2nd. That slavery is contrary to the national liberty, to the eternal principles of religion, of reason, and of sound policy; and

3rd. That it is necessary for the Government to avail itself of all means in its power to guarantee the property of persons, and the union and tranquility of the inhabitants;

Having before it the example of what religious and civilized nations have done, and are doing now, by abolishing and destroying slavery, and protecting civilization everywhere;

DECREES.

ART. I. That the importation of slaves in the territories of the Republic, be it directly from Africa or from any other part, is absolutely prohibited; and that the slaves that land in the Dominican Republic shall be immediately considered and treated as free.

II. That any citizen of the Republic, without distinction of rank or person, who equips vessels for the purpose of bringing slaves from Africa, or who engages or who occupies himself with this shameful and inhuman traffic, by buying or selling them, will be considered a pirate, and be judged and punished with death.

The present Decree shall be printed, published, circulated, and executed in the territories of the Republic.

Given at Santo Domingo, the 17th July, 1844, and 1st year of the country.

The President of the Supreme Junta,

PEDRO SANTANA.
TORIBIE MANOU.
BABADILLA.

SANTA MARIA.

FRANCE.

DECLARATION between Great Britain and France, for the Arbitration of Prussia on the Claims of British Subjects, arising from the Measures adopted by France in the Years 1834, 1835, on the Coast of Portendic. Paris, November 14, 1842.*

THE measures adopted by the French Government, in 1834, 1835, on the coast of Portendic, during the war in which it was engaged with the Trarza Moors, gave rise to numerous and pressing claims on the part of the British merchants engaged in the gum

*Signed in English and French,

trade on that coast. Those claims were from 1836 up to 1840 the subject of much correspondence and discussion between the British and French Governments. But no understanding having been come to thereupon, Commissioners on both sides were appointed in 1840 to examine into the said claims, and to endeavour to put an end to the difference of which they were the cause.

These Commissioners, however, not having been able to arrive at any agreement, the British Government has proposed that the affair should be submitted to the arbitration of His Majesty the King of Prussia; and the French Government, being desirous to give a proof of the sentiments of justice by which it is animated, and placing entire confidence in the wisdom and perfect impartiality of His Majesty the King of Prussia, has agreed to this proposition, declaring, nevertheless, that whatever may be the nature or form of the decision pronounced by the arbiter, that decision will not, in its eyes, be regarded as prejudicing in any way, even by induction, the principles which it has invariably professed in the matter of blockades and maritime law, nor as affecting any of the rights belonging to the sovereignty which it has always claimed to hold, in virtue of Treaties, over the coast of Portendic. In like manner, the British Government declares that the decision of the arbiter, whatever it may be, will not, in its eyes, even by induction, be considered as prejudicing any rights it has claimed, or any principle it has asserted. The 2 Governments, therefore, have agreed to submit to the examination of His Majesty the King of Prussia the whole of the claims as to this affair which have been presented by British subjects, and to request His Majesty to be pleased to pronounce as arbiter upon the question as to whether, in consequence of the measures and circumstances which preceded, accompanied, or followed the establishment and the notification of the blockade of the coast of Portendic in 1831, 1835, any real injury was unduly inflicted on such and such British subjects, while they were pursuing on the said coast a regular and lawful trade, and as to whether France is equitably bound to pay to such or such class of the said claimants any compensation by reason of such injury.

If, as the 2 Governments hope, His Majesty the King of Prussia should graciously accept the arbitration which it is their desire to place in his hands, communication shall be made to him of all the despatches, notes, and other documents, which have been exchanged in this affair between the two Governments; and His Majesty will also receive all further information which he may require, as well as all that which either Government may think it necessary to lay before him.

The 2 Governments, moreover, engage mutually to accept the decision of the King of Prussia and its consequences; and should that decision declare indemnity to be due to such or such a class of British claimants, Commissioners of liquidation, the one English, the other French, to whom, if necessary, shall be adjoined a

Prussian as umpire, shall be charged with the application of the said decision to the individual claims which have been presented by British subjects, and shall determine the sum which ought to be allowed for each claim comprised within the classes of claims to which the arbiter shall have declared an indemnity to be due.

In witness whereof, we, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, at the Court of His Majesty the King of the French; and we, Minister and Secretary of State for the Department of Foreign Affairs of His Majesty the King of the French, duly authorized by our respective Sovereigns, have signed the present Declaration, and affixed thereto our seals.

Done in duplicate, at Paris, the 14th day of November of the year 1842.

(L.S.) COWLEY.

(L.S.) GUIZOT.

AGREEMENT between Great Britain and France, relative to the expulsion of the British Consul (Pritchard) from Tahiti, by the French Authorities.-September, 1844.*

No. 1.-The Earl of Aberdeen to Lord Cowley.

My Lord, Foreign Office, September 6, 1844. I INCLOSE, for your Excellency's information, the copies of 2 despatches addressed by M. Guizot to the Count de Jarnac, and which have been placed in my hands by the French Chargé d'Affaires.

From the first of these despatches your Excellency will perceive that M. Guizot, while complaining of the conduct of Mr. Pritchard at Tahiti, and justifying his expulsion from the island, in consequence of alleged acts of hostility against the French authorities, does not hesitate to express the sincere regret of the French Government at the circumstances which attended that transaction; and M. Guizot adds, that these proceedings had already received the censure of the French Government.

In the second despatch, M. Guizot announces, that in consequence of the losses and sufferings which the proceedings in question may have occasioned to Mr. Pritchard, the French Government are disposed to grant him an equitable indemnity, the precise amount of which, it is suggested, should be fixed by the 2 Admirals commanding the French and English squadrons in the Pacific; and he desires to learn the opinion of Her Majesty's Government in answer to this proposition.

In order to enable your Excellency to comply with the request of M. Guizot, perhaps I cannot do better than refer you to the terms of the speech delivered yesterday to both Houses of Parliament, by the Lords Commissioners, in the name of the Queen, as

*Correspondence laid before Parliament, 1845.

expressive of the entire satisfaction of Her Majesty's Government with the result of those discussions which have recently taken place between us. It is, indeed, my conviction, that the sincere desire entertained by the 2 Governments to cultivate the best and most cordial understanding, renders it scarcely possible that occurrences of this description, if viewed dispassionately, and treated in a spirit of justice and moderation, should ever lead to any other than an amicable and happy termination.

With respect to Mr. Pritchard, it is due to that gentleman to declare, that he has uniformly denied the truth of the allegations which have been brought against him, and has courted the strictest inquiry; but as he had already received another destination in the service of Her Majesty, prior to the events now referred to; and as this appointment has subsequently been confirmed, Her Majesty's Government have not thought it necessary to enter into any further examination of his conduct at Tahiti. Your Excellency will have the goodness to deliver a copy of this despatch to M. Guizot.

H.E. Lord Cowley.

I am, &c.,

ABERDEEN.

(Inclosure 1.)-M. Guizot to the Count de Jarnac. M. Le Comte,

Paris, le 29 Août, 1844. J'AI rendu compte au Roi dans son Conseil, des entretiens que j'ai eus avec M.l'Ambassadeur de Sa Majesté Britannique, relativement au renvoi de Mr. Pritchard de l'Ile de Taïti, et aux circonstances qui l'ont accompagné. Le Gouvernement du Roi n'a voulu exprimer aucune opinion, ni prendre aucune résolution sur cet incident avant d'avoir recueilli toutes les informations qu'il pouvait espérer, et mûrement examiné tous les faits, car il a à cœur de prévenir tout ce qui pourrait porter quelque altération dans les bons rapports des 2 Etats.

Après cet examen, le Gouvernement du Roi est demeuré convaincu :

1. Que le droit d'éloigner de l'Ile de Taïti tout résident étranger qui troublerait, ou travaillerait à troubler et à renverser l'ordre établi, appartient au Gouvernement du Roi et à ses représentants; non seulement en vertu du droit commun de toutes les nations, mais aux termes mêmes du Traité du 9 Septembre, 1842, qui a institué le Protectorat Français, et qui porte: "La direction de toutes les affaires avec les Gouvernements étrangers, de même que tout ce qui concerne les résidents étrangers, est placé a Taïti entre les mains du Gouvernement Français ou de la personne nommé par lui."

2. Que Mr. Pritchard, du mois de Février, 1843, au mois de Mars, 1844, a constamment travaillé, par toutes sortes d'actes et de menées, à entraver, troubler et détruire l'établissement Français

à Taïti, l'administration de la justice, l'exercice de l'autorité des agents Français, et leurs rapports avec les indigènes.

Lors donc qu'au mois de Mars dernier, une insurrection a éclaté dans une partie de l'Ile de Taïti et se préparait à Papéïti même, les autorités Françaises ont eu de légitimes motifs et se sont trouvées dans la nécessité d'user de leur droit de renvoyer Mr. Pritchard du territoire de l'île, où sa présence et sa conduite fomentaient, parmi les indigènes, un esprit permanent de résistance et de sédition.

Quant à certaines circonstances qui ont précédé le renvoi de Mr. Pritchard, notamment le mode et le lieu de son emprisonnement momentané, et la proclamation publiée à son sujet, à Papéïti, le 3 Mars dernier, le Gouvernement du Roi le regrette sincèrement, et la nécessité ne lui en parait point justifiée par les faits. M. le Gouverneur Bruat, dès qu'il a été de retour à Papéïti, s'est empressé de mettre un terme à ces fâcheux procédés, en ordonnant l'embarquement et le départ de Mr. Pritchard. Le Gouvernement du Roi n'hésite point à exprimer au Gouvernement de Sa Majesté Britannique, comme il l'a fait connaître à Taïti même, son regret et son improbation des circonstances que je viens de rappeler.

Le Gouvernement du Roi a donné, dans les Iles de la Société, des preuves irrécusables de l'esprit de modération et de ferme équité qui règle sa conduite. Il a constamment pris soin d'assurer, aux étrangers comme aux nationaux, la liberté de culte la plus entière et la protection la plus efficace. Cette égalité de protection pour toutes les croyances religieuses est le droit commun et İ'honneur de la France. Le Gouvernement du Roi a consacré et appliqué ce principe partout où s'exerce son autorité. Les missionnaires Anglais l'ont eux-mêmes reconnu, car la plupart d'entre eux sont demeurés étrangers aux menées de Mr. Pritchard, et plusieurs ont prêté aux autorités Françaises un concours utile. Le Gouvernement du Roi maintiendra scrupuleusement cette liberté des consciences et ce respect de tous les droits ; et en même temps, il maintiendra aussi et fera respecter ses propres droits, indispensables pour garantir à Taïti le bon ordre ainsi que la sûreté des Français qui y résident et des autorités chargées d'exercer le Protectorat. Nous avons la confiance que l'intention du Cabinet Britannique s'accorde avec la nôtre, et que, pleins l'un pour l'autre d'une juste estime, les 2 Gouvernements ont le même désir d'inspirer à leurs agents les sentiments qui les animent eux-mêmes, de leur interdire tous les actes qui pourraient compromettre les rapports des 2 Etats, et d'affermir, par un égal respect de leur dignité et de leurs droits mutuels, la bonne intelligence qui règne heureusement entre eux. Je vous invite à donner à Lord Aberdeen communication de cette dépêche, et de lui en laisser copie. Recevez, &c., Le Comte de Jarnac.

VOL. XI.

GUIZOT.

I