Benns: British West India Carrying-Trade 41 
and in North America was an indulgence for which it would 
be necessary to expect some equivalent, and as the United 
States had no colonies, he did not see how any arrangement 
of that nature could be made reciprocal.®^ At length in August 
he informed Adams that the British Government, on the 
ground of adhering to its colonial system, declined to enter 
upon any negotiation relative to the trade between the United 
States and the West Indies, but admitted that the British 
Government would have no right to complain if the United 
States should adopt countervailing regulations.®^ Thus the 
attempt to secure some modification of the British colonial 
system by means of diplomacy during the year 1816 also 
failed. 
Nevertheless, the American minister made a final move in 
September by submitting to Lord Castlereagh formal pro- 
posals for a new commercial convention.®® Then, altho the 
latter assured him that he would bring the matter under the 
early deliberation of the British Cabinet, Adams informed the 
Government at Washington that any measures similar to those 
proposed by Cyrus King at the previous session of Congress 
might now be adopted without hesitation, and asserted his 
belief that the operation of such measures, if successful, would 
be the only possible means of convincing the British Govern- 
ment of the expediency of relaxing the rigor of its exclusive 
colonial system.®® Adams has been taken to task by one writer 
for suggesting the enactment of countervailing legislation so 
soon after the submission of his formal proposals,®^ but the 
truth seems to have been that he had already come to the con- 
clusion that Lord Castlereagh’s refusal, tho cloaked in lan- 
guage of utmost courtesy and politeness, was nevertheless pos- 
itive and unqualified,®^ a conclusion which was borne out by 
later events. 
Meanwhile the evil effects of the British colonial policy 
continued and became more apparent.®® The governors of at 
least two states in which the navigating interests were strong — 
^Ubid., Ill, 389. 
Am. State Papers, For. ReL, IV, 361. 
39/6zV., IV, 362, 363. 
IV, 364. 
Tazewell, Review of Negotiations hettveen U.S. and Great Britain, 43, 44. 
62 Writings of John Quincy Adams, VI, 99, 100. 
Connecticut Courant,^ June 4, 1816. New York Evening Post, June 25, 1816. 
Alexandria Gazette, July 1, 1816. 
