John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

22. IV:15. Continued the copying of papers; finished the altered project of the Treaty, and began with the Protocol of the first of this Month. Mr Cornelissen called upon me at eleven this morning, and I went with him to see the manufactory of cotton thread of Mr Rossiell. The carding and spinning of the cotton is done by the operation of a steam engine. The works are extensive in one large building of five Stories. Mr Rossiell regrets the French Government, and is abhorrent of the English, whose competition ruins the manufactures of this Country— His among the rest.— Not half of his machines are now employed— He says he told the Prince of Orange—“When we were French, they were all at work, Night and day”— I went afterwards with Mr Cornelissen, and saw the Library of a Mr Lammens, who lives in the house of one of the old suppressed Convents, the Dominicans— The collection of books is large and valuable, but with scarcely any modern books— After returning home, I walked round the Coupure, and as I was coming back met in the Street Mr Bayard, who told me that the answer from the British Plenipotentiaries, to our last Note had been received— That it accepted our proposal to say nothing in the Treaty about the fisheries or the Navigation of the 197Mississippi, and indeed placed the remaining points of controversy at our own disposal. As soon as I came in to my chamber, Mr: Gallatin brought me the Note. It agrees to be silent upon the Navigation of the Mississippi, and the fisheries, and to strike out the whole of the eighth Article, marking the boundary from the Lake of the Woods westward. They also refer again to their declaration of the 8th: of August, that Great-Britain would not hereafter grant the liberty of fishing and drying and curing fish within the exclusive British Jurisdiction, without an equivalent— They accepted our proposed paragraph respecting the Islands in Passamaquoddy-Bay, with the exception of a clause for their restitution if the contested title to them, should not be settled within a limited time— Instead of which they gave a declaration that no unnecessary delay of the settlement should be interposed by Great-Britain— Mr Gallatin asked me whether I thought, as they had referred to their declaration of 8 August, concerning the fisheries, it would be necessary to write a note, referring again to our Construction of the Treaty of 1783. and to our right to the fisheries under it.— I said that as we had twice stated it and in terms peculiarly strong in our last Note, I did not think any further written declaration upon the subject necessary. Mr Gallatin asked me to write immediately a Note to Mr Boyd, requesting him to be himself, and to direct the Captain of the Transit to be ready to start at a moments notice, which I did— Mr Clay soon after came into my chamber, and on reading the British Note, manifested some Chagrin— He still talked of breaking off the Negotiation, but he did not exactly disclose the motive of his ill-humour, which was however easily seen through.— He would have much preferred the proposed 8th: Article with the proposed British paragraph, formally admitting that the British right to navigate the Mississippi, and the American right to the fisheries within British Jurisdiction were both abrogated by the War. I think his conversation with Lord Gambier on the subject last week, at their dinner the day before we sent our Note, had the tendency to induce the British to adhere to their paragraph, and that Clay is disappointed at their having given it up.— And he has so entire an ascendancy over Mr Russell, though a New-England man, and claiming to be a Massachusetts-Man that Russell repeatedly told me last week, when I assured him that I would not sign the Treaty, with an Article admitting that our right to any part of the fisheries was forfeited, that he should be sorry to sign a Treaty without me; but that he did not think that part of the fisheries an object for which the war should be continued— That he was for insisting upon it as long as possible, but for giving it up at last if the British would not sign without it— We agreed to meet at half-past seven O’Clock this Evening— Mr Cornelissen dined with us— At half-past-seven in the Evening we met, and Mr Clay continued in his discontented humour— He was for taking time to deliberate upon the British Note— He was for meeting about it to-morrow Morning; he was sounding all round for support in making another stand of resistance at this stage of the business— He evidently thought himself sure of Russell’s vote— He said that as to Mr Gallatin and Mr Bayard he knew they were too eager, for Peace— At last he turned to me and asked me, whether I would not join him now, and break off the Negotiation— I told him no— It was now too late— I had offered to break off on the Indian Article, which he had not chosen to do— There was nothing now to break off upon— Well! said he; will you be of the same opinion to-morrow?—perhaps not, said I; but you can easily ascertain; by asking the question again to-morrow.— Gallatin and Bayard, who appeared not to know where it was that Clay’s shoe pinched him, were astonished at what they heard, and Gallatin shewed some impatience, at what he thought mere unseasonable trifling— He said at last that he had no objection to Mr Clay’s amusing himself in that way, as long as he thought proper— But as soon as he should chuse to be serious, he Gallatin would propose that Mr Hughes should be requested to call this Evening upon the British Plenipotentiaries, and ask a conference with them for to-morrow.— Clay was still for taking time, and Mr Russell, called for the vote— He put the question himself, I suppose to avoid voting himself— Mr Bayard, Mr Gallatin and myself voted to ask for the Conference, and Clay voted against it— After the meeting adjourned I went and passed an hour at Mr Smith’s where I found Madame de la Poterie.