The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-30

/ ally with their good Offices, their counsel ana
! their forces as was becoming to good and faitn-
| full allies Art 2 That the essential and direct
| end Of their defensive alliance was to MAINTAIN
! efectualy the Liberty, Sovereignty, and indie
pendeuce absolute and unlimited, Of the United
! States of America, as well in matters of govern
| ment as Of commerce. Arts. and A That
each party should make every effort to attain that
end and that they should in every possible way,
act in concert, aud with promptness and good
faith Arts 5 6, and That France renowned
in favor Of the United States oonquests that might
be made by the allied armies, except the British
Islands in or near the Gulf Of Mexico. Arts.
and That neither party should conclude a truce
or peace without the others consent and that mel
Their party should demand any compensation from
the other. Art IL The two parties guaranteed
mutually, from the date Of the treaty forever
against all other Powers TO wit-the United States
to his Most Christian Majesty the then existing
possessions Of the Crown of France in America
ss well as those it might acquire by the tresty OF
peace And his Most Christian Majesty, on his
own part, guaranteed to the United States their
Liberty, Sovereignty, and independence, absolute
and unlimited, and also their possessions, and the
additions or conquests that the Confederation
might obtain during the war, conformsbly to the
9Th and 9th articles Art. - In order to nix
more precisely the application Of the preceding
article, the contracting parties declared that, In
case of a rupture between France and England,
the reciprocal guaranty declared in that article
should have its full force aud effect the moment
such rupture should break out and If such rup-
ture should not take place, the mutual obligations
of the said guaranty should not commence until
the moment Of the cessation Of the war then ex-
listing between the United States and England
should have ascertained their possessions.
IL al Z h. l1r
ton, concluded on the l4th of November, l7sS,
containing the following articles
"Art. S The Consuls or Vice Consuls shall
exercise police over all the vessels Of their respect
i've nations and shall have on board the said ves-
sells 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 changes and substtutions
therein to be made for which purpose they may
60 on board the said vessels whenever they may
judge it necessary
cart. IL. All differences and suits between the
subjects Of the Most Christian King in the Uni
ted States, or between the citizens of the United
States within the dominions of the Most Christian
King, and particularly all disputes relative 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 be-
tween the privates Of the said Oress, OF hst~sHa
captains Of different vessels Of their nations shall
be determined by their respective consuls. The
officers Of the country civil or military, shall not
interlere ,dere,n, Or vakc any paft whatever in
the matter and the appeals from the said consul
lar tribunals shall be carried before the tribunals
Of France or of the United Statesn
The French Revolution began in 1889, and In
1893 it became general European war, in which
France, while treading continually upon the ferc-
est internal fires barred her head to all the thun-
derbots Of Despotism.
Washington, by the serene tranquility and
majestic justice of his character repressed the
sympsthies Of the United States for France and
the Republican cause, and sent forth his memora-
BILE proclamation Whereas" said the Pres-
dent, {" it appears that a state of war exists be-
tween Austria, Prussia, Sardinia, Great Britain,
and the United Netherlands, of the one part, and
France, on the other, and the duty aud interest
Of the United States require that they should,
with sincerity and good faith adopt and pursue a
conduct friendly and impartial towards the belige-
rent 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 a 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 bellige-
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 a spring
tide The combatans, rclspsing into the morality
of the Barbary Powers, seized and confscated
neutral ships and their cargoes. American COM
merce was thus suddenly checked and the reve-
nues it yielded rapidly declined. Jefferson, then
Secretary Of State, met the emergency with .
declaration
81 have it in charge from the President to as
sure the merchants of the United States concern
ed in foreign commerce or navigation, that atten-
tion will be paid to any injuries they may suffer
on the high or in foreign countries, contrary
to the law of nations or to existing treaties aud
that, on their forwarding hitber well-authenti-
Gated evidences Of the same, proper proceedings
will be adopted for their relief"
The American merchants, thus stimulated,
prosecuted more diligently than before trade
which yielded entiong profits, while its risks
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 Spoistions and mal-treatment of the
ships Of war and privateers.
Second. A long and distressing embargo, which
detained many American vessels at Bordeaux in
1893 and l794.
Third. The dishonor of bills AMI other evil
dences of debt due to American citizens for sup
plies furnished, AZ the request Of France, to her
self and to her West India islands, in period of
famine and civil war.
Fourth The seizure or forced sales of the car
goes of American vessels, and the appropriation
Of them to public uses.
Fifth. The non performance of contracts for
supplies, made by the French authorities with
American citizens.
Sixth The condemnation of American vessels
and cargoes under marine ordinances Of France
incompatible with treaties.
Seventh Captures in violation of the provisions
Of the commercial treaty, Of American vessels
laden with provisions, bound to the ports of the
enemy.
To elucilatc 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 enemys ports, or with
merchandise belonging to On enemy, and deolar-
ell that such merchandise should be lawful prize,
while such provisions should be paid for accord
ing TO their value at the place Of destination, and
just naturalization should be made for the
freights aud the detention Of the ships. This
decree was alternately rescinded as to the United
States, restored, rescnded again, and finally re-
stored and left in full effect
American vessels known AMI confessed, but
found without passport or certificate, in the exact
form prescribed by the ED article of the Treaty
Of Amity and Commerce, were, by decree Of the
81 of March, 1897, declared lawful prizes.
Ga the , / of July, 1896, France decreed that
she would treat neutral vessels, either as to con.
hscaions, searches, or captures, in the same mau-
ner that they suffered the English to treat them
a decree that punished with violence the eniu-
rance OF aggression committed by another, while
it confded in the discretion Of the second corsair
to determine who by becoming victims of the