Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-01-28
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
W0shin OfOn. Jam. l3. 1896.

"HSHWStOU, jan. 10, lOoo.
TO the President Of the United States
The Secretary of State has the honor
to lay before the President copy of a
report made to him in June last, and of a
letter addressedto to this Department by the
late Minister of the Government of
France, with the correspondence con-
nected with that communication, which,
together with late correspondence be-
tween the Secretary of State and the
French Charge dAtiai,es, and a recent
correspondence between the Charge
d'Afaires ofthe U. States at Paris, and
the Duke dc Broglie, already transmitted
to The President, to be communicated to
Congress with his special message rela-
tive thereto, are the only papers in the
Department of State supposed to be called
for by the resolutions of the Senate of the
18th instant.
1t will be seen by the correspondence
with the Charge d'Affaires of France,
that despatch to him from the Duke de
Brogle, was read to the Secretary Of the
Department, in September last. it con-
cluded with an authority to permit copy
to be taken, ifit was desired. That des-
patch being an argumentative answer to
the last letter of Mr.. Livingston to the
French Government, aud in aflirmance of
the right ofFrance to expect explanations
of the message of the President, which
France had been distinctly and timely in
formed could not be given, without dis
regard by the Chief Magistrate of his
constitutional obligations, no desire was
expressed to obtain copy: it being OBJ
viously improper to receive an argument
in form which admitted Of no reply, and
necessarily unavailing to inquire how
much or how little would satisfy France,
when her right to any such explanation
had been, beforehand, so distinctly and
formally denied.
All which is respectfully submitted.
JOHN FORSYTH.
There follow the official letters above
alluded to in the Message, numbered from
l to l3, which we are compelled to omit
for want of room.
Both these messages, after being read
were referred to the Committee on Fo-
reign Relations, and ordered to be print.
ed and 5000 extra copies of the Special
message and documents were ordered.
While the motion TO print the Message
was pending,
MIR. Buchanan, Of Penn. rose, and ex-
pressed the high qualification which he
had felt on hearing the message read
He said the course of the United States
was now as plain as sunbeam. lie
was glad to see the mild and calm tone OF
the message, recommending nothing like
non intercourse, but merely prohibition
of French products, and of the entry oil
French vessels into our ports.
Mr.. Calhoun said, he wished that this
message had been delayed, until the mes
sage ofthe President, at the opening OF
the present Congress,had reached France,
and We had asccr,ained its effect on the
French government. He entertained
still the hope, that tho controversy might
be brought to an amicable close but IT
this message and documents should reach
France before there had been any dcc-
sion, his hopes would be destroyed. He
said there could be no war more calam-
tous to us now, than war with France.
Mr.. Buchanan said few words in ox-
planation, after which the message was
referred,