232                 GOUVERNEUR MORRIS.
was profuse in expressions of general good-will,
and vague to a degree in his answers to every
concrete question ; affected to misunderstand
what was asked of him, and, when he could not
do this " slumbered profoundly " for weeks be-
fore making his reply. Morris wrote that "his
explanatory comments were more unintelligible
than his texts," and was delighted when he
heard that he might be replaced by Lord
Hawksbury ; for the latter, although strongly
anti-American, " would at least be an efficient
minister," whereas the former was " evidently
afraid of committing himself by saying or doing
anything positive." He soon concluded that
Great Britain was so uncertain as to how mat-
ters were going in Europe that she wished to
keep us in a similar state of suspense. She had
recovered with marvelous rapidity from the
effects of the great war; she was felt on all
sides to hold a position of commanding power ;
this she knew well, and so felt like driving a
very hard bargain with any nation, especially
with a weak one that she hated. It was par-
ticularly difficult to form a commercial treaty.
There were very many Englishmen who agreed
with a Mr. Irwin, " a mighty sour sort of crea-
ture," who assured Morris that he was utterly
opposed to all American trade in grain, and
that he wished to oblige the British people, by