Star.
London, England, 1828-08-04 00:00:00

tured, may not be fully comprehended ; that the motives
and bearings of those votes and resolutions may he mis.
conceived. Some notice will betaken of the Fr •ceedings
alluded to, for the purpose of correcting the erroneous
impression which they seem to have made.
A Petition from Baltimore, such as has been described
by his Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
was presented w Congress. The Petitinwrs were un-
informed of the negotiations of 1824, and of the subse-
quent correspondence between the two Governments.
The Petition was refitted in both Houses to ae regular
Committees. A separate motion for the repeal of the
discriminating duties had been previously made in the
House of Representatives, and had been referred in the
same manner.
The Committee of the House of Representatives, whe-
ther knowing that the subject had been taken up in the
Senate, or from any other cause, made no report. There
was no Resolution discussed in that House, and come-
quently no deliberation or decisiOn upon it.
The Committee of the Senate understood a compliance
with the request of the Petitioners to be tantamount to
an admission " of British vessels, indiscriminately, into
the ports of the United States, with their cargoes, from
whencesoever arriving, or of whatsoever coMposed, on
the same terms as .(Lit!eric3ri vessels, or those of the
most favoured nations,' whit h is the same thing;' and
they reported, in substance', that there was a strong
ground of preference fur an arrangement being effected,
if practicable, by a Convention between the two Go-
vernments,•rather than to rely on independent Actsof
Legislation, sometimes ambiguous, and at all tines
subject to revocation; that a corresponding desire to
arrange that intercourse appeared coexist on the part of
the British Government; that the negotiations respect-
ing it dete expected to come to a definitive issue before
the nut Session of Congress ; and that it was not, chef es
fore, expedient at that time to legislate on the subject.
This Report was made to the Senate on the 31st of
March, 1826, nine days after Mr. Vaughaa's Comm.
nication oo the renewal of the Negotiations.
It was re-committed, with an understanding that a
Bill should be brought in, repealing the discriminating
Duties. Suitt a Bill was accordingly repotted, a copy'
of which the undersigned has the honour to enclose,
containing a repeal, and nothing but a simple repeal,
of these duties.
The 818 was, on motion, ordered to lie on the table,
by a majority of two votes. This vote, the only one
taken upon it, had no other effect but tl prevent the
Bill being. Acted upon on that day. It might have been
called op ou any other day, but it had been brought in
near the clue of the Session; and, whether from want
of time, or, what is mole probable, ftom reliance on the
rauccessful issue of negocituions, it was nct again taken
into consideration. Had it being taken up and passed
into a law, it would nut have been such a compliance
with the terms of the Act of Pailiament of July 182.5,
na was contemplated by Great Britain, since it did not
repeal the restrictions laid by a former Actal Congress
on the circuitous or indirect intercourse.
It appears from the course of the proceedings, and
from the result, that the subject was not taken up in
sae of the Houses; apd that, in the other, the precise
pl~tpost ot the tvms offered by the Act of Parliament
eras not at that time mote distinctly understood than
by the Executive, whilst the same reliance seems to
have been placed in tire result of che expected negocia-
tioas. It is certain that the condit ons of the Act of
Patliament, snob as they are therein expressed, were act
taken into deliberate consideration by the American
Congress, and that that body has never rejected not
pronounced any decision on those conditions.
"Up to this day, it is still uncertain whether the real
Meaning of those terms is distinctly understood by the
United States. The doubts entertained in that respect
were stated at large in the Note of the undersigned of
• the 28th of December last ; and no explanation has since,
any more than at aqy former time, been given by his
Majesty's Government.
The preceding review bas been taken, not for the
purpose of complaining ot the conduct of Great Britain,
but with the hope of satisfying the Government of his
Britannic Majesty, by this exposition of the acts of the
United States, sod of the impressions under which it
acted, that it hai-not, in regard 00 the Colonial trade,
deviated from its uniform course, and relaxed its con-
stint endeavours to pseserie and strengthen the amicable
relations between the two countries. •
No' doubt is entertained. on the ether hand, of the
disposition of his Majesty's Government, at the time
when the Act dr radium's* was enacted, that, ennui.
- doing die intercourse between the United States and the
British West Indies as beneficial. it was their intention_
Omit should continue open on certain terms, and th,t
*bough these differed trims those offeted to most ot'er
Illbsomiticial nations, read may also have been misander-
• • Mend. they would not have been found, when properly
• alaphined. to be altogether inadmissible. Had it been
ogastwise, the iatendict laid on the American navigation
• bp the Order ot Council of July, 1626, would at once
• .brifee been embodied in the Act ot Parliament of July,
I*s.
Binh Governments, actuated by a sincere wish to,
• Out a satisfactory acrangetareet. bees failed to attain
tesik ca, fano a misconception of eaeh • ther's views
• as to Are made of Accomplishing it. Whilst the Br
• tish Government espectse the passage ot an Act of
Congress. acceding to the conditions ot the Act of Par-
liament, the Government of the United States confided
its me belief, that it•was still the intention of Great
Iliitain t.s arrange the subject by a Convention. • .
It is now unavail ng to dwell upon the past, and t •
inquire whether either, or both Governments, had suffi-
cient reoeni for their expectations? The fact• is, that
they entertained such expectations, and have both been
disappointed; and it will he mote profitahle and con-
sistent with the friendly understanding between the two
countries to attend only to the relative situation in
which they are now placed.
.The United States, though preferring a conventional
arrangement, as more permanent. and, perhaps, more
easily effected that one founded on mutual legislation,
ate not exclusively attached to any particular mode.
There is indeed this advantage in legislative regula-'
tion nee conventional arrangement, in respect to sub..
jects nut tulle t iced by experience, that what may be
deemed concession by either party. may at any time be
modified, :f found actually injurious.
Thus, tot instance, the President of the United States
would too,' with( ut reluctance, have consented to a
treaty stipulation, allowing thae ciicuitou, trade between
the United kingdom and the British Coloniis, tint ugh
the United States, which, if permitted, must be enjoyed
" eta:Wisely by the British navigation ; whilst he is will.
jog that the experiment should be made by virtue of
reciprocal laws, revocable at the pleasure of either Go.

The undersigned is accordingly authorised to ray,
that under the influence of these considerations. the Go-
vet narent.of the United State► acquiesce% in the decl-
aims which has been taken by the Government of Great
Britain. that the iftercour►e between use United State,
sad the British colonies shall be regulated by the laws

et the two countries Osnd that the Pre:idiot is disposed
to piomote a restoratOn.of that, intercourse, founded on
such respective laws.
The undersigned prays Loa Dudley to accept, &c.
(Signed)_ ALBERT GALLATIN.

Lord Viscount Dudley, arc.
ENCLOSURE IN NO. I.—A BILL SUPPLEMENTARY TO AN
ACT, ENTITLED " AN ACT TO REOULATI THE COM-
MERCIAL INTERCOURSE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES
AND CERTAIN BRITISH COLONIAL PORTS." • .
Be it enacted by t"e Senate and House of Reptilian-
tatiyes of the United States of America, in. Congress
Assembled, that no other or higher duties of import or
tonnage, and no other or higher duty or charge of any
kind, upon any goods, wares, or merchandize, imported
from the free ports of the British Colonies, viz.
Kingston, Savannah Le Mar, Montego Bay, St. Lucia, Antonio,
Saint Ann, Falmouth, Maria, blatant Bay and Anotto Bay, in
Jamaica ; Saint George, in Grenada ; Roseau, in Dominica ; Saint
John's, in Antigua ; San Josef, in Trinidad ; Scarborough, in
Tobago; Road Harbour, In Tortola; Nassau, in New Prt.vi-
dence ; Pittstown, in Crooked Island; Kingston, in Saint Vin-
cent ; Port Saint George and Fort Hamilton, in Bermuda ;
any Port where there is a Custom House in Blames ; Bridge-
town, in Barbadoes ; Saint John's and Saint Andrew's, in New
Brunswick; Halifax, in Nova Scotia; Quebec, in Canada; St.
John's, Newfoundland; George Town; in Demerara; New Am-
sterdam, in Berbice ; Castries, in St. Lucia; Bisseterre, in St.
Kitts; Charlestown, in Nevis ; Plymouth, in Montserrat—
In British vessels, be kvied or exacted in any of the ports of the
United States (excepting the ports in Florida) than upon the veuels
of the United States, and upon the like goods. wares, or merchan-
dise, imported into the ports of the United Statei, in the same :
any thing in the third section of the Act to which this is supplemen-
tary, dated the Ist of March ISO, to the contrary notwithstanding.
Section 2. And be it further enacted, that this• Act
shall be in force from and after the SOth day of July
next, provided-nevertheless, that upon satisfactory evi-
dence being given to the President of the United St rtes
that any discriminating duties of tonnage or import are
imposed or levied, in either cf the ports aforesaid upon
vessels wholly belonging to citizens of the United States,
'or upon merchand ze the produce or. manufacture
thereof imported in the same, the. Presideht is hereby
authorised to issue his Proclamation declaring the tact,
whereupon this Act shall thereafter be suspended and
discontinued so far as it respects the ports or places in
which such discriminating duties are imposed or levied.
No. 2.— ALBERT GALLATIN, ESQ. TO VISCOUNT DUDLEY.
Upper Seymour-street, August 17, lan.
The undersigned, Minister of the United States of
America, had the honour to address, on the 4th of June
last. a Note on the subje.t of the Colonial Intercourse,
to Lord Viscount Dudley, his Majesty's Principal Secreol
Lary of &ate for Foreign Affairs.
The principal object of that Note was, to remove such
misapprehensions as might still be entertained of the
views and proceedings of the Government of the United
States on that subject. and. at the same time, to express
the disposition of the President to promote a re•toration
of that intercourse, founded on tae respective laws of
the two countries. •
Thii overture has been founded on the belief, that
the present state of things has not arisen from any in-
tentional act of either Government, bat from miscon-
ceptions of each other's views, which must now be re-
moved. It was the avowed intention of that of Great
Britain, at the time when the Act of Parliament cf
July 1825 was enacted, that the intercourse should
continue open on certain terms. For this there could
be no motive but a conviction that the commerce,
which had, almost wi:hout interruption, been carried,
from their first settlement, between the British West
Indies and the United States, was mutually beneficial.
it is, therefore, presumed to be the wish of both patties,
that an interdict, which has been the result of foitnitous
circumstances, may, if practicable, be removed.
Under that impression, the President of the United
States is willing to recommend to Coast's: at its next
Session, it. To open again the ports of the United
States to British vessels coming from the British Colo-
nies; allowing the entry. into the said ports, of British
vesels, laden with such British produce, or produce of
the British Colonies, as American vessels can lawlully
import. without paying any alien or discriminating du-
ties, and on payment only of the same and no higher
duties or charges of any kind, on either vessels or car-
goes, than are under the same circumstances payable by
American vessels or cargoel; 2dly, To abolish the re-
striction contained in the •Act of Congress of March,
182$, which confines the trade to a direct intercourse
between the British Colonies and the United States.
The effect of this measure will be to leave Great
Britain in the exclusive possession of the ckcuitous
trade between the United Kingdom and the United
Slaw, through the British Colonies. All the provisions
in former Acts of the Ametican Government, which
had been deemed objectionable by that of his Majesty,
will thereby be repealed. The condition contemplated
by the Act of Parliament, as it is now understood, will
be fulfilled: Every obstacle which had heretofore pie-
vented an arrangement,would, if this was still a subject.
of negotiation, be removed.
The Government of the United" States would have
had no doubt that, upop the passage of an Act of Con-
gress of that tenour, the interdict laid on American
Shipping under the Act of Parliament of 1825, would
be removed as a matter of course. bad it not been for
the declarations contained in the note of his Majesty's
Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the
undersigned. dated the llth of September 1826. ,
It was there announced, that " after having bees
compelled to apply to any country the Interdict pre-
scribed by the Act of 1825, the British GOvernmenf
cannot hold itself bound to remove that Interdict, as a
matter 01 course, whenever it may happen to Snit the
convenieice of the Foreign Government to reconsider
the measures by which the application of that Interdict
was occasioned."
A subsequent Act of Parliament contains prtivisiona
of a general nature, corresponding with that *declara-
tion ; but continues in force the discretionary powers
vested in his Majesty on the subject.
Under those circumstances the President cannot, it
would indeed be useless for him is make the intended
recommendation to Congress, and to agitate the ques-
don anew, without having previously ascertained the
intention of his Majesty's Government. Though not
bound to remove the Interdict as a matter of course, the
question is, whether they are disposed, under certain
contingencies, to do it at this time?
The undersigned has, therefore, been instructed to
inquire whether. if Congress should, during its next
Session, pass a law to the effett above stated, the Order
in Council of the 27th of July, 1826. will be revoked,
the discriminating duties on American vessels in the
, British Colonies be abolished. and those vessels be ale

Imsed to enjoy the privileges of trade end intercoorse
Aith thohe Colonies, according to the Act .ef Pat lie-

•
Malt of the sth of July. 181 I?
He prays Lord Dudley to favoor him with an answer
to that inquiry, the object of which is only to ascertain
the intentions of his Majesty's Goeernmeat, in reference
to an Act of the tenons abresaid, that should be passed,
by Congress at its next Session.
• It should be distinctly ondentoodohat thole mutual
Acts would not have the character of *Compact, and
chat thew only effect would be to open the trade for a
time without at all finding the parties; each remaining