The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1814-10-26


conceive that they cannot give better PROOF
OF their sincere desire for the restors,ion OF
peacc' than by protesting their willingness to
aecsps ptovisioaai article upon those hceds
IN the event OF the American plenipotentiaries
considering themselves authorized TO accede
to the general principles, upon which such an
article ought TO be founded. With yiewto
| enable the American plcnipoten,ia,ies to de-
! decide, how far the conclusion OF such an mr..
iieic IS within the limit of heir general dscre.
| tion, the Undersigned are directed TO state,
| folly and distinctly, The basis upon which a.
lone Ireat Britain sees any prospec, OF adyon.
| tagc IN the continuance Of the negotiations az
! the, present time.
~ nc undersigned have already had the hon.
or OF stslng 10 the American plenipotcntia-
ries, hat In considering the points above re,
tercd TO as arsinc Qua aon Of any treaty of
peaee' tho view OF The British ~Sover nment
isthe permanent tranquility and security OF
the Indian nations, and the prevention of those
Jealousies and irlitations to which the frel
quent alteration OF the Indian limits has here,
toiorc given rise.
For this purpose i, is indispensably ueces-
sary, that the Indian nations who have heen
during the war in alliance with Great Britain
should, at tho termination OF the war, be inclu.
ded in the paci6ca,ion.
lis equally necessary that deHnate boun.
cary should be assigned to the Indians, and
that the contracting parties. should guarantee
the integrity Of their territory, byu mutual
stipulation, not to acquire by purchase or
otherwise, any territory within tho speci6cd
hmI;s. The British government ore willing
10 taKe, as the basis OF an article on this sub
| 1ec,, those stipuIalions oftho treaty OF Green.
Vile, subject to notifications, which relate ID
boundary line. t
as the undersigned are dcsirousk of sta.
ing every pon, in connection with the sub.
| Ject, which may rcssonably influence tho
decision OF tho American Plenipotenliaries
10 the exercise OF their discretion, they avsit
themselves OF this opportunity TO repeat what
they have already stated, that Great. Britain
| desires the revision ol the frontier bctwcen
her North American dominons and lhose of
the United States, not with any view to an
| acquisition ot territory, as such but for the
purpose Of securing her possessions, and pre-.
venting future disputes.
The British government cousiderthc Lakes
from Lake Ontario TO Lake Superior, both
inclusive, to be the natural military frontier
OF the British possessions in North Amcrica,
| AS the weaker power on the North American
continent, is the least capable of acting often.
sIveIy, and the most exposed TO sudden nva-
sion Great Britain considers the military oc-
cupation OF these lakes, as necessary 10 the
security oi her domInicns. A boundary limo
equally dividing these waters, with a righe
to each na,ion TO ~ m, bot h upon the lakes aud
upon their shores, is calculated TO create con,
test ior naval ascendancy IN peace rs we'll as
IN war;. The power which occupies these
Lakes should rs necessary result, have tho
military occupation Of both shores.
In iurtherance Of this obiect the British
government is prepared to propose boundary!
but as this might be miscoIslrued as an in!
tehticn to extend their posse sions 10 the south
ward OF the lakes, which is by no means the oh.
Jcct they have in view, they are disposed 10
leave The territorial limits undis,urbcd, and
os incident 10 them, the free commercial nav.
lgalIon ol the lakes, provided that tho AmeriA
can government viii slipuIs,c not to mnin,aia
or construc', any Notifications upon, or with
in Limited distance ofthe shores, or maintain
or construct any armed vessels upon the lakes
IN ducs.ion,or In tho rivers which empty lhem1
selves into che same.
1t this can be adjusted, there will then re.
main ior discussion the arrangement Of tho
north western boundary between Lake Sud
perior and tds Mississippi, the free navigation
OF that river, and such a vacation of the limo
or frontier as may secure direct commune
cation between Quebec and Halifax.
The undersigned trust, that the full state
mcat which they have made OF the views and
objects Of the British government in requir-
ing the paciica,ion Of the Indian nations, and
permancns limit to their territories, will cr1
able the American Plenipoten,iarics to con.
cIude provisional article upon the basis "a.
bove sia,ed. Should they feel II necessary 70
refer 10 the government Of the United States
for further iqsituc,ioss, the r:dcrsigped feel
it Incumbent upon them, to acquaint tho a.
msrican Plenipo,ebtiaries, that the govern.
men, cannot be precluded BY any thing that
has PASSED from varying the termsst present,