together with the
speech of Mr. Webster, a copy of the Jay treaty, and eight maps, he
published at his own expense in 1840.

At this time conflicts on the Maine frontier brought the subject up in a
manner not to be ignored. Popular feeling was at high pitch. In this
condition of affairs Alexander Baring, who had been raised to the
peerage as Lord Ashburton, was sent to America on a mission of
friendship and peace. As a young man he had listened to the debate on
Jay's treaty in 1795. He was now to be received by Webster in Washington
in the same spirit in which Grenville received Jay in London, when it
was mutually understood that they should discuss the matter as friends
and not as diplomatists, and leave their articles as records of
agreement, not as compromises of discord. Gallatin eagerly awaited the
arrival of his old friend, and was grievously disappointed when contrary
winds blew the frigate which carried him to Annapolis. Letters were
immediately exchanged; Lord Ashburton engaging before he left the
country to find Gallatin out, and, as he said, to "_draw a little wisdom
from the best well_." After the treaty was signed, Lord Ashburton went
from Washington to New York, and the old friends met once more: Mr.
Gallatin was in his 82d year, but in the full possession of his
faculties; Lord Ashburton in his 68th year: a memorable meeting of two
great men, whose lives had much in common; the one the foremost banker
of England, the other the matchless financier of America; and to this
sufficient honor was added for each the singular merit of having
negotiated for his country the most important treaty in its relation to
the other since the separation of 1783,--Mr. Gallatin, the Treaty of
Ghent, which gave peace to America; Lord Ashburton, that treaty which
is known by his name and which secured peace to Great Britain.

In 1846 Mr. Gallatin rendered his last diplomatic service by the
publication of a pamphlet on the Oregon question, which was then as
threatening as that of the northeastern boundary had been. This
admirable exposition, which put before the people as well as the
negotiators the precise merits of the controversy, powerfully
contributed to the ultimate peaceful settlement.

Still once more Mr. Gallatin threw his authoritative words into the
scale of justice. His last appearance in public had been when he
presided on April 24, 1844, at a meeting in New York city to protest
against the annexation of Texas.