Brooks: Diplomacy and the Borderlads


 Bagot was primarily engrossed in other dealings with the United
States. He was actively engaged in negotiations over the fisheries
problem, disarmament on the Great Lakes, the boundary problems
left over from the Treaty of Ghent, and in various conversations
relating to the respective policies of the two countries toward Span-
ish America. Amicable compromises were eventually reached on all
issues. The one of particular interest in this study was the delinea-
tion, in October, 1818, of the northern boundary along the Forty-
ninth Parallel to the Rockies, the territory west of the mountains
being left for joint occupation. This agreement prevented the
Adams-Onis Treaty from having the distinction of being the first
specific territorial delimitation involving the regions west of the
Mississippi.
 Bagot received instructions in January, 1818, which were cal-
culated at once to appease Spain and to avoid complications with
the United States. They were accompanied by a copy of, and in
fact were based upon, Castlereagh's letter to Wellesley of August
28, 1817, in which it was stated that the Prince Regent would be
glad to interpose his influence
if He could flatter Himself that He could do so with a reasonable prospect of
sucem, but to justify this expectation, His Boyal Highness is of opinion that
the Mediation should be desired by both the Parties interested, and that it
should be undertaken at their joint instance ... the British government, being
in possession of the Wishes of His Catholick Majesty, might, through their
Minister in America, ascertain how far the United States would be disposed
to listen to such an intervention, professedly directed to a friendly and im-
partial settlement of the points in dispute."

Bagot was instructed to show that letter to Adams, and accordingly
"to sound the Government of the United States upon its disposi-
tion to accept such a Mediation.""
 The exact nature of the British approach has been subjected to
 various definitions, but it can hardly be called an out-and-out
 intervention proposal. Pizarro knew perfectly well that England
 did not mean to intervene unless it should be at the request of the
 United States; he also knew that the latter country would probably
 not be willing to make such a request." But he thought that some
 sign of sympathetic interest from England would help. Onei, be-
 fore learning of Pizarro's opinion, accused Adams of having
 rejected a direct offer of mediation." Adams promptly set him