Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-10-15

ed) that Great Britain was to retain The
right of having m armed naval f,csc on
those Lakes, and of hoiding ,niirasy posts
and establishments on their shores.
2. The boundary iin. west of Lake Supe~
rior, and thence Co the Mississippi. To he re-
vised and tho treaty right of Great Britain
to the navigation of the Mississippi, II be
continued. When askel, whether they did
not mean the line from the Lake of the
Woods TO the Mississiooi,t the BRITISH con-
missioners repeated. that they meant the
line from lake Superior to that river.
81 A direct com nnnicaripn from Halifax
AMI the province os New Diunswick tn Q is-
Doc. to be secured TO Great Britain Ia aa-
swer to our question. in what manner this
vas tn be effected. we were told that it
mustbe doneb a cession to G. Britain of that
portion OF the district OF Maine lin the state of
Of Massachusetts) which intervenes between
New Brunswick and Quebec, and prevents
that direct Communication.
I Reversing to the proposed provisional arr
ticle, respecting the Ind.an pacitication and
boundary, the British Commissioners coaclu>
ded bv stating to us. that il the conferences
should be suspended by our refusa! to agree
to such an article, without having obtained
further instructions from our government,
Great Britain would not consider herself
bolndto abide by the terms which she snow
offered. but would be at liberty to vary and
regulate her demands According to sa5se.
quent events, and in such manner as the state
OF the war, at the time OF renewing the ne
gotiaticns, might warrant.
We asked whether. the abatement made,
respecting the proposed revision of the boun
dairy line between the United States and til.
doninions of Great Britain, embraced all the
objects she meant to bring forward for dis.
cussion. and what we're. particularly, her
views with respect To Moose Island, * such
other Islands in the Bay of Passamaquodiy.
as had been IN our possessi IN ILL the present
war. but had been lately captured We
were answered. that those Islands. belong
ing of right to Great Britaia, Gas much so,
one of the Commissioners said. as North
amptonshire,) they would certainly be kept
ny her. and we're not even supposed to be an
object of discussion.
From the forcible manner in which the
demand. that the United States should keep
no naval armed force on the Lakes, nor any
military post on their shores, hal been bro's
forward. we were induced to inquire .whe>
Their this condition was almost meant as a
sine qua non2 To this the British Com
missioaers declined giving a positive an
swer. They said that they had been suffi-
GENTLY explicit that they had given us one
sine qua non, and when we had disposed
ofth,t, it would be time enough to give us
an answer as &c another.
We then stated tha., considering the ma
/ ture and Importance Of the communication
made this day, we wished the British com.
miss;oaers to reduce their proposals to yri-
ting, before we gave them an answer /; this
ti,%5 agreed to and promised to send us an
official note without delay.
We need hardly BAY that the demands Of
Great Britain will receive from rs an uuani~
mus and decided negative. We do not
deem it necessary TO detam the John Adams
for the purpose Of transmitting to you the
official notes which may pass on the subject
and close the negotiation. And We have
felt it our duty i'm mediately to apprize you,
oy this hasty, but correct sketch of our last
conference. that there is not. at present, any
hope of peace.
We have the honor to be, sir, with per-
feet respect, Your obeiIient servants,
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS,
] A. BAYARD,
II. CLAY,
IONA. RUSSELL,
ALBERT GALLATIN.
Note Of the British Commissioners.