Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-07
REMARKS BY THE "Posr or MosDAr.

REMARKS by THE " PosT !" OF MONDAY.
Mr.. BRYANT is correct, both as to the terms Of
he treaty and of the law. In 1881 a treaty was
concluded between the Sublime Porte and the
United States the fourth article Of which concludes
follows:
"Ctzens Of the United States Of America quietly pur-
uing their commerce. and not being charged convicted
any crime offence shall not be molesed; and even
then they may have committed offence, they shall
OF be arrested and put in prison by the local author-
les, but they shall be tried by their Minister Consul
nd punished according to their offence following in this
aspect, the usage observed towards other Franks -"
United States Statutes at Large Ls Brown edition. vol
p. 400.
In August Of the year s4S an act was passed carry
ito effect the foregoing treaty and for other purposes
ykch conferred the most arbitrary and absolute power
Jpn the United States consuls resident in China and
eended the like powers consuls in the Turkish
lninions-[ United States Statues al Large roll Q, 2T6
b the provisions Of this law the consul is vested with
the judicial power necessary execute the provi-
sos Of said treaty" Section seven provides
That each Of the consus aforesaid at the port for
wch he is appointed shall be competent under the
thirty herein contained upon facts within his own know
lee which he has good believe true or upon
COMPLAINT made information filed in writing and au-
thntcated in such way shall be prescribed by the COM
msioners, (by the Minister resident in Turkey TO is
suhs warrant for the arrest Of any citizen Of the United
Sites charged with committing lin Turkey any offence
against law and when arrested TO arragn and try any
sun offender and upon conviction to sentence him to
punishment in the herein prescribed always
rug out punishment in manner proportioned TO the
offence which punishment shall in all cases. except
her,n otherwise provided, be either fine imprson-
ment"
The exception here is provision for capital punish
ment in certain cases
From the consus decision there is no appeal unless
the fine exceeds $500 and the term Of Imprisonment sixty
days.
We were not until we examined the law that any
functionary Of the United States in any quarter Of the
gooe was vested with such extraordinary such danger
GUS powers over the life, liberty, and property Of
counymen. No sarap Of King Darius no proeonsul Of
all tne c@sar no Grand vzer possesses more rrespon-
oe authority or ampler opportunities for the iudul-
gence o. tyrannical and capricious nature
1t is undoubtedly necessary that some au,bo,v should
be somewhere vested for more SUMMARY proceedings
against lawless Americans in Turkev and 1, China and
countries like those without constitutional Governments
than consuls usually possess but II can nsvor ~
dent to place the persons and property Of American M
gems 50 completely at the mercy Of any as is directed
by this law.
we are sure that while the act Of 184S remains nm
changed, which trust will not be long. the fovern-
ment will realize the importance Of selecting for tba
oonsuships men whose character will be sufBc;en,
guarantee against their abusing the powers with which
they clothed
There FIVE American consushps in Turkey and six
in China.
The Consuls in Turkey and the FIVE treaty ports as
they are called in China receive thousand dollars
addition to their consular fees for their judicial duties
How these places filed we have information
We have shown sufficient for requiring very
high grade Of character from their SUCCESSORS