Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-01-17
THE BRITISH TREATY.

Documents transmitted By the President Il
the Senate, tcih the Conretttion of Com.
merce betlceen Great Britain and thu
United States
Extract of letter frem the Americas
Commissioners, Messrs. Clay aud Gal
latin, to the Secretary Of State, dated
LoNDoN, May 10, 1915.
Having had reason to believe, that the
British government had abstained from an
swering the communication of the joins
commission from Client of the day of
December, 1914, until they received Off
Cial information of the American ratifca.
ton oil the Treaty ofPeace, we thought it
advisable, soon after that event was known
to us TO repair to this city, in order that
we might ascertain the disposition of the
government as to the commercial inter-
course between the two countries.
Shortly after our arrival here we were
invited by lord Castlereagh to an inter
view with him. A minute of the sub
stance of the conversation which took
place on that occasion, as drawn up and
agreed to by the par ties, is enclosed. We
communicated to MIR. Goulburu, the mex,
day, our answer upon the three subjects to
which the conversation related.
In the interview with lord Castlereaell.
he had stated, that four or FIVE days might.
be necessary on their part, to prepare for
the proposed conversation. Nearly three
weeks having elapsed without hearing fur.
ther on the subject, we took what apDea,-
ed to US, fit occasion too iutimateur in
tentl0n of leaving London. A few DAYS
after, we received al invitation from the
vice president of the board OF trade, Mr..
Robinson, to call at his Office on the IlthI
instant we accordingly attended. and
were received by hin and Messrs. Soul!
burn and Adams, two of the British com
InissiOners, who had negotiated the treaty
OF Client.
They opened the conversation by adj
verting to what had led to this interview.
and proteSsed themselves to be ready toll
receive any propositions we might choose
to make. We observed that in the troa
ties which America had heretofore made.
particularly with this country, regulating
commercial intercourse, there were gene
rally comprised two subjects, one, which
respected commercial regulations, appli-
cable to a state ofpeace, as we'll as of war
the other, which respected the rights and
duties OF The parties, one being at war.
and the other remaining at peace. Ac
c0rdingiy, our government had instructed
Us to bring forward both those subjects.
AS to the commercial intercourse, with
out at this time going into details, OF mi
nor points. which it might be necessary in
tlc progress of the negotiation to adjust.
we would content ourselves in this unolTi-
Cial conversation, with touching on the
most important topics, which it seemed to
us desirable TO discuss and arrange
These were, that the two countries should
respectively be placed or the footing of the
nation the most favored tliat in the trade
between America and the British European
dOmiaious, all discriminating duties, Oh
tonnage and on merchandise, either inn
ported, or exported, should be abolishcd.-
That the trade between America and the
British West Indies should be regulated.
and placed on some more permanent basis.
than the occasional acts of the colonial AN
thorities That the nature and kind of in.
terc0urse between America and the adj
joining British provinces should be de6n-
ed, aud provided for: And that the trade
with the British India possessions should
be opened 20 America on liberal principles
Ia regard to the discriminating duties.
we remarked, that proposition to abolish
them, tlrst came itom Great Britain, and
provision to that effect was inserted IN
the unratihed treaty Of 1906. Congress.
had taken up tie matter at their last ses
sion, dad passed an act, which we explain
ed. We thought it desirable that the,
should be abolished, in order to preyenf
those collisions, and that system Of com.