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Indiana University Studies 
plied him with necessaries which he could not do without. It 
was of the opinion, however, that the American mercantile 
class would prefer the acceptance of the terms established 
by the British act of 1822 rather than the former non-inter- 
course or the state of trade as it then existed.^^ A Southern 
editor claimed : 
The impolicy of provoking these retaliatory measures will be appre- 
ciated by those who are conversant in the West India Trade. In those 
islands specie is very scarce, and the business is mostly carried on by 
barter; very little specie was required, whereas, now, a considerable 
sum will be required to pay the tonnage and duties, which must be paid 
in specie, to raise which, a part of the cargo must be sold at reduced 
prices.^® 
The Neiv York Merchantile Advertiser concluded that, until the 
British West India intercourse was “put upon a more perma- 
nent, and really equal and amicable footing'’, there would “be 
nothing but a succession of countervailing acts passed by the 
two governments, each seeking to gain as much, and give as 
little as possible”. It was hopeful, however, that the nego- 
tiations “which it is understood are now going on in London 
between Mr. Rush and the British Cabinet” would place the 
trade upon such a footing.^® 
Meanwhile, as intimated in the above editorial, diplomatic 
negotiations had been resumed in an effort to reach a satis- 
factory settlement of the West India trade. The American 
Government, having from long experience come to the con- 
clusion that no satisfactory arrangement could be reached in 
regard to this trade by legislative acts while each government 
pursued its own course without agreement or concert with the 
other, decided to propose once more that this trade be regu- 
lated by treaty.^® To this end Rush was authorized, early in 
the summer of 1823, to adjust the question with the British 
Government and to sign a convention if one could be agreed 
upon.^^ The desire of the American Government was to have 
the West India trade continue on the footing upon which it 
had been placed by the act of Parliament of 1822 and the act 
of Congress of 1823, but with a removal of the discriminating 
United States Gazette quoted in Richmond Enquirer, Oct. 10, 1823. 
Norfolk Herald quoted in Boston Daily Advertiser, Sept. 25, 1823. 
Neiv York Merchantile Advertiser, Sept. 12, 1823, quoted in Netv York American 
(fw the country). Sept. 13, 1823. 
Richardson, Messages and Papers, II, 208, 209. 
Am. State Papers, For. Rel., V, 520. Rush, Court of London, 396, 397, 
