brought, as well as my confidence in the superintending 

 wisdom of the President, in whom resides the power of ratification, that 

 1 do not in the least fear but that the convention which we sign will 

 receive every due consideration, and that, if it should be finally approved 

 by the one and ratified by the other, nothing will be approved of or 

 ratified in any other treaty contrary to the spirit and intentions manifested 

 in our engagements. 



Permit me to add, that I entirely sympathize with you in the belief that 

 the bonds of friendship which unite our two great and kindred nations 

 will be honorably strengthened by a convention which has for its object 

 the construction and protection of a great work which we intend should 

 confer equal benefits on all the nations of the earth. Indeed, the whole 

 treaty which we are now about to ^fionclude manifests a spirit of concilia- 

 tion and peace— of generous and^ jnselfish zeal for the universal interests 

 of commerce and civilization— -that will, I am persuaded, do credit to our 

 respective countries, and afibr4 no unworthy example to the world. 



It is, I can assure you^ a subject of sincere gratification to me, that, in 

 negotiating a measure which so compl^.tely represents the views of her 

 Majesty's government, I had the great advantage of being associated with 

 you J and; although I claim but a small share in the merit of bringing 



