Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-06-02
ia hingi0n. 2Oih Afag

W d,Augt0lt, ZOth .fidY, 1876,
The Secretary OF State, in compliance with
Resolution OF the Senate. of the 9Th March, 1924,
which referred to this Department, request.
ing the President " TO TO be laid before the
Senate, copies of the several instructions 10 the
Ministers of the United States TO the Govern
ment OF France, and OF the correspondence be-
tween the said Ministers and Government, having
reference TO the Spoliaons committed by that
Power Oh the commerce OF the United States, an
terror TO the SOth September 1900, or SO much
thereof as can be communicated without prejudice
TO the public interests; also how far if at all the
claim ofindemnity from the Government ofFrance,
Ion the Spoliations aforesaid, wss Affected by the
Convention entered MO between the United
States and France, on the said 30th September,
iSOO;'' has the honor to report to the President,
copies oil so much of the Instructions and Cores.
pondeuce in question is supposed to be e,nbra-
ced in the call of the Senate; to which are added
copies of other papers and documents, to great
extent, which believed 10 be within the in,eu-
ton, it not comprehended IN the terms OF the Re-
solution of the Senate. BY a reference to former
messages TO Congress, and to the Public Docu-
ments, the publication of which had been au,hori.
zed, from time 10 time by Government; it will be
perceiyedstha many of the papers now reported,
have been already communicated to Congress, OF
spread before the public, through the uedium of
the press; but it has been thought nevertheless
expedieni, TO submit them in their present collected
form, that full and connected view might be
presented at the same time There may be even
yet remaining in TIE archives of the Department,
others, having bearing on the subject which has
escaped our diligence and researches
My predecessor was unable 10 command! rom
the other important duties which be had to perform
sufficient time 10 have this collection completed
during his continuance in Office, after the passage
OF the Resolution of the Senate. Tie same cause
not less sensibly felt by his successor, has delayed
this report until the present period and he feels
himself required to state that, without material in
jury to The public service, he was himself unable
10 examine the many volumes containing the We
ry extensive correspondence, from which the CO.
pies s extracts now submitted have been taken, or
even attentively peruse The whole Of those copies
and extracts which have been just finished The
desire TO present them the Senate, in conformi-
~ to the anxious wish of The claimants, before
the close OF It's present session, renders these ex
plantations necessary, and il is hoped that they may
prove satisfactory.
The closing Paragraph Of the resolution of the
Senate, enjoins another duty, which, from the am
biguous manner in which it is expressed, the Sc
cretary feels some difficulty in clearly comprehend
ing. The Senate resolved g that the President oil
the United States be requested to cause 20 be laid
before the Senate Copies,' SC. and conclude by
requesting TO also 10 lie laid before the Sc
nate ' how far, if at all, the claim OF indemnity
from the Government ofFrance lor the Spoliaions
aforesaid, affected by the convection entered
into between the United Sta,es and France on the
sail Goth Of September, iS00.'
The Secretary hardly suppose it 20 have
been the intention of the Res luton, to REQUIRE
the expression of an arsumentanve opinion as to
the degrees OF responsibility to the American suie
rers from FrencG SpolIatons, ". ich the conven-
ton OF 1900 e:stiugused, the part OF France
or devo!ved on the United States, the Senate itself
being most competent 10 decide that question --.un
der this impression, he hopes that he will have snf
fciently conforned to the purposes of The Senate,
by brief statement, prepared in hurried moment
of what lie understands 10 be the question
The second article of the convention of 1900,
was in the following words: :" The Ministers
Peuipotentiary of the two parties hot being able
to agree at present respecting the treaty OF alliance
OF 9th February, 71S the treaty Of amity and com.
MERGE of the same date, and the convention of I4th
! November, 1888, upon the Indemnities mutu
ally due or claimed; the parties will negotiate far
tIer these subjects at convenient time; s, until
they may have agreed upon these points, the said
treaties and convention shall have no operation,
and the relations OF the two countries shall be re-
gul7ted as follows"
When that convention was laid before the Sc
nate, it gave its consent and advice that II should
be ratified, provided that the second article he
expunged, and hist the following article be adj
ded or inserted. g II is agreed that the present
convention shall he in force for the term OF eight
years from the time of the exchange of the ra.lfi
cations''- and it was accordingly 80 ratified by
the President oil the United States, on the 18th day
| OF February, 1901. On the 3Ist of july, OF ,b,
same year, it was ratified hy Bonapare, first Con.
! sui of the French Republic, who INCORPORATED ir
the instrument oil his ratification the following
clause, as a part of it: & The Governmen, Of tnt
United States, having added to its ratification
! that the convention should be in force for nh,
space of eight ears, and having omitted the Sc
cond article, The Government of the French Re
public consents 10 accept, ratfy, and confirm the
above Convention with the addition inproiinp
that the convention shall he in force for the space
of eight years, and with the retrencbmeni of th,
second ntice ProUided that, by This retrcnch-
melt, the hUo States ren0unce The resprctipt
PrctcDsi0as t0hich are the object of the said mr.
ticie''
/ hsErench ratification being thus conditional
was. nevertheless. exchanged against that of the
United States at Paris, on The same 3lst Of july
The President of the United States, considering il
necessary again TO submit lie convention, in hi,
STATE, to the Senate; the l0lh day of December
! 1901, 1t was resolved by the Senate, that thew
I considered the said Convention as fully ratified
anil returned u 10 the Presiden, for the usual uro
mitigation. II was accordingly promulgated, ane
thereafter regarded a valid and binding compact
The two contracting parties thus agreed, by tht
Jctreuchnett oil the second article mutually To- re-
nounce the respective preien-ions which were IN,
/ object of that article. The prciensinns of th,
United States, 10 which alIusion is thus made, aros,
out Of The spoliaiion- under color Of French an-
thorty, in contrayention to law and existing trea
ties. Those Of France sprung from tile treaty o
alliance Of the FEBRUARY, 1775, the treaty o
aniiiy and commerce of he same date, and ~,
convention Of Tie llth OF November, 17Ss.