The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-02-09

WTII,
shipments from knowledge Of those Of all the other
chants to insure profitable returns Al some ports
this has had such effect n destroying trade BY creating
It's monopoly in the hands Of the consul that foreign gov
ernments have refused receive consul any one engaged
in trade France and Prussia have both protested against
receiving AZ certain ports American consul engaged In
trade The experience Of the English and other govern
ments has been that the consul occupied solely in The dis
charge OF the duties Of his office greater influence
aud secures more respect from the authorities because
more independent in his action and free from the suspicion
o. private interests His protests in behalf of the
e rights OF his counymen considered the result Of
sense OF ocal duty and not weakened in energy by
the desire OF personal favor facilities in trade His
tons too give satisfaction TO his eounrymen be-
cause free from the suspicion OF having rivals in business
uA interest only be thus truly identified with the com
and just rights Of his countrymen the enforcement
of law, and the honor Of his nation.
The duties of consul however, not only affected
indirectly by his interest in trade bat often they
sek direct conflict 70 make almost impossible for Me
Conscientious 9 men % escape nseRsibe bias ia e DIS
charge II, merchant he expects consignments II is
his interest to eonciate the Of vessels and do
be viii look with lenient eye upon their conduct
towards seaen, whom il is his especial duty TO protect
For example IL master of vessel at is guilty Of In
human conduct towards his lsess has with them diff
Guilty Of any kind II Is his interest OF course concae
the consul before whom his arrival at port the matter
is to be examined II the consul is engaged in trade he
can do this by either eonsgning 10 him his vessel and
cargo by giving to him the furnishing Of supplies for
vessel and men on his return voyage
IL the consul is merchant and engaged In export
ing he cannot himself 20 the truth OF his in
voices.
1t is his interest that invoices should be low while il is
that of the United States that they be high.
Ills rivals in trade too naturally desirous OF
cealing from him knowledge Of their business, and TO
avoid swearing their invoices before him. often interest
with them in trade at the home port just su
hcient amount to admit of their swearing the repre-
senatons Of letters BY this extensive frauds
committed upon the revenue which IL Is almost impossible
TO detect To prevent this as, in addition TO the
cal advantage he gets two dollars for every invoice
before him. the consul s tempted to counenance invoices
below their real value BY this the honest importer
the home port finds II impossible to compete with the
dishonest foreigner and trade Ia thrown into the hands
OF citizens OF other governments Thus Il is that at
this time than sixty per centum of importatons
from Europe foreign account But the instances OF
conflict OF duty and interest in the of merchant
sui are too numerous to be mentioned.
must hasten There is constant temptation TO fraud
II the consul is dishonest he beyond the reach Of public
opinion and the delay and difficulty of supplying esti
mony from distant point almost frees him from legal re-
sponsibty If he is honest he is constantly subjected TO
suspicion from the very parties whom he is expected
to exercise moral influence If he is unfortunate in trade
and bankruptcy ensue it involves loss of official inn
ence, and at many points, national degradation in
exposure, under the local law, to imprisonment
Great hogeUsr The ecs resulting from merchant
cosas in time e peace they greatly aggravated in time q
The facility with which merchant consul up
the property of bellgerents by osensbly owning Amer-
vessels which, in fact belong to foreigners and the
various ways by which, in the exercise Of the just right
of his Office he excies the suspicion of foreign powers
tend greatly to disturb the good understanding especially
necessary at such time.
1t has been said by of much experience that many
of the difficulties and unpleasant occurrences which hap
pened to citizens abroad and much embarrassed
relations with foreign nations during the last continental
war; might have been avoided it, instead of consns allow
ed to engage in trade and rendering their official character
subservent to its interests had followed the example OF
other nations and by strictly forbiddng them commercial
pursuits and conning them to the transaction of pub
lie duties, had secured for them the amount of consdera
on and influence which is extended to the merchant
consul
5. The JM further creates salaries for all eoHsds ana
commercial agents. and prosids for the accounting for M
payment Of all fees and commissions into the public treasury
This provision required by economy and the interest
of trade 1t is the policy Of that its offices
be adequately saaried without being made sinecures
With the English consular system weadopted the rule o.
fees and commissions Great Britain salaries the
greater number of her consus while we retain her old
system
The effect has been only evil Consulaes designed
to be many places of refuge scattered the world for
the protection of the persons and property Of citizens
but the present system makes them Offices for individual gain
which when no longer profitable are thrown back vacant
upon the country The protection given by consul 10
his countrymen is emanaton OF power from the govern
ment at home and is something due the citizen without
price In theory il cannot be bought .old The attach
ing of fee to every consular act is inconsistent with this
dea and although originally designed for the support Of
the consul has become tax upon commerce. Sc
curing great incomes TO certain consulatesmang sine
cures for the reward Of parsans and leaving commerce
and the revenue to suffer for the want Of proper support
for consus at other points.
Whatever however might have been the Justice origin
ally Of making the support Of each consul to depend upon
the fees OF his office the system now operates most unus
both upon the consul and the commercial interest When
we had little at any foreign port there
great inequality in making consuls depend upon
their fees But within the last sixty years Liverpool has
grown be the great commercial city Of the world hs
whole of South America has risen up into independent
States and now while the eonsulates for example at Ly
erpool and Rio and at other points yield from $4,000
$4,000 year. and sought and often bestowed as re-
wards for partisan service Others at highly important
points mseraby paid While these immense coliec
tons made at consuaes and into the pockets
Of executive yores, the government is actually paying
out annually between $4,000 and $4,000 in salaries e
consus points where there is but little commerce. bn
where they positively required for the protection Of h
res and property OF American citizens in China ano
th Asatc and African shores Of the Mediterranean
to these places will be added Japan and Of th'
! islands in the Indian
The present bill is designed 10 remedy this and II, In
stead Of saying that all eonsus salaried under IL
should say that simply Pyovdes that consul shall hoe
only such amount o hd hs coiieets propr for ~
support and that all above tis shall 90 70 pay Rose const
rhoss receipts less ana support acoutd more clearly
dcscrbe ITS proUtstoRs.
One year the fees Of consulate may be highly remuner
atye and another year scarcely sufficient for the rent
office. As the consuls fees contingent upon com
merce in Of political disturbance financial dis
ess of war his support just when his presence
becomes most necessary for the protection Of the persons
and property OF his couuirymen Should the English chan
mel for exampleas the case 10 certain extent lately
in the Balcbecome impassable for American commerce
consul its borders would be left without support
Thus under the present system there be regularity
in consular returns II is lottery ia which prov,
together would yield sufficient support for all under
circumstances the surplus al any port goes into th
pocket of the consul and the deficiency at another h
4 upon the treasury.