The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-09-23
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
SUNDAY MORNING SEPT. 90, Is4s.
The ome..l statement Of IN. Fs.neh D,msal.y.

The reader will find in columns OF this morning
all the official documents which were published by the
National helgenor Of yesterday relative to the dis
mssal of the minister OF the French republic We
repubsh the whole correspondence it appeared in
The National Intsligencer, from disposition to do
iull and entire justice to the administration. although
consider a large portion of It entirely irrelevant
to the matter in issue. Whatever offensive language
NJ. Poassin used in his notes relative to the claim
Of Mr. Port il was to u.s. fully atoned for by his
prompt withdrawal OF ii when his attention was called
hereto by Mr. Clayton. That matter fully disposed
Of then and that is entitled to any spe
cal Importance in considering difficulty growing out OF
another and different and distinct transaction II il be
used to prove settled unfriendness toward govern
ment on the part OF the French minister by reference to
the offensive language which in the correspond
ence it occasioned he surely entitled to urge the
prompt withdrawal Of that language to prove different
disposition and to cite his conduct that occasion
tabsh that he would have made any proper modification
in his offensive note relative to the Eugenie If Mr. Clay
ton had expressed to him any dissatisfaction with its
terms.
That portion of the correspondence relating to the ship
Eugene is in our estimation, all that is Of special inter-
Importance and to that portion neither the
official papers nor the sem-oficial editorial which
companies them in the National Iatelgeneer vary, in
any material point the statement Of the made by the
Republic several days since We not disposed to 60
the merits Of any claim for salvage which Commander
Carpenter may have preferred against the ship Eugene
claim for salvage, like any other clam, must depend
upon legally established facts And we are not aware
that the facts in this particular have been legally
investigated Of course we are ignorant Of them. We
III
picabe claim Of salvage made by naval officer for
wing belonging the commercial marine Of friend
ypower. Wemust confess however, thatthe argument
of the Attorney General does not satisfy US. We are
aware that claims for compensation have been made by
the officers and Of national vessels for wrestling
from an enemy or from pirates. who the enemies OF
ALL ship recently captured but we are ignorant OF any
law or custom which sanctions demand.for salvage
preferred by officers of the public navy for rendering
friendly assistance on the high to those whom the
act Of Providence has placed in peril Our commercial
marine occupies different position. Any assistance
which the officers and OF merchant vessel may rem
der to those in distress is drawn from private and not
from public resources They run the risk by departing
from the line Of their voyage, by voluntary delay
of forfeitng their policies Of insurance. while any deten
ton Of their cargo from its destined market may oc-
AsSAS' 'NSN~-~"r
vessels properly demand salvage under certain crcum
stances, and expect recompense for provisions
or other necessaries which may be furnished to the
crew of another vessel Any acts Of friendship and
national comfy which may be rendered by the officers Of
our navy must be at the expense Of the public treasury
We trust, therefore, that while our government would
not receive in behalf OF the naon recompense for such
acts even if other nations practise different policy the
1 "A or
set an example OF lbenliiy in this particular worthy
Of the gallantry and renown of our naval service.
These views occur to we write; but we do not
wish to be understood presenting any definite opinion
on the subject Indeed it not necessary to do So The
propriety Of Commander Carpenters conduct in OBTAINING
the Eugene on claim OF salvage matter to be decided
by the government OF the United States. The French
government demanded that he should be censured and
our government decided not to comply with that demand
on the statement OF facts presented in two letters address
ed to the Navy Department by Commander Carpenter;
the one dated at New Orleans. the 10th OF November,
ls4s, and the other at New York, the 10th OF May,
ls49 The President evidently right, in the alb
sence OF any testimony to contradict the statements
Of Commander Carpenter. il they acquitted him OF i'm
proper conduct, not 10 censure him in compliance
with the demand OF the French government. But
he was the party involved; and we cannot but
slider unfortunate that government did not direct
some legal investigation which would have presented the
facts in such legal form, that the principles Of mar
thine law could be applied TO them. Then, consulta
ton with the Attorney General, Mr. Clayton could have
taken his position. But Mr.. Clayton relied on the
two letters Of Commander Carpenter for the facts and
without as far as appears, taking the opinion OF the
Attorney General to the law enclosed copies OF those
letters to the French minister in justification Of the
fusal TO comply with the demand Of the French gov.
eminent, and without addressing any argument to the
French minister the question Of salvage Then il was
that NJ Poussn addressed to Mr. Clayton his note Of
the 3oth Of May, which was deemed offensive. After
this note received, Mr.. Clayton despatched il to
the French government, and submitted the validity
Of Commander Carpenters claim for salvage. the real
foundation OF the whole natter the consideration Of
the Attorney General. The opinion OF Mr.. Johnson. IL
dated the 10th June and refers to previous informal
opinion which does not appear Had the law officer Of
the government CHANGED TO arrive at different conclu
sion from the one set forth in his opinion Of the goth
Of June, we cannot see how Mr. Clayton could have
avoided most unenvable position This circumstance,
and the omission publish the letters Of Commander Car
pender we are sorry say takes from the opinion Of
the Attorney General much OF force; and il viii,
fear bring dscred upon diplomacy, II not upon
our government