h, who had recently returned from
France where he had been in direct intercourse with him, was understood
to be of all the cabinet the best disposed to the United States. From
Clay Gallatin heard in reply that the British _charge d'affaires_ at
Stockholm had already asked the sanction of the Swedish government to
the negotiation at Gottenburg. While Clay was unwilling to go to London
he gave his consent to carry on the negotiations in Holland, if the
arrangement could be made in such a manner as to avoid any ill feeling
at the Swedish court by the change from Gottenburg. In May Gallatin and
Bayard asked of Monroe, who was then secretary of state, authority for
the commissioners to remove the negotiation to any place which their
judgment should prefer. In May, also, the British government was
officially notified by the American commissioners of their appointment.
Lord Bathurst answered with an assurance that commissioners would be
forthwith appointed for Great Britain, and with a proposal of Ghent as
the place for negotiation. This was at once acceded to.

Meanwhile Mr. Crawford, the United States minister at Paris, was
endeavoring, at the instance of Mr. Gallatin, to secure the friendly
interposition of the Emperor Alexander, not as a mediator, but as a
common friend and in the interest of peace to the civilized world.
Crawford was unable to obtain an audience of the emperor, or even an
interview with Count Nesselrode, but Lafayette took up the cause with
his hearty zeal for everything that concerned the United States, and, in
a long interview with the emperor at the house of Madame de Stael,
submitted to him the view taken by the United States of the controversy,
and obtained from him his promise to exert his personal influence with
the British government on his arrival at London. Baron von Humboldt, the
Prussian minister at Paris, who had been influenced by British
misrepresentation, was also won over by Lafayette, and now tendered his
services to Mr. Gallatin in any way in which he might be made useful.
Lafayette's letter was brought by Humboldt in person. Gallatin and
Humboldt had met in 1804, when the great traveler passed through
Washington on his return from Peru and Mexico.

The Treaty of Paris having been signed, Lord Castlereagh reached London
early in June, and the emperor arrived a few days later. Mr. Gallatin
had an audience of the emperor on June 17, and on the 19th submitted an
official statement of the