South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1836-01-23

w ne jOllOWiDg NeSSdSc itOub Tue
President of the U. States was delivered
to both Houses Of Congress on Monday
last, and read and referred by them to
theirrespective Committees on Foreign
Relations. 1t is of rather a belligerant
character.
To the Senate and
House Of Representatives
GENTLEMEN In my message OF the
opening of your session, | informed
YOU that our Charge d'Affairs at Paris
had been instructed 10 ask for the final
determination of the French Govern
ment, in relation TO the payment OF the
indemnifcation secured by the treaty
of the 4th of July, 1881, and thai,
when advices Of the result should be
received, it would be made the subject
of special communication.
In execution Of this design, now
transmit to you the papers numbered
from 1 to 13, inclusive, containing, a
mong other things, the correspondence
on this subject between our Charge d.
Alfaires and the French Minister of
Foreign Affairs, from which il will be
seen that France requires, as condi.
ton precedent to the execution Of
treaty Internationally ratified, and to
the payment Of debt acknowledged
by all the branches Of her Government
10 be due, that certain explanations
shall be made, of which she dictates
the terms. These terms are such as
that Government has already been
officially Informed cannot be complied
with and, if persisted in, they mus,
be considered as deliberate refusal
on the part Of France TO fulfil engage
ments binding by the laws Of nations,
and held sacred by the whole civilized
world. The nature OF the act which
France requires from this Government
is clearly set forth in the letter Of the
French Minister, marked No. A. We
will pay the money, says he, when
"the Government Of the United States
is ready on ats part TO declare to US,
by addressing its claim to us officially
in vrstsng that it regrets tie nissan.
Outstanding sohich has arisen bets0sen
tho tsco countries; that this nsisunder.
standing is founded on a mistake
that 1t neuev entered into its inten-
ton TO call IN question the good faith
of the French Government, nor to take
a menacing attitude tosoards France"
and he adds, "ifthc Government Of
the United States does not giUe this
assurance, zoe shall be obliged TO think
that this misunderstanding is not the
result Of an error"
La the letter marked No. six. the
French Minister also remarks that "tAe
Govsrment Of tito United States
hnows that upon itself depends hence.
for,oard the execution Of the Treaty
Of July 4, 1884,"
Obliged by the precise language
thus used by the French Minister, to
view il as q peremptory refusallo exc
cute the Treaty, except on terms in
compatible with the honor and inde-
pendence Of the United States, and
persuaded that, on considering the
correspondence nov. submitted to you,
you can regard it in no other light, it
becomes my duty to call your atten-
ton to such measures as the sxigency
ofthe case demands, If the claim of in
terfering in the commu nications be-.
tween the different branches Of our
Government shall be persisted in.
This pretension is rendered the more
unreasonable by the fact tina, the sub
stance Of the required explanation has
been repeatedly aHd voluntarily given
before 1t was insisted on as condition
! "a condition the more blmiliating
because il is demanded as the equiva-
lent of pecuniary consideration.
Does France desire only declaration
that we had no intention to obtain our
rights by an address to her fears rather
than to her justice ? She has already
had it, frankly and explicitly given by
our Minister accredited TO her Gov
eminent, his get ratified by me, and
| my confirmation Of it officially com
| municated by him, in bis letter :. to the
French Minister Of Foreign Affairs Of
the 25th of April, 1888, and repeated
by my published approval Of that let
ter after the passage Of the bill OF IN
Identification. Does France want
| degrading, servile repetition Of this act
in terms which she shall dictate, and
| which will involve an acknowledg-
lnent Of her assumed RICH. to interfere
in our domestic councils ? She will
never obtain it. The spirit of the A.
merican People, the dignity Of the
i Il -E