March 1816.
r
Smith made copies of the other Papers to be sent. After
breakfast we went into London. I stopped at Lord Castlereagh’s and he
received me. He apologized for not having yet answered my late Notes, as
having been unwell, and much pressed with business in Parliament. I told
him there was but one of them which required immediate attention, and
that was the one relating to the Discrimination between British, and
American Vessels in Ireland. Since my last Note to him on that subject,
I had received a new statement from Ireland, upon a representation from
several Masters of American Vessels now at Londonderry, waiting for a
decision of this Government; and who, if that should be against them,
would be obliged to go away in ballast, or to come to this Country for
freight. He enquired how it was in America, with regard to the Execution
of the Convention of 3. July last; and mentioned the account he had seen
in the Newspapers, that the Bill for carrying it into effect, passed by
the house of Representatives had been rejected by the Senate. I told him
that I had received no Communication from the Government on the subject;
but the Convention having been ratified, was by the Constitution of the
United States the Supreme Law of the Land; and the introduction and the
failure of the Bill in question could only proceed, as indeed it was
stated in the newspapers, from a difference of opinion between the two
houses, as to the mode of giving effects to the Convention— He asked if
in the mean time the Convention was actually carried into effect; and if
so from what time the execution had commenced. I said I had no doubt it
was in full execution; for as it was the Law of the Land, the extra
duties upon British Vessels could not be levied in contravention to it.
As to the time when it had commenced, I could not say.— The purport of
the Convention was, that when ratified, it should be binding upon the
parties, for four years from the time of the signature. This variation
from the usual term of Commencement, the exchange of the Ratifications,
had been introduced at the desire of the British
Plenipotentiaries; and I had some conversation concerning
it, soon after the conclusion of the Convention; first transiently with
Mr Robinson, who had been one of the
British Plenipotentiaries, and afterwards with the Earl of Liverpool. For some time
after the signature, an extra duty upon Cotton imported in American
Vessels had been levied. An order of Council had then issued placing the
Vessels of the two Nations on the same footing. My own opinion had been
that the Convention was binding on both parties from the day of the
signature; and that whatever duties contrary to it had been levied must
be refunded. I had communicated all these Circumstances to the American
Government, and had received for answer, that the President had not issued a
Proclamation, corresponding to the Order in Council; because the Order
had never been communicated, and because it did not extend to Tonnage
duties— That the Convention would be ratified, and after that, if there
was any diversity of opinion as to the time of its commencement, it
might be arranged by a mutual understanding between the two Governments—
But then, said Lord Castlereagh, there is yet something to be done to
carry the Convention into effect, and I will ask Mr Robinson to appoint some time when I will ask you to see
him, and come to some arrangement about it— Particularly as there would
be a great inconvenience in refunding duties already collected— In the
mean time we will endeavour to settle this matter in Ireland, without
touching upon the question as to the right— Either by enlarging the
privilege of American Vessels, to take a number of Passengers in equal
proportion with British Vessels, or by reducing the numbers that British
Vessels may take, to the same proportion, to which American Vessels are
restricted. I said that in either case, we should be satisfied; but it
was necessary the vessels of the two Countries should be placed on the
same footing— Particularly as I was now given to understand that the
discrimination extended to the amount of the Cargo, as well, as to the
number of the Passengers— It was by an Act of Parliament described to me
as being known by the name of the Passengers Act; but I had not seen it;
and knew not when it had past; or what were more particularly its
provisions. With regard to the extra-duties levied at the Trinity-House,
Lord Castlereagh said it was not in the power of the Government to
remove them— They had been laid for the maintenance of Light-Houses: the
Trinity House was specially privileged to collect them, and they were
not considered as among the duties and charges contemplated by the
Convention. I told him that as we had similar charges for the
maintenance of Light-Houses, the principal object must be to have a
decision; as the principle must of course be reciprocal. I then observed
that it was announced in the Newspapers that the Queen would hold a Drawing-Room next
Thursday; and I had thought it probable her Majesty might fix that time
to grant me an Audience— She had appointed a time for that purpose, at
the last 406Drawing Room which she held, in the
Autumn; upon the arrival of the Austrian
Archdukes— I was then confined to my house by illness, and
could not avail myself of Her Majesty’s Condescencion. I wished also to
know whether Mrs Adams would be received by
the Queen at the same time, and as she must ask the favour of Lady Castlereagh to present her, she
wished to know when it would be convenient to her Ladyship to see her—
He said, he believed the paragraph in the Newspaper was a mistake— That
the Queen would hold no Drawing-Room next week; nor until after the
Prince Regent’s return to town.
That he hoped the Prince would return next week. He was entirely
recovered from the Gout; but still had a weakness in the joints, which
made it difficult for him to stand— But whenever the Queen should hold
her Drawing-Room, I should have notice. Lady Castlereagh was usually at
home every Morning, until 2. O’Clock, and would be glad to see Mrs Adams, whenever it should suit her
convenience— I told Lord Castlereagh that I had a Commission for a
Consul to present, which I should take to the foreign-office; and that I
had received the Copies of the papers for which I had applied to him— I
asked him what fees were to be paid for them, and he referred me to
Mr
Hamilton— He said he had been for some days unwell with an
influenza that was going about; and the house of Commons was no place
for recovering from such a complaint. He was however now much better and
hoped to get out again by next Monday From Lord Castlereaghs I went to
the Office in Craven-Street; and soon afterwards General Scott came in. He informed me
that he intended to leave town next Sunday, to visit Scotland, and to be
at Liverpool, to embark for the United States, by the 20th: of this Month; unless his impatience
should grow upon him and hasten still more his departure— A War between
the United States and Spain appears inevitable; and the General hastens
home, to have his share in the Service— He says he was told yesterday,
by six or seven members of Parliament, that if we should not undertake
any thing against the Island of Cuba, nor endeavour to obtain any
exclusive privileges from the South-Americans, the Ministers here could
not engage this Nation in a War against us, for the sake of Spain— Would
that the experiment may not be tried— After General Scott took leave, I
went down to the Foreign-Office, and enquired, for Mr Cooke
and Mr Hamilton, the Under Secretaries of
State. Neither of them was there, and Mr
Cooke has been for some days unwell. I saw Mr Bidwell the Chief
Clerk, gave him Mr Ingraham’s Commission, and
enquired for that of Mr Luke— Bidwell knew nothing about it; and after
sending to another part of the Office to enquire, and waiting some time
without receiving an Answer, he told me he supposed the exequatur was
not ready, owing to the Prince Regents illness. After returning to
Craven-Street, I went to the Morning Chronicle-Office, and to the shop,
where Cobbett’s Register is
published to procure the papers for the last six weeks, to send to
Mr
Jackson at Paris— I could procure only three odd numbers
of Cobbett; and none of the Morning Chronicle. The tax of four pence
Sterling upon every Newspapers, prevents the Editors from printing any
supernumerary Sheets— I took this day’s Chronicle, and left it with the
odd sheets of Cobbett to be sent by Mr Gallaudet— This Gentleman is
desirous of obtaining through the medium of the Danish Minister or otherwise, a
publication of a Dr Castberg, employed by the Danish Government to
travel for information relative to the Institutions, for instructing the
deaf and dumb— I wrote a Note to Mr Bourke,
enquiring if he could put me in the way of procuring that publication—
The Carriage came as I had ordered it at five O Clock; but Richard brought with him a man named
Robert Martin, whom he
recommended to be footman in his place— He detained me some time to make
enquiries concerning him; and it was thus near 7 O’Clock when I got
home— No Evening after dinner— George had been at home from Noon— Dr
Nicholas, who is a Welshman, having given his boys a half
Holiday, for St:
David’s day.— I received a Letter from Coll:
Aspinwall.