in this there must be a force of example. He would do all in his power to secure their protection and ameliorate their condition. He trusted in God the time may come when all the colored people may be gathered together in one country best adapted to their condition, if it should appear that they could not get along well together with the whites. He expressed the hope that the efforts for their social and moral improvement would be successful, and in this he promised his co-operation; and in conclusion he thanked his audience for their manifestations of kindness and the evidences of their friendship. A FOREIGN CONSUL APPOINTED AT As a proper supplement to the official announcements of the restoration of the authority of the Federal Government of Virginia, the following may be cited: OFFICIAL. ANDREW JOHNSON, President of the United States of America. TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. Satisfactory evidence having been exhibited to me that DANIEL VON GRONING has been appointed Vice Consul of Italy, at Richmond, I do hereby recognize him as such, and declare him free to exercise and enjoy such functions, powers, and privileges, as are allowed to Vice Consuls by the law of nations, or by the laws of the United States, and existing treaty stipulations between the Government of Italy and the United States. In testimony whereof, I have caused these letters to be made Patent, and the seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed. Given under my hand at the city of Washington, the tenth day of May, Anno Domini one thousand eight [SEAL.] hundred and sixty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the eighty-ninth. ANDREW JOHNSON. By the President. W. HUNTER, Acting Secretary of State. RECEPTION OF THE FRENCH MINISTER. The Marquis de Montholon was on Saturday, May 13th, 1865, introduced to the President by the Acting Secretary of State, and delivered his credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of his Majesty the Emperor of the French. The Marquis made some remarks upon the occasion, of which the following is a translation: MR. PRESIDENT-I have the honor to place in your hands the letter of the Emperor of the French, which accredits me in the character of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near your Excellency. If I seek for what may have determined his Imperial Majesty to give me this distinguished mark of his confidence, I can attribute it only to the recollection of the ties which already attach me to this country. The personal relations which I have previously contracted in it during a long sojourn, and the sympathies of which I am proud to have received numerous proofs, have made me appear without doubt better prepared than another to serve as the interpreter of the sentiment which animates the Imperial Government towards the Government and the people of the United States. In fact, glorious traditions, the importance whereof we maintain with pride, do not permit that France should ever be indifferent to the destinies of this great republic. Immense interests, which every day develop themselves more fully, will draw together more and more closely this noble and ancient alliance. I am happy to bring hither on a solemn occasion the loyal and frank expressions of the wishes which the Emperor, my August Sovereign, forms for the complete restoration of peace and concord on the continent of America. The whole of France participates in the same thought, and will always view with satisfaction the consolidation, the prosperity and the greatness of the United States. Animated by the sentiments of deep sympathy with the American Union, their Imperial Majesties and France share equally with their whole nation in the grief in which the most atrocious of crimes has just plunged the government and the people of the United States. THE PRESIDENT'S REPLY. The President replied as follows: M. LE MARQUIS DE MONTHOLON-I cannot forbear to welcome as the diplomatic representative of France a gentleman who claims to be so strongly attached to the United States by those ties incident to family connection and long previous official residence in this country, to which you so gracefully allude. The intimacy with the head of your own government, which has resulted from well known antecedents, cannot fail to impart, perhaps, universal confidence to their representations in respect to his purposes and policy with reference to the United States. The people of this country have a traditional regard for France, which was originally so deeply planted, and has been so universally and warmly cherished, that it must continue to flourish and expand, unless it should be checked by events most uncommon, not to be anticipated by ordinary foresight. I trust that the result of your mission will be to strengthen and perpetuate the good understanding between our two governments, and that perfect peace may be restored on the American continent pursuant to the wishes of your sovereign to which you refer. I offer you my hearty thanks for the sympathy which you express in behalf of their Imperial Majesties for the recent tragical events in this metropolis. OPENING OF SOUTHERN PORTS. OFFICIAL-DEPARTMENT OF STATE. By the President of the United States of America. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas, by the Proclamation of the President of the eleventh day of April last, certain ports of the United States therein specified, which had previously been subject to blockade, were, for objects of public safety, declared in conformity with previous special legislation of Congress, to be closed against foreign commerce during the national will, to be thereafter expressed and made known by the President; and, whereas, events and circumstances have since occurred, which, in my judgment, render it expedient to remove that restriction, except as to the ports of Galveston, La Salle, Brasos de Santiago (Point Isabel,) and Brownsville, in the State of Texas: Now, therefore, be it known that I, ANDREW JOHNSON, President of the United States, do hereby declare that the ports aforesaid, not excepted as above, shall be open to foreign commerce from and after the first day of July, next; that commercial intercourse with the said ports, may, from that time be carried on subject to the laws of the United States and in pursuance of such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. If, however, any vessel from a foreign port shall enter any of the before named excepted ports in the State of Texas, she will continue to be held liable to the penalties prescribed by the act of Congress approved on the thirteenth day of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, and the persons on board of her to such penalties as may be incurred, pursuant to the laws of war, for trading or attempting to trade with an enemy. And I, ANDREW JOHNSON, President of the United States, do hereby declare and make known that the United States of America do, henceforth, disallow to all persons trading, or attempting to trade, in any ports of the United States in violation of the laws thereof, all pretence of belligerent rights and privileges, and I give notice that, from the date of this Proclamation, all such offenders will be held and dealt with as pirates. It is also ordered that all restrictions upon trade heretofore imposed in the territory of the United States east of the Mississippi river, save those relating to contraband of war, to the reservation of the rights of the United States to property purchased in the territory of an enemy, and to the twenty-five per cent. upon purchases of cotton, are removed. All provisions of the internal revenue law will be carried into effect under the proper officers. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, this twenty-second day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-ninth. ANDREW JOHNSON. By the President. W. HUNTER, Acting Secretary of State. [SEAL.] PRESIDENT JOHNSON DECLINES A TESTI MONIAL. A number of the prominent citizens of New York desired to present to President JOHNSON a carriage, span of horses, with harness, blankets, etc., as a token of their high appreciation of his fidelity to the country, but the President has respectfully declined receiving them, as will be seen by the following correspondence. THE CITIZENS TO PRESIDENT JOHNSON. The undersigned, citizens of New York, take great pleasure in sending to Washington, by the Camden and Amboy Railroad cars, a coach, span of horses, harness, blankets, etc., respectfully asking ANDREW JOHNSON, President of the United States, to accept the same, as a token of their high appreciation of his fidelity to the countryas a statesman well approved, by word and deed, in all the various offices to which he has been called. NEW YORK, May 17, 1865. M. Armstrong & Sons, Daniel G. Ross, H. A. Smythe, Ketchum, Son & Co., Shepherd Knapp, P. Hayden, Lathrop, Luddington & Co., Winslow, Lanier & Co., S. B. Chittenden, Hoover, Calhoun & Co., A. A. Low, Peter Cooper, C. H. Marshall, Wm. W. DeForest & Co., Chas. A. Meigs & Sons, L. P. Morton & Co., Hoyt Brothers, H. B. Claflin, Hunt, Tillinghast & Co., Eugene Kelly & Co., |