The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-09-26
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
WEDNESDAY, MORNING SEPT. 90, Is4o.
our R.l..leas s.,sA Rr.ne..

WEDN ESDAX MORNING SEPT. 20, I640.
Our Relations with France.
In our remarks this subject yesterday. we stated
that the difficulty with M Poussn, and the reasons
which were assigned for the course OF our
towards him, partake Of personal rather than Of
tonal character The organ Of the President agrees with
US in this view We also stated that our Secretary Of
State had in his correspondence committed blunder,
which is important in national point Of view, as ],
implied disregard Of right well as departure
from the rules Of diplomatic etiquette. Had Mr. Clayton
been as mindful Of his official duty to do justice. he
was OF his own personal imporance-and studous 10
preserve the good name Of his government. as he
waste repe what cannot be called remarkable want Of
courtesy this blunder would scarcely have been commit
ted But there the blunder stands and government
has thus been placed in false position, which it cannot
rghtfully maintain nor yet abandon. now that NJ Pous
sin has been dismissed without mourning ridicue and
reproach e
M. Poussn's note Of the 18th Of May, addressed to
Mr. Clayton complains OF the abuse OF authority" by
Commander Carpenter .in illegally detaining he ship
Esgsnie J" and ssys 'at uers blame, al least should
BE- laid on those ,no thus considered themselves empowered
10 substitute arbitrary measures for justice" These
tincty the wrong complained Of by the French govern
nen and they raised question which was not involved
in the validity Of Commander Carpenters claim for
salvage. The point which they bring forward was, not
whether the officers Of navy authorized to de-
mand salvage Of French citizen under the circumstances
which attended the Of the Eugenie but whether
they have right 10 detain vessel thus rescued
ryf for their compensation. This was the question which
Mr. Clayton called upon to decide under the instruc
ton Of the President II point made by the demand
OF the French government to the conduct of
Commander Carpenter. Was il not the Secretarys duty
therefore, to his government, when he refused to
accede to the demand Of the French government least
to assign some for that refusal and this too
not only ACT Of courtesy to friendly power but to
yndcae the conduct Of the United States and the acts
Of one Of her naval officers from censurel At least we
cannot how the Secretary OF State can be said TO have
performed his duty by proving, from the admissions Of
Commander Carpenter that the vessel had been detained
some thirty hours and by publishing subsequent opin.
ion Of the Attorney General that the claim for salvage
preferred by Commander Carpenter good and valid
claim according to the decisions of English and Amer.
can tribunals And here we would remark, that we
agree fully with the view advanced by the Republic that
ian american officer has much right to be heard in
Justification, the captain Of French merchant vessel
has to Be heard in complaint" But we must say ALSO
that any disagreement between them should be decided
by legal investigation OF the facts of the case In the
present instance the letters of the American officer admit
the detention complained Of and his statement sets forth
justification the circumstances Of that detention Ad
hitting, even, that Mr. Clayton right in basng his
action entirely upon the evidence furnished by the party
whose conduct was impeached too that the
rescue Of the Eugene was clear and case
Of salvage yet submit that Mr. Clayons duty to his
own government. and his duty to Commander Carpen.
der we'll proper courtesy to France, required that
he should have justified the determination of our govern
meat TO refuse entertaining the complaint OF the captain
Of the Eugene, founded upon the admitted detention
Of his vessel The proprieiy Of that detention was
the matter at issue; and II the opinion Of the Attorney
General considered Of importance before after the
rupture with NJ Poussin il should have been rendered
that point and il should not have been confined en-
urely to the question Of salvage.
The French minister to be correct in saying that
the opinions Of Commander Capender were of no con-
sequence In negotiation between the government Of the
United States and that Of France and in despite Of the
announcement in the semiocial article in the Rspsbe,
that government has announced no doctrine on the
question Of salvage. apprehend that il will be unive-
sally conceded that NJ Poussin placed the right con-
srucon Mr.. Cayton's nose Of the 2sh OF May which
called forth the ofsnsve note OF the 3Oth OF May Mr.
Clayton after stating The subiectmatter Of the negoia
ton, says be
The Secretary Of the Navy, 10 whom translation your
sent has comm this department Com
mander larpsndess exploration Of the circumstances
tending his oftbe Eugenie," cory Of which
planaiIon lave The hontr herewith enclose you and
trust that win any misapprehsnsion which may
exist the part Of The French government relative his
conduct on the occasion in question.
This all thai Is said and since the elaborate opinion
Of the Attorney General Of the Goth OF June has express
cd the opinion that the claim for salvage preferred by
Commander Carpender good and valid claim while
the extract above, fitneans anything that the
government approves the conduct Of Commander Car
peader in claiming salvage. and IN detaiaig the Eugene
therefor, the eagerness Of Mr. Clayton to take offence al
the want Of courtesy in NJ Poussin has, il
precluded him from retrieving himself from the awkward
position In which bis nconsdeate note Of the 2sth OF May
placed him. II the OF NJ Poussn should come
he probably will come, TO the United States with in
suctons in his pocket TO the discussion at the
point at which it was broken of, we cannot see how
Mr. Clayton be free consider the rghtfuness OF
Commander Carpenters claim, under which he detained
the Eugene, open question, without taking the ground
that the Attorney Generals duties confne him the
laws Of the United States and that when he undertakes
TO publish opinions the laws OF nations applicable 10
negotiation with foreign power they are entitled TO nc