New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-13

Cdlldtln, IN QSIlidyJ ON6bNN va
Paris to seek the aid of the Car, who was
then in that capital, but neither Alexander nor
his minister, Nesselrode, who had SUCCEEDED
Romanzoff would so much as grant him an IN
terview. Then Lafayette took up the case and
pleaded with the Car, at Nine. de Staels
house. with the result that the Car promised
that when he went over to London he would
do what he could for the Americans. But
when Alexander got to London ne told Gal-
latin that he could do nothing for him, and
soon thereafter he began to plan the distinctly
anti-American policies of the Holy Alliance
CONTRAST BETWEEN BRITISH AND
AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS.
Thus deserted by their one supposed friend,
the American commissioners resolved to rely
3 upon their own resources. They arranged to
have the negotiations conducted on neutral
soil at Client, and repaired thither in August,
1914 TO meet their British antagonists. Be-
tween the two commissions there was strik-
ing difference. The FIVE Americans were among
the ablest and most resolute men that this
country then possessed Adams, the chairman,
was an expert diplomat and international law
yer. without superior in the world in intel
lectual keenness and controversial skill. Gal
latin was man of commanding ability and OF
a fine diplomatic temperament, well htted to
counteract the somewhat harsh and arrogant
manner Of Adams Clay was hne repre-
sentative of the younger element of the West;
Russell was an equally good representative OF
New England and the East generally, and Bay
ard united in himself the principles OF both the
great political parties of America. Opposed
to these were only three British ENJOYS Lord
Gambler was a naval officer OF dscreditable
repute; Henry Goulbourn was tyro in diplo-
macy, and William Adams was an academic
urist. The three had apparently been selected
because they mediocrities and could there
fore be trusted to take no initiative, but me-
chanically to reflect the mind of the British
Ministry.
THE DEADLOCK AT CLIENT, AND APP
PARENT FAILURE.
The conferences began with deadlock. The
British demanded the surrender of the North
west Territories as an Indian domain The
Americans refused so much as to consider the
demand The negotiations therefore ceased,
and the Americans began to pack their trunks
for return home. Meanwhile the war con-
tinued Chippewa and Lundy's Lane were
fought while the commissioners were proceed
ing to Client, and the raid upon Washington,
the repulse at Baltimore and the Battle Of Lake
Champlan followed hard upon their first meet
ings. But before the Americans could leave
Client Lord Castlereagh himself called there,
on his way to that Congress of Vienna which
was to reorganize Europe. He asked the
Americans to wait until he could make new
proposals. They did so, and he submitted his
views in writing, out-Heroding the Herod OF
his commissioners. America was to reinquish
the Northwest Territories and all OF Lake Su-
perior Lake Michigan and Lake Huron and
the northern and eastern parts Of Maine, and
was TO have no naval vessels on Lake Erie or
Lake Ontario, and Great Britain was to have
a. full rights of navigation on the Mississippi
River. Adams and his colleagues wrote
notably resoute and forceful reply to the effect
that they would not so much as consider or
refer to their home government any such pro-
posals. They then reported to Washington
the failure of the peace negotiations Adams
prepared to return to ST. Petersburg, Clay to
go to Paris, and Russell to Sweden, to which
country he was minister, while Gallatin and
This news reached the United States when the
people were still exulting over Lundy's Lane
and Lake Champlain when they were exas-
perated the burning OF Washington, and
when they learning to sing The Star
Spangled Banner and they grimly resolved
to fight the war out to the bitter end.
CONFERENCES ARE RESUMED UPON
LORD CASTLEREAGHS REQUEST.
Then Castlereagh saw a great light. Dis
regarding the fact that he had himself done
worse than they, he gave his commissioners
wigging for their extreme demands, and asked
for a renewal of negotiations on the basis of
a complete REIMBURSEMENT of those demands.
With that triumph the Americans resumed the
conferences, making the counter demand that
the old territorial boundaries as they existed
before the should be restored at all points
To this the British demurred and threatened
TO break off negotiations again. 1t was actual
ly suggested by some hot heads in London that
the Duke OF Wellington should be sent to
America, either to command the British army
or to negotiate peace here. But the Duke re-
piled that if he came hither he could do moth
ing in military way without the control Of
the Great Lakes, and he saw no way in which
that could be secured while as for terms Of
peace, he regarded the Americans as quite
right in their demand for the restoration of the