The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-27

Jesty the then existing possessions Of the crown
OF France In America, rs we'll as those it nigh
acquire by the treaty of peace. And bis Mos
Christian Majesty, on his own part, guaranteed
TO the United States their liberty, sovereignty
aud independence, absolute and unlimited, ant
also their possessions, and the additions or con
quests that the Confederation might obtain during
the war, conformably to the 9th and 9th articles
Art IL. In order to fix more precisely the APP
pcatlou of the preceding article, the contract
ing parties declared that, in case of rupture be
tween France aud England, the reciprocal guar
antee declared in that article should have its fu
i force and effect the moment such rupture should
break out; and if such rupture should not take
place, the mutual obligations Of the said guar
antee should not commence until the moment Of
the cessation of the war then existing between
tho United States and England should have AS
certaned their possessions
! Thirty The treaty called The Consular Con
rention, concluded on the l4th Of November
1888, containing the following articles:
| Art g. The consuls or vice consuls shall
exercise police over all the vessels Of their re-
spective nations; and shall have on board the
said vessels all power and jurisdiction in civil
matters, in all the disputes which may there
arise. They shall have an entire inspection
over the said vessels, their crews, and the chan
ges and substtutions therein to be made for
which purpose they may GO board the said
vessels, whenever they may Judge it necessary
Art. -. All differences and suits between
the subjects of the Most Christian King in the
United States, or between the citizens of the
4 United States within the dominions of the most
Christian King, and particularly all disputes rela
tive TO the wages and terms of engagement OF
the crews Of their respective vessels, and all the
differences, of whatever nature they be, which
may arise between the pr;vates of the said crews
or between captains of different vessels of their
nations. shall be determined by their respective
consuls The officers of the country, civil OF
military, shall not interfere therein or take any
part whatever in the matter; and the appeals
from the said consular tribunals shall be carried
before the tribunals of France and the United
States"
Il The French revolution began in 1889, and il
1893 it became general European war, il
which France, while treading continually upor
the fercest internal fires barred her head to al
the thunderbolts Of despotism
Washington, by the serene tranquility anG
majestic justice of his character repressed The
sympathes of the United States for France an6
the republican cause, and sent forth his memoir
able proclamation: Whereas" said the Presi
dent, :" it appears that a state Of war exists De
tween Austria, Prussia, Sardinia, Great Britain
and the United Netherlands of the one part, and
France on the other, and the duty and interest
of the United States require that they should
with sincerity and good faith adopt and pursue
conduct friendly and impartial towards the
belgerent powers, | have therefore thought
fit, by these presents, to declare the disposition
of the United States to observe the conduct
aforesaid"
No less a character than Washington could
have assumed neutrality in such crisis Nor
could even he protect it in that fierce conflict OF
armed opinion which ragged throughout Europe
as if all its separate and widely different States
had been one entire yet distracted common
wealth. The cost of supplies rose two. three
and four fold, under the demands of the beige
rent nations. The United States put in motion
for once, and all at once the three wheels of in
dustry Production, Manufacture, and Exchange
and wealth flowed in upon them like sprins
tide. The combatants, relapsing into the moral
ty of the Barbary powers, seized and confiscatec
neutral ships and their cargoes. American com
merce was thus suddenly checked, and the rev
enues it yielded rapidly declined Jefferson, ther
Secretary of State, met the emergency with
declaration -
II have it in Charge from the President to as
sure the merchants of the United States con
cerned in foreign commerce or navigation, that
attention will be paid to any injuries they may
suffer on the high seas or in foreign countries
contrary to the laws of nations or to existing
treaties; and that, on their forwarding hitler
well authenticated evidences of the same. proper
proceedings will be adopted for their relief"
The American merchants, thus stimulated
prosecuted more diligently than before a trade
which yielded enticina profits, while its risk.
seemed to have been underwritten by their coun-
try. The maritime injuries suffered by Amer
cans at the hands Of France in the course of the
war were at the time classified as follows:
First Spoiliations and ma-treatment Of the
vessels of American citizens at sea, by French
ships Of war and prvateers.
Second A long distressing embargo, which
detained many American vessels at Bordeaux r
1893 and 1894.
Third The dishonor of bills and other evi.
denccs Of debt due to American citizens for sup
plies furnished, at the request of France, to her
self and to her West India Islands in a period
Of famine and civil war.
Fourth. The seizure or forced sales of the
cargoes of American vessels, and the appropra.
ton of them to public uses.
| Fifth The non-performance Of contracts for
supplies, made by the French authorities with
| American citizens.
/ NAt'. L ne condemnation or American YES
sells and cargoes under marine ordinances oil
France Incompatible with treaties.
Seventh Captures, in violation of the provi-
sions, of the commercial treaty, of American
vessels laden with provisions, bound to the ports
of the enemy.
! To elucidate the nature of these injuries:
On the 9th of May, 1893, France authorized
armed vessels and privateers to arrest and bring
into her ports neutral ships, laden wholly or in
part either with provisions belonging to neutral
nations and destined to an enemy's ports, or with
merchandise belonging to nm enemy, and de.
clared that such merchandise should be lawful
prize, while such provisions should be pal for
according to their value at the place of des'ina-
ton, and just Naturalization should be made
for the .reights and the detention Of the ships
This decree was alternately restindcd as to the
United States, restored, rescnded again, and
finally restored and left in full effect
American vessels known and confessed, but
found without passport or certificate, in the ex-