d at once accepted Castlereagh's offer
and appointed a new commission, consisting of Messrs. Adams, Bayard,
Henry Clay, and Jonathan Russell. Mr. Gallatin was not included, as he
was supposed to be on his way home to resume his post in the Treasury
Department, the duties of which had been performed in his absence by Mr.
Jones, the secretary of the navy. When correct information did reach Mr.
Madison, on February 8, he immediately added Mr. Gallatin to the
commission, and appointed Mr. G. W. Campbell to be secretary of the
treasury. Thus it happened that Mr. Gallatin, whom Mr. Madison intended
for the head of the commission, was the last named of those who
conducted the negotiations.

[Illustration: J. A. Bayard]

On April 1, 1814, Mr. Gallatin concluded to pass through England on his
return, and leaving orders for the Neptune on its arrival to proceed to
Falmouth, he took the packet to Harwich, whither he requested Mr. Baring
to send him the requisite passports to enable him to reach London with
his suite without delay.

In company with Mr. Bayard, Mr. Gallatin reached the English capital on
April 9, 1814. There they heard some days later of the arrival of
Messrs. Clay and Russell at Gottenburg. The situation of Great Britain
had greatly changed. Intoxicated with the success of their arms and the
abdication of Napoleon, the English people were quite ready to undertake
the punishment of the United States, while the release of a large body
of trained troops in France, Italy, Holland, and Portugal enabled the
ministry immediately to throw a large force into Canada for the summer
campaign. In the British cabinet a belief was said to be entertained
that a continuance of the war would bring about a separation of the
American Union, and perhaps a return of New England to the mother
country. In this emergency Gallatin availed himself of the opportunity
which presented itself of addressing Lafayette in sending to that
officer the patents for the Louisiana land granted to him by the
American government, and urged the use of his influence to promote an
accommodation between England and the United States.

To Clay he wrote on April 22, proposing that the place of negotiation be
changed from "that corner" Gottenburg, either to London, or some neutral
place more accessible to the friendly interference of those among the
European powers upon which they must greatly rely. The Emperor Alexander
was expected in London, and Castlereag