aura lieu le premier de chaque mois, à dater du 1er Aôut prochain, de manière à ce que la somme totale soit acquittée au ler Janvier, 1819. III. Les présens Articles seront ratifiés et les Ratifications en seront échangées dans le terme d'un mois, ou plutôt si faire se peut. En foi de quoi les Soussignés les ont signés, et y ont apposé le Cachet de leurs Armes. Fait à Paris, le 4 Juillet, 1818. (L. S.) CHARLES STUART. (L.S.) RICHELIEU. of which shall take place the 1st day of every month, reckoning from the 1st of August next, so that the whole sum shall be paid by the 1st of January, 1819. III. The present Articles shall be ratified, and the Ratifications exchanged in the space of I month, or sooner, if possible. In witness whereof, the Undersigned have signed the same, and have affixed thereunto the Seal of their Arms. Done at Paris, the 4th of July, 1818. (L. S.) CHARLES STUART. (L. S.) RICHELIEU. MESSAGE from the President of The United States to Congress, containing the Decision of the Boundary Commissioners, under the 17th Article of the Treaty of Ghent of 1814, with Great Britain,* relative to the Islands in the Bay of Fundy.—25th February, 1818. THE Commissioners of the 2 Governments, under the IVth Article of the Treaty of Ghent, having come to a Decision upon the question submitted to them, I lay before Congress Copies of that Decision, together with Copies of the Declaration signed and reported by the Commissioners to this Government. JAMES MONROE. (1.)—DECLARATION of the Commissioners under the IVth Article of the Treaty of Ghent. SIR, New York, 24th November, 1817. THE Undersigned Commissioners, appointed by virtue of the IVth Article of the Treaty of Ghent, have attended to the duties assigned them, and have decided that Moose Island, Dudley Island, and Frederick Island, in the Bay of Passamaquoddy, which is part of the Bay of Fundy, do each of them belong to The United States of America, and that all the other Islands in the Bay of Passamaquoddy, and the Island of Grand Menan in the Bay of Fundy, do each of them * See Commercial Treaties, Vol. 2. Page 380. belong to His Britannic Majesty, in conformity with the true intent of the IInd Article of the Treaty of Peace of 1783. The Commissioners have the honor to enclose herewith their Decision. In making this Decision, it became necessary that each of the Commissioners should yield a part of his individual opinion; several reasons induced them to adopt this measure, one of which was the impression and belief that the navigable waters of the Bay of Passamaquoddy, which, by the Treaty of Ghent, is said to be part of the Bay of Fundy, are common to both Parties for the purpose of all lawful and direct communication with their own Territories and Foreign Ports. The Undersigned Lave the honor to be, &c, The Hon. J. Q. Adams. JOHN HOLMES. THOMAS BARCLAY. (2.)—DECISION of the Commissioners under the IVt Article of the Treaty of Ghent.—24th November, 1817. By Thomas Barclay and John Holmes, Esquires, Commissioners appointed by virtue of the IVth Article of the Treaty of Peace and Amity between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, concluded at Ghent, on the 24th day of December, 1814, to decide to which of the 2 Contracting Parties to the said Treaty, the several Islands in the Bay of Passamaquoddy, which is part of the Bay of Fundy, and the Island of Grand Menan, in the said Bay of Fundy, do respectively belong, in conformity with the true intent of the IInd Article of the Treaty of Peace of 1783, between His said Britannic Majesty and the aforesaid United States of America: We, the said Thomas Barclay and John Holmes, Commissioners as aforesaid, having been duly sworn, impartially to examine and decide upon the said Claims, according to such evidence as should be laid before us, on the part of His Britannic Majesty and The United States, respectively, have decided, and do decide, that Moose Island, Dudley Island, and Frederick Island, in the Bay of Passamaquoddy, which is part of the Bay of Fundy, do, and each of them does belong, to the United States of America; and we have also decided, and do decide, that all the other Islands, and each and every of them in the said Bay of Passamaquoddy, which is part of the Bay of Fundy, and the Island of Grand Menan, in the said Bay of Fundy, do belong to His said Britannic Majesty in conformity with the true intent of the said IInd Article of the said Treaty of 1783. In faith and testimony whereof, we have set our hands and affixed our Seals, at the City of New York, in the State of New York, in the United States of America, this 24th day of November, in the year of our Lord, 1817. (L..S.) THOMAS BARCLAY. Witness, JAMES T. AUSTIN, (Agent of The United States.) MESSAGE from the President of The United States to Congress, transmitting sundry Papers, in relation to the Claims of the Merchants of The United States, for their Property seized and confiscated, under the Authority of Murat, King of Naples.-28th February, 1818. I LAY before the House, a Report from the Secretary of State, together with the Papers relating to Claims of Merchants of The United States upon the Government of Naples, in conformity with a Resolution of the House of the 30th of January last. JAMES MONROE. Department of State, Washington, 27th February, 1818. THE Secretary of State, to whom has been referred the Resolution of the House of Representatives of the 30th of January last, requesting such information, possessed by the Executive, as may be communicated without injury to the public interest, relative to the Claims of Merchants of The United States for their property seized and confiscated under the authority of the King of Naples, has the honor of submitting to the President the Papers in the possession of this Department, concerning that subject. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. (1.)—Mr. Monroe, Secretary of State, to Mr. Pinkney, Special Minister to Naples. (Extracts.) Department of State, 11th May, 1816. BEING appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Emperor of Russia, and in a similar trust, to the King of Naples, the duties of the latter Mission which is special, will engage your attention in the first instance. The Washington, a Ship of the Line, is ordered into the Chesapeake, to receive on board, and to convey you and your family to Naples. You will be furnished with the usual Commission and Letter of Credence to the King. for A principal object of your Mission to Naples is, to obtain indemnity the losses which our Citizens sustained by the illegal seizure and confiscation of their property by the Neapolitan Government. You will be furnished with such evidence in support of the claim, as is in possession of this Department, and as notice has been given to the Collectors in the principal Cities, of your appointment and its object, that it may be communicated to the Parties interested, it is expected that you will receive much further light on the subject directly from them. The President does not entertain a doubt of the right of The United States, to a full indemnity for these losses. They were inflicted by the then Government of the Country without the slightest cause. The commerce of The United States was invited into the Neapolitan Ports by special Decrees, with the promise of protection and encouragement, on the faith of which, many Ships having entered with valuable Cargoes, the whole amount was seized by the Government itself and converted to public use. For this very extraordinary and unlawful act, no plea has been urged that we have heard of, except that of necessity, which is no argument against indemnity. The injury being inflicted by a Government in full possession of the sovereignty of the Country, exercising all its powers, recognized by the Nation and by Foreign Powers, by Treaties and by other formal Acts of the highest authority, it is not perceived on what ground an indemnity can be refused. No principle is better established, than that the Nation is responsible for the acts of its Government, and that a change in the Authority does not affect the obligation. In the disordered state of that Country for several years past, it has been thought useless to press this claim, but now that affairs appear to be better settled, it would be improper longer to delay it. The President indulges a strong hope, that reparation will now be made. In the discharge of this trust, in the manner of the Negotiation, and in the provision for the debt, should such be made, you will manifest a spirit of conciliation towards the Government of Naples. Any reasonable accommodation, as to the time and the mode of payment which may be desired, will be cheerfully allowed. As you will be well acquainted with the nature of these Claims, and the right of The United States to an indemnity; with the principles on which it is founded, and the arguments and facts which support it, it is unnecessary for me to enter further into the subject. The President has full confidence that nothing will be wanting on your part to secure success to the Mission. Satisfied that you will discharge its duties with equal ability and discretion, it is thought improper by too much precision to impose any restraint on your judgment, either as to the manner or the argument to be used in the Negotiation. Your Mission to Naples being Special, its object limited, and being likewise anticipated by the Neapolitan Government, it is expected that it may be concluded in a few interviews. It is very important that The United States should be represented at St. Petersburg, by a Minister of the highest grade employed by them, without any delay which can be avoided. The President desires, therefore, that you will use every effort in your power to terminate the business with Naples as soon as it may be possible, and that you will proceed thence, immediately afterwards, to St. Petersburg. Mr. Pinkney. JAMES MONROE. (Extracts.) (2.)—Mr. Pinkney to Mr. Monroe. Naples, 29th August, 1816. On Saturday the 27th, I prepared an Official Note to the Marquis di Circello, announcing my quality of Envoy Extraordinary to the King. His answer, (appointing Wednesday the 1st for our interview,) was sent immediately. My reception on the 31st was extremely friendly, and in the highest degree respectful to the Government of The United States. The regular purpose of my visit was to show my Credentials, furnish a Copy, and arrange the customary audience. I did not therefore suppose that it presented a suitable opportunity for introducing a very detailed explanation of the objects of my Mission; but, in conformity with a desire expressed by the Marquis himself, I stated them to him as fully as was necessary to enable him to communicate them to the King. Although the Marquis di Circello was, (as you know,) for several years the Minister of this Court in London, he does not speak a word of English, and does not understand it when it is spoken by others. Our conversation was, therefore, in French. Amidst a good deal of well managed discourse on his part, which rather related to me than to my Mission, he made several observations which had a bearing upon my principal errand. He spoke of the poverty of their Public Treasury in terms somewhat more strong than I was prepared to expect; of the unprincipled manner in which Monsieur Murat, (as he styled him,) appropriated to his own use whatever of value he could lay his hands upon, and in particular, the Vessels and Merchandize belonging to our Citizens; of the prodigality with which he dried up all the usual resources of the Country, and dissipated, moreover, all the means which rapacity afforded. He drew no very precise conclusion from those and similar remarks, although I took such notice of them as their tendency prescribed; but upon the whole it was evident, that the claim which I was charged to make in behalf of our merchants, was not likely to be very readily admitted, and that I should only waste my time by talking over its merits from day to day, with a Minister who could of himself decide nothing, and whose |