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By the treaty with France of 1778, Articles 17 and 22, the subjects of France had a right to equip and arm their vessels in the ports of the United States, to bring in their prizes and depart with them, without interference by the courts of the United States. (Bee's Admiralty Reports, 40, 43.)

Under the treaty of 1778, neutral property captured on board an enemy's ship was lawful prize, contrary to the general law of nations. (Bee's Admiralty Reports., 74.)

The treaty for the cession of Louisiana took effect from its date. (United States vs. Reynes, 9 Howard, 127; Davis vs. Parish of Concordia, Ibid., 280; United States vs. Pillerin, 13 Howard, 9.)'

pro

The stipulation for the protection of its inhabitants, in the enjoyment of their perty, did not embrace grants by the Spanish authorities, after they had ceased to have power to make such grants. (Ibid.)

The stipulation in the treaty for the protection of the inhabitants in their property, &c., ceased to operate when the State of Louisiana was admitted into the Union. (New Orleans vs. De Armas, 9 Peters, 223.)

The treaty for the cession of Louisiana protected claimants under the French or Spanish Governments to inchoate titles to lands. (Delassars vs. United States, 9 Peters, 117; Choteau's heirs vs. United States, Ibid., 137; Strother vs. Lucas, 12 Peters, 410.)

By the cession of Lousiana, the Government of the United States succeeded to all the rights and interests formerly possessed by those of France and Spain in that province, including reservations of the right to use land when wanted for fortifications. (Josephs vs. United States, 1 Nott & Huntingdon, 197; same case, 2 Nott & Huntingdon, 586.)

The treaty of 1853, securing to citizens of France the same rights of succession as are possessed by the citizens of the United States, so far as permitted by the State laws, had no effect on the succession of one who died in 1848. (Prevost vs. Greneaux, 19 Howard, 1.)

Quere? Whether the General Government can by treaty control the succession of real or personal property in a State. (Ibid.)

The treaty ceding Louisiana to the United States could not enlarge the constitutional powers of the latter nor vest in the Government the police powers over public places formerly exercised by the Crown. (New Orleans vs. United States, 10 Peters, 632.)

GERMAN EMPIRE.

GERMAN EMPIRE, 1871.

CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE GERMAN EMPIRE, RESPECTING CONSULS AND TRADE-MARKS. SIGNED DECEMBER 11, 1871; RATIFICATIONS EXCHANGED APRIL 29, 1872; PROCLAIMED JUNE 1, 1872. The President of the United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia, in the name of the Contracting parties. German Empire, led by the wish to define the rights, privileges, immunities, and duties of the respective Consular Agents, have agreed upon the conclusion of a Consular Convention, and for that purpose have appointed their Plenipotentiaries, namely:

The President of the United States of America, George Bancroft, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from the said States, near His Majesty the Emperor of Germany; His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia, Bernard König, His Privy Councillor of Legation; who have agreed to and signed the following articles:

Consuls, &c., to be eceived.

ARTICLE I.

Each of the Contracting Parties agrees to receive from the other Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents in all its ports, cities, and places, except those where it may not be convenient to recognize such officers. This reservation, however, shall not apply to one of the Contracting Parties without also applying to every other Power.

Form of reception.

Exequatur.

ARTICLE II.

The Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Consular Agents shall be reciprocally received and recognized, on the presentation of their commissions, in the forms established in their respective countries. The necessary exequatur for the exercise of their functions shall be furnished to them free of charge, and, on the exhibition of this instrument, they shall be admitted at once, and without difficulty, by the territorial authorities, Federal, State, or communal, judicial, or executive, of the ports, cities, and places of their residence and district, to the enjoyment of the prerogatives reciprocally granted. The Government that furnishes the exequatur reserves the right to withdraw the same on a statement of the reasons for which it has thought proper to do so.

May be withdrawn.

Consuls, &c. to

ARTICLE III.

The respective Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Consular Agents, as well as their chancellors and secretaries, shall enjoy all rights, privi enjoy in the two countries all privileges, exemptions, and immunities which have been granted, or may in future be

leges, &c.

taxes, &c., except,

&c.

granted, to the agents of the same rank of the most favored nation. Consular officers, not being citizens of the country where they are accredited, shall enjoy, in the country of their residence, per- If not citizens, to sonal immunity from arrest or imprisonment except in the be free from arrest. case of crimes, exemption from military billetings and contributions, from military service of every sort and other public duties, and from all direct or personal or sumptuary taxes, duties, and contributions, whether Federal, State, or municipal. If, however, the said consular officers are or become owners of property in the country in which they reside, or engage in commerce, they shall be subject to the same taxes and imposts, and to the same jurisdiction, aš citizens of the country, property-holders, or merchants. But under no circumstances shall their official income be subject to any tax. Consular officers who engage in commerce shall not plead their consular privileges Engaging in comto avoid their commercial liabilities. Consular officers of merce, not to avoid either character shall not in any event be interfered with in ties. the exercise of their official functions, further than is indispensable for the administration of the laws of the country.

ARTICLE IV.

commercial

the

May place arms of their nation over door, &c., and

Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents may place over the outer door of their offices, or of their dwellings, the arms of their nation, with the proper inscription indicative of the office. And they may also hoist the flag hoist flag. of their country on the consular edifice, except in places were a legation of their country is established.

They may also hoist their flag on board any vessel employed by them in port for the discharge of their duty.

ARTICLE V.

Consular archives

The consular archives shall be at all times inviolable, and under no pretence whatever shall the local authorities be allowed to examine or seize the papers forming part of them. When, inviolable, however, a consular officer is engaged in other business, the papers relating to the consulate shall be kept in separate enclosure.

Offices and dwell

si inviolable; but not

The offices and dwellings of Consules missi who are not citizens of the country of their residence shall be at all times inviolable. The local authorities shall not, except in the case of ings of Consules misthe pursuit for crimes, under any pretext invade them. In to be used as places no case shall they examine or seize the papers there deposited. In no event shall those offices or dwellings be used as places of asylum.

of asylum.

ARTICLE VI.

In the event of the death, prevention, or absence of Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents, their chan- If Consul, &c., die, cellors or secretaries, whose official character may have who to exercise fine! previously been made known to the respective authorities

in Germany or in the United States, may temporarily exercise their functions, and, while thus acting, they shall enjoy all the rights, prerogatives, and immunities granted by this convention to the incumbents.

ARTICLE VII.

Consuls General and Consuls may, with the approbation of their reVice-Consuls and spective Governments, appoint Vice-Consuls and Consular Consular Agents. Agents in the cities, ports, and places within their consular jurisdiction. These officers may be citizens of Germany, of the United States, or any other country. They shall be furnished with a commission by the Consul who appoints them and under whose orders they are to act, or by the Government of the country which he represents. They shall enjoy the privileges stipulated for consular officers in this convention, subject to the exceptions specified in Article III.

thorities for redress and information.

ARTICLE VIII.

Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents shall Consuls, &c., may have the right to apply to the authorities of the respective apply to local au- countries, whether Federal or local, judicial or executive, within the extent of their consular district, for the redress of any infraction of the treaties and conventions existing between the two countries, or of international law; to ask information of said authorities, and to address said authorities to the end of protecting the rights and interests of their countrymen, especially in cases of the absence of the latter; in which cases such Consuls, etc., shall be presumed to be their legal representatives. If due notice should not taken, may apply to be taken of such application, the consular officers aforesaid, in the absence of a diplomatic agent of their country, may apply directly to the Government of the country where they reside.

If notice is not

Government.

Consuls, &c., may

ARTICLE IX.

Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Consular Agents of the two countries, or their chancellors, shall have the right, take de positions. conformably to the laws and regulations of their country— 1. To take at their office or dwelling, at the residence of the parties, or on board of vessels of their own nation, the depositions of the captains and crews, of passengers on board of them, of merchants, or of any other citizens of their own country.

May verify wills,

men.

2. To receive and verify unilateral acts, wills, and bequests of their countrymen, and any and all acts of agreement entered &c., of their country. upon between citizens of their own country, and between such citizens and the citizens or other inhabitants of the country where they reside; and also all contracts between the latter, provided they relate to property situated or to business to be transacted in the territory of the nation by which the said consular officers are appointed.

Such papers under

All such acts of agreement and other instruments, and also copies and translations thereof, when duly authenticated by such official seal to be re- Consul General, Consul, Vice-Consul, or Consular Agent, unceived, &c der his official seal, shall be received by public officials, and in courts of justice as legal documents, or as authenticated copies, as the case may be, and shall have the same force and effect as if drawn up or authenticated by competent public officers of one or the other of the two countries.

ARTICLE X.

In case of the death of any citizen of Germany in the United States,

If a citizen of either

other without, &c., nearest Consul to be

notified.

or of any citizen of the United States, in the German Empire, without having in the country of his decease any known country dies in the heirs or testamentary executors by him appointed, the competent local authorities shall at once inform the nearest consular officer of the nation to which the deceased belongs of the circumstance, in order that the necessary information may be immediately forwarded to parties interested.

The said consular officer shall have the right to appear personally or by delegate in all proceedings on behalf of the absent heirs or creditors, until they are duly represented.

Succession duties.

In all successions to inheritances, citizens of each of the contracting parties shall pay in the country of the other such duties only as they would, be liable to pay, if they were citizens of the country in which the property is situated or the judicial administration of the same may be exercised.

ARTICLE XI.

Consuls to take charge of effects left

Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents of the two countries are exclusively charged with the inventorying and the safe-keeping of goods and effects of every kind left by sailors or passengers on ships of their nation who die, either on board ship or on land, during the voyage or in destination.

ARTICLE XII.

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by deceased sailors or passengers.

the port of

nation admitted to

Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents shall be at liberty to go either in person or by proxy on board Rights in respect vessels of their nation admitted to entry and to examine the to vessels of their officers and crews, to examine the ships' papers, to receive entry. declarations concerning their voyage, their destination, and the incidents of the voyage; also to draw up manifests and lists of freight, to facilitate the entry and clearance of their vessels, and finally to accompany the said officers or crews before the judicial or administrative authorities of the country, to assist them as their interpreters or agents. The judicial authorities and custom-house officials shall in no case proceed to the examination or search of merchant-vessels with- Merchant vessels, out having given previous notice to the consular officers of &c., without prethe nation to which the said vessels belong, in order to ena-vious notice, ble the said consular officers to be present.

not to be searched

They shall also give due notice to the said consular officers, in order to enable them to be present at any depositions or statements to be made in courts of law or before local magistrates, by officers or persons belonging to the crew, thus to prevent errors or false interpretations which might impede the correct administration of justice. The notice to Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Consular Agents shall name the hour fixed for such proceedings. Upon the non-appearance

Notice to name the

hour.

of the said officers or their representatives, the case may be proceeded with in their absence.

ARTICLE XIII.

Consuls, &c., to have exclusive

Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Consular Agents shall have exclusive charge of the internal order of the merchant-vessels of their nation, and shall have the exclusive power to take cognizance of and to determine differences of every kind which may arise, either at sea or in port, between the

charge of the inter

national order of

merchant
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vessels,

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