Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1849-09-29

The French Minister and the United

consequence OF Lnc TltlnOfS ana statements that
have gone abroad in reference to alleged difficulty
between Mr.. Poussin and the Government of the
United States it becomes necessary present mar
ration of facts that might otherwise have been with
held. An attempt has been made to create the i'm
preston that the circumstances to which we refer
establish of necessity unfrendy relations between
this country and France. This is not the case
Every Nation is at liberty to dismiss any foreign
Minister, at its pleasure, the occurrence of any
thing which is offensive to its dignity character
of which it is ITSELF of course, to be the sole Judge
No Nation has ever undertaken to resent such a
step as hostile unfrendy act. The apprchen-
sons, therefore, which seem to have prevailed on
this subject, quite uncalled for some Interior
action on the part of France will be necessary to
interrupt the amcabe relations which exist between
her and the United States.
On the It'll day of February last Mr.. Poussin in
a note to Mr.. Buchanan, then Secretary of State,
alleged that he was charged by the French Gov
eminent with the prosecution OF a claim against the
Government of the United States, brought by
Frenchman named A. Port, established in Mexico,
for ndemnification for damages sustained by him
from the acts of certain agents of the army of the
United States. His application was in the nature
of an appeal from the sentence of Military Court
of Inquiry at Pucha, which had made decision I'M
favorable TO the claim.
No answer was sent by Mr.. Buchanan to this
communication. When it was brought to the at
tenton of the present Secretary of State, Mr.. Clay
ton promptly devoted himself to its investigation,
with the view of gratifying Mr.. Poussin by speedy
decision. Within ten days from the time it was
presented to him. MIR. Clayton announced TO Mr.
Poussin that he had arrived at the conclusion that
MIR. Port had no Just cause to be dissatisfied with
the award of the military court of inquiry. This
award, may add, which rejected Mr.. Ports
claim, had been regularly sanctioned and approved
by Gen Scott, the commander-in-chief
Dissatisfied with this decision, Mr.. Poussin, on
the 18th of March, addressed note to the Secretary
htrh hp hos
of the decision, and anmadverted with some severity
on the testimony of distinguished officer of the
American army in Mexico, who had been a witness
before the court at Puebla. 1t is obvious that at
this point Mr. Clayton might have declined any
further correspondence the subject; but, out Of
respect, on the 10th of April he replied to Mr. Pous
sins communication, assigning reasons for his de
cson, and respectfully controverting the positions
of the Minister On the 18th of April Mr. CLAYTON
received another note from Mr.. Poussin, in which
the Minister INDUCED in strain of invective evil
IDENTIFY intended to be highly offensive to the Amer-
can Government The correspondence was imme-
dately submitted by the Secretary of State to the
President, who directed him to lose no time in
questing MIR. Poussn to repair to Washington with
out unnecessary delay.
The offensive note dated at Washington,
while MIR. Poussin absent in New York, up
ward of two hundred miles distant from this city.
Bearing on its face an insult to the American Gov
eminent, deliberately given in the very capital of
the United States, which if not satisfactorily ex-
planned rctracted, would have required that all
correspondence with him minister should termi-
nate without delay, it made important to him
self and Government that he should lose time in
repairing to Washington. One offensive passage
was the following: g The Government ofthe Uni
ted States must be convinced that is more honor
able TO acquit, fairly, a debt contracted during
lcar 1nlder the pressure Of necessity, than TO eUade
its payment By endeacOring TO brand the character
of an honest man" The note contained an
attack upon high military officer, charging him,
in effect, with perjury before military court; and
an tack upon the distinguished officers composing
the court, who charged with permitting that
officer to carry out, without interruption, his
string of calumnes incredible" 1t closed with an
insinuation that the State Department had become
the organ of a criminal accusation, without proofs
against Mr. Port.
1t was in reply to this communication, that on
the Dist of April Mr.. Clayton addressed MIR. Pous-
sin the following note:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, !
WASHINGTON, April 81, 1919. !
SIR On the afternoon of the 18th instant, com
munication from you, dated Washington, April -,
1919, (without showing the day which writ
ten) received at this Office, relative to the claim
of Mr. Port the Government of the United States,
and, having Just had occasion to address you pri-
vate note, learn through the messenger who
dispatched to deliver it, that you have been, for the
last two weeks, absent from Washington and that
the period of your return hther from New York
was quite uncertain.
Under these circumstances, after perusal of your
note was laid before me this morning, lose not a
moment in requesting you to repair to this city with
out unnecessary delay
have the honor to be, very respectfully, sir, your
obedent servant. JOHN M. CLAYTON.
Mr.. WILLIAM TELL PoUssIN.
In the interview between Mr.. Clayton and Mr..
Poussin which followed this note the latter gem
tleman was informed that his letter highly of
fensive, and contained language which our Govern
ment could not admit, and that he was permitted
to withdraw the offensive expressions. The letter
accordingly withdrawn, and on the following
day returned, expurgated of the most offensive mat
ter. Anxious to maintain friendly relations with
the ministry, the President here permitted the mat
ter to drop, and the correspondence with regard to
the claim of Mr.. Port terminated 1t was hoped
that there would be no further OF complaint
On the 18th day of May, however, Mr.. Poussin,
in diplomatic note represented to the State De-
partment that &c MIR. Carpenter the commander of
the American war-steamer Iris, after fastening to
the assistance of the French ship Eugenie of Havre,
which had struck on the bank of Riso, the an
chorage of Anton Lizardo, advanced claims, wholly
inadmissable, on account of remuneration for his
services, and to their acquitta, detained the
Eugene for two three days In consequence of
the energetic remonstrances of M. Lavaee, and the
honorable Intervention of the consul of the United
States at Vera Cruz, Commander Carpenter dcsist-
ed from his prctensions." Mr.. Poussin proceeded
to say that the minister of foreign affairs of France
requested him to address to the Cabinet OF Wash
ington the most serious observations on the abuse
of authority committed by this officer, in Illegally
OBTAINING the ship Engene." He concluded his
note with the following remark: "You will easily
comprehend, Mr.. Secretary of State, how important
it is that such should not be repeated
and that blame, at least, should be laid on
those who thus considered themselves empow cred to
substitute arbitrary for JUSTICE and doubt
not that you WILL without delay, give satisfaction
to the just complaints of the French Republic
This note, unaccompanied as it by any tcsti-
mony to justify the charge against Commander Car
pender, was promptly referred to the Navy Depart
ment, for the purpose of ascertaning the facts on
which his condemnation was demanded. On the