“In the treaty with Central America was first introduced the great principle, that the national and foreign vessels should be equally allowed to introduce into their respective countries merchandize without regard to its origin. The principle had been adopted in the convention with England of 1815, negotiated by Messrs. Adams, Gallatin and me, of permitting the vessels of the two countries to import the productions of the two countries, on terms of entire equality; but it was restricted to the productions of G. B. and the U. S. It did not admit of an English vessel importing into the U. S. the produce of any country other than G. B., nor vice versa. By the treaty with Central America, which I negotiated, on the contrary, an American vessel may carry into its ports the produce of any country of the four quarters of the world, on the same terms as it can be imported by a national vessel, and vice versa. This has been a model treaty, which has been followed in several treaties afterwards negotiated.
“My instructions to Mr. Brown on our claims against France cost me much labor, and were favorably thought of by others.
“But my great work was the preparation of the instructions intended for our commissioners who were to meet first at Panama and afterwards at Tacubaya. If you could take the trouble to read them, you would obtain a better conception of my views than any I can now give you, as to the liberal basis on which the commerce of theworld should be placed. I there argue and endeavor to have established the principle that private property on the ocean shall enjoy the same safety and protection to which it is entitled on land. And all the maritime principles in favor of free trade, against spurious blockades, &c., for which we had so long and so earnestly contended, are sought to be established at the proposed congress.
“These instructions are almost exclusively my sole work. Without consulting any body particularly, I engaged in their preparation, and afterwards submitted the draft of them to the President and his Cabinet. They run into about eighty pages of manuscript, and I do not think that the alterations which, on the scrutiny of these gentlemen, they underwent, amounted altogether to one page; and these related chiefly to the projected connexion between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. I was disposed to go a little farther than my colleagues.
“The relations in which I stood to the Diplomatic Corps, during the whole of Mr. Adams’s administration, and to every member of it, were of the most cordial and friendly character. It was impossible, I think, that business could have been transacted more satisfactorily to all parties. I have reason to believe, that up to this moment, the members of that corps who were associated with me, retain lively recollections of our amicable feelings and intercourse.
“I will not dwell on this subject: but must refer you, for any deficiencies, to my public acts and the transactions of the day.
“I will add that I introduced into the Department, as vacancies from time to time occurred, (I created none) some most accomplished assistants, several of whom were found to be so necessary that they escaped the general proscription.
“I think it very probable that your feelings towards me have been sometimes misunderstood and misrepresented. Certainly, in our personal intercourse, I never discovered any evidence of hostility or prejudice. Candor obliges me to say that I have sometimes seen in your paper what I thought bore testimony of an inimical spirit; but your frank assurance now convinces me that I was mistaken. We have been in the midst, during these late years, of the most exciting scenes in our public affairs. I do not much underrate the power which I was opposing—certainly not its disastrous tendency. I felt that I was struggling for the country, for its civil liberty, its institutions, its prosperity, its value. I felt that I had a good title to the support of all honorable and intelligent men. Perhaps I have been sometimes too sensitive, when I thought that support was not yielded, and have censured too hastily when I supposed a measure of zeal in the public cause was not displayed by others equal to my own. With best wishes for your health and prosperity, I am
“Your friend and obedient servant,
“H. CLAY.