of justice throughout the United States and France, in like manner as the originals.

Art. VII. In all the States of the Union, whose existing laws permit it, so long and to the same extent as the said laws shall remain in force, Frenchmen shall enjoy the right of possessing personal and real property by the same title and in the same manner as the citizens of the United States. They shall be free to dispose of it as they may please, either gratuitously or for value received, by donation, testament, or otherwise, just as those citizens themselves; and in no case shall they be subjected to taxes on transfer, inheritance, or any others different from those paid by the latter, or to taxes which shall not be equally imposed.

As to the States of the Union, by whose existing laws aliens are not permitted to hold real estate, the President engages to recommend to them the passage of such laws as may be necessary for the purpose of conferring this right.

In like manner, but with the reservation of the ulterior right of establishing reciprocity in regard to possession and inheritance, the Government of France accords to the citizens of the United States the same rights within its territory in respect to real and personal property, and to inheritance, as are enjoyed there by its own citizens.

Art. VIII. The respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Consular Agents, shall have exclusive charge of the internal order of the merchant vessels of their nation, and shall alone take cognizance of differences which may arise, either at sea or in port, between the captain, officers, and crew, without exception, particularly in reference to the adjustment of wages and the execution of contracts. The local authorities shall not, on any pretext, interfere in these differences, but shall lend forcible aid to the Consuls, when they may ask it, to arrest and imprison all persons composing the crew whom they may deem it necessary to confine. Those persons shall be arrested at the sole request of the Consuls, addressed in writing to the local authority, and supported by an official extract from the register of the ship or the list of the crew, and shall be held, during the whole time of their stay in the port, at the disposal of the Consuls. Their release shall be granted at the mere request of the Consuls made in writing. The expenses of the arrest and detention of those persons shall be paid by the Consuls.

Art. IX. The respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls or Consular Agents, may arrest the officers, sailors and all other persons making part of the crews of ships of war or merchant vessels of their nation, who may be guilty or be accused of having deserted said ships and vessels, for the purpose of sending them on board, or back to their country. To that end, the Consuls of France in the United States shall apply to the magistrates designated in the Act of Congress of May 4, 1826, that is to say, indiscriminately to any of the Federal, State or Municipal Authorities; and the Consuls of the United States in France shall apply to any of the competent authorities and make a request in writing for the deserters, supporting it by an exhibition of the registers of the vessel and list of the crew, or by other official documents, to show that the men whom they claim belonged to said crew. Upon such request alone, thus supported, and without the exaction of any oath from the Consuls, the deserters, not

being citizens of the country where the demand is made, either at the time of their shipping or of their arrival in the port, shall be given up to them. All aid and protection shall be furnished them for the pursuit, seizure and arrest of the deserters, who shall even be put and kept in the prisons of the country at the request and at the expense of the Consuls until these Agents may find an opportunity of sending them away. If, however, such opportunity should not present itself within the space of three months, counting from the day of the arrest, the deserters shall be set at liberty, and shall not again be arrested for the same cause.

Art. X. The respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls or Consular Agents, shall receive the declarations, protests and reports of all captains of vessels of their nation in reference to injuries experienced at sea; they shall examine and take note of the stowage, and when there are no stipulations to the contrary between the owners, freighters or insurers, they shall be charged with the repairs. If any inhabitants of the country in which the Consuls reside, or citizens of a third nation, are interested in the matter, and the parties cannot agree, the competent local authority shall decide.

Art. XI. All proceedings relative to the salvage of American vessels wrecked upon the coasts of France, and of French vessels wrecked upon the coasts of the United States, shall be respectively directed by the Consuls-General, Consuls and Vice-Consuls of the United States in France, and by the Consuls-General, Consuls and Vice-Consuls of France in the United States, and until their arrival by the respective Consular Agents wherever an agency exists. In the places and ports where an agency does not exist, the local authorities, until the arrival of the Consul in whose district the wreck may have occurred, and who shall be immediately informed of the occurrence, shall take all necessary measures for the protection of persons and the preservation of property.

The local authorities shall not otherwise interfere than for the maintenance of order, the protection of the interests of the salvors, if they do not belong to the crews that have been wrecked, and to carry into effect the arrangements made for the entry and exportation of the merchandise saved.

It is understood that such merchandise shall not be subjected to any custom-house duty if it is to be re-exported, and, if it be entered for consumption, a diminution of such duty shall be allowed in conformity with the regulations of the respective countries.

Art, XII. The respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls or Consular Agents, as well as their Consular Pupils, Chancellors and Secretaries, shall enjoy in the two countries all the other privileges, exemptions and immunities which may at any future time be granted to the Agents of the same rank of the most favoured nation.

Art. XIII. The present Convention shall remain in force for the space of ten years from the day of the exchange of the ratifications, which shall be made in conformity with the respective constitutions of the two countries, and exchanged at Washington within the period of six months, or sooner, if possible. In case neither party gives notice, twelve months before the expiration of the said period of ten years, of its intention not to renew this Convention, it shall remain in force a year longer, and so on

from year to year, until the expiration of a year from the day on which one of the parties shall give such notice.

In testimony whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this Convention, and hereunto affixed their respective seals.

Done at the city of Washington, the twenty-third day of February, anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.

(L.S.) EDWARD EVERETT.

(L.S.) SARTIGES.

And whereas the said Convention, as amended, has been duly ratified on both parts, and the respective ratifications of the same were exchanged at Washington, on the eleventh instant, by William L. Marcy, Secretary of State of the United States, and the Count de Sartiges, Commander of the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour, &c., &c., &c., and Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of His Majesty the Emperor of the French, near the Government of the United States, on the part of their respective Governments.

Now, therefore, be it known, that I, Franklin Pierce, President of the United States of America, have caused the said Convention to be made public, to the end that the same and every clause and article thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the seventy-eighth.

(Seal.) By the President,

FRANKLIN PIERCE.

W. L. MARCY,
Secretary of State.

And the Crew agree to conduct themselves in an orderly, faithful, honest, and sober manner, and to be at all times diligent in