Benns: British West India Carrying-Trade 153 
could not “prospectively commit itself to the adoption of any 
specific line of conduct’^ in the event of enactment by the 
American Government of the legislation previously outlined.^^® 
The excuses advanced were: (1) no anticipation could em- 
brace all the details by which this legislation might be accom- 
panied; (2) much w'ould depend on the position and circum- 
stances of each country and of the “commercial commonwealth 
in general” at the time when such legislation should come 
into effect; (3) the process seemed to combine the disadvan- 
tages of both treaty and legislation. 
On the whole, his Majesty’s ministers feel themselves under neces- 
sity of declining to give the pledge invited by Mr. Gallatin; and this 
with no special or exclusive reference to the peculiar measure in ques- 
tion. Their resolution is the result of considerations general in nature, 
and conclusive against a prospective pledge of any description respecting 
the colonial policy of Great Britain, whether of relaxation or restric- 
tion.^^'* 
This time Gallatin had the “last word”. He closed the 
whole discussion with his final note of October 3, announcing 
that he would transmit to his Government the determination 
of Great Britain not to pledge herself to any prospective 
action regarding the colonial intercourse. Some time was 
spent in refuting various charges made by Lord Dudley in 
his earlier note, in the course of which Gallatin indirectly 
accused both Canning and Lord Dudley of side-stepping the 
meaning and interpretation of the British act of July, 1825. 
He ended by stating that while he did not contest the right 
of Great Britain to regulate her colonial intercourse, he was 
not fortunate enough to be able to discover what actual ad- 
vantages Great Britain would derive from the measures in 
which she was determined to persevere.^®® 
Having brought to a close the other negotiations which 
had been entrusted to him, Gallatin wrote to Washington the 
following day stating that he would avail himself of the Presi- 
dent’s permission to return to the United States.^®^ His at- 
tempt to regain for the American Government by tardy con- 
cessions what the Administration had formerly lost by their 
tardy action had failed. The British colonial ports, closed by 
VI, 981, 982. 
VI, 982. 
i50 76id., VI, 982-984. 
Senate Docs., 22 Cong., 1 Sess., Ill, No. 132, p. 31. 
