Mr. Marsh to Mr. Hunter

No. 122.]

Sir: On the receipt of the three proclamations of the President of the United States, dated April 11, 1865, relating, respectively, to the treatment of vessels-of-war of the United States by foreign powers, in the ports and waters of such powers, to the closing of certain ports of the United States, and to the port of Key West, I enclosed copies of them all to the minister of foreign affairs, with a note, a copy of which, marked A, is hereto annexed.

On the 29th of May I addressed to the minister a note, of which a copy, marked B, is hereto annexed, together with a copy of the proclamation therein referred to.

I have received from the minister two notes, dated June 6th and June 9th, translations of which, marked, respectively, C and D, are annexed.

I shall go to Turin to-day, partly for reasons of personal convenience, and partly to finish the draught of the treaty which I am authorized to negotiate with this kingdom. The library and archives of the legation still remaining at Turin, I can perform this labor much more conveniently at that city than at this, and I hope to complete it in a few days.

It is now announced that the archives and offices of the Italian parliament will remain at the old capital for some weeks, or even months longer, and, as the expected dissolution of the national legislature has not yet taken place, it is suggested that a new session may be convoked at Turin for the purpose of sanctioning a convention with Rome, or, possibly, of acting on the question of furnishing an Italian contingent to the French army of occupation in Mexico. The latter supposition is less probable than it seemed a few days since; but the present chambers would go with France and the Italian ministry on either point. The next parliament may prove less pliable.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

GEORGE P. MARSH.

Hon. William Hunter, Acting Secretary of State.

A.

Your Excellency: I have the honor to enclose to you copies of a proclamation by the President of the United States, dated April 11, 1865, relating to the treatment of vessels-of-war of the United States by foreign powers in the ports and waters of such powers; a proclamation by the President of the United States, dated April 11, 1865, relating to the closing of certain ports of the United States enumerated in said proclamation, and a proclamation by the President of the United States, dated April 11, 1865, declaring that the port of Key West, inadvertently included in the terms of the last-mentioned proclamation, shall remain open.

Your excellency is aware that the government of the United States has, never admitted the validity of the reasons which have induced various foreign powers, during the rebellion of a portion of the lawful territory of the Union, to deny to the armed vessels of the United States the hospitalities reciprocally usual between friendly nations.

It is also known to your excellency that by recent victories of the arms of the Union, the federal government is once more in undisputed possession of nearly the whole of the territory lately occupied by the rebel forces, and that the so-called Confederate States are now without a political capital, without an army, without seaports, and, in fact, without a government recognized even by themselves.

The alleged reasons for the refusal of the usual international comity to our ships-of-war, never, as I have said, sufficient in the eyes of the federal government to justify such refusal, have now, therefore, altogether ceased to exist, and my government confidently expects that all foreign powers, and especially the kingdom of Italy, in whose waters no vessel bearing the rebel flag has ever appeared, and which has always manifested the most amicable sentiments [Page 147] towards the United States, will acquiesce in the justice and propriety of restoring to the armed vessels of the Union the enjoyment of the hospitalities which has been granted by each of the two nations to the navy of the other.

It is proper that I should admit, on this occasion, that the United States have had no occasion to complain of the enforcement, in practice, of the rules prescribed by his Majesty’s government respecting the treatment of foreign armed vessels, and I take pleasure in acknowledging a comity on the part of the Italian government, of which my own is by no means insensible, and which may justly be regarded as a proof that the friendship so long manifested by his Majesty’s government for the government of the United States is in no degree impaired.

I pray your excellency to accept the renewed expression of my high consideration.

GEORGE P. MARSH.

His Excellency General A. La Marmora,

Minister of Foreign Affairs.

B.

Your Excellency: I have the honor to enclose herewith a printed copy of a proclamation by the President of the United States in relation to the treatment of cruisers acting under the pretended authority of the so-called Confederate States in the ports of foreign powers.

It is certainly not to be expected that vessels under the rebel flag will seek an asylum in the ports of his Majesty the King of Italy, but in such case the liberality with which his Majesty’s government has treated the armed ships of the United States in Italian waters, and the notorious fact that no shadow of a confederate government now exists, justify the expectation that no manner of recognition, aid, or comfort will be extended to ships claiming to belong to this illegal organization.

I pray your excellency to accept the renewed expression of my high consideration.

GEORGE P. MARSH.

His Excellency General A. La Marmora President of the Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

C.

[Translation.]

Mr. Minister: The transfer of the capital to Florence has not allowed me to reply sooner to the note you did me the honor to address me, under date of May 5, communicating to me proclamations of the late President of the United States, Mr. Lincoln, relating to the treatment of ships-of-war of the Union in foreign waters and to the closing of certain ports of the United States.

You are aware, Mr. Minister, that the King’s government has never concealed its sympathies for the just cause which has obtained so decisive successes, and you have yourself admitted that if we have been obliged to apply, in principle, to the armed vessels of the United States in the waters of Italy the conditions which our regulations impose upon belligerent vessels, we have taken care to mitigate their enforcement in practice, so as to embarrass as little as possible the entrance of Union ships-of-war into our ports and roads and their stay at such points.

Now that the civil war may be considered at an end, we are happy to be able to give to the government of the United States new pledges of our continued friendship.

I hasten, then, to announce to you that all the restrictions provisionally adopted with reference to the armed vessels of the United States are rescinded, and that hereafter these vessels will be treated in our waters on the footing of the ships-of-war of other friendly powers in time of peace.

As to the armed vessels of the separatists, we hope that none of them will appear on our coasts. But if, contrary to all probability, any such should present themselves, they would not be received into our ports except in case of urgent necessity, under circumstances where the laws of humanity would not allow us to reject them; and in that event, our authorities will take all necessary precautions to prevent any inconvenience from resulting therefrom.

Accept, Mr. Minister, the assurance of my high consideration.

A. LA MARMORA.

Mr. George P. Marsh, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America.

[Page 148]

D.

[Translation.]

Mr. Minister: The decisions which I had the honor to announce to you by my despatch of June 6, having anticipated the communication, which by your note of May 29 you have made me, of a proclamation by the President of the United States relative to the treatment of armed vessels of the separatists, it only remains for me to discharge the duty of acknowledging the receipt of that document.

I avail myself of this occasion to offer you the assurance of my high consideration.

For the minister,

M. CERRUTI.

Mr. George P. Marsh, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America.