Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-12-17

"a ~ . tfEt III
INC Slst OF July. 1884, soon after the cleo.
non aud although our Minister ia Paris
urged The French Ministry 10 bring tbe
soeJeet before them. they declined doing
%. lie next insisted that the Chamber
y proIogncd without acting on the subject
shonld be re-assemhled at a nerioi en- ear
Y That their aetlon on the treaty might he
known ~ Washington prior TO the meet.
ing OF Congress. This reasonable reoucst
was not only declined. hm the Chambers
rrorosued TO The a9ta Of December. 4 d,v
so late That their decisian. bawever ~,
gently pressed, could not. 10 el nroba,il;.
y, te attained Ia time 10 reach Washing
ten heiore the necessary adjournment or
Congress ~ the constitution. The rea.
sons given by the Ministry Tor refusing IN
cunvoke the Chambers at an earlier nrr,.
Oh, were afterwards shown not 10 be ,n.u.
perahie, by their actual conyocstion q,
the Isl OF Deccmber-which fact, howev.
or, did not become known 10 this Gover,.
ment until after fne commencement of tho
last session OF Congress.
Thus disappointed in orr JUS, expecta-
hons, v became my impressive duty 10
consult with Congress IN regard To the OK.
pedlency Of a resort 10 rctaliatory mess-
ures. ~ case HE stipulaiions of the treaty.
should not be speedily complied with: and
10 recommend such AS in my Judgement,
the occasion called for. 10 this end. an
untescrged communication Of the case. In
all ITS aspects, became indispensable. 10
have sArank, in making IL, from saving ain
That was necessary 10 is correct under.
standing. and that the truth would Justify.
for fear Of giving offence 10 others. would
have been unworthy Of us. To have soos
on The other hand. y single step further.
Tor the purpose Of wounding tho pride og
a Government and people with whom we
had so many motives for cu.tiyating rela.
tons Of amity and reciprocal advantage.
would have been nnwise and impropcr.-
Admonisiied by the past OF the difficulty
81 making even the simplest statement, OF
orr wrongs without disturbing the .en.i-
b'lliles Of those who had, by their position.
become responsible for their redress. and
earnestly DESTROYS of preventing further
obstacles from that source, I went ont III
my way TO preclude a construction OF the
message, by which the recommendation
that was made 10 Congress might be re-.
garded as a menace 10 France, IN not only
d%isavowing such a design, but in dcclarinr
That her pride and power were too we'll
fat't' ~ tlti ffNIf DtE lHATS.
lhe Message did not reach Paris until
more than u month after the Chamber,
had been ~ session !; and such was the in.
sensibility Of the ministry TO our rixhtful
claima and just expectations, that our Mi.
MISTER had been informed ihat the matter
when introduced would not be nj cssed az
a cabinet measure.
Although he message was not officially
communicated 10 Inc French Government
and Notwithstanding the declaration 10
the contrary which il contained, the Frenh
Ministry decided TO consider the condition.
al accommodation Of reprisals, n menac.
and an insult. which the honor of Inc ma.
non made IT incumbent on them 10 resent.
j he measures resoried to hy them 10 q.
Vince iheir sense Of The supposed ,udigni.
", were, the immediate recall of iba
Minister at Washington, The offer of
passports the American Minister al Paris.
ana a pubic notice 10 the Legislative
Chambers. that all diplomatic intercourse
with the United States had been snsoeu-
dcd.
Having 10 'lis manner. vindica,ed the
dignity OF France. they next proceeded 10
i'hstra'e ber justice. 10 this end n bill
was introduced iuto The Chamber ofDep-
u'Ies' proposing 10 make the appropriations
necessary TO carry into eject The treaty
~ THIS hIl subsequently passed into a law
me provisions OF which now constitute the
msin Subject Of difficulty between the two
nations, II becomes my duty. in order TO
p'aee We subject before you IN a clear
ssht, TO trace the history Of its passage,
anu toieler' with sotne particularly, 10
me proceeding 70 and discussions IL regard
10 ". ihe Munster Of Finance in his
opening speech, alluded 10 the measures
"iheh had been adopted 10 resent the sun.
posea incisnity, and recommended the ex.
ecnuon oil HE treaty as a measure requi-
req Icy The honor and justice Of Frauce.-
lie. as the organ Of The Ministry, declared
me Message, 50 long as it had not received
the sanction OF Congress, a mere express
sion OF The personal opinion of the presi-
dent, for which neither the Government
nor the people ofthe United States were
Responsible, and that the engagement had
been entered into, for the mlllmept Of
which the honor Of France was pledged.
entertaining these views, the singh con-
dIiion which the French Ministry propo-
sed TO annex 70 The payment OF the money
was, that IL should not be made until il
was ascereained that the. Government Of
The United States had done nothing 10 in.
Jure the interests Of France ; or, IN other
words. that no steps had been authorized
by Congress of hostile character towards
France.
What the disposition or action Of Con-
gFess might be. was then unknown TO The
French Cabinet. But, on the l4th orJan
nary, the Senate resolved that it was. at
that time, 'oespedient TO adopt any legisla-
tive measures in regard TO the state Of az.
fairs between the u. States and France.
and no action on the subject had occurred
IN the House Of Representatives. These
facts were known in Paris prior to the
2sth of March, 1885, when the committee