Sentence:  The government of Great-Britain lost no time after the war was known, in making to our cabinet proposals for an <WSD>armistice</WSD>. Those proposals were like all propositions between equal states, perfectly reciprocal. They require of us to "suspend hostilities only", in consideration of suspending hostilities on their part. They are silent as to impressments—and would any person inquire why? It may be answered, that impressments had never been presented to Great-Britain "as in themselves the cause of war"— ... 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A formal agreement, especially between nations, to end combat.