Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-06-01


Department of State. July %, 1911.
SIR-It is the desire of the President that
you should set out, without delay, for Paris,
to commence the duties of the office of mi
mister plenipotentiary to the Emperor of
France, with which you are invested. A
frigate, prepared for your accommodation,
will receive you at Annapolis, and convey you
TO the most convenient port of that country.
enclose you commission and letter of
credence, with such other documents as are
necessary to Illustrate the subjects on which
You will have to act.
With the ordinary duties of the office you
are too well-acquainted to require any COM
ment OH them in this letter. There are,
however, some subjects of peculiar impora
tance which will claim your attention imme-
rdiately after your reception. On these il is
proper that you should know distinctly the
sentiments of the President.
The United States have claims on France,
which it is expected that her government
will satisfy-to their tull extent and without
delay. These are founded partly on the
late arrangement, by which the non-impor-
tation law of the LIST May, 1910, was carried
Into effect against G. b. and partly on inju-
res to their commerce, committed on the
high seas and in French ports.
10 form a just estimate of the claims of
the first class, it is necessaryto examine mi
nutely their nature and extent. The pre-
sent Is a proper time to make this examina-
ton and to press a compliace with the ar
rangement, in every circumstance, on its
Just principles, on the government of France.
iIhe President, conscious that the United
States have performed every act that was
stipulated on their part, with the most per-
feet good faith, expects a like performance
he Of He ~
culiarly incumbent on him to request such
Explanations from her government, as will
dissipate all doubt of what he may expect
from it in future. on this and every other
question depending between the two ma
lions.
BY the act of May LIST, 1910, it was decIar-
ed, that in case Great Britain or France
should, before the Sd day of March, 1911,
so revoke or modify her ediccs as that they
should cease to violate the neutral commerce
Of the United States, which fact the Presi-
dent should declare by proclamation, and if
the other nation should not, within three
months thereafter. revoke or modify its G.
diets in like manner, then the 3, 4, OF, 8,
9, 10 and 18th sections of the act, entitled
g An act to interdct the commercial inter
Course between the United States and Great
Britain and France, &C." should. from and
after the expiration of three months, from
che date Of the proclamation aforesaid, be
revived, and have full force and effect, so
far as relate to the dominions, colonies and
dependencies, and to the articles the growth,
produce or manufacture of the dominions,
colonies and dependencies of the nation thus
refusing or neglecting to revoke or modify
its edicts, in the manner aforesaid.
This act having been promulgated and
made known to the governments of Great
Britain and France, the minister of the lat
ter, by note, bearing date on the 5th Au-
gust, 1910. addressed to the minister plen-
potentiary of the United States at Paris, de-
clared that the DEGREES of Berlin and Milan
were revoked, the revocation to take effect
on the LIST Of November following; but that
this measure was adopted in compliance
with the law of LIST Of May, 1910, to take
advantage of the condition contained in it,
and an full confidence that that condition
VOID De enforced against Great Britain, if
she didnot revoke her orders i'll council, and
renounce the new principles of blockade.
This declaration of the Emperor of France
was considered sufficient ground for the
President to act on: it was explicit as TO its
object. and equally so as to its import The
DEGREES of Berlin and Milan, which had yio-
lated our neutral rights, were said to be re-
psaled, to take effect at subsequent day,
at No distant period, the interval apparently
intended to allow full time for the commu-
nicatlcn of the measure to this government.
The declaration had, too, all the formality
which such an act could admit of, being
through the official organ on both sides
from the French minister of foreign affairs,
TO the minister plenipotentiary of the u.
States at Paris.
In consequence of this note, from the;
French minister of foreign affairs, Of the 5th
August, 1910, the President proceeded, ON
the 20 November, following, to issue the
proclamation, enJoined by the act. of Nav
list, of the same year, to declare that all the
restrictions imposed by it, should cease and
be discontinued, in relation to France and
her dependencies And, in confirmation of
the proclamation of the President, the Con
gress did, on the ID March, 1911, pass an
act, Whereby the non-importatiun system.
provided for by the 8, q, s, 6, z, 8, 9, 10th
and 18th sections of the act, entitled 4" An
act to interdict the commercial intercourse
between the United States and Great Bri-
cain and France and their dependencies. !"
was declared to be in force against Great
Britain, her colonies and dependencies, with
a provision in favor of such vessels or mer-
chandizes as might be seized before it was
Known that Great Britain had revoked or
modified her edlCts, within the time and in
the manner required by the said act, if such
should be the case; and with a provision,
also, IN favor Of any ships or cargoes owned
wholly BY citizens of the United States.
which had cleared out for the Cape Of Good
Hope. or for any other port beyond the
same, prior to the second day Of November
1910. Both Of these provisions were, in strict
justice and good faith, due To the parties to
be effected by the law; they we're also con-
formable to the spirit Of the arrangement,