The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1849-10-03
FrOn sAs N.,isasl IussIIissnOsr
THE FRENCH QUESTION.

The Offssid papers TrlsIing % h'e an
fanuna.e misunderstanding ihai has zfisen
between The fEenrh Mlnisier 70 Ihis eo0n-
tTy and our Government, Naich we are
snsbled % publish to-day. whl attract ihe
attention of al readers; and We have no
doubs that ihey wall Be very generally Pc |
Tused wisis great interest
Ia or1sF 20 eoanerl The papers one with !
another. AMI 10 ~, he reader in posses
.Ion OF srneIal yies u lie Nh0le course
and bearing of lh's misunderstanding. &c
hare made up from materials q cor disp'-
al lie following narrative Of The s.sces-
sire inridenls hirh have marked us pro,
Rress, By The help Of whirb The uihrial
Cnrrespondence will h more readily I'M |
derslooS Than oilers ise perhaps II would.
II appears lhsi. oa The 7lh day Of Feb
ruary I.sl. the Minister a France 20 the
Uniie.l States. N. PonssIn.) in mole 10
Mr. Buchanan. predecessor IN Office OF
the present sscTelary &c Stale. stated thai
he was charged by The French Gosern-
menl 10 prosecute q clam against the
Government of The uniled States, brought
by Frenchman established in Mexico,
named A. PORT. Cor indemnifiraliOn for da-
images sustained by him, from The aris q
certain agents Of The army Of The United
States. His application might be regard.
cd as being IN The nature Of ~ appeal
from lie sentence Of Military i'oun Of
Inquiry AT Puebla. which had made de-
asion unlayorable ~ The claim be presenl-
cd.
II appearing that no answer 10 This note
Vas returned BY Mr.. Buchanan, Mr.. Clay
ION lot no time, after The ,laim was thus
presented, in deyoling himself 10 full
and fair investigation Of il, and. from de-
ference 10 The high authority under whnse
sanction IL was presented, postponed i'm.
portani public bnsiness in order 10 crafty
Mr.. Poussin's urgent demand for spec.
dy decision. Ia less Than three weeks af-
ter he took charge Of the Department Of
State. and within len days after the sub.
jeci had been brought 10 his notice. he had
reviewed The evidence submitted 10 him
by the French Government, and all the
evidence he could obtain and, on The
2sth day of March last. annoancedio Mr..
Ponssia, ia respectful language, his deri-
sion, xhirh was, "ihat NJ. Port had M
Just cause to be dissatisfied with The award
Of the Military Court Of Inquiry" Not
satisfied with this decision. thai Minister
on the 18th March last, addressed 10 III,
Department Of State another note, il
which he reviewed The grounds on which
he supposed the decision had been made
and snimadverled with much severity up
on The testimony Of Colonel Childs, dis
tingnished officer Of The American arm,
in Mexico. who had been examined as
witness before the Cont OF Inquiry a
Pusbla, which had unanimously condemn
ed the claim OF Mr.. PORT as unjust, an
whose decision had been regularly sane
toned and approved by Major Genera
Scott, the Commander-in.chief. Havin
entertained the appeal from the sentcnc
OF the Military Court al the request q
Mr. Ponssin, and definitely decided II, ur
on a full view Of all the evidence he ha
presented, Mr.. Clayton might, with pei
feet proprieiy, have declined any furths
roresnondence with him on that subjec
Bul his high respect for The GovernmeI
he represented induced Mr.. Clayton
reply. on the 10Th Of April last, assignn
reasons for The decision lie had made, an
respectfully controverting some Of the pc
silons the French Minister had assumet
On The 18Th Of April he received fol
Mr.. Poussin another note, on the sam
subject, in which. without The shadow I
proyocation, the French Minister indulge
in a strain Of invective and opprobrun
apparently intended 10 be highly Offer
sive 10 The Government Of the Unite
States.
This being the first instance in whic
any minister Of foreign country had Al
dressed Mr.. Clayton, in his Official ch
racier. in language offensive TO The Amer
can Government, he Immediately subm
ted The correspondence 10 the Presitlei
by whose instructions he lost 10 time
requesting Mr.. Poussin TO repair 10 ih
rily without unnecessary delay.
His offensive note was dated al Was
ington, while he was absent in New Yor
upwards of two hundred miles dIsia
from this city, which. il not SATISFACTORY
explained or reiracled, would have reqni
ed al the hands Of this Government III
all correspondence with him as Minisi
should terminate without delay, as me
sure indispensable 10 the maintenance
The friendly relations so happily subsistin
between the two nations. This made
important 10 himself and TO his Cover
men, that he should forthwith repair
this place.
Mr.. Clayton's note 10 him Of the 81
OF April was written after the receipt
this communication, and requested hi
10 repair TO this city with the intention
permitting him to r9traci the offensiv
passages in his neie, and especially ii
following: - The Government, Of the Tn
ted States must be convinced tina, i,
more honorable TO acquit fairly debt COL
'tracted during war, under the pressure
NECESSITY, than 10 evade lis paymen, b
endeavoriug 10 brand the character of
'honesi man" The same note contain,
an attack upon Colonel Childs. And
4l-z II Il