The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-10-03
Mr. de Tocqneriie % Mr.. Rush. y
l.E, ..i IN
PARIS. August g,

of State for Foreign Affairs of n" United States
and the Minister of France at Washington,
upon the subject two claims. which the latter
had been charged to present to the Federal Gov.
ernmrnt; one against the irregular detention "f
the French ship rEugenir, by Commodore
Carpender. of Vera Cruz; and the other tor The
purpose of asking f.r an indemnihcalion in Ia.
vor Of NJ. Port, French merchant, Tor the an
rogation of the sale of certain quantity OF 10.
bacco struck off To him by the commander OF
the American fnrces at Puebla.
These two affairs having hitherto been dts
cussed at Washington. where they are to be
concluded, it is no, my province to examine their
merits. Besides, am too certain of The Integ
ri,y of the Government Of the Union to doubt
that it will ultimately acknowledge every claim
founded in right; and on lis part, II cannot think
,ha, the French Government allows ilsell l." TO
drawn. by the desire of protecting ITS SUBJECTS
to support pretensions the justice OF which has
not been demonstrated TO it.
These sentiments of reciprocal confidence
hciny of nature to avert and prevent. in the
discussion ofprlva'e interests, those snsre tiniIl-
tics and misunderstanding which cannot tail TO
con,plicaie them. we have --~;.l. 80 tr',ett
aslonishment ss regret the turn wnch the
COMMUNICATIONS exchanged between our envoy
aud Mr. Clayton nave taken. Even before
had received the letter which you have written
,ne 10 call my attention to them, NJ. Poussln
had transmitted coTies of them TO me-. had
heen fully impressed To find in that correspon.
dence tone of acerhily and harshncss very
little comparable to the friendly relations he
tween the two countries; but [ ought 10 say
without entering into useless recrminalions,
without seeking for the side whence the hrst
injuries proceeded, i, had appeared to me that
this observation was moi alone applicable TO the
letters written by the Minister Of Franco.
M. Po,,ssin, doubtless, misconstruing some
expressions in those which have been addressed
10 him by the Secretary of State, believed he
saw in them want Of respect, for which he
may have manifested his resentment with too
much spirit; but ifa passage Of his Ictiet OF The
-oi April may have hurt MIR. Clayton, 1t seems
that there is no longer any ground to take ad.
vantage of it against him after he has consented
to withdraw it, and he has given pretty signal
proof of his conci'iaIory spirit in ahs'ainIns
from animadversion upon an expression IN The
answer addressed to him by that minister ON
the 2lst Of April, which estimated with Certain
degree of susceptibility might have seemed I"
be rather an imperious Summons than dlplo.
matte invitation.
Furthermore. sir, it is not necessary ior me
to tell you that entirely concur in the opinion
which you express upon not deviaiing. in nego'
iiaiions, from the observance and forms OF a lie.
nevolrnt courtesy.
invite NJ. Poussin never 10 forget this rule
in his intercourse with the Government OF the
United States. and I am sure that. if it he re-
ciprocraled, the observance OF it will be render
ed easy TO him.
Receive, sir, the assurance of,he high con.
sderation with which have the honor to he,
ru,,r very humble and rcry ohedient servant,
ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVtLLE.
The Sccretaryof Si1ie of The Unitrd States 10
the Minister of Foreign Affairs Of France.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, Sept. 8, le49.
NJ. ALEXIS DE TocaUEvILLE,
Minister Of Foreign Affairs
of the French Republic.
Sir: have received a despatch from MIR.
Rush, the American Minister in Paris, ofthc
I3th of ofAuguSt, covering note from you I" him
dated the 9th of that month. Both have hern
submitted to the President. with the corrcspon.
ence TO which they relate. As Mr.. Rush is
returning home, and Mr.. Rives. who has been
appointed TO succeed him as Minister to France
has prohahly not yet arrived in Paris, hasten
TO avail myselfoflhe only means OF commune
cation between the governments We represent
ly addressing yon directly on the subject of your
mole. ,-
You acknowledge the receipt Of The correspon.
dence (which took place between the Secreta.
ry of State for Foreign Affairs of the United
States and the Minister of France at Washing
ton" from which it must have been obvious to
Your mind that the latter had repeatedly and
gratuitously addressed communications To this
Government, highly offensive and discourteous,
both in manner and in substance.
That correspondence was submitted simply
to enable yonr Government to decide upon the
course 10 he taken in regard to its own Minister.
Yon appear to have considered the occasion as
one which called upon you to construct an apollo
gy for that Minister, by indiscrimnateIy cen.
suring both parties to the correspondence. You
were not invited TO decide as an arbier upon
the mode in which The American Government
conducted that correspondence, which was not
only courteous and respectful in terms but entire
Iy unrxceptionable in spirit; and you could moi
nave failed to observe that this Department had
not, in any instance, descended to recrimination
whether useless or, otherwise, with Mr.. PonSsin.
Should the correspondence Of any Minister
Of this republic prove insulting To the friendly
Government Of France, that Government is too
confident Oft the desire to maintain kind relations
.viih it to doubt tha, the President of the United
States would Eel il to he high duty to exam.
inc the complaint. and to render a prompt and
propcs stoncment Tor the injury. But the issue
presented in the correspondsnce Of Mr. PoussIn
cannA be eraded by any charge Of rocrimina
tions. ffihat charge can he made with any