_Washington, June 26, 1840_.
H.S. FOX, Esq., etc.:
The undersigned, Secretary of State of the United States, has had the
honor to receive a note addressed to him on the 22d instant by Mr. Fox,
envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Great Britain,
inclosing printed copies of the report and map laid before the British
Government by the commissioners employed during the last season
to survey the territory in dispute between the two countries, and
communicating the consent of Her Britannic Majesty's Government to the
two principles which form the main foundation of the counter proposition
of the United States for the adjustment of the question.
The undersigned, having laid Mr. Fox's note before the President, is
instructed to say in answer that the President duly appreciates the
motives of courtesy which prompted the British Government to communicate
to that of the United States the documents referred to, and that he
derives great satisfaction from the announcement that Her Majesty's
Government do not relinquish the hope that the sincere desire which is
felt by both parties to arrive at an amicable settlement will at length
be attended with success, and from the prospect held out by Mr. Fox of
his being accordingly furnished by an early opportunity with the draft
of a proposition amended in conformity with the principles to which Her
Majesty's Government has acceded, to be submitted to the consideration
of this Government.
Mr. Fox states that his Government might have expected that when the
American counter draft was communicated to him some reasons would have
been given to explain why the United States Government declined
accepting the British draft of convention, or that if it thought the
draft was not in conformity with previous agreement it would have
pointed out in what respect the two were considered to differ.
In the note which the undersigned addressed to Mr. Fox on the 29th July
of last year, transmitting the American counter draft, he stated that in
consequence of the then recent events on the frontier and the danger of
collision between the citizens and subjects of the two Governments a
mere commission of exploration and survey would be inadequate to the
exigencies of the occasion and fall behind the just expectations of the
people of both countries, and referred to the importance of having the
measure next adopted bear upon its face stipulations which must result
in a final settlement under some form and in a reasonable time. These
were the reasons which induced the President to introduce in the new
project the provisions which he thought calculated for the attainment
of so desirable an object, and which in his opinion rendered obviously
unnecessary any allusion to the previous agreements referred to by Mr.
Fox. The President is gratified to find that a concurrence in those
views has brought the minds of Her Majesty's Government to a similar
conclusion, and from this fresh indication of harmony in the wishes of
the two cabinets he permits himself to anticipate the most satisfactory
result from the measure under consideration.
The undersigned avails himself of the opportunity to offer to Mr. Fox
renewed assurances of his distinguished consideration.