Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-01-25
9th CONGRESS-lst Session.
Tho =" SpeCi1s .FsexS0.c."
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT no
BOTH HOT SES OF CONGRESS-.

hfcfff0, ana fedd, and rstfFTtd ~ hr Commit
tee on Foreign Relations IN bath Houses
MoNn,N, January Is.
To The Senate and HouSo Of REPRESENTATIVES
GENTLEMEN In my message at the opening
OF Your session, informed YOU that our CHARGE d.
Aares AT Paris had bccn instructed 10 ask for ia,
final determination of the French Government in
relation 10 the payment ri the in1emnificniion
secured ID, the treaty oi the It'll OF july 1881, and
that, Wien ad,iees ofthc result should be rcccn-
ed, II would be made tn subject of Il special com
munication.
In execution Of tin, dcSipn now transmit To
YOU the papers numbered from | to II, inclusive
containing among other things, the correspondence
On THIS subject between our iharre IL AIlares and
the French Minister of Foreign Nllairs from
"hicl, II will be seen that France rcquircs ms "A
condition precedent 10 the execution of Il treat,
Internationally ratified, and to the payment Of a
debt acknowledged by all the branches of her Gn-
Ncrnment 10 be due, that certain explanations shall
he made, OF which $ Z dictates the terms. These
terms are such rs that Government has airead,
been officially informed cannot h, complied with /;
and, II persisted III, tlcN must be considered as a
deliberate refusal an the part OF France 10 fulfil en-
gagcncnts binding by the laws Of nations, and held
sacred by the whole civilized world. The nature
oi the act which France requires from the Co
vcrnncnt i, cl,arl, set forth in the letter Of ,he
money, says he, when " ht Government Of The
tnacd States is readg on us part 10 desiaye
10 MS, by addressing It's ciaim 10 MS oHciofiy in
rritnc, that II rcerfis the misunderstanding
Whtrh has ar SeH bctertH Tic ira foaRfricS that
fhis misunderstanding is toUnded on a mistake j..
fh6t nrrcr fRt,rcd into II, intention 10 faH in
question the eood faih 81 ne French Gorryn-
: mcnf, nor 10 tdhc meadciDg aHitHdt ioira,dS
france - and he adds, "itthc GorctRmeai n
Tie t"Hea States does MOI gre THIS assurance,
arc Sh0H be obfgcd 10 THINK thai tins misapder-
Stunning IS not the result n an e,r0r'
In the letter marked No. o, the French Minister
also remarks thai " Nt Government n tie Initcd
States Mo~S that rpon i,scH dcpends hcnce-
torpord hc etecu'ien fHr 7uotg n Jaly /,
1881
Obliged, by the precise language thus used hy
the French Minister, 10 view it ms a pcrcmptorv
refusal to execute the treaty, except on terms
incompatible with the honor and Independence Of
the United States, and persuaded that, on co -
dcrng the correspondence now submitted To YOU.
YOU can REGARD il in no Other lieln, il becomes my
duty 10 call Your attention 10 such measures rs
the cxl"rncs OF the case demands, if the claim of
interfering IN the communications between lln diff
irr'nl branches OF our Government shall he per
sisted III. Tins prrtonson Is rendered the more
unreasonable by the fact that the substance Of the
unfairly given before it WAS insisted on rs a con-
dnon--a condition more hun,iaino because il is
demanded is the equivalent of prcuularv con.
sIdcralinn. Does France desire Il declaration liar
WE had no intention 10 obtain our rights by an
address To her fears rather than 10 her Justice :
She has already had it, iranhl and cNplicv given
by our Minister accredited 10 her Go,rrnmcnt,
his ac ratified by me- and my confirmation Of il
officially communicated by him, in his letter TO the
French Minister OF FOREIGN Affairs Of the 25,h
OF April, lS''3, and repeated by my published ap-
proNal ot that letter aiie the passage Of the bill of
decentralization. Does France want a degrading
scivIle repetition Of this act, in terms which she
shall dictate, and which will involve an nchnow-
ledgmenl Of her assumed right To interfere in our
domestic councils She wi, never obtain it. The
spirit Of the American People, the dignity of the
Legislature, and the irm resolve OF the Executive
Government, forbid it.
As the answer OF the French Minister To our
Charge d. Aifares at Paris contains an aision to
a letter addressed bv him To the Representative
oi France at his place, il now becomes proper to
lay before you the correspondence had lctwccu
that functionary and the Secretary of State, rcla-
tive TO the letter, and TO accompany the same with
such explanations as will enable yon to understand
the course oil the Executive in regard to it, Re
curing to the historical statement made At the
commencement Of your session, Of the origin and
progress OF onr difficulties with France, il will be
recoIectcd that, on tie return Of onr Minister to
the nitcd States, caused my official approval
OF the explanations he had given 10 the French
Minister Of Foreign AlaiIS 10 lie made public
rs the French Government had noticed the mes
sage without It's being officially communicated, it
was not doubted tllat il they were disposed 10 pay
the money due 10 MS, They would notice any public
explanation OF the Government Of the United States
III the same way But, contrary to these we'll found
ed expectations, the French Ministry did not take
this fair opportunity to relieve themselves from
their unfortunate position, and to do Justice to the
United States.
Whist, however, the Government of the United
States was awaiting the movements Of the French
Government, III perfect confidence that the diff
Guilty was AT an end, tie Secretary Of State
recci,cda call from the French Charge d Allarc,
in Washington, who desired to read to him letter
he had received from the French Minister of Eo-
reign Affairs, He was asked whether he was in
structed or directed To make any official commit
ncatlon, and replied, tIat he was only authorized
to read the letter, and 10 furnish copy if request
ed. The substance Of It's contents, il is presumed
may be gathered from Nos ! and &, hcrcWih trans
mttcd. II was an attempt 10 rake known To the
Government Of the United States, privately, in
what manner could make explanations apparently
voluntary, but really dictated by France, acccI-
table TO her, and Illus obtain payment of the TWEEN
ty-ivc millions of francs. No exception was taken