Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-12-21
3aulftnl.

3aulitifpl.
2d TIE SOULE AFFAIR.
The following is the correspondence, Off
cial, which was occasioned by the supposed
refusal of the French Government to let Mr..
Soule pass through France on his way to
Madrid -
MINISTER MASON TO SECRETARY MARCY.
No. 371 LEGATION UNITED STATES,
PARIS, Oct 80, 1854.
Sir: An incident of very grave import has
transpired In my No. 50, l communicated
2 tire intelligence that Mr.. Soule, United States
Minister to Spain, had been prohibited, by
alleged orders of the Emperor's Government,
from entering France.
That might, without delay, ascertain the
facts of this extraordinary and unusual pro-
ceeding, | sent Mr.. Patt, Secretary of this
2 Legation, to Dover to communicate with Mr.
Soule He left Paris in the evening of the
25th, and on his arrival, finding that Mr.
Soule had left Dorer, he proceeded to London,
where he had an interview with that gentle
man The order forbidding his entering
France was wholly unknown to Mr.. Soule,
and he assures me that neither by deed nor
by words, uttered or written, had he afforded
a shadow of excuse for the wanton measure
which. in violation of bis rights as citizen
of the North American Republic and of his
privileges as one OF its accredited Ministers,
has interdicted to him a passage through
France On his way back to Madrid lost
no time after the return of Mr. Piatt in ad-
dressing to the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
under date of the 9th inst, communication
of which send you copy 1t was sent to
the Foreign Office the 18th. and / have
not yet received an answer.
Itfs impossible not to regard this humilia-
ting indignity as deeply injurious when it is
remembered that Mr.. Soule, acting under
your orders, has recently spent more than two
weeks in Paris and while sojourning here,
neither he nor /, received any intimation that
his presence was objected to by the French
Government.
Seeing no adequate cause to justify an un-
friendly feeling towards the United States
cannot but hope that the French Government,
finding that it has acted on erroneous infor-
nation, viii at once redress this greyious
wrong.
IF in this am disappointed, earnest as
have been since | have represented our coun-
try at this Court, to cultivate the most cordial
relations of amitysbetween the two countries,
must consider this incident of such grave
Importance that it is not impossible [ shall
regard it to be my duty to terminate my mis-
sion by demanding my passports. I will not
lose moment in keeping you advised of the
reply TO my note and of the progress of events
IN connexion with this most extraordinary af-
fair.
| have the honor to be very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
fSigned,) j. Y MASON.
MINISTER MASON TO DRoUYN DE LHUYs.
LEGATION rEs ErATs UNIs,
PAa1s. 9th Oct, 1854,
Mr.. Drouyn de rH,tys Minister of For
eign Afoirs-Sir: I have received informa-
tlon that on the 24th inst Mr. Soule. on his
arrival at Calais from the shores of England
was notified by police officer that orders had
been given by the Imperial Government that
he should not be permitted to enter France.
and that by these orders he was compelled to
return to England, where he now remains.
Mr. Soule is a citizen of the United States,
accredited as an Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary from his country to
the Court of Spain He had, In executing
the orders of his Government, visited Paris
and London, and was returning to his post at
Madrid by the most usual and convenient
route through the territories of France, when
he was thus arrested in his journey.
He had received no notice of the determi-
nation OF the Emperor's Government to deny
MN privilege awarded by all nations to
citizens or sTsjeets of friendly powers travel
ing under tiieir protection: and especially
those who are clothed with the sacred char.
acter of public Ministers-for he was actnallv
arrested in his journey some hours hefore 7
received the intimations in regard to b;,,
which you did me the honor to give mo II; n
afternoon of the oath inst If authorized h,
the Emperor's Government, it cannot but be
regarded by the Government and people o
the United States, not only as a most unusua
and humiliating act towards the Minister per
sonally, but national indignity of a yer,
grave character, only to be extenuated b,
facts established by conclusive proof
Without waiting for special instructions t.
that effect L regard it as my imperative dnt5
70 hasten to ask for what reasons one of my
Ieilow-eitizens, chosen by my country as !;
Representative to Foreign Power, has beer
so treated, while relations of amity and peace
exist and are cherished by the United States
with France. My Government viii be filled
with painful anxiety until satisfactory infor.