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this convention, shall pay the same duties as are, or may be payable, upon similar articles, when imported into the said free ports, from any other foreign country; and the same rule shall be observed on the part of the United States, in regard to all duties chargeable upon all such articles as may, by virtue of this convention, be exported from the said free ports to the United States.

But his Britannick majesty reserves to himself the right to impose higher duties upon all articles so allowed to be imported into the said free ports, from the United States, or from any other foreign country, than are, or may be chargeable, upon all similar articles, when imported from any of his majesty's possessions.

Art. 11. His Britannick majesty engages to allow the vessels of the United States to import into the island of Bermuda, the following articles, viz. tobacco, pitch, tar, turpentine, hemp, flax, masts, yards, bowsprits, staves, heading, boards and plank, timber, shingles and lumber of any sort, bread, biscuit, flour, peas, beans, potatoes, wheat, rice, oats, barley and grain of any sort; such commodities being the growth or production of the territories belonging to the United States of America and to export from the said island to the United States, in vessels of the said states any goods or commodities whatever, which are now by law allowed to be exported from his majesty's colonies and possessions in the West Indies, to any foreign country, or place, in Europe; and also sugar, molasses, coffee, cocoa, nuts, ginger and pimento; and also all goods, the growth, produce, or manufacture, of the United kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, upon the same terms, and subject to the same duties only, as would affect similar articles, when imported from the United States into Bermuda, or exported from Bermuda to the United States in British ships. And it is agreed, on the part of the United States, that a similar equality shall prevail in the ports of the said states with regard to all British vessels trading in similar articles, between the United States and the island of Bermuda.

Art. n. It is agreed, that vessels of the United States may resort to Turk's Island, for the purpose of taking in cargoes of salt, for the United States; and that the vessels so resorting to the said islands, shall be allowed to import tobacco, cotton and wool, the produce of the said United States, upon the same terms, and subject to the

same duties as British ships, when engaged in a similar intercourse. It is agreed on the part of the United States, that a similar equality shall prevail in the ports of the said states with regard to all British vessels trading in the same articles between the United States and the said Turk's Island.

Art. iv. It is agreed, that the navigation of all lakes, rivers, and water communications, the middle of which is, or may be the boundary between his Britannick majesty's territories on the continent of North America, and the United States, shall, with the exception hereinafter mentioned, at all times be free to his majesty's vessels, and those of the citizens of the United States. The inhabitants of his Britannick majesty's territories in North America, and the citizens and subjects of the United States, may freely carry on trade and commerce by land, or inland navigation, as aforesaid, in goods and merchandise, the growth, produce, or manufacture, of the British territories in Europe, or elsewhere, or of the United States, respectively, within the territories of the two parties respectively, on the said continent, (the countries within the limits of the Hudson's Bay Company only excepted) and no other or higher duties or tolls, or rates of carriage, or portage, than which are, or shall be, payable by natives respectively, shall be taken or demanded on either side. All goods, or merchandise, whose importation into the United States shall not be wholly prohibited, may freely, for the purposes of commerce abovementioned, be carried into the said United States, in the manner aforesaid, by his Britannick majesty's subjects; and such goods, or merchandise, shall be subject to no other, or higher duties, than, would be payable by citizens of the United States, on the importation of the same in American vessels into the Atlantick

ports of the United States; and in like manner, all goods and merchandise, the growth, produce or manufacture of the United States, whose importation into his majesty's said territories in America, shall not be entirely prohibited, may freely, for the purposes of the commerce abovementioned, be carried into the same, by land, or by means of such lakes, rivers and water communications as abovementioned, by the citizens of the United States; and such goods and merchandise shall be subject to no other or higher duties, than would be payable by his majesty's subjects on the importation of the same from Europe into the said territories.

No duties shall be levied by either party on peltries, or furs, which may be brought in the manner aforesaid by land, or inland navigation, from the said territories of one party into the said territories of another; but tolls, or rates of ferriage, may be demanded and taken in manner abovementioned, on such peltries or furs. It is further agreed, that nothing in this article contained, as to the navigation of rivers, lakes, or water communication, shall extend to give a right of navigation, upon, or within the same, in those parts where the middle is not the boundary, between his Britannick majesty's territories and the United States of America.

MESSAGE

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FROM THE

PRESIDENT OF THE

UNITED STATES TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, RELATIVE TO SPANISH BLOCKADE OF SANTA FE, &c. FEB. 12, 1818.

CONFORMABLY with a resolution of the House of Repre sentatives of the 6th of this month, I now lay before that house, a report received from the Secretary of State, with the copy of the correspondence referred to, and requested by that resolution. JAMES MONROE.

Department of State, Feb. 12, 1818. THE Secretary of State, to whom was referred the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 6th of this month, requesting the President to cause to be laid before that house, the correspondence with the government of Spain, to which a letter of the minister of the United States at the court of Madrid of the 25th of October, 1816, communicated with a late message of the President to that house, relates, has the honour herewith to submit to the President a copy of the correspondence requested.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

The Chevalier Don Luis de Onis, to the Secretary of State. Philadelphia, Sept. 5, 1815.

SIR,-Under the date of 30th June, I am advised by lieutenant general Don Pablo Morillo, captain general of Caraccas, and commander of the expedition which his

majesty has destined to re-establish tranquillity at Carthagena, that, with a view to accelerate this important object, he is about to establish the most rigorous blockade of the ports of the vice royalty of Santa Fe, including Carthagena, and that, in consequence, every neutral vessel which shall be found, not only in those ports, but on those coasts, shall be made prize of, in order to prevent those who have revolted from his majesty's authority, receiving succours of any kind.

I have thought it proper to communicate this to you for the information of the President, that the injuries may be avoided which would result to the citizens of this republick, if they continue as heretofore, to trade with the rebels against the authority of my sovereign.

I renew to you, sir, &c.

LUIS DE ONIS.

Don Luis de Onis, to the Secretary of State. Philadelphia, March 2, 1816.

SIR,-Don Pablo Morillo, commander in chief of the forces destined by the king, my master, for the pacification of the vice royalty of Santa Fe, says to me, under date of the 19th of December last, that after having compelled Carthagena to surrender at discretion, he had found it expedient, for the complete re-establishment of the tranquillity of the vice royalty, to continue the blockade from Santa Marta to the river Atrato inclusive, and to give orders, that if any vessel be met with, further south than the mouths of the Magdalena, or further north than the parallel of cape Tiburon on the Mosquito shore, and between the meridians of these points, she would be declared a good prize, whatever documents or destination she might have. But that he had left open to the commerce of neutrals, the two ports of Santa Marta and Puerto Bello.

I have the honour to give you this notice, as it may be interesting to the merchants of the United States, and to renew the assurances, &c. LUIS DE ONIS.

Mr. Monroe, Secretary of State, to the Chevalier de Onis, Envoy Extraordinary, and Minister Plenipotentiary, &c. March 20, 1816.

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SIR, I have had the honour to receive your letter of March 2d, announcing the continuance of a blockade of the Spanish coast in South America, from Santa Marta to the river Atrato, inclusive of the latter, by the commander

in chief of his catholick majesty's forces, and that if any vessel is met south of the mouths of the Magdalena, or north of the parallel of cape Tiburon, on the Mosquito coast, and between the meridian of those points, she shall be seized and condemned as prize, whatever may be her documents or destination. You state also, that the ports of Santa Marta and Porto Bello, are left open to neutrals.

I have to state that this proclamation of general Morillo, is evidently repugnant to the law of nations, for several reasons, particularly the following: that it declares a coast of several hundred miles to be in a state of blockade, and because it authorizes the seizure of neutral vessels at an unjustifiable distance from the coast. No maxim of the law of nations is better established, than that a blockade shall be confined to particular ports, and that an adequate force shall be stationed at each to support it. The force should be stationary, and not a cruising squadron, and placed so near the entrance of the harbour or mouth of the river, as to make it evidently dangerous for a vessel to enter. I have to add, that a vessel entering the port ought not to be seized, except in returning to it, after being warned off by the blockading squadron stationed near it.

I am instructed by the President, to state to you these objections to the blockade, which has been announced in your letter, that you may communicate them to your government, and in confidence that you will, in the mean time, interpose your good offices, and prevail on general Morillo to alter his proclamation, and practice under it in such a manner, as to conform in both respects to the law

of nations.

In stating to you these well founded objections to the blockade of general Morillo, I have the honour to observe, that your motive for communicating it, is duly appreciated. I have the honour to be, &c. JAMES MONROE.

Don Luis de Onis, to the Secretary of State.

March 25, 1816.

Philadelphia,

SIR,-I have received your official letter of the 20th of this month, in which you state that the proclamation of general Morillo is repugnant to the laws of nations, as well because it declares a coast of several hundred miles in a state of blockade, authorizing the capture of every neutral vessel at an unlimited distance from the coast, as that it is

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