In my letter of Dec. I had the honour of acknoleging the receipt of your two favours of July Being then much engaged in getting forward the Arret which came out the 29th. Immediately after my return, which was about the last of April, I introduced the subject to the Count de Montmorin, and have followed it unremittingly from that time. It is at length signed this day, and I have now the honour to inclose the original for the ratification of Congress.
The principal changes effected are the following:. The clauses of the Convention of , cloathing Consuls with the privileges of the law of Nations, are struck out, and they are expressly subjected, in their persons and property, to the laws of the land. Their coercive powers over passengers are taken away: and over those whom they might have termed deserters of their nation, are restrained to deserted seamen only.
The clause allowing them to arrest and send back vessels is struck out, and instead of it they are allowed to exercise a police over the ships of their nation generally. So is that which declared the indelibility of the character of subject, and the explanation and extension of the 11th. The innovations in the Laws of evidence are done away. And the Convention is limited to Convinced that the fewer examples, the better, of either persons or causes inamenable to the laws of the land, I could have wished still more had been done.
But more could not be done with good humor. The extensions of authority given by the Convention of Monsieur de Rayneval has had the principal charge of arranging this instrument with me; and, in justice to him, I must say I could not have desired more reasonable and friendly dispositions than he demonstrated through the whole of it. I inclose herewith the several schemes successively proposed between us, together with copies of the written observations given in with them, and which served as texts of discussion in our personal conferences.
They may serve as a commentary on any passage which may need it, either now or hereafter, and as a history how any particular passage comes to stand as it does. I add No. Otherwise we may consider it as having their approbation. This, and the Convention of It is desireable that the ratification should be sent here for exchange as soon as possible.
