er of a century ago. Of the sixteen members of the British
Cabinet which framed and presented it for the acceptance of the United
States, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Aberdeen, and all the rest but one,
are no more. The British Minister at Washington who signed it is
dead. Of American statesmen concerned in it, the Minister at London,
the President and Vice-President, the Secretary of State, and every one
of the President's constitutional advisers, except one, have passed
away. I alone remain, and after finishing the threescore years and ten
that are the days of our years, am selected by my country to uphold its
rights."

The decision of the Emperor was given on the 21st of October (1872).
The British Government accepted it cordially and Lord Granville
immediately instructed Sir Edward Thornton to propose that the two
Governments should resume the work of the boundary commission, which
was interrupted in 1859. In accordance with this proposition a chart
was immediately prepared and approved by both parties to the treaty.
It is unnecessary to point out the advantage to the United States of
the decision. A glance at the map will show it in full detail. The
conclusion of the negotiation enabled President Grant to say in his
message to Congress, December, 1872,--ninety years after the close of
the Revolutionary War,--"It leaves us for the first time in the
history of the United States as a nation, without a question of
disputed boundary between our territory and the possessions of Great
Britain on the American continent."

His Majesty's Government had needlessly lost six years in coming to
a settlement which was entirely satisfactory to the Government and
people of the United States. Indeed a settlement at the close of the
war could have been made with even less concession on the part of
Great Britain, and perhaps if it had been longer postponed the demands
of the Government of the United States might have increased. Wars have
grown out of less aggravation and dispute between nations; but the
Government of the United States had never anticipated such a result as
possible, and felt assured that in the end Great Britain would not
refuse to make the reparation honorably due.

The Arbitrators met in the ensuing December at Geneva, Switzerland,
and after a hearing of nine months agreed upon an award, made public
on the 14th of September, 1872. The judgment was that "the sum of
$15,500,000 in gold be paid by Great Britain t