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;K102. ;'.-:-y ?:TOMGlJ;ce:DlVES ":. ' fl I VOL. a. t -
Publislietl every "VediicwIay Morning, Iy
'TMiOMjis JLOK1JVG.
.; . TEX11CS. . y
. TlIUEK jpOLLAndl PER . AS'NCMj '.itN ADVAXCB.' .
ADVCBtlgEUEHTS . . : -" : '
Not, exceeding iquare'inscrtel at ONE yoJ,LAR
l ie first, and TWENJ'V-FIVE OEN'Td for eaeli (.ubsc
qucut fuscition.- A liUerTdiaCount to Vearir AdVerU-
;crs.-
i
EOrOFFICE on tlie South side of .Market Street, be
low the Court IioHsij' t
11 KSIDEXT'S AJtEg AGE.
TcUoic-Vitizfis of tjit Senate .
' . and House of Representatives ; ,
IiV performing my d lit y at the opehino
of your prest?nt session,-: it, gives" me plea
sure to conTatu late you again upon the
.prosperous conditiorv ofour beloved coun
tey. Divine Providence has favored us
vith general health, -.with rich rewards in
tlie fields of agriculture, and in every
trarich of lab,or, and with - peace to culti
vate and extend the various resources
which employ the . virtu e and enterprise
of our citizen. Let us trust that, in sur
veying a scene so flatterinjr to our free
instjtutions, our joint deliberations to pre
serve them may" be crownejl with suc-
- CCSS.; ; j,- ' ' -.. j-' ;
-Our foreign relations : contine, with
but fer exceptions, to maintain the favor
able aspect which they bore iu my ia&t
annual Message, and promise to extend
'those advantages which the principles that
regulate; our intercourse wjthr other na-,
tions are so wejl calculated to secure. '
The question of the northeastern boun
dary is still pending with Qreat Britain,
and the proposition made in accordance
nith the- resolution of the Seriate for the?
ftstablishment of a lino accbrdinq;.' to the
treaty of 783, has not bben accepted ty
tljat frovtrnment. ...'Believing tl:at everv
disposition is felt on both
.
sides to
adjust
this perplexing question to the satisfaction
eDill trje parties interested in itr the -.hope
fin yet indulged that it may he effected on
U" bapis of that proposition.!
. -With the f iovermnents of Austria, Rus-shi.-i'russia,
llollrmd Sweden awd Den
mark,.' the best trbderstanding. exists.
t feted bv reciurocal irood-VilT, ndr-kt-M
t-Mnction of liberal conventional or legal
jiro vision?. . .
r In the. midst of her internal difficulties'
the du-en of Spain has. ratified the. Coh-.
ventioiivfor the payment of The claims of
o:ir citi:?vMis arising since 1319. It is irj
the course of execution on her-part, and
"a 'copy of it is, now , "hi id before you for
V ich legislation as, may be ' found neces
mtv to eunble those interested to derive
liio benefits of it. r
.' Yielding-to the force of circumstances,
-a'!id tq 'the wise counsels of time and ex
...pcricnee, that power bus finally-resolved
:n longer to -'occupy the ' unnntural po?i
; ion i:v which she stood ?yto the new. go
, vcrnme-nts established in this hemisphere.
I have4te great satisfaction of staling to
. you tlfal'in preparing the way forthe res"
thrhtion'.oT' harmony between those who
.have sprang' frtim tlie same ancestors,
' who are allied 'by common irrte rests,
profess the same rejigim. and speak the
t.vame language, the United States have
'.-been actively instrumental. Our efforts
"to efiect this good work will be persever
ed in whileMhey are deemed useful to the
parties, and our entrre disinterestedness
continues to be felt and understood. The
act of Congress to countervail the discrim-.
inathig duties, levied to .the.. prejudice of
'our' navigation m Cuba and Porto JtiCe,
has been transmitted to the. Minister of
thev United States Madrid, to be commu
nicated to the Government of the 0,ueen.
No intelligence of its receipt ha ret
reached the Department of State. Itthe1
present condition of -the country permits
A , ,
the Government to make a cai
caretni ana
t nlarsed examination of the true interesrs-!
'iif these important portions of its domin
ions, no doubt is entertained 'thaflheir fu
ture intercourse with the United States
will be placed upon a, more just and libe
ral basis. :
The Florida arclnvea have not yet been
i selected 'and! delivered- Recent . orders
; liave been sent to the agent of the United
. States at Havana, to return with all that
ne can obtain, so that, they may be in!
WashinirtGn before the session of the Su
preme Court, to be used m the legal ques--tions
there pending, to which the Govern
ment is a party l. - "; ' . ",
Internal tranquillity is happily rcsrored
to Ponugal. The distracted-stafe of the
tcountry rendered unavoidable the post
ponement of a final pay men of the just
claims of our citizens Our diplomatic
relations will be soon" resumed, and the
r long subsisting friendship with that pow
K aflbrds the strongest guarantee that the
balance due will receive prompt attention.
C The ftrst instainiint due. under the con
Tention oHademnity with.the.Kihg of the
.Two Sicilies, has been duly received, arid
an offer has been made to extinguish the
uhole by a prompt pavinent-ran offer ' I
did not feel myself authorized to .accept,
as the indemnification provided is the ex
clusive property ofindividual citizens of
the United States. The original adjust
ment of our claims, and' the?, anxiety dis
played to fulfil at once the stipulations
made for payment of t hem are highly
honorable to the Government of the Two
Sicilies. When it is recollected that v
wero the result of the injustice ofj an inJ
trusivc powers terripbrariljr dominant in
its territory, a repugnance t0 acknowledge
and to pay which would have been.nei-
ther unnatural nor-unexjcie(JJ the cir-
f 1 1 ! S ! 1
'-miiouiiacs.taiuiui tan iu eiamis :caarac
cr ior .jusuce ana gooa vqiix urine. eyes
of all nations. i- - . ' i
;; The .Treaty of Amrty'and . Commerce
between the .United States and Belgium,
brought to your notice" in my last annual
message, as sanctioned by the senate, but
the ratifications of which, had not teen x-
ennngea, owing to a aeiavm its reception
at Brussels, and a 'subsequent :absenee of
the Belgian Minister ot r:oreigo JAffairs,
has .been, alter mature deliberation, final
ly disavowed by that government- as in
consistent with the - powers and instruc
tions given to their minister who nego
tiated it. This disavowal was entirely un
expected, as the liberal - principles: embo
died in the convention, aridj vhich! formed
the ground-work of the! objections to it,
were perfectly satisfactory lot he Belgian
representative,' and were supposed to be
not only' within the powers; .granfcd, but
expressly conformable to the, instructions
given to him. An offer,! not yet accepted,
has heen, made by Belgium ,to renew ne
gotiations for a treaty less liberfl m its
provisions, on questions .of general tnari
time law. - K '
Our newly established illations' with
the Sublime Porte promise to be useful to
our commerce, and satisfac
ory m every
respect to this Government.
Our mter-
course with the Barbary Flowers contin-
ues without- important chan
ge, except that
the present political state o
Algiers has
the residence
induced me to terminate
there of a salaried consul
and tbi substi-
tute an ordinary consulate,
to remain so
long as the place continues!
in the! posses:
sionof France. ' Our first treaty
,with one
or these powers-the Emproij
rhco was formed in.J7fe.G, a
of .Mo-
arid: was
limited to fifty .years. .That period has
almost expired: I shall take measures, to
renew it urith the greater s'atisakion, as
its stipulations are just and libejrpl, and
have been, with mutual fidelity and recip
rocal advantage,scrupulously-fumiIedri
hemisphere, which-have. separateoVthem
selves from Spain. When a m and
permanent understanding vith the parent
country-shall have producep a formal ac
knowledgement of their independence, and
the ica of danger from that quarter- can
be no longer entertained, the friends of
freedom expect that those cbuntrie;s, so fa
vored by nntute, will be distingu shed for
their love of justice and their, devotion to
those neacefuf arts, the assiduous cultiva
tion of,which confers honoj upon
and gives value- to human! life.
meantime! confidently hope, that
nations.
In the'
the ap-
nrehensions entertained, that some of the
people of these iuxuriant regions may -bo.
tempted in a moment of unworthy distrust
of their own capacity for the enjoyment of
liberty,.to commit the -too. commoi error
of purchasing present repose by bestow
ing on -some favored leadei the iatal'gift
of irreponsibievpower, wi I not be reali
zed. With all these governments, and
with that of Brazil, no unecpected" chang
es in our relations have occurred during
the present year. Frequent causes of
j4ist complaint have'arisen upon jthe part
of the citizens of the Ur itcd tates,
sometimes from the irregular action of the.
constituted subordinate authorities of thel
maritime regions, and sometimes frdmthe
leaders or partisans of those iarms .a
gainst the established governments. In
all cases. . renresentatioos nave been.' or
will be snade,. and as soon is their polTti
caL arlairs are in a settled position, -it is
i pYTicipd thnt nnr friendlv remonstrances
.r. ,: ; V -7. : Vv-' L
wiu oe loiiowea Dy auequate retires.
The Government ; of Mexico- made
known in December last, -tlie appointment
of Commissioners and, a Surveyo on its
part, to run,in conjtmctiGm with joup, the
boundary line between the territories arid
tlie United States" and excused the' delay
for the reasons, anticipated the preva
lence of civil var. The Comissioners
and Surveyors not having met wnhin the
time stipulated by the treaty, affiew'ar-
rancement became necessarv. ana our
Charge d Affaires was instructed, in Jan
vary last, to negotiate in-Rlexicb,! an arti
cle additional to the pre-existingj treaty.--This
instruction was acknowledged, and
no'difflculty was apprehended iri the ac
accorapl ishment of that objecC By intdr-;
maiion just received! that additiohal arti
cle to the treaty will' be
transmitted to this country
obtained, - and
as soon as it
icn receive the ratification
ot the Mexican
Congress.. .- T : 1
The re-union of the three States of Ne w
Granada, Venezuela, and (Ecuador, form
ing the Republic of Colombia, seems vey
day to become jno re improoable. , The.
stood to be now negotiating a just division
' f . - 1.1; j-'- - -r -t i j -
commissioners oi me iwomrst are under
oi ine : ooiigaiions conxracieA I oy mem
ivheri itnited under one I ffovernmerit.-
3Tbe c3vit2war in Eguadojr; it is believed,
nas jirevcntea fjven ine appoimmeni oi . a
comraissibrieY err its pdrtl -
i 1, propose, at an early day; to Submit in
the proper, form, the appqmtment oi a ,di-
portance of the cemmerce1 of that country
occurreao'ma r jbc Papeiuynier- aa gavax pt France.'
rupt rue commerce, aim tuef?: hhe years 1 800 and 18, hay 'been
vprnmpnf s.nf most- CS. the nations I of. Ink? I i " . n .. I...
.... ... , . aerea too pammny iamiliar to Amc
to the Unite'd'States:
d the large claimsV
wi ur vuizens upon tne govemmentr an
sing before imd since the 'division of Co
lombia, rendering it, in1 my jirtigment, im
proper longer to delayjthb step. 5
- Uur representatives to central AmerjcaJ
f era, and Brazil, are either at, or oh heir
way to, their respectiv posts.
From the Argentine' Republic, from
which a Minister was expected to this Go
vernmenti nothing further has been heard.
Occasion has been taken, on the departure
of a new consul to Buenos Ayres, lo re'
mind that Government! that its long de
layed Minister, whose appointment had
Deen nrade known to u$ had not arrived.
It becomes mv.unnleasaat dutv to ln-i
; . : J uai inis pc1 ana mgniy gra-
Ulying picture of our fafeisn relations.
ddes not include those with France at this
time. It is not nossible that anv frot-ern-
merit -and people could
J I - llll J . .
be mora sincerely
desirous of conciliating
a just and friendly
intercourse with an other .tfat ion, than are'
those of the United States with" their an
cient allvjand friend. This tfisnosition is
founded, as well on the most grateful and
honorabfe; recollections associated with
our struggle for independehcei ai upon a
wen grounue-a conviction tnat it is conso
nant with the trufe polibt of both. 'The
people of the. United
.States coutor not,
he deepest regret,
err.uptioh .of- the
therefore, see. without
evn a "temporary in
friendly fgijatibns between the tvvb coun
tries a regret which Would, I am sure,
be greatly aggravated, jt there should turn
out to be any reasonable ground for'attri-
buting such a result td any act of omis
sion or commission on jour part.
1 derive, therefore,, the highest, satisfac
tion from being aule tq assure you, that
the. "Whole course of ths Government iias
been characterized by a spirit so concilia-
lory ana loroearing, as
-
to' make it ljnpos
! and moderation
whatever may be
sible tnat our lusticc
should be questioned
the consequences of a Iq
nger perseverance,
oil the part -of the French Governmepf, "iu
her omission to satisfy thei'-oacedod claim
ot our citizeus
. . " i
I'he history of the
accumqlated' and
unprovoked aggressions upon our-conl-i
-ine exii
bettveeti
ren-
ncans
to make its repetition either necessary "or
desirable. It will be sufficient here, to
remark, that ther-e has, for many years,
been scarcely' a single administration of
the French Government.by whom the jus
tice and legality of.the claims of our citi
zens to indemnity, werjnot, to a very con
siderable, extenttadmittdr; and yet-near a
quaTter of a century hi 3 been "wasted in
inefTectual negotiations to secure it.
Deeply sensiblie of tne injurious efiK'ts
resulting from this state of -things' 'upon
the interests and character of both nations,
I regarded it as amon my first duties to
cause one more effort tol)e made to satis
fy France, that a .just and liberal settle
ment of our claims was as well due to her
own honor as to their inconiesuble valid
ity. The negotiation for this purpose was
commenced with thelate Go verriment ol
France, 'and Was nrosecuted with such
success, as to leave no
to doubt, that, a- seltlem
reasonable ground
ent of a character
quite as liberal as that
queritly made, would.
which was subse-
kave been effected,
had not the revolutionj
by which the no
foliation was cut off. taken- place. The
discussions were resumed AvithHhe pre
sent government, and jthe result showed,
that we Avgre not' wrong, in supposing,
that an event by whih the two govern
ments were made to apnroacli-each other
so much nearer in their political princi ples,
.'and by which the motives for tHe most libe
ral' & friendly intercourse were so greatly
muTtiplied, could bxercise no other than a
salutarytirifluence npon the "negotiation.
After the most deliberate and thorough
exam ination of the whole subject, a treaty
between the twd- Governments was: con
cluded and sighed at Paris on the 4th "of
July, 1 S3 1 , by which! it was stipulated
that the French C5ovefn ment, in order to
liberate itself from all the reclamations
P
referred against ir.b citizens of the Li
fted States, 'for .unlawful. seizures, cap-
nite
tares, sequestrations, con hcations, or.ue-
struction ot their vessels, cargoes or ouicr
brbDertv enas-es to nav a -sum of twenty-
Hve miflioris of francs ito'the United States,
who shall distribute ' among. those enti
tled, in therrVamierrand according to the
rules it shall determine ancFit was also
stinulated .on ihenart of the Frenca Go-
vernment, thaLtbis twenty-nve miuimisui
frnncs shnrtld "be naid at Paris in six an
nnql inefnlmJi nf fnlir millions OUC faUn-
and sixty six,
thousand six .nun-
dred" sixty six francs
and sixty-six cen-
tim.es each, ' into thel hands .of sucn per
son or persons as: shall, be authorized" by
iHp Government of the United States tb
r- "u " nr i, ft rt i n m 1 fn erit 'to bed
A. 4 . t -' . - ..,--
paid' at the expiration of one year; riext
foHowinVthe exchange.of the ratifications
of .this convention, apd he others at sue-
cessive intervals oi a year, -one aw. mv;
T to me
amount of eacKof theiul -instalments
shall be added interest at four.pe centum
thereupon, as upon the other instalments
then remaining unpaid, tfie said .interest
Uo be computed from the ;ojtt c4 the ex?
change, cuhe rsetit convent"oo-
It-Was also stipalatdjonthe partofthe
- r r 1 r i ; r : -
tTaked States, ifox the purpose "of being
couipieieiy JiDerateo, irom an tne reclama
tions presented by France on behalf of its
citizens, that the sum bf one million five
hundred thousand francs should be paid
to the Government of France, in six an
nual iastalmentsi to be deducted out of the
anpuaj sums which France had agreed to
pay,. Interest thereupon- being in like
manner computed from the day of the ex
change of the ratifications. I In addition
rto thi stipulation, important advaotages
rwere secured to prance by the tollmving
rticTe. viz : "The wines ofi France, from
krKTaftet the exchange of the ratifications
of ihe present Cohventibm shall be adrriit-
ted to consumntion in the States of the tl-
nion, at duties which shall riot exceed the
following rates by the gallon, (such as it
is used at present folr wines in the United
States,) to wit :psix cents for red wines
in casks : ten tents for -white wines in
casks; and twenty-two cents; for, wines of
all .sorts in bottles. The proportions ex
isting between the duties on Fren:h
wines thus reduced, and thej general rates
of the tariff whim went , into operatioa
the first January, -1829, shall be maintain
ed, in case the Gcvernment'of the United
States should think proper to' di.niiiish
those general rates in a new tarifc .
In consideratio -of this stipulaticm.
which shall be binding on the United
States for (en years,he French-'Gpverh-"ment-abau'(fons
the rlclautatiops which it
had formed m relation to the ' 8th article
of the treaty of cessioi of Louisiana. It
fnjpges, moreover, to-establish on the
Uig staple cottony of! the Unit-d States,
which, after ihej exchqnge of the ratifica-'
tions of the present Convention, shall be
brought direcHyl thenot to France by the
vessels of theUnited Sttes, br bjrFren
fJ:. . J U l... TT'.r L L.
LI)
vessels, the same 'duties as on ihorl staple j
cotLdns. s .
This treaty was duV, ratified in the
manner prescrihed by tie cPnsutntions of
ooin coanjnes, ana tnp rauiicauan was
11 1 exchanged. at City jf Washington, "pn
the dM i-Vbruary, 16o2. O.n: account
of itsVcomnierciil stmnlatioris it' was in
five days tfiefeafiertaid before the Cc n
erress 'or- t ie uotwa states: ; which nro
cfHrfw?rt; vnnrfi r-h .n icsi" f i i-nr.n h f in
fhe cam&rcyoff Frdnceas iverejiecessa
ry to carry it into full eX'eculioiV abd
France ia$. from that period to the rres
sep.t, been in the unrestricted enjoyment
tf the valuable privileges that were thus 1
secured to her. j The faith of the French
nation leaving been thus solsrnnly pled
ged, through itsj constitutional organ, .'or
the liquidation .and ultimate pay merit of
the long deferred claims of 6uf 'citizeas,
as also'for the adjustment of other poiijHs
of great' and reciprocal benefits' 'to "bth
countries,and the United States, having
with a fidelity a ad promptitude by which
their conduct will, Irust, b-? always cha
racterized, done every thing that was 'ne
cessary to carry the treaty into full and
fair effect on thejr part, counted, with the
mosi perfect confidence, on equal fidelity
and .promptitude on the partiof the French
Government; In this reasonable expjtH:
tatkn we hive been, ' I regret to inform
von, whbllv "'disappointed. i No legisla-
tive provision has been made by Frai
for the execution of the treaty, either
it respects the (ndemnity - to be paid,
th commercial ibebefits to be seeured
ct
as" !
or
to
the" United States, and the; .relations: be
tween the 'United States and that power,
in consequence thereoi, arej piacea in,;- a
situation threatening to inteh upt-the griod
understanding which has so long and" so
Happily exiVted hutXveen the, two ' nations.
Not only has. the French Government
been thus wanting in the performance of
the .stipulations it has so splemnLy entered
into with the United States, put its onns-
sibns have been marked by tircumstances"
which would seem to leave uswitnpui
satisfactory' evidences, that such a per-
formauce will certainly take plifce at a
future iTeriod
Advice of the exchange
of ratificafions
reached Paris prior to the
8th of ..April, 1832, The French Cham
bers were then sitting, and j continued in
session until .the 21st of that month, and
although one instalment of the indemnity
was payable on the 2d of February, 183B,
one vea after the exchange of ratica-
iibns, no application w.as made - to the
Chambers, for the required appropriation,
and in consequence of no appropriation
having been made, the. draft of the United
States Government for. that instalment,
was drshotiored by the Minister: of JPi
nance. and the United States, thereby in-
I Y9lved in much- controversy. The next
cas;tai of the , Cliim bers commenced on
the 19th November 1332; jand continued
until the' 25th April, r13?3. N6tviih-.
standing the omission to pay the ii rst ln
Stalrrent had been fhade the abject of
earriest ,remcnstrancc on jour part, the
treaty with the United States, and" a. bill
making, the. necessary appropriations to
execute it, were not laid' before theChaiu
Jberer Depidif? unti)"thi IGth, ot ApriU
rlv five months after.. fi? meeting,! arid
3&ly tuaetteri days before the closeof thel
session. The billvas-xead and; referred'!
to a committee, but there was. . no ituxaer
Zcutmpo. .The - non ofthe
GhamWr eomm.enced 09
rril 1333. arid continued i until i
f June following. A new bjll was in
troduced da iteVi 1th of June, but nothing:
impbrtaHtvas dorre in relation to ;it du
riUrt the session. In the aoath of A?nL
1834, nearly three years after the signa
ture of the treaty, the final action l of the
French Chambers upon the bill tb carry
the treaty into efiect was obtained, and re
sulted in a refusal of the necessary appro
priations. The avowed grounds- upon
which the bill was rrjeCted, are to be
found, in the published debates of that bo
dy, and no observations' of mine can be
necessary to, satisfy Congress of their ut
ter insufficiency. Altnough '" the gross a
mount of the claims' of our citizens is pro
bably greater' than "will be ultimately al;
lowed by the Commissioner sufficient
is, nevertheless, show"n,r to render ft abso
lutely certain that the indemnity falls far;
short of; the actual amount of our just
claims, independently of the question of
uamages ana interest ior uie aeiennon.
That the settlement in vol ved a sacrifice in
this respect was well known at the time
a sacrifice which was cheerfufly acqui
esced in by the different branches of the
Federal Government i whose action upon
the treaty wasruiredr fron a sincere
desire tp avoid further collision upon this
old and disturbing subject, and in thepon-
hder.t e.xpectatiouthat the general rela
tions between the two countries woald be
Mmproyed thereby. ,
I he refusal, to. vote the appropriation,
the news of which was received from our
Mijiistt-r in Paris about the loth day of
May last, might have been considered the
final determination of the French Govern
ment not to execute the stipulations of the
treaty, and. would'have justified an intme
diate communication of the factS to Con
gress, with a recommendation of such ul
timate measures as the interest and houor
of the United Stales might seem to reqliire.
But with the" news of the refusal, of tlie
Champers to make the appropriation
the
were conveyed the regrets of the. King
auu a declaration that a national vessel-
should -be forthwith sent put with
instructions to the French Minister tpi
gi ve the most jmu.be t-xplanatips of the
past, and the strongest Ufs'rances for.
future,- After a lon.g-passage t!ie-rp
thd
mi
sed despatch vessel arrived. Tbe nltd-
ges .given bythe French Minister, upon
receipt ol hrs instructions, '.were, triat os
soon alter the eiecn&n ot tlie. new-jaem-
bersas the charter would perdiit, tiie le
nis'.atrve Charnben ofF ranee should be
cal ted together, arid the proposition for
an apprpnriation laid before them : that
all the constitutional power of the Kind
9
arid his. Cabinet should be exerted to ac
complish the . object :' and'.' that lh result
should be made known; early eiicuh toi
be communicated to Congress at tcelcom
mencement of the present session. Rely
ing upon th esc. pledges, and riot doubtind
that the acknowledged - justice .of our
claims, the promised exertions of. thd
King and his Cabinet, and above aU.'thau
sacred regard for the national faith and
honor for which the French character
has been spdistingu'ishedVouId secure
an earlv execution of the treaty in all its
parts, I did not deem it necessary tp callj
the attention of Congress to the subject ad
the last session.
' I regret to say that the pledges inad
through the minister of France have not'
been redeemed. The new chambers riiet
on the 31st July last, ' and
although-the
subject of fulfilling treaties was alluded
to in the speech from the throne,, -no at-l
tempt was made by the King or his Cabi
uet-to procure ap' appropriation to carry
it 'into execntion. -I he. reasons given for.
ithis omission, although they might b
considered sufficient in ah ordinary case,
are not consistent with the expectations
founded .upon the assurances given .here
for there is no constitutional obstacle to
entering into legislative business at thtj
first meetinsr 'Jf the chambers .This
point, however, might hav been over
looked, han not the chambers, instead o
being called to meet at so eajlva dav that
the result ot their deliberations might be
communicated to me, before the meeting
of Congress, beeo prorogued to the 29thJ
of the present month a perioa- so late
that their decision can scarcely be made
known to the present Congress prior AO
its dissdlution
To avol Jihis delay, our
Minister in Paris, J in virtue of assura nee
iven by the French Minister in the Uni-
ted States, strongly .urged the, convoca
tion of the Chambers at rin earlier dajj,
but without success.- It is proper to rtH
mark, however,- that this retu.?al has
been accompanied with the most positive
assurances, on the part of the Executive
Government of France, of their intention
to press the appropriation at the ensuing
session of the Chambers.-- f '
"The executive branch 'ofthis 'OoTern-
merit has, as matters stand,' exhausted all
the authority upon the;sribject with whicjh
it is' invested, and which it had antirea-
Lim 'confident, be for a rionierit'emertsin
ed by any branch or this government;
and further nejocntiort is equally out M
the questions '"' '". " - :-u
. . u it snail oe tne pleasure 01 -Uongress
to atjait the further atior ipf the' French
Chaffibers.tno further consideration of the
subject n il f, at this session, probably .jbe
required at your : hands.. But, if from
inVorigiria delay in asking for artappp
prriauoo. from the refusal oftjbe Chambers
lio grant it when asked, from the jraission-
to bring the subject bf'f.Tre the Chinwr
son to believe - couta ce Denenciatiy eiti- national honor, as 'tycll as a cenial or jus j
ployed. The idea of acqiiiescirlg; in the tice to our injured cm.zeh$"- Prompt
refusal td.exeChte'the'treatv ' wHi cot, I measures, .when f he refusal of' France I.
at their last session; from the. fact that, in
cluding that session, there have' been five
different occasions whea thts- a ppropria- .
tion might have been mau,jand from the--
delay in convoking tEe Chambers until
some weeks alter the. tneetinir of Uou-
gress, when h uas well kuown that u '
communication -of the whole subject to ;
Congress, at the last session, wa prevent
ted by assurances that it should be dis
posed of before its present meet ing, ybu
should feel yourselves cdristraioed to doubt '
whether it be the intention of the French
Govern ment in all the branches to Yea rnr
the treaty into effect, and think that such -measures
as the occasion may be deemed
to cull for, should be now adopted,, the
important question arises what those iriea
iires shall he. - ?i Y". J V '
'" Oor institutions are essentially pacifier t
Peace and friend iy intercourse with all-
natioqs, aTe as much the. direof oiir"
Govwutnrnt as thev are the ianrets- 'of
our People?" But these objects are nxtd
j be permanently secured, by, surrendering.
tJilrightis of ouryitiiePs, or permitting-
solemn treaties for iheir iiideinuity in ca-
ses of flagrant wroug.'40 be abrogated ir
sei aside. . V . '.,' .
it is undoubtedly in tile poivyr of Con- -grees
serious! v; to affect the - agricultura!
land mafsufacturing "interests, of ii 'rnncei--
by the passage ol laws lelaltng. to", her
trade. with the (Jnited States. . Iler pro
ducts, inanufaQtures, andlonnagC, may be '
subjected to heavy duties in out ports. Jut-
all commercial intercoutse with her ifmv
rbe suspended. But there are nuwerfpf:
: and. to my injnd, conclusive ' objections to . '
this mode of proceeding. . VV catinoi ' . ' ' ' ,
embarrass or cut on the Hade of France, '
without, at the sainelime. m ;some ic " '5.- ;
gree, embarrassing or cuwirig off buf own
trade. The . injury of .such a , vd rre
inuit -faH, thouglu uriequilj)V-up5hv our -! -'
'ofrti jci'tizena, and- could not but-1m)aif v
tlie means of the GoVenmieCaJdVakfc , v "
en that nriitvdsentiinijnl.infup of.the t 1 f
riglit and .hooo of the4mtion! which " -Yl 1
must Vrip if ;'pt vatic cv&vr& Y2$ot
I is it impossible" tliat ucb a cbujsetjbf 4e- -
gi'arion would tmrtiacV ocemore mtcr
ou r riatidn;il councils, thde 4tVuig
questions in fe'.allorr td the tanff ;ol du- '?
ties,' which h ive been so ivcvnUy- put .to
resr. JnW, Jby -every measure allotted
by the Gbvernintvr of the UniiedStates
with the vk;w of iniuriti? France, ih
ear pe rcept ion q? right
which
uill'lt;-
duce
our own -people; and the rulers -and
jwopje of alf other i;ations, c.en of Franc!,
herself, to pronounce, cur quarfel jtisir'
will, be obscured, and the upjKirt render
ed to us in a final resort U more di-ci
si ve measures, will be more limited a ad
equivocaL There is but one point in thtp
controversy, and upon that the. whole' cT- .
viiized vorld must pronounce France u
be-iii tlie wrong. We "insist that she
shajl pay ns a snm of money, which" sbt
has acknowledged to be. due j ahd of the
justice of this demand, "there cair'be bni
one opinion amongihanliind; True pol- .
icy would seem to dictate that ihe pitn
tiori t issue should ;be kept nh m dheh
rcujnbere'd, and that riot the slightest preiV
tehee should be given to Fraric Jp - perl
sist.in her refusal to make p-.Vrncnt, by
any acCCen our paft afiVcting tliV interests'
of her people. Tlie uest?o:ir sjiould be
)efi as. it fs "now, in such arattitddethtit .
Avhn France fulfils -Irer treaty stipula
tions, all controversy will be at an end."' "
; It is my convictiori.'that the United
States ought to insist on a prompt 'execu-. ,
tiun of the treaty, and trt'clse h be ryfo-
sed, or longer delayed, take redress inter
their Own ball ds. "After the delay on the
pan oi iranc.e.01 a quarter of a eei.tUry'
iaqcknowledging ''-tiieW "claims btreaty, (
it is not to be tolerated that anblherquarrfer
ofaceriTUrv is to Be wasted in neot-iailnVr
"about the payment 'fhe law of nations
provide a -remedy Jor such occasfrts. it
is a:' well. settled principle of the lnter-na-tional
code, that where one nation owes
another a liquidated debt, which it refu
ses or neglects to'pay, the aggrieved par
ty, may seize on the propjfhy - beionffirig
to the other, its citizens or subjects, sufli
cTent to pay the'debt, without gfving just '
icause of war, This remedr has been re-
peatedty resorted to, &, recently by France'
herself, towards Pdttu'cal, under circiicr -
stances less unquestionable,-; 't i : - i 7 r
' The time' at which resort hbulil be'
had'to this, or oilier mode of redfts,
a point to be dcidM by Cougress. 1:
an appropriation shall not be : made by
the 'French .Chamber? at lihirv next ' ees
siofi, it may justly be: concluded that the j
Government of France has finally deter- j
mined td disregard Its ovvrii solemn nn: !
3ertaking, and refuse W pay anckriowl ;
Wed debt- Injfhat event, every day's -lie- 4
lav on our part, win he a statu upon our
shijll be -complete -will Uot bhly has ingn.
b enbrableuid jusff but" wjl 1 hai ve the bet
efiect upori oar national cbarar."
Since France iri riolahqn of fhe pled
:esgiven through her miniiter here, ha.;
delayed her final-action so Ibjjg.)hat her
"deciaion will-not probably ba knqwn, jit
time io cmunicatcI'iq'li js Coug'sv
.1 recommend Uiar'a - law bo nassedi au"
ihorizln g repr isals upon1 Frwich properly , j
in case provision shall not -. be "maJe for l
the pay ment of the debt, at the anpTOcli
iryj session of the French ' Ihaiaberi j
' 1
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