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Indiana University Studies 
should not meet the new regulations in certain ways, instead 
of resuming negotiations with the British Government at once, 
the American Administration still delayed. It took the stand 
that it would be better, owing to the apparent doubtfulness 
and ambiguity of the meaning of the British laws, first to 
test their interpretation and practical operation by some ex- 
perience.^^ The effect of these laws upon American interests 
had “not yet been fully developed'' even at the time of Adams' 
message to Congress in December, 1825.®^ 
Moreover, the American Administration seemed to be of 
the opinion that the British acts did not apply to the United 
States, that Great Britain “did not intend to disturb or affect 
the trade between the British American Colonies and the 
United States, but meant to leave that trade on the footing on 
which it was placed" by earlier acts of Parliament.^^ In fact 
it was presumed that Great Britain, under the expectation of a favor- 
able issue of the negotiations that were to be forthwith resumed, would 
suspend the operation of the act in regard to the United States until 
the result of those negotiations was ascertained. In what manner that 
suspension would be effected was not known.®^ 
Clay believed that the power delegated to the King in Coun- 
cil by the British act would be exercised “to except the trade 
and intercourse with the United States from the operation of 
the Act".^^ 
Events in January, 1826, appeared to justify this belief in 
a period of grace for the United States. In December, 1825, 
the collector of customs of Halifax had announced that Amer- 
ican vessels from American ports would not be admitted entry 
in Halifax after January 5, 1826, unless an Order in Council 
should be previously issued.®® Clay maintained that it was 
not the intention of the British Government to have its new 
act operate in this way,®^ and even the British minister at 
Washington was of the opinion that it was not the intention 
of Parliament to interrupt the trade between the United States 
and the British American possessions, altho he felt he was 
not authorized to meddle with the question.®^ Meanwhile dis- 
Am. State Papers, For. Rel., VI, 247. 
Richardson, Messages and Papers, II, 300. 
Letter from Clay to Cambreleng, Dec. 27, 1825, in Statesman, Jan. 10, 1826. 
Am. State Papers, For. Rel., VI, 984. 
Letter from Clay to Cambreleng, Dec. 27, 1825, in Statesman, Jan. 10, 1826. 
Columbian Centinel, Dec. 28, 1825. 
^'‘Statesman, Jan. 10, 1826. 
08 Ibid. 
