The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-04

Il shall be LAWFUL 70. ship, @ Of either aud
enemies being Obliged pay any duy to The on
seized they enter The eS% q sss
s @ s. s :s :.
prizes but they may moist sail al any time and depart and
mander OF such shall be obliged show
made prize Of the people or property either Of the
parties but such shall being forced BY Of wsae.
that they and from thence possible"
22d article Of the treaty:
subjects Of ,h Most kns Of the said United
% wnS % aSs commissions s. hSm Rom any & o'he pr prince nee o. Sss %
s the oi,sr me sell whA. have
% Of a .s @ shall sy 3 % ~.
TO the next port Of that prince State from which sy have
a e iaak s,sie. Of IL. e,m.vsr convention
differences and suits between the subjects the Most
@ s % % s he % " K. os aas % .:s
y all relative the and term. Of Of
they be, may private. The said
captains dasen, Vessels IF ,e Ss S ~
hc respective consuls and consu. either by
county military shall interfere hersn ,sks any
shall be eaed sess ,e tribunals F.nss or Of tho
United snes whom apperan TO take cognizance there
By the lh article of the treaty of alliance, France,
by guaranying TO the United States " their liberty.
sovereignty, and independence, absolute and unlimited,
as well as IN matters OF government commerce., and
also their possessions, together with the additions and
conquests that their confederation might obtain during
assumed very grave winch sue Iul-
filled in the most noble and generous manner by sending
powerful fleet on 10 our coast and by landing large
army shores, which zeaously and ehectually
operated with our own forces, and enabled us to assert
and maintain the memorable declaration OF the 4th Of
July, l776. On the other hand, we guaranteed to her
forever her then possessions IN America, as well as
those which she mig acquire by the future treaty OF
peace This was what is called perpetual guarantee,
and imposed obligation 10 maintain for France her
extend herin any future in which she might be
gagged all such succors as The exgences of the case
might reque-exigencies which would be likely 10 be-
come exceedingly urgent, her enemy would certainly
be Grea, Britain, who, by of her maritime strength.
would be quite likely to assa those possessions with
effect This placed US IN an exceedingly clIlssi cond,
The rel ations and affairs of rance, that it would be quite
difficult TO escape any war in which she might be in
been greatly enhanced had the remained the
ascendency which the British navy ultimately obtained
on the AT the of the treaty OF alliance. France
was an important maritime power, and very nearly not
quite, match for Great Britain but the exploits oil Nell
and OF other able leaders of the British navy, soon
turned the scale against her and swept her flag from the
and The French possessions in America at the
mercy OF her enemy II will be recoected that the French
possessions protected by guarantee consdela.
pie ihey CONSISTED 2, om 'ne
Lucia, st Vincent, Tobago Deseada and Marie Gaants,
10 the West Indies and Of the islands of 8. Pierre aes
Mquelon, in the Gulf OF St Lawrence. These posses-
slons mostly captured long before the 30h OF Sep
tember, ls0o-were restored, if mistake not. by the
treaty OF Anens and by Great Britain at early
periods alter the war was resumed indeed cannot see
how we could have fulfilled the guarantee without enter
ing ourselves into the coates and it is certain we
should have been obliged to afford, from time to time,
large and costly succors, which would have been alike
burden treasury and hazardous to our peace And,
what is more, had not extricated ourselves, by the
convention OF $780, from these entangements, the guar
aniee would have remained TO this day. and should be
liable 10 be called at any time hereafter, to
fulfil its obligations
Besides by the nth and 22d articles OF the treaty Of
amty and commerce. made connexon with France
still more intimate and embarrassing. We bound our
selves to pursue OF marked partially in her IA
vor the of her being engaged in any future
with third power Is true, RECIPROCAL rights or priv
leges secured to the United States but they
comparatively OF le Importance, as both the position
and interest of the United States would lead them to the
| cultivation OF peaceful relations with all the world,
There every probability at the date OF the treaty OF
amity and commerce. that Great Britain and France
would be the parties 10 be involved in future wars while
the United States would occupy the position OF neuas
The s,ipuatons therefore, OF the nth and 22d arises,
though nominay mutual were mainly in favor OF france
and OF netmabe value TO her BY these articles we
agreed that France should have exclusive right OF
lum in ports and be entitled 10 free admission OF her
ships OF and prvateers with their prizes and that
would exclude substantially those OF her enemy The nd.
vantage which this would afford France in the event OF
a with Great Britain, can be seen al glance. She
could not only take refuge with US with her armed shP
10 avoid her enemy or TO escape storms and she could
but she had right 10 convert the ports along our exen
sve into MANIFESTATIONS, from which she could
sally forth with her armament 10 deieRd her own pos
sessions TO assa the possessions or commerce OF her
enemy In short the stpulaons Of the 18th and 22d
cles OF the treaty OF amIty and commerce converted
our Atlantic frontier, in of between France
and Great Britain, substantially into French coast and
rendered ports nearly useful to her in such
test if she had been their absolute owner.
The llth article therefore, of the first named treaty
and the nth and 22d OF the last, constituted what has
sometimes been called I" an enanging alliance" against
which Washington to emphatically warned the country
in his Farewell Address I" The great rule Of conduct for
ing commercial relations, 10 have with them A. little
political connexon possible. So far as we have al
ready formed engagements let them be ulhled with per.
feet good faith Here lei stop. Europe has set OF
primary interests which have very remote
relation Hence she must he engaged in frequent contro
yersies-the causes OF which essentially foreign To
our concerns Hence therefore, must be unwise in
TO implcae ourselves by artificial ties in the ordinary
vicssuIes of her politics, the ordinary combinations
"Why by Intervening our destines with that OF any
part OF Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the
tolls OF European ambon nvalship interest," humor, or
caprice !"
The history OF the country proves that Washington
spoke from bitter experience 1t is true that during the
peace which ensued after the close of our revolutionary
war; Covering period oil about ten years,) expert
enced particular Inconvenience from these treaties
but after the OF the French revolution broke
out, and particularly after Great Britain became party TO
it, they were found to be complete magazines OF evil 10
| the country. Very soon great variety OF questions
between France and the United States under tho
ties complained of nracons OF those treaties, and Of
serious inures-the United States OF the spoiiahons OF
their commerce, contrary both TO the treaties and the
laws OF nations and France OF a dePnvauon OF the
rights and privileges secured her by the 18th and 22d
articles OF the treaty OF amty and commerce. ana the l2th