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MECKLENBURGH, continued.

bounties, drawbacks, and allowances, that are granted on similar articles when exported in British vessels.

Order in Council, 14th June, 1825.

See Order in Council in page 69, abolishing the anchorage dues in the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, and Sark, on vessels belonging to the subjects of any foreign State or Power with whom His Majesty may conclude any treaty or convention of commerce.

TREATY OF AMITY, COMMERCE, AND NAVIGATION, WITH THE UNITED STATES OF MEXICO.

Signed at London the 26th of December, 1826.

ARTICLE 1.-There shall be perpetual amity between the dominions and subjects of His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the United States of Mexico and their citizens.

Art. 2.-There shall be, between all the territories of His Britannic Majesty in Europe and the territories of Mexico, a reciprocal freedom of commerce. The inhabitants of the two countries, respectively, shall have liberty freely and securely to come, with their ships and cargoes, to all places, ports and rivers, in the territories aforesaid, saving only such particular ports to which other foreigners shall not be permitted to come, to enter into the same, and to remain and reside in any part of the said territories respectively; also to hire and occupy houses and warehouses for the purposes of their commerce; and generally, the merchants and traders of each nation, respectively, shall enjoy the most complete protection and security for their commerce. In like manner the respective ships of war, and post-office packets of the two countries, shall have liberty freely and securely to come to all harbours, rivers, and places, saving only such particular ports (if any) to which other foreign ships of war and packets shall not be permitted to come, to enter into the same, to anchor, and to remain there and refit; subject always to the laws and statutes of the two countries, respectively. By the right of entering the places, ports, and rivers mentioned in this article, the privilege of carrying on the coasting trade is not understood, in which national vessels only are permitted to engage.

Art. 3.-His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland engages further, that the inhabitants of Mexico shall have the like liberty of commerce and naviga

MEXICO, continued. tion, stipulated for in the preceding article, in all his dominions situated out of Europe, to the full extent in which the same is permitted at present, or shall be permitted hereafter, to any

other nation.

Art. 4.-No higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into the dominions of His Britannic Majesty, of any article of the growth, produce, or manufacture of Mexico, and no higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into the territories of Mexico, of any article of the growth, produce, or manufacture of His Britannic Majesty's dominions, than are or shall be payable on the like articles, being the growth, produce, or manufacture of any other foreign country; nor shall any other or higher duties or charges be imposed in the territories or dominions of either of the contracting parties, on the exportation of any articles to the territories of the other, than such as are or may be payable on the exportation of the like articles to any other foreign country; nor shall any prohibition be imposed upon the exportation of any article, the growth, produce, or manufacture of His Britannic Majesty's dominions, or of the said territories of Mexico, to or from the said dominions of His Britannic Majesty, or to or from the said territories of Mexico, which shall not equally extend to all other nations.

Art. 5.-No higher or other duties or charges on account of tonuage, light, or harbour dues, pilotage, salvage in case of damage or shipwreck, or any other local charges, shall be imposed, in any of the ports of Mexico, on British vessels, than those payable in the same ports, by Mexican vessels; nor, in the ports of His Britannic Majesty's territories, on Mexican vessels, than shall be payable in the same ports on British vessels*.

Art. 6. The same duties shall be paid on the importation into the territories of Mexico, of any article, the growth, produce, or manufacture of His Britannic Majesty's dominions, whether such importation shall be in Mexican or in British vessels; and the same duties shall be paid on the importation into the dominions of his Britannic Majesty, of any article, the growth, produce, or manufacture of Mexico, whether such importation shall be in British or in Mexican vessels. The same duties shall be paid, and the same bounties and drawbacks allowed, on the exportation to Mexico of articles the produce and manufacture of His Britannic Majesty's dominions, whether

*The operation of this article is suspended for ten years by the second additional article, which see in page 46.

MEXICO, continued. such exportation shall be in Mexican or in British vessels; and the same bounties and drawbacks allowed, on the exportation of any article, the produce or manufacture of Mexico, to His Britannic Majesty's dominions, whether such exportation shall be in British or in Mexican vessels *.

Art. 7.-It is hereby agreed that all vessels built in the dominions of His Britannic Majesty, or vessels which shall have been captured from an enemy by British ships of war, or by British subjects furnished with letters of marque by the Admiralty, and regularly condemned in one of His said Majesty's prize courts as a lawful prize, or which shall have been condemned in any competent court for the breach of the laws made for the prevention of the slave trade, and owned, navigated, and registered according to the laws of Great Britain, shall be considered as British vessels; and that all vessels built in the territories of Mexico, or captured from an enemy by the ships of Mexico, and condemned under similar circumstances, and which shall be owned by any citizen or citizens thereof, and whereof the master and three-fourths of the mariners are citizens of Mexico, excepted where the laws provide for any extreme cases, shall be considered as Mexican vessels. And it is further agreed, that every vessel qualified to trade as above described, under the provisions of this treaty, shall be furnished with a register, passport, or sea letter, under the signature of the proper person authorized to grant the same, according to the laws of the respective countries, (the form of which shall be communicated,) certifying the name, occupation, and residence of the owner or owners, in the dominions of His Britannic Majesty, or in the territories of Mexico, as the case may be; and that he, or they, is, or are, the sole owner or owners, in the proportion to be specified; together with the name, burden, and description of the vessel, as to build and measurement, and the several particulars constituting the national character of the vessel, as the case may be.

Art. 8.-All merchants, commanders of ships, and others, the subjects of His Britannic Majesty, shall have full liberty, in all the territories of Mexico, to manage their own affairs themselves, or to commit them to the management of whomsoever they please, as broker, factor, agent, or interpreter; nor shall they be obliged to employ any other persons for those purposes than those employed by Mexicans, nor to pay them any other

The operation of this article is suspended for ten years by the second addi. tional article, which see in page 46. † See additional articles.-Article 1.

MEXICO, Continued. salary or remuneration than such as is paid, in like cases, by Mexican citizens; and absolute freedom shall be allowed, in all cases, to the buyer and seller, to bargain and fix the price of any goods, or merchandize, imported into or exported from Mexico, as they shall see good, observing the laws and established customs of the country. The same privileges shall be enjoyed in the dominions of His Britannic Majesty, by the citizens of Mexico, under the same conditions. The citizens and subjects of the contracting parties, in the territories of each other, shall receive and enjoy full and perfect protection for their persons and property, and shall have free and open access to the courts of justice in the said countries, respectively, for the prosecution and defence of their just rights; and they shall be at liberty to employ, in all causes, the advocates, attornies, or agents, of whatever description, whom they may think proper; and they shall enjoy, in this respect, the same rights and privileges therein, as native citizens.

Art. 9.-In whatever relates to the succession to personal estates, by will or otherwise, and the disposal of personal property of every sort and denomination, by sale, donation, exchange, or testament, or in any other manner whatsoever, as also the administration of justice, the subjects and citizens of the two contracting parties shall enjoy, in their respective dominions and territories, the same privileges, liberties, and rights, as native subjects; and shall not be charged, in any of these respects, with any higher imposts or duties, than those which are paid, or may be paid, by the native subjects or citizens of the power on whose dominions or territories they may be resident.

Art. 10. In all that relates to the police of the ports, the lading and unlading of ships, the safety of merchandize, goods, and effects, the subjects of His Britannic Majesty, and the citizens of Mexico, respectively, shall be subject to the local laws and regulations of the dominions and territories in which they may reside. They shall be exempted from all compulsory military service, whether by sea or land. No forced loans shall be levied upon them; nor shall their property be subject to any other charges, requisitions, or taxes, than such as are paid by the native subjects or citizens of the contracting parties, in the respective dominions.

Art. 11.-It shall be free for each of the two contracting parties to appoint consuls for the protection of trade, to reside in the dominions and territories of the other party; but before any consul shall act as such, he shall, in the usual form, be approved

MEXICO, continued. and admitted by the government to which he is sent; and either of the contracting parties may except from the residence of consuls such particular places as either of them may judge fit to be excepted. The Mexican diplomatic agents and consuls shall enjoy, in the dominions of His Britannic Majesty, whatever privileges, exceptions, and immunities, are or shall be granted, to agents of the same rank belonging to the most favoured nation: and in like manner the diplomatic agents and consuls of His Britannic Majesty in the Mexican territories shall enjoy, according to the strictest reciprocity, whatever privileges, exceptions, and immunities are or may be granted to the Mexican diplomatic agents and consuls in the dominions of His Britannic Majesty.

Art. 12.-If, at any time, any interruption of friendly intercourse, or any rupture, should unfortunately take place between the two contracting parties, it is agreed, that the merchants residing upon the coasts shall be allowed six months, and those of the interior a whole year, to wind up their accounts and dispose of their property; and that a safe conduct shall be given them to embark at the port which they shall themselves select. All those who are established in the respective dominions and territories of the two contracting parties, in the exercise of any trade or special employment, shall have the privilege of remaining and continuing such trade and employment therein, without any manner of interruption, in full enjoyment of their liberty and property, as long as they behave peaceably, and commit no offence against the laws; and their goods and effects, of whatever description they may be, shall not be liable to seizure or sequestration, or to any other charges or demands than those which may be made upon the like effects or property, belonging to the native subjects or citizens of the respective dominions or territories in which they may reside. In the same case, debts between individuals, public funds, and the shares of companies, shall never be confiscated, sequestered, or detained.

Art. 13.-The subjects of His Britannic Majesty, residing in the Mexican territories, shall enjoy, in their houses, persons, and properties, the protection of the government; and, continuing in possession of what they now enjoy, they shall not be disturbed, molested, or annoyed, in any manner, on account of their religion, provided they respect that of the nation in which they reside, as well as the constitution, laws, and customs of the country. They shall continue to enjoy, to the full, the privilege already granted to them of burying, in the places already assigned for that purpose, such subjects of His Britannic Ma

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