Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-01-29


Iieye themselves from their unfortunate
position, and to do justice 10 the Unitel
States.
Whilst, however, The Government o.
the U, s. vas awaiting the moremeDi'
Of the French Government, 10 perfect cor
fidence that the difficulty was ut an end
the secretary Of the State received call
from the French Charge d'Afaires in
Washington, who desired to read 20 him
letter be had received from the French
Minister Of Foreign Affairs. lie was ask
ed whether he was instructed or directed
TO make any official communication, and
replied that he was onIy authorized to
read the letter, and furnish q copy if re
quesled. The substance Of lis contents,
IL presumed, may Ge gathered from Nos.
4 and 6 herewith transmitted. 1t was an
attempt to let The Government Of the U. s.,
privately know 10 what manner it could
make explanations, apparently voluntary
but really dictatedby France, acceptable
to her, and thus obtain payment Of The
twenty five millions OF francs. No excep
ton was taken to this mode of communi
cation, which is often used to prepare the
for official intercourse, but the sugges
tions made 10 it were, in their substance
wholly inadmissibIe, Not being in the
shape Of an official communication to this
Cover nRent, it did not admil of reply or
official notice, nor could it safely be made
the basis Of any acIon by the Executive
Or the Legislature; aud the Secretary Of
State did not think proper to ask copy,
because be could have no use for it.
Copies of papers, marked No. O.,
10 and IL show an attempts on the
part Of The French Charge i'sfIires
many weeks afterwards, TO place cop
y of this paper among The archives
Of this government which for obvious
reasons, was not allowed 10 be done;
but the assurance before given was re
pealed, that any Official com nunica-
tion which he might be authorized 10
make in the accustomed form, would
receive prompt aud just cOnsidera-
tion. The indiscretiOu Of his sIenipt
was made more manifest, by The sub
sequent avOwal ofthe French Charge
d'Afaires, that the object vas to brIag
this letter before Congress sGd the A
merican people. II foreign agents,
on subject Of d;sagreemeGis between
their Government and this, wish to
prefer an appeal 10 tire American peo
PIE, they will hereafter, it is hoped
better appreciate their own rights, aud
the respect due to others, than TO al
tempt to use the Executive as the pas
sive organ Of their communications.
II is due 10 the character OF our i0sli.
tuiions, that the diplomatic intercourse
Of this Government should be conduc
ted with the utmost direclness and
simplicity, and that, in all cases Of i'm
portance, the communications receiv-
ed or made by the Executive, should
assume the accustomed official form.
1t is only by insisting on this form
that foreign powers can be heldlO foil
that their communica-
lions can be officially replied to; or
that the advice or interference of the
Legislature can, with plOpriety, be in
viled by the President. This course
Is also best calculated, on the one
hand, TO shield that officer from un.
just suspicious, aud on the other, to
subject this portion of his acts to pub
lie scrutiny, and if occasion shall re.
quire il, 10 constitutional snimadver.
sion. 1t was The more necessary TO
adhere to these principles in the in
stance in question, inasmuch, as in ad
lllion to other important interests, it
very intimately concerned the nation.
al honor; matter, in my judgement
much too sacred to be made the sub
iect of private and unofficial negOtia.
lion.
It will be perceived that this letter
Of The French Minister of Foreign
Affairs was read TO the Secretary Of
State on the llth of September last,
This was the first authentic indication
If the special views of the French
Government, received by the Govern.
nent of the United States after the
passage of the bill of indemni6cation.
as the letter had been writ.
en before the official notice Of my ap
oroval of Mr.. Livingston's last expla
nation and rem0nstranee could have
reached Paris, just ground of hope
was left, as has been before stated that
he French Government, on receiving
hat information, in the same manner
he alIedged offending message had
cached them, would desIst from their