Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-03-08


daily approving the general views Of His
Britannia Malesty's Government, the Ptesi-
dent regards with peculiar satisfaction the
enlightened and disinterested solicitudc ma
infested by it, for the welfare Of the nations
to whom its good offices are now rendered,
auI has seen with great sensibility, in the
exhibition Of that feeling, the recognition OF
that community of interests and those ties
of kindred by which the United States and
Great Britain arc united.
If circumstances did not renderi certain,
it would have been obvious, from the Ian.
guage Of Mr.. Bankhcad's note to the under.
signed, that the Government of His Britain.
mic Majesty, when the instructions under
which it was prepared were given, could not
have been apprized of all the steps taken in
the controversy between the United States
and France. 1t was necessarily ignorant
of the tenor Of the two recent messages OF
the President to Congress--the first, CON-
municated at the commencement Of the pre-
sent session, under date of the 7th OF De-
cember, 1885, and the second under that OF
the 18th of January, 1886. Could these
documents have been within the knowledge
of his Britannia Maiesty's Government, the
President does not doubt that it would have
been fully satisfied that the disposition OF
the United States, Notwithstanding their we'll
grounded and serious causes Of complaint
against France, to restore friendly relations
and cultivate good understanding with the
Government of that country, was undlmln.
ished, and that all had already been done, on
their part, that could in reason be expected
of them, to secure that result. The first of
these documents, although it gave such
history of the. origin and progress OF the
claims of the United States, and Of the
proceedings of France before and since the
treaty of 1881, as to vindicate the state
ments and recommendations of the lst De-
cember, 1884, yet expressly disclalmed the
offensive Interpretation put upon it by the
Government of France; and while it insist
ed on the acknowledged rights of the I'm.
ted States, and the obligations of the treaty,
and maintained the honor and independence
of the American Government, eyinced an
anxious desire to do all that constitutional
duty and strict Justice would permit, to re.
move every cause Of irritation and excite
mcnt. The special message of 18th Jam
uary last, being called for by the extraordi-
nary and inadmissable demands OF the Co.
yernment of France, as defined in the last
official communications at Paris, and by
the continued refusal Of Franco to execute
treaty, from the faithful performance OF
which BY tie United States it was TRANQUILITY
enjoying important advantages, it became
the duty of the President to recommend
such measures as might be adapted to the
exigencies of the occasion. Unwilling to
T believe that a nation distinguished for honor
and intelligence could have determined per-
manently to maintain ground so indefensi.
bic, and anxious still to leave open the door
of reconciliation, the President contented
himself with proposing to Congress the
mildest of the remedies given by the law
and practice of nations, in connexion with
such propositions for defence as were evil
IDENTIFY required by the condition of the Uni
; red States and the attitude assumed By
France. In all these proceedings, as well
as in every stage of these difficulties with
France, it is confde at'7 believed that the
course of the United State, when duly con.
sidered by other Governments and the
world, will be found to have been marked,
) not only by pacific disposition, but by a
J spirit of forbearauce and conciliation.
For further illustration of this point, as
well as for the purpose of presenting a lucid
view of the whole subject, the undersigned
has the honor to transmit to Mr.. Bankhead
copies Of all that part Of the message of
December 7, 1886, which relates TO it, and
of the correspondence referred to therein,
and also copies of the message and accom-.
panying documents, of the 18th of Janua.
ry, 1886, and of another message OF the
18th of the same month, transmitting re.
port Of the Secretary of State, and certain
documents connected with the subject.
These papers, while they bring down the
history of the misunderstanding between
the United States and France to the present
date, will also remove an erroneous impress
sion which appears to be entertained by His
: Britannia Majcsty's Government. 1t Is
suggested in Mr.. Bankhead's note that
there is no question of national interest at
issue between France and the United States
and that there is NJ demand of justice made
BY the one party and denied by the other.
This suggestion appears to be founded on
the facts that the claims of the United States
have been admitted by a treaty concluded
between the two Governments, and that the
money due by France has been provided by
the Chambers, and placed at the disposal of
the French Government for the purpose of
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