Litchfield enquirer., 1836-01-28
FRoM
The President of The United !SIateS.

, To The SeRsfe and House aF Representatives.:
Gentlemen: In my messaRe NJ the 0len:ng oiyO".
session, informed yoS that our charge Hr,;
Paris had been Instructed ask for the dnal deerm-
nat0W ct the French Government. 10 relation 70 "e
payment Of the Naturalization, secured ny Tue MeIH
Of the 9Th Of July, 1881, aud that when "dV,ceS 90 we
reeu should he received would be made the s"O'
jecI Of special communication. :, a., ,o. |
In execution Of This design, | now tra"s"'' " ~"
the papers numbered from 10 Is, '"c'"s'Se1 "O
ing among other things, the c"rresPo"u'e", Eh
suijecI between Charge dA flares ana '!e
Minister Of ForeigM Affairs, iro'" ~nicn u WIZ Se
SEEM that FraRce TeQuit cOndilion preceue"t
to The execu,i"n of treaty ADDITIONALLY ratified,
aad 10 the pay,pent Of debt acknowledged by all the
branches OF her Government TO I've due, that certain
nations shall be made OC which she dictates the
terms. These such rs that Government mas
already been officially informed cannot he complied
with and, lfpersisted in they must ne consesn as
deliberate refusal the part 0 France to 'uInl en-,
gagements biAdag by the laws OF nations, and held
sacred by ,he whole civilized world. The nature ol
the which France requires from this government
is clearly forth in she letter oathe French MI"sler
marked No. 4. We will pay the money, says he'
when the Governnen, Of the Uniled States Is rea'
! dy, its part to declare to Ws, 10y addressing It's
claim to officially in writing, that it regrets the
| derstandiug which has arisen between the two
countries that this msuRd ersIandng Is io"nced o"
mistake that it never entered into us n'emo" 10 ca"
in question the good faith OF the French G"Vernme"
nor take menacing attitude towards France ana
he adds, I" If the Government OF the United states
dues give this assurance, we shall lie ""'ge0 10
think hat THE misunderstanding is not the result OF an
error" In the letter marked No. 6, the French Min
lister also remarks, that "the Government Of the Unit
ted States knows, that upon itself depends nencelor-
ward the execution Of the treaty OF July a, 1851.
Obliged by the precise language thus used by the
French Minister, TO view as peremplory re"sa 20
execute the treaty, EXCEPT on terms ,ncoma''"Ie WIN
the honor and Independence OF the United states
and persuaded that, considering the correspoh'
dence submitted to you, you can regard u W III
other light, it becomes my duty TO call your a'e"t'"
such measures the exigency Of Inc case DEMANDS
f the claim Of interfering in the communications De-
tween different branches oil our government sha'
be persisted n This pretenson is rendered me more
unreasonable Ivy the fact that the substance oI me re-
ouired exclamation has been repeatedly ana vol"na-
rilv given before insisted as cOndItlon-a
condition the more humiIa:ing because It rs deman-
ded the equivalent o. pecnnaiy e ha% m
intention 10 obtain rights by an address TO her
fears rather than her Justice? She has already had
tied to her Government, his act ratified by me, and
, my confirmation Of il officially communicated by HIM,
in his letter the French Minister ofForeIgn Affairs,
ofthe 25h April 1885, and repeated ny my published
approval Of that letter after the passage OF the bill oil
= indemn6caon. Does France want degrading.
servie repetition Of This act. in terms which she shall
dictate, and which will involve an acknowledgment OF
her assumed right interfere in our domestic coun-
ellis? She will never obtain it. The spirit oil The A.
merican people, the dignity of the Legislature, and
the firm resolve their Executive Government, for
bid it,
As the answer Of the French Minister 10 Charge
d'Aares Paris contains an ali"sion to letter nd
dressed by him 10 the o. France at tins
I
correspondence had between that unclionary and the
Secretary Of State relative TO ,ha, letter, and TO &C.
company ME with such explanations as will ena-
bic you understand the OF the Executive IN
regard 10 il. Recurring TO the historical siaiemen,
made the Of your session, Of the Or
ign and progress Of difficulties with France, IL
will he rpcollected that, the return OF our Minister
TO the United Slaes caused my official approval oil
the explanations he had given to the French MI mister
of Foreign Affairs, TO be made public Az the French
Govern,nen, had noticed the message without its lie.
inU n41c
il they disposed pay The o"ey que TO u.s. they
% %s"d Of T"' Ee R"xe ed0 saes !" the BIZ"
contrary TO these well founded expeciaIiOns, the
French Ministry did not take this fair opportunity TO
relieve themselves from their unfortunate position,
and to do Justice 10 tie United States.
2 Whilst, however, the Government. Of the U. States
, was awaiting the movements OF the French Govern
men', j" perfect confidence shat the dlcI'y was al
an end the Secretary of State received call from the
French Charge d'Affares in Washington, who desr-
ed TO read TO him letter he hadreceived from the
p French Minister Of Foreg" Affairs. He was asked
whether he was instructed or directed 10 make any
official communication, and replied that he was only
authorized read the letter, and furnish acopy II re-
quesed. The substance Of it's co"te n,s 1t IL presum-
ed may he gathered from. Nos. 4and herewith trans
,niileG. II was an attempt I" make Known to the
Government, Of the United States, privately in what
{ manner il could make explanations, apparently ve-
unary, but really dictated 10y France, acceptable ~
her and thus obtain payment OF the twenty-five mill
ions Of francs. No exception was taken~toa'is mode
Of communication. which 10 often used to prepare the
in II were in their substance, wholly inasnissble -
Not being in the shape Of official communication
to the Government, did admit Of reply official
notice, cOml safely be made the basis Of any
ton by the Executive the Legislature and the
Secretary Of State did not think proper to ask
py, hecauee he could have no use for it, Copies Of
papers, marked Nos. 9; 10 and II, show an attempt
on The par. oF,he French Charge d'Afaires,- many
weeks afterwards, TO place copy Of this paper
mOng the archives Of this Government, which for OBJ
vious allowed he done s. but The
surance before given repeated, that any official
communication which he might lie authorized TO
y make inihe accustomed FORM wo0ld receive aprompi
, and Just consideration. The indscrelion Of this
. tempt made more manifest by the Subsequent a.
vowal Of The French Charge dAfaires that the OBJ
iec bring this letter before Congress and the
American people. IL foreign agents, on subject o
1 disagreement between their Government and this
wish prefer appeal TO The American people, they
will hereaer il is hoped, better appreciate their own
rights and the respect due to others, tina" TO attempt
= to the Executive the passive organ OF thei'
l. communications. Il is due TO the character ofour IN.
"a stiiuons, that the diplomatic intercourse Of this Gov
ernment should he conducted with the utmost direct
ness and simplicity, and that in all cases OF impor
lance, the communications received or made by the
Executive, should assume the accustomed oficia
st FORM II 10 only by insisting this form, THAT for
10 eign powers can he held full responsibility tina
their communications can be officially replied to; OF
that the advice or interference Of the Legislature
5 with proprieiy, be invited by the Presidena. Phi.
n course 10 also best calculated, the hand
shield that officer from unjust sUspiciOns, and, the
other to subject this portion Of his acts to public scrt
tiny; aud if occasion should require IT, coMsiit
, iional anmadyereion II the more necessary Il
adhere these principles in the instance in question
inasmHch ne, in addition 10 other important Interests
it very intimately Concerned The national honor;
matter, In my Judgment, much too sacred to be made
aka NAnEO md af4sNiAl