Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-07-19
E-.--9-7-Z--1l1zz3
OUR RELATIONS WITH FRANCE.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE 40 cOxoRsss.


report oFthe Secretary Of State, containing
thc information requested By their resoluti-
ems of the 21st of June last.
JAMES MADISON.
WASHINGTON, July -, 1915.
TIE Secretary Of State, TO zv!h.oss: 1as 7ejasY-
red several resolutions Of the Rouse q
Representatives. IF The 2ist ,H. request
izs information on ceTIciu loi.fs rclatins
10 tie French decree Of ne 2Sth Of .dtrtl
1911. has the honor 10 make 20 The Presi.
dent tic oliogDil.g RgPoR1 -
in furnishing the INFORMATION required by
the House of Representatives the Secretary
of State p:csumcs, chat it might be deemed
sufficient fer him TO state what is now de-
.nanded, what part thereof has been hereto-
Norc communicated, and TO supply the def
cheney. Ee considers it however more con
formable to the views of the House, to meet
at this time, without regarding What has
been already communicated, every enquiry,
ard to give distinct answer to each win the
proper explanation relating 10 it.
Tie House of Representatives has re.
sl.ested information, when, by whom, & in
what manner, the first intelligence was gi-
ven to this government of the decree Of the
government of France. bearing date on the
18th April, 1911, and purportiag to be q de-
finitive repeal of the DEGREES OF Berlin G. M
Ian; whether Mr.. Russell, late Charge d.
AGaires of the United States to the govern
ment OF France, ever admitted or denied to
his government the correctness of the dccla-
ration Of the Duke of Hassano, 60 Mr.. Barlow,
IS stated in Mr.. Bar.ow's letter Of the 18th
May, 49,, to the Secretary cf STATE, that
The said decree had been communicated to
his, Mi. Barlow predecessor there. and to
Jay before the House any correspondence
with Mr.. Russell OH that subject, which j.
may not be improper 70 communicate, and
also any correspondence between Mr.. Bar
low and Mr.. Russell in possession of the De
partment Of State whether the Minister of
France to the United States ever informed
this government of the existence Of the said
decree, and tsl lay before the House am corr
respcndence with The said Minister relative
thereto not improper to be communicated !;
VITA any other information in possession Of
the Executive, which he nay not deem it in
furious 10 the public intcrcst 20 disclose. re-
iatiyc TO the said decree, tending TO shcw at
What lime. by whom and in what manner,
1t was first made known to this government
or to any of its representatives or agents !;
ind lastly, to inform the House whether the
government ofthe United Sta1cs hath ever
received from that OF France any expianati-
on o! the reasons of that decree beisig con
cealeh from this government, and its minis
ter. for 50 long time after its date, and it
igtIch e2planatlcn has becn asked by this go
yernmcnt, and has been omitted to be given
by that Of France, whether this government
has made any remembrance on expressed a.
ny Dissatisfaction to the government of
= .re ,~i,
Thsse enquiries embrace two distinct OBJ
jects. The inst relates 10 thc conduct Of the
government OF France, in regard to this de-
cree. The second, TO that of the govern
ment Of the United States. In satisfying the
call of the House, or this latter point, il seems
TO be proper to meet it in u two>Iold view;
Srst, al it relates 10 the conduct of this GO
yernmeht in this transaction secondly, as it
relates 10 its conduct towards both belliger.
'ents in some important circumstances con-
nccted with it. The resolutions do not call
specially for report of:such extent, but as
the measures of the Executive, and the acts
ofCongress, founded on communications from
the Executive, which relate to one Of the
belligerents, have by necessary consequence
an immediate relation TO the other, such a
report seems to be obviously comprised with
in their scope. On this principle the report
is prepared, in the expectation, that the
more full the Information given. ON every
branch of the subject, the more satisfactory
will it be to the House.
The Secretary Of State has The honor
40 report, ia reply to these enquiries, that the
first intelligence wHich tins government
received Of the FIR. decree Of the 18th April
1911, was communicated by MIR. Barlow in
a letter bearing date on the 18th May. 1912,
which was received by this department on
the 18th July following that the FIRST inti-
nation to MIR. Barlow of the existence Of
that decree, IS appearsb by his communicate
ons, was given by tho Duke OF Bassano, III
IN informal conference on some day between
the 1st and 10Th of May, 1912, and that the
official communication Of it to Mr.. barlow
yyasmade on the 10th Of thai month at his
reanest that MIR. Barlow transmitted a Co.
py OF that decree, and Of the Duke OF Bias.
sano's letter, announcing it, 20 MIR. Russell,
In "A letter OF May 1lth. IN which he also in"
formed Mr.. Russell, thai the Duke OF Bassa,
no had stated that the decree had been du-
Nv communicated 10 him: that MIR Russell
\ eplled in q letter to- MIR. Barlow OF the 29th
May. that his first knowledge Of the decree
wa; derived from his latter and that he has
repeatedly stated the same since 10 this 20,
'WAument. The paper marked A is copy
,IfFan extract OF Mr.. Barlow's lctlsf 70 The
Department og State, of May II, 1872 y, OF
lhe Duke of Bassauo's letter to Mr.. Bar
low, OF tie 10th Of the same month e., OF
an extract OF Mr.. Barlow's letter 70 Mr.
Russell ct May 1ith; j., Of an extract Of
Mr.. KusselPs answer OF the 29th May, ~ =
T. ri MIR Russeii's letter TO th. Deunrtu,cnt