Katie Hargrave / Great Lakes, Great Fears, Great Memorials
The Great Lakes are an important cultural body in the US. Commonly referred to as “the third coast”, “the north coast”, or an inland sea, they create an identity for the Midwest and for the country. As a nation boasting always the biggest and the best, we have the largest freshwater system in the world, containing twenty-two percent of the world’s freshwater.
In 1818, following the War of 1812, the United States and Britain signed an armament treaty, the Rush-Bagot Treaty, disallowing massive weaponry within the Great Lakes. This barely remembered treaty is the subject of this project, which investigates the boundary-associated fear, forgotten monuments, and unrecognized promises.
I look at two monuments built in honor of the Rush-Bagot Treaty, one at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, and the other on privately owned land in Washington D.C. Following the September 11 attacks, the United States reinterpreted the treaty and began rearming ships on the Great Lakes. Interestingly, at the time this rearmament occured, the D.C. monument was behind a construction fence as the land where the monument stood was being turned into luxury condominiums. The question arises: when a monument is hidden, is the event, treaty or person it memorializes so easily forgotten? If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Rush Bagot Treaty
The Undersigned, His Britannick Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, has the honour to acquaint Mr. Rush, that having laid before His Majesty’s Government the correspondence which passed last year between the Secretary of the Department of State and the Undersigned upon the subject of a proposal to reduce the Naval Force of the respective Countries upon the American Lakes, he has received the Commands of His Royal Highness The Prince Regent to acquaint the Government of the United States, that His Royal Highness is willing to accede to the proposition made to the Undersigned by the Secretary of the Department of State in his note of the 2nd of August last.
His Royal Highness, acting in the name and on the behalf of His Majesty, agrees, that the Naval Force to be maintained upon the American Lakes by His Majesty and the Government of the United States shall henceforth be confined to the following Vessels on each side—that is: On Lake Ontario to one Vessel not exceeding one hundred Tons burthen and armed with one eighteen pound cannon. On the Upper Lakes to two Vessels not exceeding like burthen each and armed with like force. On the Waters of Lake Champlain to one Vessel not exceeding like burthen and armed with like force.
And His Royal Highness agrees, that all other armed Vessels on these Lakes shall be forthwith dismantled, and that no other Vessels of War shall be there built or armed. His Royal Highness further agrees, that if either Party should hereafter be desirous of annulling this Stipulation, and should give notice to that effect to the other Party, it shall cease to be binding after the expiration of six months from the date of such notice. The Undersigned has it in command from His Royal Highness the Prince Regent to acquaint the American Government, that His Royal Highness has issued Orders to His Majestys Officers on the Lakes directing, that the Naval Force so to be limited shall be restricted to such Services as will in no respect interfere with the proper duties of the armed Vessels of the other Party.
The Undersigned has the honour to renew to Mr. Rush the assurances of his highest consideration.
CHARLES BAGOT
The Undersigned, Acting Secretary of State, has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Bagot’s note of the 28th of this month, informing him that, having laid before the Government of His Britannick Majesty, the correspondence which passed last year between the Secretary of State and himself upon the subject of a proposal to reduce the naval force of the two countries upon the American Lakes, he had received the commands of His Royal Highness The Prince Regent to inform this Government that His Royal Highness was willing to accede to the proposition made by the Secretary of State in his note of the second of August last.
The Undersigned has the honor to express to Mr. Bagot the satisfaction which The President feels at His Royal Highness The Prince Regent’s having acceded to the proposition of this government as contained in the note alluded to. And in further answer to Mr. Bagot’s note, the Undersigned, by direction of The President, has the honor to state, that this Government, cherishing the same sentiments expressed in the note of the second of August, agrees, that the naval force to be maintained upon the Lakes by the United-States and Great Britain shall, henceforth, be confined to the following vessels on each side,-that is:
On Lake Ontario to one vessel not exceeding One Hundred Tons burden, and armed with one eighteen-pound cannon. On the Upper Lakes to two vessels not exceeding the like burden each, and armed with like force, and on the waters of Lake Champlain to one vessel not exceeding like burden and armed with like force. And it agrees, that all other armed vessels on these Lakes shall be forthwith dismantled, and that no other vessels of war shall be there built or armed. And it further agrees, that if either party should hereafter be desirous of annulling this stipulation and should give notice to that effect to the other party, it shall cease to be binding after the expiration of six months from the date of such notice.The Undersigned is also directed by The President to state, that proper orders will be forthwith issued by this Government to restrict the naval force thus limited to such services as will in no respect interfere with the proper duties of the armed vessels of the other party.
The Undersigned eagerly avails himself of this opportunity to tender to Mr. Bagot the assurances of his distinguished consideration and respect.
RICHARD RUSH