Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-04-03
Ctrom The some.)


Ii viii be rccoecied that thc,debt due from Franco
mad been owing to the United States their citizens for
upwards of twenty years.
That on the 4th Of July, 1881 a treaty was conclu
ded qudaiing this debt - 900 600 francs or about
SoMOOuO0 and providing for its payment by nstamcnt
mat at the next session of Congress, pass
cd IN execution Of the treaty the part of the United
states, reducing the tariff certain productions of
France The benefits of which have been enjoyed by that
nation since;
That session after session of the French Chambers
passed away and the Executive did ask an act to
carry Inc treaty into effect on the part of France;
That the Government of the United States drew for
te hrst lnsalmcnt when it became due the bill was
protested by the French Government:
nat when at last an appropriation asked for the
OH making II was not pressed cabinet measure was
family supported by most of the Ministry and conse-
qucntiy was lost by small majority;
nat the King and Ministry made all sorts of apollo
gies TO the American Minister, and public armed
vessel to bear explanations Government which
mad passage IndrrcouSiy long that if il had been
oreseen by The French Government, might well have
ocen expected that Congress would have adjourned he
fore her arrival at New York;
That rertat apologies explanations and pledges were
,hen enderedby the French Minister ia pursuance of
Instructions which he Ph ia 'critag only ,chCn ,cas in
S'Sted0n by our GOrcramont;
That those pledges were in substance that the kim
would exert his whole constitutional power TO procur
the execution of the treaty, and hasten the action o
the Chambers upon it, that the President irht he adj
vised of the result in time to lay il before Congrs ~ b
commencement of their next session
Ihat Notwithstanding this pledge, the Chambers met
III 'uy 1884, ana were not even asked to make the re-
v.tlI
have been entirely constitutional;
mat although the King had the constitutional power
TO INK the day for the next meeting of the Chambers at
any tine lie might think proper vet he did actua nr
rogue them to the both December lSa pcriod So late
that the result ofther action on the subject so far from
being known to the President before the meeting of Con
gress could not reach the United States before the time
hXed ON by the Constitution for their final adjournment:
mat the remonstrances of the American Minister
were answered by decarations that il was ipossbl IN
co e chambers together sooner, although il was af.
forwards done on account of their own domestic affairs.
ana other pretences were alleged, unlounded in them
selves and evasve Oft the solemn pledge which had been
given, first Uerbay and when insisted on in oritg TO
the President of the United States; -
mat our minister also informed that the King and
MS ministers would not make the execution of the
cabinet measure, and that the places of e ministers
were not to be hazad the observance of the
.tGiik End t'seserve me h;s 81 r,YsU.aI t0.y,.!.
SO little did France and her government reaard the
keeping OF her faith in the fuflent of her solemn en-
gagemens, and the redemption of the pledges rven bv
her King to the President of the United States
The Presidents Messugc came upon that overnme,,
and people like clap of thunder IL awakened them
from the deuson into which they had been led by the
rier ''0'' 1'''''''e' ~ 'c'T~-
Though the message no. addressed to the govern
ieh Oh frlnce or any OF its agents. and there was no
more ProPey IN their taking Official notice of it than if
1t had been speech uttered by a member of CONGRESS.
YET conscious OF disgraceful attitude which France
mas placed herself and the necessity of promntlv r
revng her character III the eyes of the world The kim
and his ministers affected consider il as addressed 70
the French minister in Washington construed il into an
american minister! - $40
Having done this much to save French honor which
lad not been furnished except by the Injustice and e
trfuges which the BIessage commcnied the K;u
ms Ministers, and all their friends, for the first tae
went earnestly to work TO the execution of the
treaty. the only measure which French honor really re-
quired. 10y &c
The bill to provide for the indemnity was mmedateI
lad before the Chambers.
Ii now became Il Cabinet measure the Ministers end
ing necessary to hazard their official existence mon
its success r."
rbo.c 1 r
by the Message, poured i'll their memorials asking for
The execution of the treaty
The measure discussed in the nine Rnreaux or
committees into which the Chamber of Deputies is d
vded for such purposes and vote was taken in which
eight out Of the nine exhibited maortes in favor of the
OF me treaty. making an aggregate majority in
inc whole Chamber of about fifty
No doubt was entertained that he appropriation would
be made, and the treaty executed
Things were in hiscondton in Paris when Mr. Claws
report in the Senate with his speech thereon arrvedn
that capital. "
All parties seized them as evidence that the Pres
uch would not be sustained by Congress in any stron
measure Inc opposition in that country urged them
as PROOF uat mere was no danger Of or any attack
on the Commercial Interests OF France even if the Cham
bers should refuse to pay the money according 10 the
treaty They insisted that Mr. Clay report and sneecb
ADMIT OF further negotiations, and that ground thev
urged upon the Chambers to reject the APPROXIMATION
ana request the Executive TO open a new negotiation
WIN me view OF reducing the agreed To be mid
BY the treaty If MIR. Clay has done nothing NOR, F
man who reads the French papers can deny that hc
llSed argument to the opposition in France TO URGE
against tie execution of the treaty which had befTe
ms papers were received there been rendered almost
certain by the proceedings OF the Bureaux Whether
tese arguments have been powerfully urged as TO de.
leat me measures we have yet to learn Iflhey have the
American people will know whom to hold nsbl for
all disasters which may ensuc.
m But we believe tie appropriation has been made
a ne french ministry cannot be ignorant that the
Senale OF the United States has been bafled i'm lis vim
dcuVe war against Gen Jackson and that at the ne xt
Sc'on iir Gay wI not be able to control majority
Oh that body. The decided stand taken by the late
Rouse, which they must be aware will be fully sus-
famed by the next, and it being certain that France
can no longer count on the Senate will have conyipc-
co the French ministry that the President will hive
tlc cordial support OF the Congress in measures
of the most decided character. They will not there
ioe thnk 1t safe TO defer the appropriation upon tire
iHh OF Mr. Cays report; but selling upon il as salvo
Tor Their wounded pride rather for Meiy sae will
make 1t the occasion Of urging the appropriation with
more zeal than We therefore confidently ontic;-
pate that the appropriation has been pressed through
ue Chamoers with all possible diligence since the date
oil the last advccs; and the So as the French Min
Sers had right TO dread new embarrassments for them
selves, If they waited for the action Of the House of
Representatives.
But, what had reused France from hcrapatly md made
c execution OIL the treaty topic of general inquiry and
dscussion' The PrcSidcRts Mcssage
What hid excited the commercial and ,o,p,,r,,
ring interests Of that kingdom TO pray for the cxccnn
OF lhc tfeaty, The BessGgc.
Nhai had called the attention Of Europe to the sab
jet, and brought down upon France the Condemnation
OF The civilized world? The .Ncss0ge
What had forced The King 10 make the aporopri,ton
tob'Rd me0sro, contrary to his previous detettnna
on, upon the success Of which the official existence Of
his Ministers depended The Afcss0Oe
What produced the majoritics In the Bureauv il, e.
vor o the execution Of the treaty. Not Mr. Claws Re-
port o That was not received when the votes were oiy
en-; but tie McssgQc s'
What produced the confidence tbal the ireafy vouId
executed. ID dull ff,.