Benns: British West India Carrying-Trade 181 
failed”.®® But the negotiation had, in this instance, been 
carried on in a very different spirit; there had been ‘'no diplo- 
matic duplicity— no fine spun arguments about nothing — no 
chaffering about light money, nor quibbling about ‘else- 
where' The views of the negotiators had been “broad and 
national”, with the result that the adjustment of the question 
had been achieved “on terms mutually advantageous, honor- 
able and just”.^® A host of Administration papers concurred 
ill this view."^^ 
On the other hand, the Opposition papers, almost without 
exception, continued to condemn the whole affair, altho it 
was now necessary to stand on new ground, to attack it from 
a new angle. A year before, with their rumors of the “Wil- 
mington Conspiracy”, they had predicted that the Administra- 
tion intended to gain the West India trade by sacrificing the 
American tariff. Some six months later they had adopted a 
different attitude and had laughed at the idea of obtaining 
any concessions from Great Britain, had stigmatized all ru- 
mors to that effect as frauds, hoaxes, dreams, or empty 
bubbles. But with the actual accomplishment practically in 
sight they were forced to adopt a new tack. And the Admin- 
istration papers viewed with amusement “the writhings and 
contortions of the Opposition at the successful result” of the 
McLane negotiations.^^ 
Confronted suddenly with a need for new tactics, trivial 
points in the arrangement which appeared weak were first 
attacked. The Administration papers had at the outset gone 
on the assumption that the arrangement had probably been 
made by a treaty."^® Upon the appearance of the President's 
proclamation, therefore, this point was speedily assailed. 
Parliament, by repealing or modifying the act of 1825, might, 
it was pointed out, at any moment “sit everything afloat 
again”, a weakness against which Adams had been careful to 
69 New York Post, Oct. 6, 1830. 
^6 Ibid. 
’^^Philadelphia Gazette, Oct. 5, 1830. Ne^v York Evening Post, Oct. 6, 1830. Rich- 
mond Enquirer, Oct. 8, 1830. United States Telegraph, Oct. 4, 1830. Also Boston Daily 
Advertiser, Boston Evening Transcript, St. Louis Republican, Norfolk Herald, Norfolk 
Beacon, quoted in Richmond Enquirer, Oct. 12, 1830. Raleigh Register, New York 
Courier and Enquirer, Albany Argus, quoted in Richmond Enquirer, Oct. 15, 1830. 
New Jersey Emporium, Boston Statesman, Halifax (N.C.) Advocate, quoted in Rich- 
mond Enquirer, Oct. 19, 1830. 
^2 United States Telegraph, Oct. 12, 1830. 
Philadelphia Gazette, Oct. 2, 1830. New York Evening Post, Oct. 1, 1830. 
