Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-07


chosen by my country as a representative to a
Foreign Power has been 80 treated, while relations
Of amity and peace exist and are cherished by the
United States with France. My government will
be filed with painful anxiety until satisfactory in
formation In reply to this inquiry can be commu-
nicated. ] cannot but hope that your Excellency
will furnish me with such explanations as may re-
lieve the minister from the position In which he
has thus been placed, and which will enable me to
alay the unpleasant feelings which the intelligence
Of this occurrence will occasion In the United States
avail myself of this opportunity to renew to
your Excelency the assurances OF the high cons-
Iteration with which am your humble and obed-
ent servant, J. 7. MASON.
Mr. DRoUYN DE L'HuYs, Minister of Foreign At
fairs.
N. Drouyu De rIays to Mr.. Mason.
Translation.
PARIS, Nov. 1854.
Sir: have received the letter you did me the
honor to write me, under date of the 9th of the
last month, in which you ask me for some expla-
nations as to the motives of the determination
taken with regard to Mr.. Soule. ! must in the
first place, state the manner in which things have
occurred.
The Minister Of the Interior had to give direc-
tions that Mr.. Soue should not be allowed to pen
citrate into France without the knowledge of the
government of the Emperor. The instructions of
Mr. Billant were strictly followed and carried out
with the utmost propriety by the commissary Of
the police at Calais Accordingly, that fanctionary
did not invite Mr. Soule to embark again for Eng
and-he left him perfectly free to remain at Calais
until he should receive orders from Paris, which
he was about to request 1t was simply a question
Of waiting patiently for one day at the most; but
Mr.. Soule, after saying that he did not expect any
regard on the part of the French government, and
Al hnas ba fori pra tn 90
back to England Immediately. The Minister ofthe
Interior did, nevertheless, forward his defnitiye
instructions to Cahis by telegraph, and can do
nothing better than to transcribe them here.
eff Mr. Soulc presents himself for the purpose
Of entering France, you will give him to understand
that the Emperor's government does not authorize
him to sojourn there, but that 1t makes no oppos-
ton to his passing through in order to 60 to Spain
and you win offer him to vase his passport for that
destination
You perceive, sir, that the Government of the
Emperor has not sought, as you seem to believe,
to prevent an Envoy of the United States from
traversng French territory in order to repair to his
post and acquit himself Of the commission with
which he was charged by his government; but be-
tween that simple passage and the stay ola foreigner
whose antecedents U regret to say it) have AVA
kened the attention of the authorities whose duty
it is to preserve public order among us there is
difference which the Minister of the Interior was
bound to appreciate. If Mr. Soule had been going
directly to Madrid, the route by France was open
to him. If 1t was his intention to come TO Paris,
with view to remaining here, that privilege was
not accorded him. II was, therefore, necessary to
consult him as to his Intentions and it was himself
who would not allow time to do so. Our laws are
strict with reference to foreigners. The Minister
Of the Interior causes their rigorous provisions to
be executed when it is shown him that there Is any
necessity for such action--and even then he makes
use Of discretionary power which the Government
Of the Emperor has never allowed to be discussed.
The quality Of foreigner on the part of Mr.. Soule
placed him within the scope OF the measure Of
which he was the object; all that remained was to
reconcile this measure with the public character
with which he was invested.
You will acknowledge, sir, that this Is what we
have done, and that the government OF the United
States, with which government His Majesty the
Emperor has at heart to cultivate the relations Of
friendship and esteem, has in nowise been assailed
in the person Of one Of its representatives.
The Minister of the United States in Spain is
free, / repeat It, to pass through France. Mr..
Soule, who has no mission to fulfil near the EN-
peror, and who conformably with the doctrine
sanctioned by the law Of nations, would need, on
account Of his origin, special agreement to ena-
BILE him to represent in his native land the country
of his adoption--Mr. Soule, as a simple private in
dvidual, comes within the pale Of the common
law which has been applied to him, and he cannot
lay claim to any privilege.
Accept, air, the assurance Of high consideration
with which have the honor TO remain your very
DRoUYN DE IHUYs.
Mr. MASON, United States Minister.
Mr. Mason TO M. Drouya de PHuys.
LEGATION UNITED STATES,
Paris, Nov. 8, 1854.
sIR: have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceipt Of your excellency's letter Of the 1st Of No
yember, In reply to mine Of the 9th Of October
ultmo have carefully examined your narrative
of circumstances which led to the event and gave
occasion for this correspondence.
II is quite manifest that the order under which
the commissary of police at Calais acted, when he
nterdicted Mr. Soule's entrance into France did
not present to the American Minister any alterna-
tive but to return to England, remain in Calais
virtually under duress, until the further orders Of
the Emperor's government could be received /
think your excellency win concur in the opinion
that he could not consistently with the dignity Of
his government remain on the frontier Of France,
there situated, awaiting orders which he had no
reason TO believe would be more favorable than the
one which denied him entrance upon French ter
ritory. cannot, therefore, but deeply regret that
the precise Geographic order which your excellen-
cy has incorporated in your letter to me, did not
precede Mr.. Soules arrival at Calais.
That order am pleased to find, removes all inn
pediment TO the free passage ofthe American Min
ister accredited to the Court of Spain, through the
territory Of France. have not failed 10 observe
the declaration that Mr. Soues residence in France
win not be authorized by the Emperor's govern
ment. As his public duties require him to reside
in Spain, he has no intention, as far as am inform
cd, of remaining or residing in France. there
fore forbear entering into any examination Of the
.A<aA