Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-21
y-sossrl!a Cogagresss--gst Sess.
.M0a,Iag J IN. Is,

IN SENATE.
The following Message was received from the Presi-
dent OF the United States by Mr. Donelson his Secre
tary,
To the Senate and House Of Representatives..
GESrLkMBS: In my Message at the opeHing of your
session. informed you that Charge 'Afaires at
Paris had been instructed ask for the 6nal determine
ton of the French Government, in relation the pay
nent of the indemniEcaton secured by the treaty Of the
9TH OF july 1881 and that when advices of the result
should be received, IT would be made the subject of
special communication.
la execution of this design, now transmit to you
the papers numbered from to 10, inclusive, contain
Ing among other things the correspondence this sub
jec between Charge 'Aiares and the French Min
lister OF Foreign Affairs from which it will be seen
that France requires, a condition precedent to the
execution of treaty Internationally ratified and to
the payment of debt acknowledged by all the branch
es of her Government TO be due thai certain eynIn
nations shall be made of which she dictates the terms
These terms such that Government has AREA
dy been officially informed cannot be complied with
and If persisted in, they must be considered as a de-
lberae refusal the pait of France 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: 4. we viii pay the money, says he, when "a the
Government Of the United States is ready its part 10
declare TO tydddressng its claim officially in
torng, that regrets tie misunderstanding ,chh has
arisen 6eceen the TACO countries that this raisundersqRd
ing as founded on mistake; that entered into
ats intention TO call IN question the good faiM of tie
French Government, 10 take a nenacaS attitude TO-
,oards France: and he adds if Le Government of The
Onitcd States does giro this assurance ice shall be
Obliged TO think that Ibis misunderstanding is The
suit IF an error"
In the letter marked No g. the French Minister also
remarks, that "he Government Of the United kn0cs
that upon itsef depends hene9oreard tie Of
the Treafycf July 4, 1881"
Obliged, by the precise language thus used by the
frehch minister TO view 1t as peremptory refusal tc
execute the Treaty, except terms incompatible with
the honor and independence of the United States and
persuaded that on considering the correspondence
submitted TO you, regard other lipht
becomes duty to call your such
as the exigency of the demands if the claim of in
terering in the communications between the different
GOvernmcn
pretension is rendered the unreasonable by the
fact that the of the required explanation has
been repeatedly and voluntarily given before it was in
sisted condition-a condition the more bumilia-
ting because 1t is demanded equivalent of pecuni
airy consideration Does France desire only declaration
that we had no inter ton 10 obtain our rights by an
address to her fears rather than her jusce She has
already had it, frankly and explicitly given by our Mi
mister accredited TO her Government his ratified by
me, and my confirmation of it officially by
him. in his letter TO the French Minister of Foreign Az
ars oil the 10th OF April 1885, and repeated by my pub
lshed approval of that letter after the of the bill
OF decentralization. Does France want degrading ser
vile repetition OF this act in which shall dictate
and which will involve acknowledgment of her as.
sumed right to interfere in domestic councils' She
will obtain it The spirit OF the American Peope
the dignity of the Legislature and the firm resolve of
their Executive Government, forbid it,
As the answer of the French Minister to our Charge
Affalres at Paris contains auson letter address
ed by him to the Representative of France at this place
IT now becomes proper 10 lay before you the correspond
ence had between that iunctonary and the Secretary
state relative to that letter. and to accompany the
with such explanations will enable you to understand
me course oil the Executive in regard to it, Recurring
TO the historical statement made at the commencement
OF your session, of the origin progress of our diff
eultes with France it will be recoeced that on the re-
turn OF our Minister TO the United States caused nv
official approval of the explanations he had pyen TO the
French Minister of Foreign Affairs be made public
AS the French Government had noticed the MESSAGE
without It's being officially communicated, it was not
doubted that, If they disposed pay the money
due TO us, they would notice any public explanation of
the Government of the United States i'm the same way
But contrary to these well-founded expectations the
french Ministry did not take this fair opportunity
eve themselves from their unfortunate position and TO
do justice to the United States.
Whilst however the Government cf the United States
was awaiting the movements of the French Government
IN perfect confidence that the difficulty was at an end
the Secretary of State received call from the French
Charge flares in Washington who desired TO read TO
nm letter he had received from French Minister of
Foreign Affairs He asked whether he was instruct
ed or directed TO make any official communication and
replied that he only authorized to read the letter
and furnish copy, If requested The substance of its
contents, 1T is presumed, may be gathered from Nos
and q, herewith transmitted 1t attempt to make
known To the Government of the United States private
ly, In what manner ii could make explanations appa
renty voluntary but really dictated by France accepa
bic to her and thus obtain payment the twenty-five
nhons OF francs No exception taken to this mode
OF communication, which is often TO prepare the
way Tor official intercourse but the suggestions
1t were IN their substance wholly nadnissble Not be-
ing IN the shape of official nication to this
Government it did not admit of reply official notice
nor could safely be made the basis of any action by
the Executive the Legislatures; and the Secretary Of
state did not think proper toask copy, because he could
have no for it,
Copies of papers marked Numbers 9, TO- and /
show an attempt, the part of the French Charge
d Ahaires, many weeks afterwards, TO place a coov
OF this letter among the archives of this Government
WINCH Tor obvious reasons, allowed 10 be
done; bat the before given was repeated
that any official communication which he might be au-
honzed to make, III the accustomed form, would receive
prompt and Just consideration. The indiscreton of !
MS attempt was made manifest by the subsequent
avowa OF the French Charge flares that the object
was TO BRING tins letter before Congress the Auer
can Teopie foreign agents. subject of Disagree
nent between their Government aud this wish TO pyeer
American People herea 4
i hoped better appreciate their rights and the res
pec due TO others, than to aemptto the Executive
as The passive organ oftheir communications
III 10 due 10 The Character of institutions that the
diplomatic intercourse OF this Government should be
corductd with the utmost directness and simplicity and
ceved OF made by the Executive should assume the ac
customed official form Ii only by insisting on this
form, that foreign powers be held to full responsible
y, that their communications be officially replied TO-
or that the advice orntereeuce of the Legislature can
with proPriey be invited by the President This course
As also best calculated the hand 10 shield tlo
officer from unjust suspicious and the other u sub,
Ject this portion Of his acts 10 public scrutiny and if oc
cason shall require IT, 20 constitutional annadversion
IL the necessary adhere these prucples
IN the instance IN question: inasmuch in addition
other important interests IT very intimately concerned
the national honor-a matter, in my Judgment much
too sacred to be made the subject Of private aud uno
cial negotiation
Ii will be perceived that this letter of the French
Minister ofForegn Affairs read to the Secretary of
State the Ia Of September last This was the fret
authentic indication Of the specific views of the French
Government received by the Government Of the United
States after tie passage Of the bill decentralization
lasmuch as the letter bad been written before the OIL
cal notice Of my approval Of Mr. Livingstone last expl
nd havc p..t