The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-01

now herself republic, any participation in this
distrustful and unfriendly feeling towards their
Government, yet the undersigned must repeat
that her intervention in this instance, if at
tempted to be executed in the only practicable
mode for its effectual execution. could not fail
to produce some irritation. if not worse conse-
auences. The French cruisers sailing up and
down the shores of the United States, t0 per.
form their needless task of protecting Cuba
and their ungracious Office Of watching the
people Of this country, as if they were fruitful
of piracies, would be regarded with some feel.
ings of resentment and the flag which they
bore flag that should always he welcome tc
the sight of Americans-would be looked at as
casting a shadow ofunrcmitted and dishonoring
suspicion upon them and their Government
@The undersigned will add, that all expe-
rience seems to prove that the rights, interests
and peace of the continents of Europe anG
America will be best preserved by the forbear
ance of each to interfere in the affairs of the
other. The Government of the United States
| has constantly acted on that principle and ha,
never intermeddled in European questions
|. 10. NJ Sart;ges, October 27th, acknowl
edges with great pleasure the kind feeling
manifested in the communication Of the Act
ing Secretary of State, and endeavors to re
move misrepresentation
Mr.. de Sartiges had endeayored to estab
lish, in distinct manner the two following
points first, that the instructions issued by the
Government of the Republic were spontane
Gus and isolated secondly, that those instruc
tons were exclusive for an exclusive case, and
applicable only TO the class and not 10 the ma
tionality of any pirate OF adventurer that should
attempt TO land in arms on the shores of a
| friendly Power. He had added, that the exist
| ing laws in regard TO the rightOf search-laws
| about which the susceptbilites of the. French
e.. f-..sa.era @lJ - n. :. ! -. IS. =
the Government OF sne Um,eo sraoes4-"vT,
!ssisI ,'.s .-.s,ss,sts sds2N.
order to repel violence by force; s&e5 the in.
structons which have been issued TO the com.
manding officer of the French station were
only intended to apply to n case of piracy the
article of the maritime code in force concern
ing pirates"
The other portion of the letter of the French
Minister deserving special attention is the fol.
lowing:
l"The undersigned has likewise the honor Of
reminding the Acting Secretary of State that
the territories belonging to the various Eu-
ropean Powers either on the seas or on the
American Continent, are considered by the
States to which they appertain as constituting
part of the system of their general policy
France has never admitted that her possessions
in the Antilles might enjoy any other political
rights than those which are universally recog.
missed in Europe it is the same with England
the same with Spain in regard to their Ameri-
can possessions 1t is in virtue of this princi-
| Pile of common law, which no Power has as yet
repudiated, either on it's own account or in be
half of its neighbors, that the Government Of
the Republic has been able to show the inter
est it feels, as it has done, for the security Of
an island recognised as Spanish territory by
treaties actually in force, which security has
been threatened in the midst of universal
peace.
"These general considerations do not pre-.
vent the undersigned from acknowledging that
the interest which country feels for another
is naturally increased by reason of proximity
and his Government, which understands the
complicated nature as well as the Importance
of the relations existing between the unite'
States and Cuba has seriously considered tn
declaration formerly made by the Government
of the United States and which has been re
newed on this occasion, that that Government
could not sec with Indifference the island o
Cuba pass from the hands of Spain into thos
oS another European State The French Cor
eminent is like,oee of opinion that an case 4
should eompon wiM The Interests Of SPAN a
some future day to part uih Cuba, The posses
SION Of that island, or the protectorship Of hc
same, ought not to fall upon any Of The great
maritime Potoers Of the worid."
This is intended TO exclude the United States,
as the United States has already attempted to
exclude Great Britain and France