according to the merits of the several cases, under the rule of the Imperial decision herein above recited, and having reference, if need there be, to the explanatory documents hereunto annexed, marked A and B. And in considering such claims, the Commissioners are empowered and required to examine, on oath or affirmation, all such persons as shall come before them, touching the real number of the slaves, or value of other property, for which indemnification is claimed: and, also, to receive in evidence, according as they may think consistent with equity and justice, written depositions or papers, such depositions or papers being duly authenticated, either according to existing legal forms, or in such other manner as the said Commissioners shall see cause to require or allow. may ARTICLE V. In the event of the two commissioners not agreeing in any particular case under examination, or of their disagreement upon any question which result from the stipulations of this convention, then and in that case they shall draw by lot the name of one of the two arbitrators, who, after having given due consideration to the matter contested, shall consult with the commissioners; and a final decision shall be given, conformably to the opinion of the majority of the two commissioners, and of the arbitrator so drawn by lot. And the arbitrator, when so acting with the two commissioners, shall be bound in all respects by the rules of proceeding enjoined by the fourth article of this convention upon the commissioners, and shall be vested with the same powers, and be deemed, for that case, a commissioner. ARTICLE VI. The decision of the two commissioners, or of the majority of the board, as constituted by the preceding article, shall in all cases be final and conclusive, whether as to number, the value or the ownership of the slaves, or other property, for which indemnification is to be made. And his Britannic Majesty engages to cause the sum awarded to each and every owner in lieu of his slave or slaves, or other property, to be paid in specie, without deduction, at such time or times, and at such place or places, as shall be awarded by the said commissioners, and on condition of such releases or assignments to be given, as they shall direct provided that no such payment shall be fixed to take place sooner than twelve months from the day of the exchange of the ratifications of this convention. ARTICLE VII. It is farther agreed, that the commissioners and arbitrators shall be respectively paid in such manner as shall be settled between the governments of the United States and Great Britain, at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this convention. And all other expenses attending the execution of the commission, shall be defrayed jointly by the United States and His Britannic Majesty, the same being previously ascertained and allowed by the majority of the board. ARTICLE VIII. A certified copy of this convention, when duly ratified by His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of their Senate, and by His Britannic Majesty, shall be delivered by each of the contracting parties, respectively, to the minister or other agent of the mediating power, accredited to the government of the United States, as soon as may be after the ratifications shall have been exchanged, which last shall be ci, & à prononcer sur ces réclamations, suivant le degré de leur mérite, la lettre de la décision Impériale citée plus haut, & en cas de besoin la teneur des documens ci-annexés & cotés A & B. En considérant les dites réclamations, les Commissaires sont autorisés à interpeller sous serment ou affirmation telle personne qui se présenterait à eux, concernant le véritable nombre des esclaves ou la valeur de toute autre propriété pour laquelle il serait réclamé une indemnité; ils sont autorisés de même à recevoir autant qu'ils le jugeront conforme à l'équité & à la justice, toutes les dépositions écrites, qui seraient duement legitimées soit d'après les formes existantes, voulues par la loi, soit dans tout autre mode que les dits Commissaires auraient lieu d'exiger ou d'admettre. ARTICLE V. Si les deux Commissaires ne parviennent pas à s'accorder sur une des réclamations qui seront soumises à leur examen, ou s'ils different d'opinion sur une question résultant de la présente convention, alors ils tireront au sort le nom d'un des deux arbitres, lequel après avoir pris en mure délibération l'objet en litige, le discutera avec les commissaires. La décision finale sera prise conformément à l'opinion de la majorité des deux commissaires & de l'arbitre tiré au sort. Dans des cas semblables l'arbitre sera tenu de procéder à tous égards d'après les règles prescrites aux commissaires par le 4me article de la présente convention. Il sera investi des mêmes pouvoirs & censé pour le moment faire les mêmes fonctions. ARTICLE VI. La décision des deux commissaires ou celle de la majorité du conseil formé ainsi qu'il a été dit en l'article précédent, sera dans tous les cas finale & définitive, soit relativement au nombre & à la valeur, soit pour la vérification de la propriété, des esclaves ou de tout autre bien meuble privé, pour lequel il sera réclamé une indemnité. Et Sa Majesté Britannique prend l'engagement que la somme adjugée à chaque proprietaire en place de son esclave ou de ses esclaves, ou de toute autre propriété, sera payée en espèces sans déduction, à tel tems ou à tels termes, & dans tel lieu ou tels endroits, que l'auront prononcé les dits commissaires & sous clause de telles exemptions ou assignations, qu'ils l'auront arrêté pourvu seulement qu'il ne soit pas fixé pour ces payemens de terme plus rapproché que celui de douze mois à partir du jour de l'échange des ratifications de la présente convention. ARTICLE VII. Il est convenu en outre, que les commissaires & arbitres recevront de part & d'autre un traitement, dont les Gouvernemens des Etats-Unis & de Sa Majesté Britannique se réservent de déterminer le montant & le mode, à l'époque de l'échange des ratifications de la présente convention. Toutes les autres dépenses qui accompagneront les travaux de la commission seront supportées conjointement par les Etats-Unis & par Sa Majesté Britannique. Ces dépenses devront d'ailleurs être au préalable vérifiées & admises par la majorité du conseil. ARTICLE VIII. Lorsque la présente convention aura été duement ratifiée par Sa Majesté Impériale, par le Président des Etats-Unis de l'avis & du consentement de leur Sénat & par Sa Majesté Britannique, une copie vidimée en sera délivrée par chacune des parties contractantes au ministre ou autre agent de la puissance médiatrice, accrédité près le Gouvernement des Etats-Unis & cela le plutôt que faire se pourra, après que les ratifications auront été échangées: cette dernière formalité sera remplie à effected at Washington, in six months from the date hereof, or sooner if possible. In faith whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this Convention, drawn up in two languages, and have hereunto affixed their seals. THE undersigned Secretary of State, directing the Imperial administration of Foreign Affairs, has the honor to communicate to Mr. Middleton, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, the opinion which the Emperor, his master, has thought it his duty to express upon the object of the differences which have arisen between the United States and Great Britain, relative to the interpretation of the first article of the Treaty of Ghent. Mr. Middleton is requested to consider this opinion as the award required of the Emperor by the two powers. He will doubtless recollect, that he, as well as the Plenipotentiary of His Britannic Majesty, in all his memorials, has principally insisted on the grammatical sense of the first article of the Treaty of Ghent, and that, even in his note of the 4th [16th] November, 1821, he has formally declared, that it was on the signification of the words in the text of the article as it now is, that the decision of His Imperial Majesty should be founded. The same declaration being made in the note of the British Plenipotentiary, dated 8th [20th] October, 1821, the Emperor had only to conform to the wishes expressed by the two parties, by devoting all his attention to the examination of the grammatical question. The above mentioned opinion will show the manner in which His Imperial Majesty judges of this question: and in order that the cabinet of Washington may also know the motives upon which the Emperor's judgment is founded, the undersigned has hereto subjoined an extract of some observations upon the literal sense of the first article of the Treaty of Ghent. In this respect, the Emperor has confined himself to following the rules of the language employed in drawing up the act, by which the two powers have required his arbitration, and defined the object of their difference. His Imperial Majesty has thought it his duty, exclusively, to obey the authority of these rules, and his opinion could not but be the rigorous and necessary consequence thereof. The undersigned eagerly embraces this occasion to renew to Mr. Middleton the assurances of his most distinguished consideration. St. Petersburg, 22d April, 1822. NESSELRODE. Washington dans l'espace de six mois, de la date ci-dessous, ou plutôt s'il est possible. En foi de quoi, les Plénipotentiaires respectifs ont signé la présente Convention & y ont apposé respectivement le cachet de leurs armes. Fait triple à St. Pétersbourg, deux. 30 Jet de l'année mil-huit-cent-vingt & 12 Julliet, A. LE Soussigné, Secrétaire d'Etat dirigeant le Ministère Impérial des affaires étrangères, a l'honneur de communiquer à Monsieur de Middleton, Envoyé Extraordinaire & Ministre Plénipotentiaire des Etats Unis d'Amérique, l'opinion que l'Empereur, Son Maître, a cru devoir. exprimer sur l'objet des différends qui se sont élevés entre les Etats Unis & la Grande Bretagne, relativement à l'interprêtation de l'Article premier du Traité de Gand.' Monsieur de Middleton est invité à considérer cette opinion comme la décision arbitrale demandée à l'Empereur par les deux Puissances. Il se rappellera sans doute, qu'aussi bien que le Plénipotentiaire de S. M. Britannique, il a dans tous ses mémoires principalement insisté sur le sens grammatical de l'Art. I. du Traité de Gand, & que même dans sa note du Novembre, 1821, il a formellement déclaré que c'etoit sur la signification des mots dans le texte de l'article tel qu'il existe, que devoit se fonder la décision de Sa Majesté Impériale. La même déclaration étant consignée dans la note du Plénipotentiaire Britannique en date du Octobre, 1821, L'Empereur n'a fait que se conformer aux vœux énoncés par les deux Parties, en vouant toute son attention à l'examen de la question grammaticale. L'opinion ci-dessus mentionnée fera connoitre la manière dont Sa Majesté Impériale juge cette question, & afin que le Cabinet de Washington connoisse également les motifs sur lesquels se fonde le jugement de L'Empereur, le Soussigné joint à la présente, un extrait de quelques observations, sur le sens littéral de l'Article premier du Traité de Gand. Sous ce rapport, L'Empereur s'est borné à suivre les règles de la langue employée dans la rédaction de l'acte, par lequel les deux Puissances ont réclamé son arbitrage, & défini l'objet de leur différend. C'est uniquement à l'autorité de ces règles, que Sa Majesté Impériale a cru devoir obéir & Son Avis ne pouvoit qu'en être la conséquence rigoureuse & nécessaire. Le Soussigné saisit avec empressement cette occasion, pour réitérer à Monsieur de Middleton les assurances de sa considération très-distinguée. St. Pétersbourg, ce 22 Avril, 1822. A MONSIEUR DE MIDDLETON, &c. &c. NESSELRODE. April 22, 1822. A HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY'S AWARD. INVITED by the United States of America and by Great Britain to give an opinion, as arbitrator in the differences which have arisen between these two powers, on the subject of the interpretation of the first article of the Treaty which they concluded at Ghent, on the 24th December, 1814, the Emperor has taken cognizance of all the acts, memorials, and notes, in which the respective plenipotentiaries have set forth to his administration of foreign affairs the arguments upon which each of the litigant parties depends in support of the interpretation given by it to the said article. After having maturely weighed the observations exhibited on both sides: Considering that the American plenipotentiary and the plenipotentiary of Britain have desired that the discussion should be closed; Considering that the former, in his note of the 4th (16th) November, 1821, and the latter, in his note of the 8th (20th) October, of the same year, have declared that it is upon the construction of the text of the article as it stands, that the arbitrator's decision should be founded, and that both have appealed, only as subsidiary means, to the general principles of the law of nations and of maritime law; The Emperor is of opinion "that the question can only be decided according to the literal and grammatical sense of the first article of the treaty of Ghent." As to the literal and grammatical sense of the first article of the treaty of Ghent : Considering that the period upon the signification of which doubts have arisen, is expressed as follows: "All territory, places, and possessions, whatsoever, taken by either party from the other during the war, or which may be taken after the signing of this treaty, excepting only the islands hereinafter mentioned, shall be restored without delay, and without causing any destruction or carrying away any of the artillery or other public property originally captured in the said forts or places, and which shall remain therein upon the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, or any slaves, or other private property; and all archives, records, deeds, and papers, either of a public nature, or belonging to private persons, which, in the course of the war, may have fallen into the hands of the officers of either party, shall be, as far as may be practicable, forthwith restored and delivered to the proper authorities and persons to whom they respectively belong." Considering that, in this period, the words originally captured, and which shall remain therein upon the exchange of the ratifications, form an incidental phrase, which can have respect, grammatically, only to the substantives or subjects which precede; That the first article of the treaty of Ghent thus prohibits the contracting parties from carrying away from the places of which it stipulates the restitution, only the public property, which might have been originally captured there, and which should remain therein upon the exchange of the ratifications, but that it prohibits the carrying away from these same places, any private property whatever; That, on the other hand, these two prohibitions are solely applicable to the places of which the article stipulates the restitution: The Emperor is of opinion: "That the United States of America are entitled to a just indemnifi |