The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1849-09-29
The Difficulty with the French
Minister


I army knowing IL TO be private property, and
/ ~ such subleclto the rules Of war The
/ hcIs Of The purchase coming 20 the knowl-
7 edge 81 Col, ChildH, the commanding officer,
he Immediately caused the tobacco To be re-
stored 10 lie pr0f.ar owner and The purchase
| money Ia be refunded 10 Porte. 4 commits
/ sion wns Immediately appointed, composed
Of officers Of The army, TO investigate The
mulier apd having done 20 u sustained Col.
/ Guilds In the action he had taken, This do
clsion WINS sent 10 Gen, seol,by whom II was
confirmed, ~
, Tlis ended the matter nj lhht lime, Bnl
/ IN February last, Moior Poussin presented 10
Nc liucbhnnniheu Secretary Of State, claim
on behalf Of Porte for dannges,to the amount
Of Tho difference between the price OF which
he Ind purchnsed,S that at which he had sold,
. The tobacco, A Court oflnquiry was immedi-
Hicly convened, before which Col, ChildH was
summoned NJ witness. Ills testimony wis
. Tie nhin evidence belure the Cuurl, hnh
decision was rendered unanimously, thar the
elaim was uniounded. This decision Mas
transmitted 10 the Stale Department, bat be-
fore any iinhl notion, was taken upon the ease
Mr., buchanan went ont Of Office. Mr.. Clay
ton gave II his attention very soon niier taxi
ing his sent m Secretary Of State, md niler
duo examination, affirmed tho decision, and
{ IN answer 10 note Of inquiry from the
| French Minister, conveyed TO him his approx
al Of The verdict aud hlsrtiusalto allow The
claim.
/ To this letter Mnior Poussn replied In
very hnughiy tone, charging Col, Childs, IN
lac bad frequently done before IN conyersn-
lion, with the bhsest motives, iniimnling That
I hn had pfTjuTrd himsclfunder their Influence,
and using other most offensive and Insulting
| language. Al the time this lcller was re-
ceiNed at the State Department.. Major Pous-
sin was not in Washington but IN New York.
: he WIS immediately appraised by tho Secre-
tnry Of State That his presence nj Washing
ton was necessary. On repairing tIlJher,
aud calling nj the State Department, his let.
ter WINS produced, aud he was told that, al
though that privilege was entirely ont Of Tho
ordinary course, aud WINS 10 bo deemed
special fhyor, prompted by the earnest desire
..F ..sEsET.gErfFt= al 4lse 4lliaa Siales ~
prevent amy misunderstanding with The
French Minister--he was nj liberty TO nth
draic ut 10 modify The document, or to replace
II Ia the archives OF the State Dependencies
+ be might see III. tie offered argue ihe
matter and TO defend The proprieiy Of the char
ges he hnd mBde aud the language Ice had
used; Int lac was informed 10y the Secretary
/ that the President did not deem the point one
! for argument AT nil. II wHs n matter Of eii-
/ quelle, and he had only 10 decide whether
! he would withdraw his letter or permit 1t 20
! hc replaced on file Mpjor Poussiu then with.
drew the letter aud ernced some of the most
offensive expressions. llo thea again trans
mticd il to The State Department aud IL war
placed on file. And hers It was supposed
/ that oil difficulty would end.
Soon however another case occurred in
which the action Of The French Minister made
/ It evident that the dscourisy with which lac
/ had treated Our government was not eNcusa-
bic on the Pronuud orinRdyertnncc. The cir.
! cumsinnrcs qf this case were these -
/ During the hUyirau Mur Commander Car
/ pcnter, ia command Of the slonp- of.wnr
/ TruNon, forming pnrroflhe q. :. hlockadinr
squadron OF the barber Of Nera Cruz, was
called uuon 10y the cup,nin Of the French
hnrquc Eugcuin, 10 rescue her from ship
wrTttl.-HS ale had struck upon reef After
strenuous & efforts he succeeded ia dang so,
and presented 10 the captain Of the Eugcnia
his chim for the legal amount OF salvage.
The Captain refused TO pay 1t, and Comnnn-
der Carpenter ihcrruuon restored The vessel,
YhtriI ind rrfuiti frettt Of eff
iccing her rescue but ihiry hnuts-+-nbaad.
Mug his claim. Has conduct ia the ls,Rtter
olicited the decided appreciation of Mr. Cif
I ford, the American Minister, To whom 1t was
ntlcrwurd submitted. Tho French Captain,
however, complained of tho treatment 10
which he md his vessel had been subjected
3
addressed note Ia tho Secretary of State,
representing that tic French flag had been
grossly iusutcd, aud demanding the punish.
meut, 10y disnigAal or Otherwise, of Comman-
der Cnrpeaier Mr. Clayton, decniing the
matter one for the action ofthe Navy Depart
menI, referred il To MIR Preston the Secrctu-
ry, who procured from Commander Cnrpcn-
ter n rirtriittl &c .l iAa-
case. This statement with the accompany.
J gag evidence, wns transmitted by Mr. Clayton
TO the French Minister, accompanied hy
note expressing The hope That il would be
seen FROM the documents that no offence WINS
intended aud that il would prove entirely sOt-
slaclory to the French Government
Instead ofsubmitlng these documents TO
the French Government the Minister wrot to
to the Secretary Of State letter IN which he
characterized the action ofthe Department on
the Subject in highly offensive terms, and
said that he was very sorry 10 find The .7meri-
can Government so utterly insensibIe 10 The dig
mtg, and so ignorant Of The interests off, Ma
rine service, Il had shoirn itseif in This tdnSae.
ton.
To this insulting note, no reply was made.
BY the Presidents direction, the whole cor
respondcnce was Immediately transmitted to
mir. Rush, our Minister nj the French Court,
aud he was instructed to lay it before the
French Minister for Foreign Affairs, ard the
President and TO ask their attention 10 the
language which their Ambassador had seen
TT TO use lie was not directed 10 ask any
roparntion, or any cEasure of their Minister,
hut simply to call the attention ofthe govern.
ment TO tho language in which the despatch
was couched. No doubt, of course, was en-.
fIertnined that immediate and voluntary rep
, FnraIion would be mude. Mr.. Rush accord