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thousand opportunities ofiufOrmal intercourse with the agents of that Government

 propose, sir. to refer fO some particular parts of these instructions but before 1 do that, allow me to state, very generally. tIEs posture of that subject, to which those paF- ticulars relate. That subject was the stais of our trade with the British West India Colo nies. do not deem it necessary now to go minutely into all the history of that trade.- The occasion does not call for it. All know. that by the Convention of 1915, reciprocity of OfintercOurse was established between US and Great Britain. The ships Of both countries were allowed to pass, to and from each other respectively, with the same cargnes, and sub ject to the same duties. But this arrange ment did not extend 10 the British West In- dies. There. our intercourse was cut off, ] Various discriminating and retaliatOry acts were passed, by England and by the United States. Eventually, in the summer of 1895, the English Parliament passed an act, offer ing reciprocity, so fur 0s the mere carrying trade was concerned, to all nations, who might choose, within one year, to accept that offer. Mir. Adams Administration did not accept | that offer; first. because it was never Oficial- Iy communicated to it; secondly, because, l only few months before, a negotiation on | the very same subject had been suspended,

 

 stunned and thirdly. because it was very de- srable to arrange the whole matter, if possi- blr, hy Treaty, in order to secure, if wo could. 1 the admission of our products intO the British IIsldnds for consumption. as we'll as the admis- sion of our vessels. This object had been earnestly pursued ever since the peace. of 1915. It was insisted on, as every body knows, through the whole of Mir. Monroe's Administration. He would not treat at all. without treating of this object. He thought the existing state of things better than any arrangement, which. while it admitted our ucssels into West India Ports, still left our productions subject to such duties there. that they could not be carried.

 Now, sir. MT. Adams Administration was not the first to take this ground. It only oc- I cupied the same position which its prSdeccs- sor had taken. l saw no important objects tO be gained by changing the state of Ofthings, un- less that change was to admit our products into the British West Indies, directly frOnl our ports, and not burdrned with excessive duties. The direct trade, by English enact ments and American enactments, had be- come closed. No British ship came here fro n the British West Indies. No American ship went from us to those places. A circuit tons trade took place, through the Islands Of third Powers; and the circuitOus trade was, in many respects, not disadvantageOus to us.

 In this state of things, sir. Mr. McLane was sent to England; and he received his in structiOns from the Secretary of State. In these instructions, and in relation to this sub ject of the Colonial Trade. are found the sen timents of which complain.

 1 Here Mr. Webster quotes from ths n- structlons ofMr. Van Buren, especially those quoted by MT. Chambers, and comments up- on them.

 Sir submit to you, and to the candor of all just men. if am not right in saying, that the prevailing topic, through the whole, is, not American Rights, not American interests. not American defence, hut denunciation Of past pretensions of our own country, rsdec 1 tiOns on the past Administration. and exmlta- ton, and loud claim of merit, for the Ad- mnstratian now in power. Sir, would for give mistakes; would pardon the want of information; would pardon almost any ] thing, where saw true patriotism anG sound l American feeling: but cannot forgive the sacrifice of this feeling to mere Party. ! cannot concur in sending abroad public a- gent who has not conceptions so large and liberal. as to feel, that in the presence of for eisn Courts, amidst the mOnarchies of Eu- rope. he is to stand up for his country, and his | whole country; that nO iOt nor title of her l honor is to come to harm in his hands that he is not 10 suffer others to rrproach either his Government or his Country, and far less is he himselftO reproach either: that be is fo have no objects in his eye hut American Ob- jects, and no heart in his bosom hut an Amer ican heart and that he Is to forget self, to forget party, to forget every sinister and mar row feeling, in his proud and lofty attachment to the Republic, whose commission he bears.

 MT. President, have discharged an ex- ceedingly unpleasant duty. the most pnpIeas- ant of my public life. But have looked up- on it as duty. and it was not to be summed. And, sir, however unimportant may be the O. pinion of SO humble an individual as myself. now only wish that might be heard by eve ry Independent Freeman in the United States. by the British Minister. and the British King. and by every Minister and every crowned head in Europe, while standing here in my place, l pronounce my rebuke, as solemn'y and as decisiveIy as can, upon this first in stance, in which an American Minister has been sent abroad, as the Representative oC his Party. and not as the Representative Of his Country.