Kansas weekly herald., 1855-03-02

w. L. MARCY, Secretary of State.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas Convention between the United
States of America and Her Most Faithful Maj
esty, the Queen of Portugal and of the Algarves,
was concluded and signed by their Plenipotenti-
February, in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and fifty-one, which Convention.
being in the English and Portuguese languages,
is word for word as follows:
The United States OF America and Her Most
Faithful Majesty, the Queen of Portugal and of
the Algarves, equally animated with the desire
to maintain the relations of harmony and amity
which have always existed, and which it is de-
sirabie to preserve between the two Powers,
having agreed to terminate, by Convention,
the pending questions between their respective
Governments, in relation to certain peeun1ary
claims of American citizens presented by the
Government of the United States against the
Government of Portugal, have appointed as their
Plenipotentiaries for that purpose, to wit:
The President of the United States of Ameri-
ca, Daniel Webster, Secretary of State of said
United States, and
Her Most Faithful Majesty, J. G. de Figan-
iere Morao, of Her Council, Knight Comman-
der of the Orders of Christ, and of o. L. of Con-
of Portugal near the Government of the United
States
Who. after having exchanged their respective
full powers, found to be in due and proper form,
have agreed upon and concluded the following
articles:
ARTICLE I.-Her Most Faithful Majesty the
Queen of Portugal and OF the Algarves, appreci-
ating the difficulty Of the two Governments
agreeing upon the subject of said claims, from
the difference of opinion entertained by them re-
spectiveiy, which difficulty might hazard the
continuance of the good understanding now pre-
vailing between them, and resolved to maintain
the same unimpaired. has assented to pay to the
Government of the United States, sum equiv
alent to the indemnities claimed for several
American citizens, with the exception of that
| mentioned in the fourth article, and which sum
the Government of the United States undertakes
to receive in full satisfaction of said claims
cept as aforesaid, and to distribute the same
among the claimants.
ARTICLE 1.-THE high contracting parties,
not being able to come to an agreement upon the
question of public law involved in the case of
| the American privateer brig general Arm
strong," destroyed by British vessels in the wa
| ters of the Island of Fayal, in September, 1914,
Her Most Faithful Majesty has proposed, and
that the claim presented by the American Gov
ernmeDt, in behalf of the captain, officers, and
crew Of the said privateer should be submitted
to the arbitrament Of a sovereign, potentate, or
chief of some nation in amity with both the high
contracting parties.
Article fI-So soon as the consent of the
sovereign, potentate, or chief of some friendly
nation, who shall be chosen by the two high con-
tracing parties, shall have been obtained to act
as arbiter in the aforesaid of the priVateer
brig General Armstrong; copies of all cores.
pondence which has passed in reference to said
claim between the two Governments and their
respective representatives, shall be laid before
the arbiter, to whose decision the two high con-
tracting parties hereby bind themselves to SUBJ
NIT.
| which Her Most Faithful Majesty promises to
pay, or cause to be paid, for all the claims pre-
| sented previous to the 9th day of July, 1880, in
| behalf of American citizens, by the GoEernment
of the United States, (with the exception of that
of the General Armstrong; are fixed at nine
ty-one thousand seven hundred and twenty-seven
dollars, in accordance with the correspondence
! between the two Governments.
| ARTICLE V.-The payment of the sum stipu-
| lated in the preceding article shall be made in
Lisbon in ten equal instalments, in the course of
five years, to the properly-authorized agent of
the United States. The first instalment of nine
thousand one hundred and seventy-two dollars
seventy cents, with interest as hereinafter pro-
vided, Cor its equivalent in Portuguese current
| money! shall be paid, as aforesaid, on the Goth
day of September of the current year of 1851, or
earlier, at the option of the Portuguese Govern
ment; and at the end of every subsequent six
mouths like instalnent shall be paid; the in
tegral sum of ninety-op~ thousand seven hundred
and twenty-seven dollars, or its equivalent, thus
to be satisfied on or before the thirtieth day of
September, 1856.
| ARTICLE VI.-It is hereby agreed that each
and all of the said instalments are to bear, and
to be paid with an interest of six per cent pes
annum, from the date of the exchange of the rat
ifcations Of the present Convention.
| ARTICLE Vu.-This Convention shall be ap-
proved and ratified, and the ratifcations shall
be exchanged in the city of Lisbon within four
months after the date hereof, or sooner if posi-
| bic.
In testimony whereof, the respective Plenipo-
tentaries have signed the same, and affixed there
to the seals of their arms.
Done in the City of Washington, D. c., the
Lord one thousand eight hundred and ffty-one.
DANIEL WEBSTER