The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-06-23
THE CONFEDERATE GOVERNME
ANN FOREIGN CONSULS.


shows the priuciples which govern the ADMINS
tra,;an in dealing With the .Consuls OF foreign
f'~' ,,,osrEDERArE STATES OF AMERICA, }
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
RICHMOND, 9th June, 1868. }
Hon. JAS. MASON, Commissioner, &C., London
Sir-Herewth you will receive copies of the
following papers: ~,
A. Letter Of George Moore, ESQ., H. B: Ms
Consul in Richmond, to this Department, dated
10th February, 1868. /
B. Letter from the Secretary OF State to Consui
Moore, Goth February, 1868. =.
G.. Letters patent by the President, revoking
the exequatur of Consul Moore, 9th June, 1868
d. Letter enclosing to Consul Moore copy OF
the letters patent revokng his exequatur.
1t is deemed proper to inform you that this
action of the President was influenced IN no small
degree by the communication to him OF an un-
official letter of Consul Moore, to which shall
presently refer.
It appears that two persons named Molony aud
Farrell, who were enrolled as conscripts In our
service, claimed exemption on the ground that
they were British subjects, and Consul Moore, IN
order to avoid the difficulty which prevented his
correspondence with this Department as set forth
in the paper b. addressed himself directly to the
Secretary of War, who was ignorant of the re-
quest made by th. Department for the produc-
ton Of the Cousuls commission The Secretary
of War ordered investigation of the facts,
when it became apparent that the two men had
exercised the right of suffrage in this State thus
declaring themselves of all ptetext for denying
their citizenship; that both had resided here for
eight years, and had settled on and were cultVa-
ting farms owned by themselves. You will find
annexed the report of 1t. Col Edgar, marked K,
and it is difficult to conceive presenting
stronger proofs of the Remuneration Of native allie
glance, and Of the acquisition OF de facto citizen
ship. than are found in that report. It is i'll rela
tion TO such case that it has seemed proper %
Consul Moore to denounce the Government of the
Confederate States TO one Of its own citizens as
being indifferent ''to cases Of the most atrocOuS
cruelty" a copy Of his letter to the counsel Of
the two men is annexed, marked +.
The earnest desire OF this government ls to en-
tertain amicable relations with all the Nations and
with none so its interests invite the formation OF
closer ties than with Great Britain. Although
feeling aglrievcd that tho government Of Her
Majesty has pursued policy, which, according to
the confessions Of Earl Russell himself, has In
creased the disparity of strength which lie con-
sdcrs to exis: between the beIigerents, and has
conferred signal advantage on our enemies in
war in which Great Britain announces herself to
be really and not nominaly neut,al, the President
has not heretofore thought it necessary to inter-
pose any obstacle to the continued residence of
British Consuls within the Confederacy, by virtue
Of exequatars granted by the former government.
His course has been consistently guided by the
principles which underie the whole structure Of
our government. The State Of Virginia having
delegated to the government of the United States
by the Constitution of 1877 the power of control
ing it's foreign relations, became bound by the
action Of that government in its grant Of an exc
quatur to Consul Moore. When Virginia seeded
aud withdrew the powers delegated to the Govern
ment ofthe United States, and conferred them on
this government, the exequatur granted to Consul
Moore not thereby invadated: An act done
by agent while duly authorized continues to
bind the principal after the revocation Of the
SCENTS authority. On these grounds the President
has hitherto steadily resisted all influence which
have been exerted to induce him to exact of
forei IN consuls that they should ask for an exc
quatur from this government as condition of the
continued exercise of their functions 1t was not
deemed compatible with the dignity of the gov
eminent to extort, by enforcing the withdrawal
of national protection from neutral residents such
inferental recognition of its independence as
might be supposed to be implied in the request
for an exequatur The consuls for foreign ma
tions, therefore, established within the Confed-
sracy, who were in possession Of an exeduatur
issued by the Government of the United States
prior to the formation Of the Confederacy, have
been maintained and respected ia the exercise of
their legitimate functions, and the same protection
and respect will be accorded to them in future so
long as they confine themselves to the s,bere Of
their duties and seek neither to evade nor defv
the Legitimate authority ofths Government within
ith own jurisdiction.
There has grown up an abuse, however, the re.
suit OF TINS tolerance the part of the President
which is too serious to be longer allowed Great
Britain has deemed it for her interest to refuse
acknowledging the patent fact of the existence of
this Confederacy as an independent nation, It can
scarcely be expected that we should, by our own
conduct imply assent to the justice or propriety of
that refusal. Now that the British Minister ac
credited to the Government of our enemies as
sumes the power to issue instructions and exercise
authority over the CoLsuls of Great Britain re.
siding within this country; nay, even of appoint
Ing agents 10 supervise British interests in the
Confederate States. This course of conduct plany
ignores the existence Of this Government and inn,
plies the continuance of the relations between that
Minister and the Consuls of Her Majesty resi-
dent within the Confectionery which existed prior
to the withdrawal of these States from the Union
1t is further the assertion of right on the part of
Lord Lyons by virtue OF his credentials as Her
Majestys Minister at Washington, to exercise the
power and authority Of Minstcr accredited to
Richmond, and officially received as such by the
President. Under these circumstances, and
because of similar actions by other Ministers, the
President has felt it his duty to order that no d.
rect communication be permitted between the
Consus of neutral nations in the Confcderacy and
the fubctionaries of those nations residing wi hin