conceal or assist them in any manner, but will bring to condign punishment all such inhabitants as shall be guilty of such acts or offences. And all their ships with the goods or merchandizes taken by them and brought into the port of either of the said parties, shall be seized as far as they can be discovered, and shall be restored to the owners, or their factors or agents, duly deputed and authorized in writing by them (proper evidence being first given in the court of admiralty for proving the property) even in case such effects should have passed into other hands by sale, if it be proved that the buyers knew or had good reason to believe, or suspect that they had been piratically taken. ARTICLE XXI. It is likewise agreed, that the subjects and citizens of the two nations, shall not do any acts of hostility or violence against each other, nor accept commissions or instructions so to act from any foreign prince or state, enemies to the other party; nor shall the enemies of one of the parties be permitted to invite, or endeavour to enlist in their military service, any of the subjects or citizens of the other party; and the laws against all such offences and aggressions shall be punctually executed. And if any subject or citizen of the said parties respectively, shall accept any foreign commission, or letters of marque, for arming any vessel to act as a privateer against the other party, and be taken by the other party, it is hereby declared to be lawful for the said party, to treat and punish the said subject or citizen, having such commission or letters of marque, as a pirate. ARTICLE XXII. Pirates not to be protected; by them to be and goods taken restored. Subjects or citizens of one accept commisparty shall not sion from a foreign state at war with the other. till demand of satisfaction and It is expressly stipulated, that neither of the said contracting parties will order or authorize any acts of reprisal against the other, on complaints of injuries or damages, until the said party shall first have pre- refusal. sented to the other a statement thereof, verified by competent proof and evidence, and demanded justice and satisfaction, and the same shall either have been refused or unreasonably delayed. ARTICLE XXIII. of each to be received in the ports of the other. American ves sels, in case of stress of wea ther, may enter British ports. The ships of war of each of the contracting parties shall, at all times, Ships of war be hospitably received in the ports of the other, their officers and crews paying due respect to the laws and government of the country. The officers shall be treated with that respect which is due to the commissions which they bear, and if any insult should be offered to them by any of the inhabitants, all offenders in this respect shall be punished as disturbers of the peace and amity between the two countries. And his Majesty consents, that in case an American vessel should, by stress of weather, danger from enemies or other misfortune, be reduced to the necessity of seeking shelter in any of his Majesty's ports, into which such vessel could not in ordinary cases claim to be admitted, she shall, on manifesting that necessity to the satisfaction of the government of the place, be hospitably received and be permitted to refit, and to purchase at the market price, such necessaries as she may stand in need of, conformably to such orders and regulations as the government of the place, having respect to the circumstances of each case, shall prescribe. She shall not be allowed to break bulk or unload her cargo, unless the same shall be bona fide necessary to her being refitted. Nor shall be permitted to sell any part of her cargo, unless so much only as may be necessary to defray her expences, and then not without the express permission of the government of the place. Nor shall she be obliged to pay any duties whatever, except only on such articles as she may be permitted to sell for the purpose aforesaid. Power of consuls respecting vessels of their own nation. Power of consuls in regard to deserters, and mode of proceeding. Citizens amenable for crimes to the judges of the country. How to proceed when offenders withdraw on board their vessels. thereof, which shall have been made by the consul or vice-consul, or by the judge who shall have proceeded in their absence, that the said effects and merchandize may be afterwards delivered, (after levying therefrom the costs) and without form of process, to the owners, who being furnished with an order for their delivery from the nearest consul or vice-consul, shall reclaim them by themselves, or by their order, either for the purpose of re-exporting such merchandize, in which case they shall pay no kind of duty of exportation, or for that of selling them in the country, if they be not prohibited there, and in this last case, the said merchandize, if they be damaged, shall be allowed an abatement of entrance duties, proportioned to the damage they have sustained, which shall be ascertained by the affidavits taken at the time the vessel was wrecked or struck. ARTICLE VIII. The consuls or vice-consuls shall exercise police over all the vessels of their respective nations, and shall have on board the said vessels all power and jurisdiction in civil matters, in all the disputes which may there arise; they shall have an entire inspection over the said vessels, their crew, and the changes and substitutions there to be made; for which purpose they may go on board the said vessels whenever they may judge it necessary. Well understood that the functions hereby allowed shall be confined to the interior of the vessels, and that they shall not take place in any case which shall have any interference with the police of the ports where the said vessels shall be. ARTICLE IX. The consuls and vice-consuls may cause to be arrested the captains, officers, mariners, sailors, and all other persons, being part of the crews of the vessels of their respective nations, who shall have deserted from the said vessels, in order to send them back and transport them out of the country: For which purpose, the said consuls and vice-consuls shall address themselves to the courts, judges and officers competent, and shall demand the said deserters in writing, proving by an exhibition of the registers of the vessel or ship's roll, that those men were part of the said crews; and on this demand so proved (saving however where the contrary is proved) the delivery shall not be refused; and there shall be given all aid and assistance to the said consuls and vice-consuls for the search, seizure and arrest of the said deserters, who shall even be detained and kept in the prisons of the country, at their request and expense until they shall have found an opportunity of sending them back; but if they be not sent back within three months, to be counted from the day of their arrest, they shall be set at liberty, and shall be no more arrested for the same cause. ARTICLE X. In cases where the respective subjects or citizens shall have committed any crime, or breach of the peace, they shall be amenable to the judges of the country. ARTICLE XI. When the said offenders shall be a part of the crew of a vessel of their nation, and shall have withdrawn themselves on board the said vessel, they may be there seized and arrested by order of the judges of the country: These shall give notice thereof to the consul or vice-consul, who may repair on board if he thinks proper: But this notification shall not in any case delay execution of the order in question. The persons arrested shall not afterwards be set at liberty until the consul or vice pour les dits effets et marchandises être ensuite délivrés après le prélevement des fraix, et sans forme de procès, aux propriétaires, qui, munis de la main-levée du consul ou vice-consul le plus proche, les réclameront par eux-mêmes, ou par leurs mandataires, soit pour réexporter les marchandises, et dans ce cas elles ne païeront aucune espèce de droits de sortie, soit pour les vendre dans le païs, si elles n'y sont pas prohibées; et dans ce dernier cas, les dites marchandises se trouvant avariées, on leur accordera une modération sur les droits d'entrée proportionné au dommage souffert, lequel sera constaté par le procès verbal dressé lors du naufrage ou de l'échouement. ARTICLE VIII. Les consuls ou vice-consuls éxerceront la police sur tous les batimens de leurs nations respectives, et auront à bord des dits batimens tout pouvoir et jurisdiction en matière civile dans toutes les discustions qui pourront y survenir; ils auront une entière inspection sur les dits batiments, leurs équipages et les changements et remplacements à y faire; pour quel effet ils pourront se transporter à bord des dits batiments toutes les fois qu'ils le jugeront nécessaire; bien entendu que les fonctions ci-dessus énoncées seront concentrées dans l'intérieur des batiments, et qu'elles ne pourront avoir lieu dans aucun cas qui aura quelque raport avec la police des ports où les dits batiments se trouve ront. ARTICLE IX. Les consuls et vice-consuls pourront faire arrêter les capitaines, officiers, mariniers, matelots et toutes autres personnes faisant partie des equipages des batiments de leurs nations respectives, qui auroient déserté des dits batimens, pour les renvoyer et faire transporter hors du païs. Auquel effet les dits consuls et vice-consuls s'addresseront aux tribunaux, juges, et officiers compétents et leur feront, par écrit, la demande des dits déserteurs, en justifiant par l'exhibition des régistres du batiment ou rôle d'equipage, que ces hommes faisoient partie des susdits équipages. Et sur cette demande, ainsi justifiée, sauf toutefois la preuve contraire, l'extradition ne pourra être refusée; et il sera donné toute aide et assistance aux dits consuls et vice-consuls pour la recherche, saisie et arrestation des susdits déserteurs, lesquels seront même détenus et gardés dans les prisons du païs, à leur réquisition, et à leurs frais jusqu'à ce qu'ils aïent trouvé occasion de les renvoyer. Mais s'ils n'étoient renvoyés dans le délai de trois mois à compter du jour de leur arrêt, ils seront élargis, et ne pourront plus être arrêtés pour la même cause. ARTICLE X. Dans le cas où les sujets ou citoyens respectifs auront commis quelque crime ou infraction de la tranquillité publique, ils seront justiciables des juges du païs. ARTICLE XI. Lorsque les dits coupables feront partie de l'equipage de l'un des batiments de leur nation, et se seront retirés à bord des dits navires, ils pourront y être saisis et arrêtés par l'ordre des juges territoriaux: ceuxci en préviendront le consul ou vice-consul, lequel pourra se rendre à bord s'il le juge à-propos: mais cette prévenance ne pourra en aucun cas retarder l'éxécution de l'ordre dont il est question. Les personnes arrêtées ne pourront ensuite être mises en liberté, qu' après que le con Tribunals to cial affairs. consul shall have been notified thereof; and they shall be delivered to him, if he requires it, to be put again on board of the vessel on which they were arrested, or of others of their nation, and to be sent out of the country. ARTICLE XII. All differences and suits between the subjects of the Most Christian King, in the United States, or between the citizens of the United States, within the dominions of the Most Christian King, and particularly all disputes relative to the wages and terms of engagement of the crews of the respective vessels, and all differences of whatever nature they be, which may arise between the privates of the said crews, or between any of them and their captains, or between the captains of different vessels of their nation, shall be determined by the respective consuls and viceconsuls, either by a reference to arbitrators, or by a summary judgment, and without costs. No officer of the country, civil or military, shall interfere therein, or take any part whatever in the matter: and the appeals from the said consular sentences shall be carried before the tribunals of France or of the United States, to whom it may appertain to take cognizance thereof. ARTICLE XIII. The general utility of commerce having caused to be established decide commer- within the dominions of the Most Christian King, particular tribunals and forms for expediting the decision of commercial affairs, the merchants of the United States shall enjoy the benefit of these establishments; and the Congress of the United States will provide in the manner the most conformable to its laws, for the establishment of equivalent advantages in favour of the French merchants, for the prompt dispatch and decision of affairs of the same nature. Citizens exempted from personal service in place of settlement. If either party grant greater consular privileges to another nation they shall be common to both. Duration of ARTICLE XIV. The subjects of the Most Christian King, and the citizens of the United States, who shall prove by legal evidence, that they are of the said nations respectively, shall in consequence enjoy an exemption from all personal service in the place of their settlement. ARTICLE XV. If any other nation acquires by virtue of any convention whatever, a treatment more favourable with respect to the consular pre-eminences, powers, authority and privileges, the consuls and vice-consuls of the Most Christian King, or of the United States, reciprocally shall participate therein, agreeable to the terms stipulated by the second, third and fourth articles of the treaty of amity and commerce, concluded between the most Christian King and the United States. ARTICLE XVI. The present convention shall be in full force during the term of this convention. twelve years, to be counted from the day of the exchange of ratifications, which shall be given in proper form, and exchanged on both sides within the space of one year, or sooner if possible. In faith whereof, we, Ministers Plenipotentiary, have signed the present convention, and have thereto set the seal of our arms. Done at Versailles, the 14th of November, one thousand seven hun- L. C. DE MONTMORIN, (L. s.) sul ou vice-consul en aura été prévenu, et elles lui seront remises s'il le requiert, pour être reconduites sur les batiments où elles auront été arrêtés, ou autres de leur nation, et être renvoyeés hors du pais. ARTICLE XII. Tous différends et procès entre les sujets du Roi très Chrétien dans les Etats Unis, ou entre les citoyens des Etats Unis dans les Etats du Roi très Chrétien, et notamment toutes les discustions relatives aux salaires et conditions des engagements des equipages des batiments respectifs, et tous différends de quelque nature qu'ils soient, qui pourroient s'élever entre les hommes des dits equipages, ou entre quelques uns d'eux et leurs capitaines, ou entre les capitaines de divers batiments nationaux, seront terminés par les consuls et vice-consuls respectifs, soit par un renvoi par devant des arbitres, soit par un jugement sommaire, et sans fraîs. Aucun officier territorial, civil ou militaire ne pourra y intervenir, ou prendre une part quelconque à l'affaire, et les apels des dits jugements consulaires seront portés devant les tribunaux de France ou des Etats Unis qui doivent en connaître. ARTICLE XIII. L'utilité générale du commerce aïant fait établir dans les etats du Roi très Chrétien, des tribunaux et des formes particulières pour accélérer la décision des affaires de commerce, les négocians des Etats Unis jouiront du bénéfice de ces etablissements, et le Congrès des Etats Unis pourvoira de la manière la plus conforme à ses lois, à l'établissement des avantages équivalents en faveur des négociants Français pour la prompte expédition et décision des affaires de la même nature. ARTICLE XIV. Les sujets du Roi très Chrétien et les citoyens des Etats Unis, qui justifieront authentiquement être du corps de la nation respective, jouiront en conséquence de l'exemption de tout service personnel dans le lieu de leur établissement. ARTICLE XV. Si quelqu' autre nation acquiert, en vertu d'une convention quelconque, un traitement plus favorable relativement aux pré-éminences, pouvoirs, autorité et priviléges consulaires, les consuls et vice-consuls du Roi très Chrétien ou des Etats Unis, réciproquement, y participeront, aux termes stipulés par les articles deux, trois et quatre, du traité d'amitié et de commerce conclu entre le Roi très Chrétien et les Etats Unis. ARTICLE XVI. La présente convention aura son plein effet pendant l'espace de douze ans à compter du jour de l'échange des ratifications, lesquelles seront données en bonne forme et échangées de part et d'autre dans l'espace d'un an, ou plutôt si faire se peut. En foi de quoi, nous, Ministres Plénipotentiaires, avons signé la présente convention, et y avons fait apposer le cachet de nos armes. Fait à Versailles, le 14 Novembre, mil sept cent quatre-vingt-huit. L. C. DE MONTMORIN, (L. s.) |