Tories, and, if not the public opinion, at least the pride of the nation. I may here remark that I have not been able to arrange any subject but such as did not admit of being delayed. And although this has been in a great degree owing to the unfavorable temper I had to encounter, it may also be in part ascribed to the unsettled state of the Cabinet since Lord Liverpool's political death. The determination not to open the colonial intercourse, and that not to negotiate on the navigation of the river St. Lawrence without something like a disclaimer of the right, had been taken before my arrival; and on both points this government was immovable. In other respects, and in their feelings generally towards the United States, I think that they are in a better disposition than I found them. I have the honor, &c. No. 125. GALLATIN TO HENRY CLAY. LONDON, October 3, 1827. SIR,-I have the honor to enclose Lord Dudley's answer (dated 1st instant) to my notes of 4th June and of 17th of August. I had anticipated the negative answer to the inquiry contained in the last-mentioned note, having had two interviews with Mr. Huskisson, in which I exhausted in vain every argument drawn either from sound policy or from the friendly feelings he professes, and on some subjects entertains, towards the United States. I found him immovable, but could not obtain any satisfactory explanation of the motives for persevering in the measures adopted in regard to the colonial intercourse. I only discovered irritation, not yet extinguished, on account of the United States not having met, especially in 1823 and 1824, the overtures of Great Britain as he thought they ought to have been; and it seems to me that there is also some obstinacy in the way. I had not expected that Lord Dudley would have reverted to topics already so much debated and again try to raise doubts on points which had been satisfactorily explained. Indeed, Mr. Canning had explicitly told me that he thought it was time to close the controversy, and that he would not make any answer to my note of 4th of June. Although there was very little worth notice in Lord Dudley's animadversions, yet, as there would have been no further convenient opportunity to answer him, I have made a reply, copy of which is enclosed.' I was strongly tempted to write what I had said to Mr. Huskisson. But it was so irregular, to show that Great Britain derived no advantage from her measures, and to demonstrate that she was mistaken in what regarded her own commercial policy, that I abstained. Although they ought not to have again controverted our statements, the answer was intended to be very civil to the United States. I have the honor, &c. GALLATIN TO HENRY CLAY. No. 126. LONDON, October 4, 1827. SIR,-Having brought to a close the negotiations which had been intrusted to my care, and received the definitive answer of this government to the proposal which I had been authorized to make on the subject of the colonial intercourse, I will avail myself of the permission of the President to return to the United States. I have accordingly presented Mr. Lawrence to Lord Dudley, and will write an official letter to his Lordship informing him that I have permission to return on leave of absence, and that Mr. Lawrence will remain as chargé d'affaires till the President's pleasure is known. The current business of this mission is much less than I had anticipated, and there will be none of a public nature till some time after the meeting of Parliament. It is only then that the movements respecting the Ministry may become interesting and that the acts or measures which might affect our interests must be watched. I have the honor, &c. 1 See State Papers, vi. 982. GALLATIN TO HENRY CLAY. No. 127. NEW YORK, 30th November, 1827. SIR, I arrived here last night, after a passage of fifty-two days, and presume that you must have already received the duplicate of the despatches, &c., which I transmit by this day's mail. I omitted to state in my despatch No. 115 that Mr. Huskisson complained that the laws of the United States imposing restrictions on the colonial intercourse applied exclusively to Great Britain. I replied that the reason was because Great Britain was the only power that imposed in that intercourse restrictions on American vessels. If the list of articles of imports or exports from and to the United States was limited in the French and Dutch colonies, the limitation was the same, and no other restrictions imposed on the American navigation than on that of the mothercountry. As to Cuba, it was notorious that, although the restrictive colonial system might not have been repealed, it was a dead letter, and that the trade of that island was perfectly open to us as well as to other nations. Mr. Huskisson observed on this that it was true that Cuba, though nominally a Spanish possession, was in reality a colony of the United States. Whether he thinks that a similar effect would be produced with respect to the British West Indies if opened to the United States, I will not pretend to say. But it may be considered as a settled point with him not to make the laws regulating that intercourse to depend directly or indirectly on any agreement or understanding whatever. If it is again opened, it will [be],on such conditions as may be prescribed by Act of Parliament, and to be accepted or rejected but not modified by the United States. I have some further explanations to give respecting the maps accompanying my despatch No. 124 and the evidence to be collected or applied for under the convention relative to the NorthEastern boundary. But, as this does not relate to the merits of the convention, but to the proceedings under it if it shall be ratified, I will rest some days before I take up the subject. I have the honor to be, respectfully, sir, your most obedient servant. Private. GALLATIN TO J. Q. ADAMS. NEW YORK, 5th December, 1827. DEAR SIR,-I have been so much indisposed since we landed that, with the exception of a short letter to Mr. Clay announcing my arrival, I have not written a single line. It would have gratified me to have complied with your wishes by remaining one year longer in England; and I would have done it had not the situation of my family rendered an early return a matter of urgency, or had there been any prospect that, within that time, any of the subjects of negotiation which I had not succeeded in arranging might be again taken up with advantage. There were four of that description: 1. The colonial intercourse, of which there is no hope, and for which we must wait till a change of men or of opinion takes place in England. Indeed, had it not been for other considerations, it would have been better not to have agitated again the subject this year. 2. Some more permanent arrangement respecting the territory west of the Rocky Mountains until the boundary can be agreed to. There is in regard to that question, on which I wrote an official despatch, an intrinsic difficulty, that of military posts, without which our citizens would not be protected, and which, if Great Britain should follow the example, would give her a hold of the country difficult to get rid of. But, could that be arranged, I am satisfied that the Western feelings, and the fear, unfounded in my opinion, of the ultimate views of England in that respect, would prevent anything being done at this time. As the British government seemed anxious on that subject, I have impressed on them the necessity of transferring the negotiation respecting it to Washington, where alone what is practicable can be ascertained. 3. The navigation of the St. Lawrence. This might, in my opinion, be obtained at any time by renouncing the right. It is certain that it could not be secured at this time by any agreement which would not be tantamount to a renunciation. But I believe that, by letting the matter rest for a while, a temporary convention may ultimately be made in such terms as will give us the navigation on the grounds of mutual convenience, and, if not with a reservation, yet without any abandonment of the right. I must, however, observe that, as the great inducement for Great Britain to agree to this is the wish to turn our commerce through the channel of Quebec, she may ask as a condition that the exportation of our produce to Canada shall not be prohibited, unless the prohibition be general,—a provision which may be deemed inadmissible so long as her West India possessions are shut to our vessels. In the mean while, the British Cabinet now understands so well what it is the interest of Great Britain to do in that respect, that it is extremely improbable that the trade of our citizens there shall be again interrupted. 4. Impressment. This is the only subject on which, in my opinion, an arrangement may perhaps be made in the course of next year on the basis of the article which Mr. Rush had been authorized to propose. The British Administration is generally, if not unanimously, in favor of it. If any of its members is against it, which I cannot assert, it must be some one of no consequence. But the navy and, as they think, public opinion is against it; and they dare not approach the question until it shall have been ascertained during the next session of Parliament that they are firmly established in their places. It is very true that the contemplated arrangement is founded on a concession on our part. In order to obtain the relinquishment of an intolerable practice for which England has not the shadow of a right, we would agree to abstain from employing their seamen, which we have an undoubted right to do. There is no motive for it but that of avoiding being involved in a war with Great Britain against our inclination and interest whenever she may happen to be at war with any other country. I do not know precisely what importance you attach to that subject, but, if you think the arrangement desirable, I would beg leave to suggest that it would be facilitated by removing the restriction laid on me to make no proposal. The British Cabinet is, however, fully apprised that the propositions must come from them. must add that at my last conference with Mr. Huskisson, after he had expressed himself in the most explicit manner as very desirous that an arrangement should be made, I told him that, although anxious to return home, I would remain at least till I |