Mr. Marsh to Mr.
Hunter
No. 122.]
Legation of the United States,
Florence,
June 10, 1865.
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,
Hon. William Hunter,
Acting Secretary of State.
A.
Legation of the United
States,
Turin,
May 5, 1865.
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.
His Excellency General A. La
Marmora,
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
B.
Legation of the United
States,
Turin,
May 29, 1865.
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.
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.
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,
Mr. George P. Marsh,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary of the United States of America.
