The Sun.
London, England, 1827-01-12 00:00:00

intercourse) recorded in the Act of 1823, and there applied to
British Colonies alone, remains part of the law of the United
States." And we are also given to understand, " that the British
Government further owes to the spirit of frankness which it
wishes to cultivate, in all' its relations with the United States, to
declare, that after having been compelled to apply to any country
the interdict prescribed by the Act of 1825, the British Govern-
ment cannot hold itself bound to remove that interdict, as a
matter of course, whenever it may happen to suit the convenience
of the foreign Government to reconsider the measures by which
the application of that interdict was occasioned." The pre-
tension referred to is the exact counterpart of a similar
pre-existing pretension, contained in the Act of Parliament of
1522. The British Government does not appear to have reflect-
ed that its rejection of all negotiation on the subject deprives it
of the best of the only two modes of getting rid of the exception-
able restriction.

From what has now been advanced, it has been established—
Ist, That the Colonial trade was a fit subject for the adjustment,
by friendly negociation between the two Powers, of the condi-
tions on which it should be carried on; 2dly, That it has been
long, and often, in fact, a subject of negociation between them ;
and !idly, That the American Government was bound to con-
clude, from every thing which pasvil between the two Govern-
ments, that both parties entertained the expectation that it was
to he arranged by negociation, and only by negociation. It was
under this full conviction that your general instructions were
prepared.

What may be the nature of the proposals which you were au-
thorised to make, upon the renewal of the negociation so confi-
dently anticipated, it is not now proper should be communicated
to the British Government. Respect for ourselves, no less than
for that Government, forbids that we should obtrude upon their
consideration, proposals against which they have deemed it proper
to shut their ears. It will be, however, no violation of that re-
spect to say, that they were of a character, on all the disputed
points between the two Governments, autherising us to believe
that they would be satisfactory.
The Government of the United States is animated by the sin-
cerest desire to maintain, with that of Great Britain, not merely
the forms of courtesy and amity, but to cultivate a cordial and
lasting friendship ; to settle every controverted question between
them upon principles of justice and reciprocity; and, by an en-
larged liberality in their mutual intercourse, to advance the real
prosperity of both. Entertaining this desire, it has learned with the
most lively regret the resolution of the British Government to
close the door against those friendly explanations, and that frank
and mutual exposition of the wishes and views of the parties,
which are, or should be, the object of all negociation. The har-
mony of nations requires that every avenue to such explanations
should always be kept fully open. But such a free access, on all
questions, appears to the Government of the United States to be
especially desirable between two such nations as Great Britain And
the United States, whose interests and happiness are so intimately
interwoven. By rejecting the ordinary mode of treating, through
the established agency of accredited ministers, and substituting for
it that of mutual legislation, which, after all, is but another
though less advantageous, mode of negociation,. we deprive our-
selves of many facilities. Congress and the British Parliament
are numerous bodies, acting in different and distant spheres, and
it is not derogating from their undoubted wisdom and superior in-
telligence, to suppose that their organization is not the best suited
to the exercise of diplomatic functions in all cases.
A single word of explanation, an instantaneous suggestion of
the modification of a proposal elicited in conference, may lead to
the adjustment of a difference when ministers are treating face to
face, which might not be settled for a long time in a negociation
conducted between two bodies, each composed of several hundred
members, separated by the Atlantic Ocean. We do not mean to
bring forward any formal complaint against Great Britain, on ac-
count of her determination to exclude one of the mesas which
experience has evinced to be best adapted to the accommodation
of national differences. Our main purpose is to show that the
United States are not justly chargeable with the consequences
which may flow from that most unexpected decision.
As the only alternative which the course adopted by that Go-
vet-nu-lent has left, the President has determined to give a signal
proof of his anxious wish to preserve a good tal?rstanding be-
tween the two Governments, by laying the whsle of the corres-
pondence which has passed between them, on this subject, in-
cluding the instructions to our several Ministers at the Court of
St. James, before Congress, at its next Session. The wisdom of
that body, in the actual state of things, is alone competent to
decide whether the colonial intercourse shall remain closed, ac-
cording to the pleasure of the British Government, as manifested
in the late Order in Council, and whether that portion of it left
open by the Order shall remain open, or on what conditions,
compatible with the interests of the people of the United States,
Congress is willing the trade should he placed.
You will accompany the communication of the substance of
this despatch, or the substance of such part of it as you may
not have anticipated in my answer to Mr. Canning's note, pre-
sented from yourself to the British Government, with the as-
surance that, notwithstanding their present decision, the Govern-
ment of the United States, at all times hereafter, will be ready,
at Washington or at London, to treat of the colonial inter-
course, whenever it may be their desire or inclination to nego-
ciate on that subject.
I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,
A. CLAY.