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Indiana University Studies 
lost the substance”, was ‘‘now willing and anxious to do what 
they grossly neglected to do when they had the power”, was 
perhaps not altogether unfounded/®^ 
There appeared to be little likelihood of a change in the 
attitude of the British Government, however. The order in 
council of July, 1826, had been popular in England at the 
time of its promulgation, and Gallatin reported that it was 
still “universally popular” in May of the following year.^^^ 
The London Times admitted that the West Indies had been 
closed against American shipping “from feelings of commer- 
cial rivalry”. It lamented that Britain’s “commercial 
monopoly” no longer existed, while America’s “starred flag 
is now conspicuous on every sea, and will soon defy our thun- 
der”.^^^ Bell’s Weekly Messenger thought and evidently hoped 
that the British Cabinet would 
boldly meet and despise all the menaces of this non-intercourse system, 
and reply to the Americans with a contemptuous defiance of their 
threats to bully us out of a policy which has been one of the main pil- 
lars of the navigation system. 
Even if the West Indies were subjected to some inconvenience, 
they must submit, it maintained, “in preference to succumbing 
to the naval insolence of the United States”. The shipping 
interest believed that it would be benefited by an adherence 
to the system of exclusion, and informed the Lords of Treas- 
ury that British tonnage “to a considerable amount” would 
immediately enter into the British West India trade “pro- 
vided the owners could be assured that they would not be 
exposed to the competition of American ships”.^®^ Huskisson 
was informed that the order in council was considered “to 
be a most important and beneficial measure and the. just step 
towards a return to our ancient policy”. He was congratu- 
lated “on the bold and decisive measure”, and the hope was 
expressed that it would be “permanent”. Emphasis was laid 
on the importance of the British Government’s “remaining 
Arm and resolute in continuing the order in council”. 
McDuffie in Register of Debates, III, 1516. 
Senate Docs., 22 Cong., 1 Sess., Ill, No. 132, p. 20. 
Quoted in National Journal, May 15, 1827. 
138 Ibid. 
131 Senate Docs., 22 Cong-., 1 Sess,, III, No. 132, p. 27. Grenada Free Press and 
Public Gazette, May 31, 1828. 
