CHAPTER II.

COMMERCIAL CONVENTION OF 1815 WITH G. BRITAIN.

Page

Pitt first proposed a reciprocity of duties-Introduced a bill

into Parliament in 1783 for that purpose-Failed--Eden's re-

marks--1790, date of navigation laws of this country--System

of protection still continued, though application altered--Ad-

ams, Clay and Gallatin negotiate a convention at London with

Robinson, Adams and Goulbourn-Points of laws of nations not

touched-Convention strictly commercial--East but not West

India trade regulated-Remarks on specie--Perfect equality

of importation duties and tonnage rates-Colonial possessions

give England great advantages-Theory of convention une-

qual-Still favourable in practice to U. States--No trade with

Indians allowed-Nor between respective territories on this

continent--Consuls--Adams minister to England-Bagot to

this country,.

CHAPTER III.

59

COMMERCIAL CONVENTION OF 1818 WITH G. BRITAIN.

Commercial stipulations the same as those of 1815-Re-

newed for ten years-Impressment-Tone of British govern-

ment unfavourable at Ghent-Subject much discussed in 1818

-Propositions of England--Remarks-Parties could not agree

-Will never be adjusted by a Treaty-A question of sove-

reignty to the United States--British propositions in regard to

other maritime rights--Nothing settled--Gallatin and Rush

for United States--Robinson and Goulbourn for England-

Fisheries--Extent and boundaries regulated--Curtailed-

American and British ground as to effect of war on Treaties--

Lord Bathurst's Letter defending British principle--England

renounced right to Navigation of Mississippi-United States

to certain portion of the Fisheries-Boundaries on the North

West settled--To the Rock Mountains-English anxious to

Page

confine United States below the course of the Columbia, and

to divide the Navigation of the river, and the use of the har-

bour-Have ambitious projects in that direction--Possess an

accurate knowledge of the country by means of their hunters

-Americans and English have extended nearly across the

Continent--Rush, King, Gallatin and Barbour, ministers to

England--Canning and Vaughan to this country--Boundaries

-Proceedings on the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh Articles

of the Treaty of Ghent-Decisions and Reports of Commis-

sioners Convention in regard to the North East--Advantages

to both parties from a settlement,

CHAPTER IV.

NEGOTIATION RESPECTING COLUMBIA RIVER.

Great distance of mouth of Columbia-Called Oregon-

Reason not given-Seat of a great empire-Rock Mountains

called the limits of the United States-Harbour of Columbia

very important-Fur trade and fisheries-Grounds of Ameri-

can claim-Discovery, examination and possession-Capt.

Gray enters the Columbia in 1790-Lewis and Clarke-Ac-

count of Astoria-Proposition of British commissioners in

1824-Not accepted-Boundaries in north-west remain unset-

tled-Convention of 1818 renewed for ten years-Sir A.

M'Kenzie sees the Pacific in 1793, but mistakes the river-

Great project of the English in regard to their fur grounds-

Their empire founded in commerce,

CHAPTER V.

76

. 119

TREATY OF 1819 WITH SPAIN.

Napoleon releases Ferdinand from Valancay-Letters of

Napoleon and Ferdinand-Erving attempts a negotiation with

Cevallos-Various delays practised by Spain-Burlesque

blockade of part of South America-Pizarro-Grants of land

Page

in Florida to Spanish subjects-Treaty of 1819 negotiated at

Washington between Adams and de Onis-Grants of land, an

evasion of it-Forsyth sent to Spain-King refuses to ratify

treaty-No reason assigned-Warm correspondence-Vives

sent to this country-No authority to ratify-Demands expla-

nations as to privateers and recognition of South American

provinces-United States extremely dissatisfied-Refuse ex-

planation or discussion-European powers endeavour to per-

suade Spain to a ratification-Refuse, on account of unwil-

lingness to have South America acknowledged-Policy of

England, France and Russia-Design on Cuba-Delays again

practised by Spain-Statement of the grant to Alagon, &c.—

Include best part of Florida-Spain, at length, ratifies-And

cancels the grants-Vives complains of Forsyth's letter of pro-

test-Nelson, minister to Madrid-Anduaga to Washington-

Piracies in West India seas-Vexatious and disgraceful-Spain

unable to protect her own coasts-President proposes to Con-

gress to pass a law, authorizing blockade of Cuba-Rejected

-Dangerous measure-Navy very active and successful in

suppressing piracies-Everett, minister in Spain-Tacon in

U. States Negotiations with Spain next in importance to

those with mother country-Mississippi-Floridas-Louisiana

-Indemnity of $5,000,000, to U. States-Spain in a state of

decay-Diplomatic intercourse for the future, probably of

slight moment,

. . 129

CHAPTER VI.

CONVENTION OF NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE OF

1822 WITH FRANCE.

American and Ottoman Legations only asylums in Paris in

1814-Restoration of Bourbons led to slight suspension in

intercourse-Crawford-De Neuville-France unwilling to

make a Commercial Convention-Great advantages from state

of Trade-French commerce once very extensive—Gallatin

-State of Trade causes great uneasiness in United States—

Convention-Throws freights into American vessels-Claim

under 8th article of treaty of Louisiana-Extraordinary-Ac-

count of that business-First employed by France to delay

Convention, then to resist Claims-Diplomacy simplified in

modern times-Executive men now more important-Argu-

ment on the claim under the Louisiana treaty-Remains with-

out settlement-Brown, Minister-Menou, Chargé,
. 170

CHAPTER VII.

ACCOUNT OF THE CLAIMS ON FRANCE AND NAPLES.

Very perplexing though important subject-Difficulty began

in 1778-French in 1793 captured American vessels-First

class of claims-Embargo at Bordeaux-Convention of 1800-

Claims of two governments respectively renounced-United

States responsible to their own citizens-Convention of 1803

-Second class of claims-French credit very bad-Conven-

tion of 1803 defective on subject of claims-Livingston in-

structed to negotiate an additional one-France declines-

Claims amount to from 8 to 11,000,000 dollars-Continental

system-Third class-History of those claims-French govern-

ment have never answered statement of American government

-Paid every body in Europe-Refuse even to liquidate-

Seek to couple them with business of Louisiana-Nothing in

fact done since 1816-Naples-Pinckney sent to that court in

1816-Discusses the claim with the marquess di Circello--

Long letter Vindicating the principle of the demand-Cir-

cello refuses the application-Denies that Naples is responsi-

ble-No other European government gone so far--Nothing

more done,

CHAPTER VIII.

RELATIONS WITH PORTUGAL.

Page

Trade in Mediterranean, exposed to Barbary cruisers, first

led to diplomatic intercourse-Humphreys sent to Lisbon in

191

1

'91-Freire to this country-Legation suspended in 1801-

Smith in '97-Portugal, small possessions in Europe-Brazil,

an empire-In time of Pombal, court had design of going

there-Portuguese, maritime people-Court prepared to

leave Europe in 1802-Finally sailed in 1807, for Rio, just as

French were entering Lisbon-Coronation of Don Pedro in

Brazil-The first in the New World-Relations with Portu-

gal--Sumpter and Graham ministers--Privateers--Correa de

Serra-Dearborn appointed to Lisbon-Commercial treaty-

Attempts a negotiation-Treaty with England and state of

kingdom delay it-Ultra royal revolution in Portugal-Eng-

land and Holy Alliance antagonists-Dearborn's account of

Don Miguel's revolt and submission-Singular transaction-

Obtains permission to return to United States-Offer of box

with brilliants-Brent, Chargé-Constancio and Pereira Por-

tuguese Charges,

CHAPTER IX.

Page

222

NEGOTIATIONS WITH GREAT BRITAIN CONCERNING

PAYMENT FOR SLAVES, AND SLAVE TRADE.

Singular controversy respecting first article in Ghent treaty

concerning the removal of slaves-Very difficult to make a

treaty not leading to controversies-Explanation and discus-

sion of the subject-Parties disagree-Referred in 1818 to

Emperor of Russia-Decides for the United States-Number

of slaves removed-Average and total value-England paid

$124,960 as indemnity-Cheves and Pleasants, commissioners

--Parts of United States first to abolish slave trade-United

States first to declare it piracy--Proceedings of American go-

vernment on this subject very honourable-England negotiates

with powers of Europe for abolition-Efforts at Vienna and

other congresses-Declaration of the eight powers-Evasive

-No slave trade permitted in 1820 north of the Equator-

Only by the Portuguese south-Still, great trade-80,000

slaves removed in one year-French flag much employed--In

1818 England proposed a convention to United States-Not