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THE NEGOTIATIONS. :
[Continued f om our lasi .]
No. 11. • !
#. ‘ , .
■The Minister*’ Plenipotentiary and
Extraordinary of the United
to the Plenipotentiaries of bis Bri
tannic Majesty . .
*. Ghent, Augult 2n> 1814* ‘
m
s Tlk- tinderfignrd, niipifters plenipoten
tiary ami extraordinary from the United,
S.s j.'s of America, have givdn to tlie offi
cial note which they have had the honor
ot receiving from his Britannic majtlly’s
plenipotentiaries th£ deliberate attention
which the importance of its contents re
quired, and have now that ojkrunfmitting,
to them,their answer on the reveral [Joints
to which it refers.
• They would prc fntf to the conlidera
lion of the Brililh Plenipotentiaries, that
lord (ijlflereagli. in liis letter of the 4th
of November, >Bl3, to the American l< i>
retafy of Hate, pledges the faith of the
Bi itiflvgovcrnment tbat“ they were willing
to cuter into difcuilion with tile govern
ment ot America for the conciliatory ad
juHment of the differences fublifling Ije
tvr;xn Uw two Hates, with an earned de
sire on their part to.bring cfieni to a favor
able issue, Upon principles or perfect rcci-.
.ptoi ity, not iiiConlilVut with toe dUblifh
ed maxims of public taw, and with the
lmuitiihe rights of the ftutifli errpiie.*'—
This fac\ alone might fyffici to tyrew, that
it ought not to ljve extx&ed that
t’ v American government, in acceeding
\jojj.iHtkin, ILonlci Ijave exceeded its
/ and furnifhed the underlined with
unions authorifiug then to treat with
Britifll plenipotentiaries refneiYuig In
|B- Sf< r uuted within the boundaries of the
|x id States. That such ex; .Nation
en-ertained bv the Britilh goveru-
SxK-f miglit also have been inferred from
‘explicit (Tilranee which the Britifll
BN’yXjfrntiaries gave, on ti— part ot their
at the firlt conferrence which
bad the honor of holdig
i?L ttfat no events, fuhtequent to
lA for this negotiation, had,
varied either the difpili
'yf the Britifll goyj-nnweht, that it
■"might terminate in a peace honorable to
both ssariies, or the terms upon which they
lyoul* be wifling to conclude it.
. It is well Known that the differences
sfti’.oh unhappily fublilUd between G:c,,t-
iin and tfie United States, and which
liltiiiiatclv ltd t&ihe present war, wer6
Wholly ( fa nature, anting piln
jifi paflv from tldff BeitifhtJiders iivcoutic J,
in relation to-blockades, alitf from the im-,
p*>(Tment ofm rlners bn Ixiard of Ameri-
reflils. 1 lie boundary of tlie Indian
territory had never b- en a fuhjecl ot and f
fetenet! bytween the two countries. Ntir
tiler the principles of r<sciprcdt l v';?[te max
im* nt public law. nor tin- mafnifie ; ghts
ot the British empire could require the per
manent cflablifhment of such •boundary*'’
‘1 hencf-cl pretentious now advanced cotlld
no mo 1, have anticipated by irfie go
fernmen* of till United States, in form-
ITg inlh uclion* for this negotiation, than
way few to have !ie<% contemplated by
thftt ot Great-Britain in November'lull In
flrnpeliug it. fyord note
makeS the termination of the war to de
pend on a cdjuilWy adjuHment ot the
difllrencrs then fuHiiting between the two
states, and on no oilier condition whate
ver. ;• . 1 ’ •’ ■ |
Nor could the American government
Jhavt fore (ten that Grcat-Britain, in order
to obtain peace for the Indians, refilling
within the dominions of tin- United States,
• whom flic had induced to take part with
her in *e war, would demand that they
iliould be .made parties to the treaty be
tween the two nations, or that tbe lioun- \
duties of their land* (liouldbe pejspaueutly ’
and, irrev-tcably fixed by that treaty,—
Such prapofition is jeontrary to the ac
knowledge I principle! of public law, ancT
to the pra&ice of all civilized nations, par.
ticulafly and oftheUnited
States. It is not {bunded on reciprocity.
It is unnect flary’ for the attainment of
the objfd wliicb. it proftfles to have in
view. *,/ - - ‘• ;
No maxim of public law has hitherto
keen more ukivecfally eftabli'htd among
the powers of Europe pofleflipg territories
in America, and tlx re is none to wliicb
Gr. at-Briuin has piore uniformly and in
flexibly adlifired, than that of differing no <
Irterpofition ot a forvign power in tire re- !
icign ot the territory, and the Indians fit
vkted upon it. Without tire admilfcon of
this principle, there would be noyntelli
gibletueai,ing attached to stipulations es
tabltfhing boundaries between tiie uomin- ‘
ions in America, of civilized nations 003-
ieffing tcnitoiies inhabited by Indian ,
tribes. Whatever may be*the relations
of Indians to tbe nation in wlioie teirito- ,
ry they are thus acknowledged to n fide,
•tliey cannot Hfc conlidered as an indepen
dent power by the nation which lias made :
. such acknowiedgnKnt.
Tint the territory of which G. Britain
wiflies now tojdifpofe, is within tlie do
•ninions of tlie United States, was fotemn-
Jy acknowledged by herfelf in tlie treaty
of peaa: of 1783, which eftablilhed tlieir .
boundaries, and by w;hidi (lie reliuqjiQi. and
all claims to the government, propriety,
territorial rights within iliofe bounda
ries- No condition re fee; “mg the InJians
residing tlierrin, wKs inserted in that trea
t>'* Np Hipulatio'd fiuiilar to that now
propoli and is. to be found in any treaty made
by Gre u-Uritain, or within the knowledge
trf tile by any other nation, |
• 1 * . ■ I
s S *
*Wie ludi ui ui'ies lor wtiich G. Br'.taih |
propoles nu‘* toHipuljU liave, theinlelves,
acknowledged this Jirincipil. By the G ,m
----ville treaty of ’7OS* to which the Br*uih
plenipotentunes have ailuaed, it is ex
pressly (Hpulated, *i.tl the condition has
been confirmed by every IbbLq ic-nttreaty ,
folate as tlie year 1819, -
ndian tribes Hull quietly enjoy their l*r>4fc
hunting, planting and dwelling tlieremi,
so long as they pkaftj 5/ithoUt any mojes
tation fr .r the United States: but that,
whfn tlieir tribes, or any of them, (bill
be dilp.frdto fell their lands, they are to
be fold nniy to tlie United States: that uu
til luch fate, tlie United States will protect
all to*: laid Indian tribes.in tlie quiet en-;
foyinent of their lands against all citizen* j
of the United States, and againll all other
white perfous who intrude on the fault,
aid that tlie laid Indian , tribes again ac
knowledged themfeivi s to he unler tlie
prottdViou of . l i<- laid United States, and j
of ilo other power whatever.”
‘That there is no reciprocity in tlw pro-;
p.ileil, Hioulation, is < vieltut. In prohibit- (
,ing (ireat-Britain and the United States |
from pitrchafmg lands with'iu a part of the
dominions of tlie UitU'r pdwer, w ole it
proitff s to take tram Gr.'f.-Britam a pn
vilege which (he had not, it aclually do
prives the United States of afight exclu
sively belonging taidwin.
■ Tlie propiilui'mv'vtfo utterly unneces
sary for die purpol’e of obtaining a pacifi
cation for the Indians refiling within the
territories of the United States. Tin- un
derfilled have already had tlie honor of in
forming the BritiHi plenipotentiaries, that,
under tlie fyffemof liberal policy adopted
by the United States in th ir relatlpiu
with the Indian* within their territories,
an uninterrupted peace had lubfitled from
the year 1795, uot 0,, 1y between tlie U.
States y 1 ! all tliofe tribes, but also amongff
tliofe tribes tlieinit'lvtes for a longer period
of time than ever had ]x;en known iince
the fifff settlement of No/th Anitrka.—
Againll thole Indian* the United’ States
have neither inter A nor inclination,to con
tinue the war. They have nothing to .ilk
of them but ppace. Cnmmifiioneis on
their part have biben appointed conclude
it, and an armiflice was‘aftuaily made lalt
autumn with nioft of tliofe tribes. The
Britilh governnient may ajrain have induc
ed feme of them to tike, their file in tlie.
war, but neacr with them will nectffarily
follow itpinediately a peace with G. Bri
tain. To a proviiibnai article, similar to
what has been Hiptilated in lb me former
treaties, eiv,:a;.;ing that each partv will treat
for the Indi >n within its ’ terrirork in
clude them in tlie peace, and use its best
.endeavors to prevent them fooin commit
ting hoHilitits againfl the citizens or subj
j fts of .tlie other party, the uuderfigtied
might assent, and rely on the approbation
and ratification of tluir govern'^ent.-
1 he> would Afo, for die of ft cur
iny tlie durj*do*"of rind— */'• eyi~‘i*‘-*’*’ ■
collisions which might interrupt it, propose
a Atpulation which iliuuld preclude the lub
y ji c'fs or citizens of each oatioo, rcfpeflive
ly, from trading with the Indians fkfiding
in the terrictfr;/ of. the otiit r. B.rf to fur
lender both tlie rights of and
of foil over nearly one third of cite territo
rial dominions ofthe Unittd ‘States, and
to a number of Indians nolf prob blv ex
ceedmg tw nty tboufand,’ the underfilled
are lb f. r lrom being inftjuAed or author
ifed, that they affiire d l *” Britifli commis- ;
fioner* that any.arrangement for that pnr
pafo would be inftantaheoufly rejected by
their government.
Not only has this extraordinary demand
been made a ‘sine qua non , to be admit
ted without dilyifltion, and as a prelimina
ry basis; blit it is accompanied by others
equally inadmitfibie, which ihe Britilh
plenipotentiaries Rate to be lb connected
with it, that they may reafonabl v inHu
; cnee the .dec 11 of tlie underlignwl upon
1 Itf’yOt leaving them uninformed how far
| these other, demands may also be it lifted
1 pn as indispensable conditions of jx qce.
or eni|iowered to accede to the propor
tions at the. Britidi government, in rela
tion to the military occupation of the wrll
ern lakes. Lt tliev have found the pro
poled inUrterenct ol Great Britain in the
concerns of. ludians relidmg within the
; United States utterly incompatible with
any t-Hablilhtd maxim of-public law, they
are 110 less.at aids to discover by wh.it
ruleof pn ft Ct reciprocity the UL£:ates can
be required to renounce their right ed’
maintaining a naval force upon tliofe
i liki s. & of fortify ilig their own lliort s, wirile
G. Britain reforves sxclnfively the corres
ponding rights to herfclf. That in point’
ol military preparation, Great Briuln, in
her pofli uions in North A meric*, ever
has been in a condition tube termed, with
propriety, the weaker power, in compari
son with the United Mates, the undeilign
etl believe to be incorrfet in peiiiu offatft.
i In regard ro the fortification; of the 1 llioves,
an'v to tlie forces adlu-llv kept on foot
; u p°n these frontier*, they believe the ib
pwioritv to have always been on tlie fide
of Great Britain, If the propolal to dis*
1 mantle the forts upon for (hores Hrikefor
tver her military flag upon the lakes, and
lay her whole frontier defenceless in tlie
presence of her armed and terrified neigh
bor, had proceeded, not from Gieat Britain
ro the. United s t ites, but the Uni
ted ! .rates to Great Britain, thennderfign
cd may fofoly apjxral to the bofoiljs of his
Britannic majelly’s pleiiipotcmiaties for
the feelings with which, not in re
garif to the blit to the fohor of
tlkir nation, they would have received
such a proposal. What would Great Bri
lain lierfdf fay, if, in relation to auotfo r
IVontii r, wfore'llie has tlie ai kiio\vlcdg,J
fupwriority ci Uiength, it Were ,pjoi*>ds.t
•, A’ j
1 .t 3ie h„jld be reduced ta 1 conditibn
tven cf equality with tlie United Stales !
. ’'fiie undersigned further perceive, that
under the alledged purpose of opening a
diivclcommunic .tion between two of the*;
# Britilh provinces in America, the Br.i.ch >
government require a ceflton of territory ;
forming a of one oCtlie Hates of tlie 1
’ American union, and that they propose, ‘
‘..hout p.ir|K>lt: fpecifically atledged., to 1
d*aw the boundary, line wt()wjrd, not J
from Lake-of the Woods, as it is now, j
but from Lake Superior. It muff be per- ‘
fedtlv immaterial to the Unittd States, I
whether the ohjtcf of the British g ~ernm
tnvirt demanding the dismembtruientof
t’ie United States, is to acquire territory, ,
i as such, or for purposes less liable, in the ,
| eyes of thfe world, to be aferifod to the
dtl’ue of'aggrandizement. Whatever tlie I
motive may he, and with whatever.coiilifl- j
ency views of conquest may be disclaimed, 1
j while demanding forherfolf, or for the In-
I diaiis,’ a ceffisn of territoi v more extenlive
’ than the whole illand pf Great Britain, the t
{ duty marked out for tfio uiiderfigutd is the
faine. They have nb antlwritv to„- cede !
’ any part of the territory of tlie U. States,
and to no fYipi 1 Lallan to tint elf,-ft will ‘
they fubftribe.
! The conditions proposed bv Great Bri
tain have no relation to the filbfifting dis,
ifo-rcnces between the two countries ; they
; are, intoufideiH with acknowledged princi
ples of public law ; they are toiinciod nei
ther on recipfociry nor opauv of theufual
; basts of mg-aciation) neitbron that ofthe ’
uti possidetis or status ante belllu ;
they would iiiflift the mofoviul injury on j
the United difinchl wrings their !
territory, by am (Ijng their natural growth j
and inertafe of potation, and by leavirg
their northern anJhvt Hern fiontier equally [
exposed to Bririflpinvafion and to Indian
aggr- lHon ; .they (are above all, dishonor
aljc ta> the United States, in demanding ;
from tfo’in to abandon territory and a por
tion of their citiz’ns, to admit a foreign
interference in /heir dome!lie concerns, .!
ami to cease fa, exercise their natural J
rights on their ,wii Ihores and in tifoir t
own waters, j A treaty concluded on i
such n*rms wlold be but an armiHicc. It
cannot be fuagofed that America would ;
long submit to conditions so injurious
and
natnr.il course of events, that Hie Iliould
not, at .the firft favorable opportunity* re
cur to aniis, fn the recovery of her tcr
riuirv, of her rif hts, of her honor. I nikad
of ‘ fettling’ owing differences, fodi a
would’ only creite, ntw caiifes of ]
W|r, sow tlitl feeds of a permanent hatred, i
and lay the fjtmdution ot fioftilities for an j
indefinite period. j
. Elfentialiy pacific from\ her political in-
Hitutions, froiV the habits'of her citizens,
from hes phylieal liiuittoil, America re
lniUantly eng/ged in the war. She wifkes
for peace; but lb;- willies for it ngp&-*n*'ft r "’J
-f.. liM9terrTCStn to both I
CoHiitr’ms, which can alone render it per- i
mamnt. The caiifes of the war between )
the United States and Great Britain hav
ing difappr-ari-d by tne maritime pacifica
tion ot Europe, tlie government r.f the U.
States does not desire to , continue it, in
defence of abftraft principles, which have,
for the present, ctafed to have any practi
cal effeft. Ihe iu/dcrligiu'd have been ac
cordingly inftuidtd to agree to its forini
nation, Ixith parties rdtoring whatever ter
? iritory th-v may, have taken, -nr! both re
fei ving all their rights, in relation to their
rtfpeftivc fe.imeh. To make the peace
■ between the two nations l'ofid and perma
ntnt-tjiounir-rfigned were also inilrufted,
’ and have been prepared to enter into the
inoft amicable discullimi of all tliofe points
on which differences or uncertainty had
exiffed, and which might hereafter tend-in
any dgree whatever to interrupt the har
mony ofthe two countries, without, howl
ever, making tlie cc iciufioiVof the peace at
all depend upon a fuctefsful result of tiie
disculiion.
It is fhertfore, with deep regret,, that
the underfilled ■ have fetn that other
views are entertained bv. tlie Britilh gov
ernment, and that and unexpefted
pi, n i raid and, wl-\h, ifpnfiHt .1 in,
must ’an insuperable obHacle to its
pacification. It is not lieceffary to refer
fuel) demands to the American govern
ment for its inftruftion. They will onlv
be'a fit fanjtft of deliberation, when it be
comes necendiy to decide upon the expe
diency. of an ablolutefoim iider of national
indtpendfcuce. ,
f 1 he under signed requeff the Britilh pien- *
ipotentianes to accept affuiance of
their high confiueration.
• Jiihn Quikcy Adams,
James A. Batahd, ~
H.
Jonathan Russell',
Albert Gallattn.*
To the Plenipotentiaries of
His Britannic Majef.y, S3*c
So. 111.
Tbe British to the American Commis
sioners’
Ghent, Seft. 4, 1814.
The nnderfg ntd have the honor to ac- J
knowledge the receipt of the note of the
American plenipoteiuiai its, elated the
ultimo. ‘
Iris with unfeigned regret that the un
derlined oblcrwe, both m the tone and
lubiuikc of the whole note, io little
proof of any dispolhion on the part of tbe
government of the United State* to enter
into an amicable distiillim of the -several
points’ Ibbaiiued by the underftgued in
their former communication. The under
iign- dyut perfe£tly aware, that in bring
ing. forward those point?for conii-liration,
aiwi Anting twlh fu much funkneiir, as
•I •*.’
tiit-y did, tho vmwi, with which tliey wer&
prop,Ut i, titty departed lrun tlie usual
course of ncgoJatiou, bv diiclofing all
tlie obj, ft* of4htir government,'awhile
; thole which thi American government
i had in v iew wetij withheld ; but in so do
■ ing they were principally aftuated by a
1 fi ne'e re delire ot'oringing the nc'gociation
j as soon as poiTibie to a favorable tennina
; cion, uuj • for:ie roeafiire by their willii g
j nefs to comply with the willies exprelfod
by the American pleiripotciv iarie* tliern
-1 selves.
| It is perfectly trOe that tlie war between
his majefly and tlie United States, was
declared b the latter power, upon
. the pretence of maritime rights alledged
i to be aflerted by G. Britain, and dilooted
, by the U. States.
! If the War thus declared by the United
j States had been earned on by them for
’ objects pureiy ol a maritime .nature, or if
tlie atuck winch has been made on Cana
da had been for fie pprpofe of diverlion,
lor in the way of defence againll me Bri
tish forces in that quarter, any quoHiou as
i to the boundaries*!’Canada might have bfcen
considered as unfeccffai'v ; hut it is noto
rious to the wfoie world mat the c in
queftof Canada, its permanent annex
ation the United; States, wu* the declared
cbj.-ct ot the American government. If,
in c-’nfequcnce ol a cliff rent course ofe
vents on ti;e continent of Kafope, hiS ma
jefty’sgivernmeut had been unable to re
inforce the Britilh armies in Cauada, and
; the United States had obtained a decided
fuperioricy, in :l* qulrttr, is there any
j person win*doubts that they would have
I availed tliemfelvri of their Htuation to
J obtain on the fide of Canada important
celli >ns ot territory,, if not the entire a
; bandonment oi that country by Great
Britain l Is the American government to
he allowed to pursue, so Jar as its mean*
will enable it, a system of ntq'rifition and
aggrandizement to the extv: t.c.i annexing
entire provinces to their do minions,,and is
! his nr<jefty to be precluded from availing
l himfelf of his means, so far as they will,
i enable n.m, to retain tliofe points wliich
j the valor of Britilh arms may have placed
■ in his power, becault they happen to be
; situated within tin. territories alfotieu un
der former treaties to the government of
the Unittd States?
Such a principle of negociatlon was never
avowed at any period antecedent to that of
the revciiitionary govern cent of France.
li the policy of the United States had
been/cSentiaHy pacific, as the American
j plenipotentiaries assert it ought to be, from
1 tlitir political SuHitutiony, from the habits
1 of their citizens, and from th. ir phylieal
! (uuation, it might not have bee;, necessary
to propose the precautionary pi Jvifions
now under difeuffiou. ‘Hiat of fete years
at least, the Am.fcrian government have
been by a very diilVrent policy;
f-tjjbfsptnt of aggrandizement not necessary
! to theirown fecuriry, but incregfing .with
i the*extent of their empire, has o.vn too
j clearly mauife-fted by their progreiiive oc
cupation at’the Indian territories; by the
Hcquifition Louisiana ;by tlie more recent
attempt to wrell by force of arms from a
nation in amity the two Floridas ; ar.J
laltly, by the avowed infomioa of permit
nently annexing die Q.niadus to the Uni
ted States.
If, then, the security of the Britilh
NOl :h American dominions requiies any
fi.criScts on the par: of the United States,
they must be aforibed to the declared poli
cy of that government, in making die war
not one of felf defence, nor for die redress
ot’.grievances real or pretended, but a part
of a system of conquest and aggrandize
ment. , • .
. ‘File Britilh government in its
situation, is bound in duty 10 endeavor to
feure its North American domihions a
gainst those attempts at coiiqueft, which
the American government have avowed
to be a principle of their policy, and which
as such will undoubtedly be renewed, When’- ,
ever any succeeding w-..r between the two
countiies (hail afford a pirofpeft of renew
ing theiri with success. - j
The British plenipotentiaries proposed
that the military pofiVfiioii of the lakes,
From lake Ontario to lake Superior, ftionid
be secured to Great Britain, becaofe lire 1
command of tliofe takes wduld afford to :
die American goveynnu nt the means of .
commencing a war in the heart of Canada, 1
and bccaufe the commaud of them, tfof
part of Britain, has hem fuown by j
experience to We attended vrith no iuleca- ‘
rity to the United States. „ J
When the relative ftrengtb of the two ;
powers in North America is confide tvd, it !
Iliould be recollefted that the Brititli do
minions in that quarter do not ci>taiti a
population of five hundred thoufuiid fouls, ]
wffereas the territory of the United States |
contains a population of more rilan fevcu !
millions; that the naval refourtes of the
United States’ are at hand for attack, and
that the naval resources of Great Britain
are on the other fide of tins Atlantic.
The military poiTuinon of those lakes is
not therefore, necefisiy tor the protection”
of the United States.
The propofol for allowing the territo
ries on the fouthtrn banks of the lakes a
bove mentioned to'retrain in the poffelfion
of the government of the Uuited State,*,
provided no fortifications ihould oe erected
on the fhotes, and no armament permitted
on the waters, has been made tor tlte pur
pose of manitt* fling that security, and not
acquisition of territory, is the object of tlte
Hritifh government, andiftal they have no
tlvfire to throw ckftacltsin the way of sjny
commerce Svliji ** the people of the l. **
States may be cktirous ol carrying 011 upon
the lakes in time ifpeace.
The uoderfigoed, with tbe anxiow wish
to rectify ad mK.unu fc have thus.
move fottV explained tlie groands upmj,
which tliey brought forward ilie prupjsi
tion* eovtained in their former note res
pecting the boundaries of tlie Britilh di min
ions .in North America.
They do not wilii to infill upon them
beyond what the ciicumftances nia v fairly
They are ready, amicably, to
dilcufs the details r>f them with a view to
tlie adoption of any modifications which die
American rtfenrpotentiaries, or their gov
ernment, ina * have to suggest, if ti’ey are
not incompatible with the objeft itfi Ife
With id’prft to the boundary of the dis
trict ot Maine, and that of tlie north wtft
ern frontier of the United States, the un
d.-r fig tied were not'prepared to anticipate
the ohjeftions contained in tlie note of tlie
Aineikan plenipotentiaries, “ that they
were inftiufted to treat for the revision of
their boundary lines,” with the Haiement
which they have fubfeq ntly niade, that
tliey had no aathcrity to cede any
part, however inliguificant, of tlie territoi
lies of tlie United States, although the prejj
poi’al left it op n to liiem to demand an e
quivalent Tor such cJfioii either in fron-|,
’ tier or otiienvife.
The American plenipotentiaries tnuii be t
aware tliat the boundary of the dillrift of
Maine has never be, 11 concftlv afcertaiii- ;
td; that the one after ted at present by the •
American govemment, by which the ui-
rest communication between Halifax ami l
Quebec becomes interrupted, was not ia .
contemplation of the Ur.ufn plenipotentia
ries who concluded the treaty of 1783, and
that the greater part of tV territory ia
’ quefT ; .i*i is Fftuallv unoccupied.
The mderfigned are peifuaded h. taa
arrangement on this punt might be talily j
niudr, if entered into vpith the spirit of con--
cili .tion, without any piyjHdice to the iu
terefts of tlw dift> .ft in quaftjon.
As the necelficy for fixing fome boun
dary for the northwt/lforn troutier has been
niutuallv acknowledged, a proposal for a
difculfion on tliat lifbjedt cannot be con
fide red as a demand Jor a ftflion of territory,
uirids the United) States are prepared to .
assert tliat there hfna limit to their territo
ries in that direction,, and that availing
them It Ives of tIW geographical error upon
which that part pi’ tlve treaty of 1783 was
founded, they will acknowledge no boun- •
darv w hatever,'then unqueftionubly any ■
propofition'to fix one, be tt what it may,
must be considered as den.anding a large
ceflion of territory from the United States*
Is the Amfcrican govemment p'eparcd
to assert fivc| an unTunitrd right, i'o cow.
trary to the intention of the treaty
hfejf? Or, it his majesty’s governnient to
underftanfl that tlie American plenipoten
tiaries arej willing to ad.’qnwledge tho
boundary /om the Lake of the Woods to
the Misslsippi (the arrangement made by
a conveifion ill 1803, but not ratified) as
that by which their governnient is redy
to abidi/?
! The Britilh plenipoientiaries aae inftrufto.
est to accept favorably luch a propoGtion 1
or ter discul’i any other fine of boundary
which may he submitted for confide ration*
It.is with ennal aftonifliment and regret
the uiylerfigw & find that tin? American
plenipovriitiarie* have not only declined
. signing Kny provisional article, by which
the Indian nations wiio have taken part
with Great Britain in- the present cpnteft
may be included in the peace, and may .
have a boundary aifigned to them, bat
have also thought proper to exprrfsffur
prife at anv the fubj.-.ft hav*
. ing been advanced.
1 The American plenipotentiaries Hate
that their-government could not have ex-*
pefted-fucii a dis< uifion, and appear resolv
ed, at once, to reject any proposition oa
this head; reprefeimug it as a demand •
contraiy to the acknowledgedprWiciples of
public law, tantamount to a ceflion of one
third of the territorial dominions ot the U
; St;;tes w and require 4 to be admittfed with-’
, out discullion.*
j The proposition which is thus reprefent
:ed is, that the Indian which have .
been during the war in alliance with Great .
| Britain, Ihuld a: its termination be in*
, clmfod in tiie pacification j, and with a view
; to their permanent tranquility and securi
ty, that, foe Bri till) government fs willing
1 to take as a briis of an article on the. sub-
S jest of a lxjundary for those nations, tlie
j stipulations which the Ametfcan govern
’ ment contrafttd in 17*95, fobjeft, howe
rtr, to nultiifications. ,
j Alter the declaration, publiclv made t
’ those Indian nations by tlie govertior gen
i eral of Canada, that G. Britain would not
j dei’ert them, could the American goveriv
; uient reallv persuade itfiilf that no propo
j fitfon relating to those nations would be
. advanced, and did lord Calilereagh’s note
jof the 4th November, 1813, imply so great
j a facrificeofliortor, or exclude from disc*is*
: sion every lubjeft, excepting what imme* K
diately related, to tlie maritime questions
referred to in it ?
When the linderfigned assured the At
merican plenipotentiaries of the anxious
wirtt of the Britilh government that the”
negociation might terminate in a peace hon
orable to both parties, it coaid not have
bten imagined that the American plenipo
tentiaries would tlk-nce con. lude, that hid
majesty’s government was prepared to a
banJon the Indian nations to their fare,
nor could it have been forefeen. that the
American government wottld have coiilid.
ered it a> derogate-y to its honor to admit
a propfifitton by which the ti anquiliity of
those nations migot be fecuttd.
I he Britifli pimipoter-iLries have yet
to learn, that it is contrary t.nhe acknowl
edged principles of public taw to, induce sjl
jieiiio a negpeiation for peace. r that it
is contrary to ti e pra&tce of all civihz -d
nations to tlut a prevision fbou.4
OCfclina-w .0* tin >s .i.luVc irc(lrity.