The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-09-28

Il
the note OF the 10Th May last, which follows:
.. LEoLTIOg OF Eases. WsahfngtOn, May 90 1889.
Sri received @ the 18Th Of May the note which you did
mine ealing The GovsRmeHf offhs U1sd siafsS q
AmsTsan steamship lis toW115S e. tFs,p Sas H.. The
NE q hsyIs which had run upon The bahk Of Rho
The eaplaR2tions given By Commands Casndsr are not
content which his proceedings have caused M Govern
He considered he says, and he gt eouuder. that the
case was one Of salvage that the gh acquired " him a
session of her until his extravagant prstsugoas 49, ii
ss,fed but his opinions have little interest IN ou sysS
wfen we have ccession 10 condemn his conduct
called on the Cabinet WashinEton M Secretary Of
severe Fspoof 10 that officer Of The AmsIesn Nav n
the dignity Of national marine might not be FsDsssd
From your ansvvsr Mr. sserusary Of State an, u,e,
naisIy induced to believe that your GoysnmsSf ~
senoss 70 the strange doctrine, profa-,ed By ComandsT
te in the name Of my Government agans these docinss
| your most obsdient servant,
Hon John NJ Clayton Secretary Of State. AII
There had been, in fact, no doctrine advanced
| in regard to the case of Commander Carpsnder,
nor was there any indication of an opinion on the
subject OF salvage. Mr. POussil, as tito make out
a case for denunciation, assumed that strange
doctrines" had been assumed BY the Executive
| which compromised the dignity Of our national
marine"
In his note of May 30th, the French Minister
/ speaks OF his previous communication dated 18th
of May in relation to this subject, as one merely
| calling upon the Government Of the United States
| to dsavOw the conduct of Commander CarIander.
| In point Of fact, his note Of the 18th Of May not
| only demanded such disayOWal but insisted
| that severe blame, at least, should be laid on
| those who thus considered themselves empowered
to substitute arbitrary measures for justice.' The
Government might have accompanied disayoWal
of Commander Carpenters conduct with severe
censure but disavOwal ofthe principle of salvage
or his right to it, would of necessity have inn
piled severe eensure. Mr.. Poussin's note Of the
18th Of May was not understood, could it be in
| terpreted as demanding merely disavowal of the
law under which Commander Carpender claimed
salvage for his crew. To demand upon the
President to disavow law Of the land, and the
usages of nations under the law Of nations it would
have been sufficient answer to have replied that
it not the province of the Executive to make or
repeal laws it is his duty to them as they
actually exist. Mr.. POussn's was construed 20
charge Commander Carpenter with abuse of
authority in Illegally OBTAINING the French vessel
: 1t will be observed that the defence Of Com
? mander Carpsnder was placed in the hands Of the
French Minister with the expectation Of their being
forwarded to the French Government; and with
the hope, expressed by the President, that an in
spection of the papers would remove the misunder-
standing which existed in regard to his conduct
? Mr.. Poussn did not give the Cabinet of France an
opportunity of deciding the case in its aspect,
J but Immediately denounced the commander, with
out considering his defence, which he regarded as
matter of lutte interest has eyes when he had oe-
CaslOn TO condemn the conduct of an officer Of the
/
American officer to be heard in his defence by the
! Government which accused, was not made mora
| palatabe TO the Executive by the cOntemptuous
speer that accompanied it. The United States
Ssovgrnhient had asked, as an act Of common JUS
tice toa meritoriOus and faithful officer that he be
heard IN matter affecting his private and official
character and it was natural to suppose that his
2 conduct in saving French ship, and abandoning
II his claim to salvage would exempt him from CEN
sure, though IL might fail to receive the apuFoba
e ton of the French Government. Ii was felt 10 ba
y due to Commander Carpenter that he should not
be condemned without evidence or a hearing and
1t refusal Of so common a right was deeply felt as
unjust, insOent, and rude. Mr.. Mason, the late
| Secretary Of the Navy, in a letter TO Commander
Carpenter, dated November 28th, IS4s, had Off
cially approved his course in this very matter !;
there was no evidence adduced against him, and
yet Mr., POussin decides that he had committed an
act which derogated from the dignity of the ma
tlonal marine" and proceeds to impieate the
American Government in the dsereditabIe conduct
of It's officer. He protests against the action of the
American Executive IN the name of the French
Government, thus presenting himself before the
President and his Cabinet as having been commits
stoned to lecture them upon what concerns the dig
nifty and honor of our national marine.
On the receipt of this extraordinary letter the
President determined to submit Mr.. POussin's cor
respOndenee to the French government, without
assuming to prescribe the course which that gov
eminent should adopt under such peculiar circum-
stances towards a friendly power; and Mr.. Poussn
was duly advised of this determination. Ia coming
TO this decision, the President was actuated by a
profound regard for the existing friendly relations
with sister republic, and sincere desire that
those relations should continue undsturbed. Ac-
cordingly, the whole correspondence was commu-
nicated to his excellency the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of France, on the 9TH Of July, by Mr. Rush
At length finding it apparent that the French
government wholly refused to redress the wrong
inflicted by the French Minister the President felt
constrained TO terminate Mr.. Poussin's official in
tercourse with this government, and thus preclude
an opportunity which might be again abused.
The relations thus terminated between the Min
= lister of France and the American government, do
= not imply necessarily lead to cold hostile in
: accommodation between the two governments.
. In the of Mr. jackson, Minister Of Great Bri-
;, tain, whose relations with this government were
! terminated by Mr.. Madison, in 1909, in more Pc
2 remptOry manner, and for less pointed insult no
! difficulty arose between this country and ENGLAND
Z At another time we may refer to this misunder.
standing more at length but suffice it to say for
the present. that unless France is emuous of diff
J; fculty with this cOuniTy-Of which we have no
evidence in any thing that has hitherto transpired
no disturbance Of the friendly relations between
: | this and that country can possibly occur.
In putting an end to the official relations of Mr.
= Poussin with the United States the Executive has
informed both the government Of France and the
late Minister Of France, that any communication
through any other channel will be respectfully re-
ceiVed and considered.