et
trusting to the representations of the government that matters were
concluded satisfactorily, we had to decide whether it were wise, if
the great result was obtained, to wrangle upon points however
important, such as those to which I have referred.

Gentlemen, it appears that, though all parts of England were ready
to make those sacrifices, the two negotiating States--the
government of the United Kingdom and the government of the United
States--placed a different interpretation upon the treaty when the
time had arrived to put its provisions into practice. Gentlemen, in
my mind, and in the opinion of my noble friend near me, there was
but one course to take under the circumstances, painful as it might
be, and that was at once to appeal to the good feeling and good
sense of the United States, and, stating the difficulty, to invite
confidential conference whether it might not be removed. But her
Majesty's government took a different course. On December 15th her
Majesty's government were aware of a contrary interpretation being
placed on the Treaty of Washington by the American government. The
prime minister received a copy of their counter case, and he
confessed he had never read it. He had a considerable number of
copies sent to him to distribute among his colleagues, and you
remember, probably, the remarkable statement in which he informed
the house that he had distributed those copies to everybody except
those for whom they were intended.

Time went on, and the adverse interpretation of the American
government oozed out, and was noticed by the press. Public alarm
and public indignation were excited; and it was only seven weeks
afterward, on the very eve of the meeting of Parliament,--some
twenty-four hours before the meeting of Parliament,--that her
Majesty's government felt they were absolutely obliged to make a
"friendly communication" to the United States that they had arrived
at an interpretation of the treaty the reverse of that of the
American government. What was the position of the American
government? Seven weeks had passed without their having received
the slightest intimation from her Majesty's ministers. They had
circulated their case throughout the world. They had translated it
into every European language. It had been sent to every court and
cabinet, to every sovereign and prime minister. It was impossible
for the American government to recede from their position, even if
they had believ