Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-11-13
-.-.-,. hennknown to The United States, since II
the result of the of things and OF the 'uhua


III. Kings Goycrrmrn resolved unanimously to appeal
fInn this vote the Xt Legislature, and officially m
formed the Presden,of the u 5. OF this its o.
-fLeatr frcnt Count dc RisT'y Minister 81 toresn
fairs to H. S-urier, Of 3pri eth, lei ard Note iron" d"
Seyu-ier to Mr. McL0nf, 81 June .: SSH .;s,,,
The events which have transpred since tho ircs'uen,
Message, the discomfort of the french ~ ,hs
Diplomatic by which it was expesscu' anu Wv.
lrht in which those measures have been Vie"ca III t
United States, circumstances well Known 10 Tie
Chamber. c, an h.c-o
on and we shall begin BY indicating the rights and the
Situation of the Chamber, respects this examination
The Charter gives TO the King the right OF making
treaties Of peace, alliance; and commerce. =,
The Charter gives TO the two Chambers, and TO ttc
Chamber of Deputies in the first instance, the right OF
rospg funds and, necessary consequence, that OF
regulating the public expenses.
THE royal prerogave and the parliamentary prcroga.
tive are separate and distinct they limit each other, and
they do not infringe upon each other.
4 treaty containing no clause imposing hnancia'
charge upon the Stale, concluded without the nterie
rence Of the Chambers, is also executed without thcr
Concurrence.
4 treaty containing a clause which imposes financial
charge upon the State, is indeed included when the
King has signed it, under the countersgn OF his MINIS
Ter; hut the financial measures tor 1t execution oepcno
on the votr of the Legislature.
To take from the Chambers the power OF voting on an
expenditure by introducing it into treaty. or to amend
treaty by celebrating its financial provisions, would
be- equally to violate tho charter and TO msconstrue the
received ny it., for the advantage Of the county.
Undoubtedly the Chambers in celebrating on an e1-
panditure for the execution of Ieay, have sse I'M
plict right to examine the treaty ITSELF to whether
It be honorable and useful and grant refuse their
assent according the results of such examination
Nevertheless, it must be rccoeced that refusal is
serious matter; the security of cur diplomatic relations
np be troubled BY it, and the political credit OF the
country may suffer from it. These not grounds for
denying the rights they only motives for using it
rarely and only in when the extent ofthe evil e1-
ceeds the dangers of the remedy The same reasons
which gave to the Crown alone the power OF repre-.
scnting the country in its foreign intercourse command
that should be restrained in the exercise OF tins pre-
rogative by prudent disayowals. live wish It's WORD
to be powerful and respected in the transactions Whch
may conduct with other countries in the name OF
we must allow il TO be contradcteo on sSht
at home in order 10 s,ipulate with effect, ~ must
promise with confidence. Errors, and even faults, may
no feseen: but these errors and faults committed
with the advice ofcouncors who are responsible, and
on whom the Chambers may exercise their severity, &C
cording to the Constitution 1t has been almost always
the practice ofrce countries to keep those engage
nents for which they would punish others.
Although the Chambers should this right with
caution yet it still rests with them: it cannot be denied;
it should not be forgotten This reservation ought with
proprety to have been inserted in the treaty OF 1851;
this would indeed have added of the right
of the Chambers fo it exists without being expressed;
but it would have better secured the freedom oil their
deliberations and in Of dissent would save the dig
nifty of the crown The United States, thus warned,
would have had no pretencc to insist upon payment.
which the law had not authorized. The Government
would have avoided painful discussion and while de.
Tending its duty, the constitutional rights of the
Chambers, it would have incurred on the part of the
United States, the reproach at least the suspicon OF
alleging those rights in support Of its lmpeached good
faith
Let US now turn from principles to facts-lronl the
question of constitutionay to the bill which gave rise
to it,
The Convention of July 4th 1884, is not regular set
Element of accounts, upon bases reciprocay agreed to-
1t is compromise between the most opposite petenslons
The United States demanded ndemnihcatlon for all
seizures made in defiance of their neutrality; they
sdered the conhscaton of their vessels and goods
having been entirely illegal. for they were in violation Of
reciprocal obligation contained in the treaty of 1900, of
the rights OF nations after the expiration OF that
ton, ard of positive promise after the repeal of tic de-
clees of blockade France the other hand insisted
that the DEGREES of blockade issued in the lawful
exercise Of the right Of retaliation against the rcqs
tons of England, and the submissveness of the United
States to these re9usitions which destructive to
all neutrality and that reparation could not be demanded
on account Of the laws which just but account
OF their application, which may have been un Just IT.
regular.
The American ncgoators have constantly pursued the
plan Of demanding Naturalization for all the losses the
French nrgoators have more or less Pcitiy, aiwsys
rejected the demand for naturalization in general ad.
hitting however certa in caegorcs in favor OF winch eH'
ceptions might be made.
How were such differences TO be recoDci!ed'
in differences between individuals, suit is the last
sort in differences between States war is the last resort
ifeach party is willing to avoid war; compromise may
be made Such the relative situation of France and
the United States. But in what way was the comrro-
mise to be made compromise of princ pies was I'M
possbe the United States could not admit that an act Of
the French Government could legally modify treaty,
which was binding on both Powers The French Co
vernment could not acknowledge the Illegally OF it's own
DEGREES, while extraordinary circumstances and fragrant
provocatonS served 10 Justify to excuse them.
AS neither party would surrender any of its principles
compromise could only be made, with regard to the
amounts supported on these principles The sum Of
twenty millions Of francs rcpresen this compromise
How were It's merits to be estimated? We cannot take
as basis either the propositions Of the Imperial Govern
ment, since it made statements known to he in
complete, that OF the commission of 1881, which,
It could do better, presented the propositions,
formed the same data
We find traces of any of those offers which are
said to have been offered by the United States accept
a small sum as indemnihcaton those which were
pulsed by the Duke Of Bassano merely the attempts
of private intriguers.
In order to estimate accurately the extent of the
cesson agreed to by the French ncgoator we must
deavor to set forth The amount Of the demands which he
had TO oppose. and Of those which he to support
What was the extent Of the injury sustained by Anne
ricsn commerce?
The statements drawn up BY Mr. Rves before the Con.
venon OF July 4lh made it amount to the value Of four
teen millions Of dollars, seventy millions francs;
(hc doiurs being estimated francs 80 ceniimcs or
the franc at Is cents and 77-l00M.)
Since the Convention made, the American COM
mission, which admitted no claims except upon docu.
mentary proof and under cath, has fixed the whole
amount OF the damage known and proved seventeen
millions Of dollars-nnety- 1.-TWO millions of francs
This commission however, admitted claims for injuries
anterior to the treaty of lS0 if these be subtrac,cd
there remain about IA 100000 dollars Il 0C0 Of
francs
Finally our French documents enable us 10 make an
estimate, nsuEcenty indeed of the whole amount of
the injury sustained by the Americans.
L. The prices of the sale of vessels not condemned
which had been sequesteed Antwerp, Saint Sebas-
nan and Bayonnc. indicated BY the Customho house
1HSs anu amount 10 about ......-... 1900 600.
- The prices of us vessels sold by the
Marine inc Department, at an average value of