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ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION.

ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION, 1853.*

TREATY WITH THE ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION, CONCLUDED JULY 10, 1853; RATIFICATIONS EXCHANGED DECEMBER 20, 1854; PROCLAIMED APRIL 9, 1855.

Treaty for the free navigation of the rirers Parana and Uruguay, between

the United States and the Argentine Confederation.

The President of the United States and His Excellency the Proviional Director of the Argentine Confederation, being desirPreamble. ous of strengthening the bonds of friendship which so happily subsist between their respective States and countries, and convinced that the surest means of arriving at this result is to take in concert all the measures requisite for facilitating and developing commercial relations, have resolved to determine by treaty the conditions of the free navigation of the rivers Parana and Uruguay, and thus to remove the obstacles which have hitherto impeded this navigation. With this object they have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: The President of the United States, Robert C. Schenck, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States to Brazil, and John S. Pendleton, Chargé d'Affaires of the United States to the Argentine Confederation; and His Excellency the Provisional Director of the Argentine Confederation, Doctor Don Salvador Maria del Carril, and Doctor Don José Benjamin Gorostiaga ; Who, after having communicated to each other their full powers found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following articles:

Ne got ators.

Free zition of

ARTICLE I.

The Argentine Confederation, in the exercise of her sovereign rights, concedes the free navigation of the rivers Parana and Uruthe Piram ad Erguay, wherever they may belong to her, to the merchant vessels of all nations, subject only to the conditions which this treaty establishes, and to the regulations sanctioned, or which may hereafter be sanctioned, by the national authority of the Confederation.

guay.

ARTICLE II.

Consequently, the said vessels shall be admitted to remain, load, and Looding and on- unload in the places and ports of the Argentine Confederation which are open for that purpose.

loading.

ARTICLE III.

The Government of the Argentine Confederation, being desirous to provide every facility for interior navigation, agrees to maintain beacons and marks pointing out the channels.

Beacons and nuks.

Vol. X, Statutes at Large, p. 1001 et seq.

ARTICLE IV.

A uniform system shall be established by the competent authorities of the confederation, for the collection of the custom-house du- Collection of duties, harbor, lights, police, and pilotage dues along the whole ties and is, course of the waters which belong to the Confederation.

ARTICLE V.

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and of Martin Gareta.

The high contracting parties, considering that the Island of Martin Garcia may, from its position, embarrass and impede the free navigation of the confluents of the river Plate, agree possession of the isl to use their influence to prevent the possession of the said island from being retained or held by any State of the river Plate, or its confluents, which shall not have given its adhesion to the principle of their free navigation.

ARTICLE VI.

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If it should happen (which God forbid) that war should break out between any of the States, Republics, or Provinces, of the river Plate or its confluents, the navigation of the rivers Parana and rovers in tape of war. Uruguay shall remain free to the merchant flag of all nations, excepting in what may relate to munitions of war, such as arms of all kinds, gunpowder, lead, and cannon balls.

ARTICLE VII.

Power is expressly reserved to His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, and the Governments of Bolivia, Paraguay, and the Oriental State

Sonth American

may accede to this treaty.

of Uruguay, to become parties to the present treaty, in case Governments they should be disposed to apply its principles to the parts of the rivers Parana, Paraguay, and Uruguay, over which they may respectively possess fluvial rights.

ARTICLE VIII.

The principal objects for which the rivers Parana and Uruguay are declared free to the commerce of the world, being to extend

Most favored na

the mercantile relations of the countries which border them, ton clause, and to promote immigration, it is hereby agreed that no favor or immunity shall be granted to the flag or trade of any other nation which shall not equally extend to those of the United States.

ARTICLE IX.

Ratifications,

The present treaty shall be ratified on the part of the Government of the United States within fifteen months from its date, and within two days by His Excellency the Provisional Director of the Argentine Confederation, who shall present it to the first Legislative Congress of the Confederation, for their approbation.

The ratifications shall be exchanged at the seat of Government of the Argentine Confederation, within the term of eighteen months.

In witness whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this treaty, and affixed thereto their seals.

Done at San José de Flores, on the tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.

[SEAL.]

SEAL.

SEAL.
SEAL.

ROBT C. SCHENCK.

JNO. S. PENDLETON.

SALVADOR MA. DEL CARRIL.
JOSÉ B. GOROSTIAGA.

ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION, 1853.*

TREATY WITH THE ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION, CONCLUDED JULY 27, 1853; RATIFICATIONS EXCHANGED DECEMBER 30, 1854; PROCLAIMED APRL 19, 1855.

Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation, between the United States and the Argentine Confederation.

Preamble.

Commercial intercourse having been for some time established between the United States and the Argentine Confederation, it seems good for the security as well as the encouragement of such commercial intercourse, and for the maintenance of good understanding between the two Governments, that the relations now subsisting between them should be regularly acknowledged and confirmed by the signing of a treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation; for this purpose they have nominated their respective Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: The President of the United States, Robert C. Schenck, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States Negotiators. to Brazil, and John S. Pendleton, Chargé d'Affaires of the United States to the Argentine Confederation; and His Excellency the Provisional Director of the Argentine Confederation, Doctor Don Salvador Maria del Carril, and Doctor Don José Benjamin Gorostiaga;

Who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following articles:

ARTICLE I.

There shall be perpetual amity between the United States and their citizens on the one part, and the Argentine Confederation and its citizens on the other part.

Perpetual amity.

Freedom of com

merce.

ARTICLE II.

There shall be between all the territories of the United States and all the territories of the Argentine Confederation a reciprocal freedom of commerce. The citizens 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 of either, to which other foreigners, or the ships or cargoes of any other foreign nation or State, are, or may be, permitted to come; to enter into the same, and to remain or reside in any part thereof, respectively; to hire and occupy houses and warehouses, for the purposes of their resi dence and commerce; to trade in all kinds of produce, manufactures, and merchandise of lawful commerce; and generally to enjoy, in all their business, the most complete protection and security, subject to the general laws and usages of the two countries respectively. office and passenger In like manner, the respective ships of war, and post office or passenger packets of the two countries, shall have liberty, freely and securely, to come to all harbors, rivers, and places to which other foreign ships of war and packets are, or may be, permitted to come; to enter into the same, to anchor and remain there and refit, subject always to the laws and usages of the two countries respectively.

Ships of war, post

packets.

ARTICLE III.

The two high contracting parties agree that any favor, exemption, Most favored na- privilege, or immunity whatever, in matters of commerce or navigation, which either of them has actually granted, or * Vol. X, Statutes at Large, p. 1005 et seq.

tion clause,

may hereafter grant, to the citizens or subjects of any other government, nation, or state, shall extend, in identity of cases and circumstances, to the citizens of the other contracting party, gratuitously, if the concession in favor of that other government, nation, or state, shall have been gratuitous; or, in return for an equivalent compensation, if the concession shall have been conditional.

ARTICLE IV.

No discriminating

nationality of growth or produce.

No higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into the territories of either of the two contracting parties of any article of the growth, produce, or manufacture of the terri- duties on account of tories of the other contracting party, than are, or shall be, payable on the like article of any other foreign country; nor shall any other or higher duties or charges be imposed in the territories of either of the contracting parties, on the exportation of any article to the territories of the other, than such as are, or shall be, payable on the exportation of the like article to any other foreign country; nor shall any prohibition be imposed upon the importation or exportation of any article of the growth, produce, or manufacture of the territories of either of the contracting parties, to or from the territories of the other, which shall not equally extend to the like article of any other foreign country.

ARTICLE V.

No discrita nating

No other or higher duties or charges, on account of tonnage, light or harbor dues, pilotage, salvage in case of average or shipwreck, or any other local charges, shall be imposed in the duties on vessels, &c. ports of the two contracting parties on the vessels of the other than those payable in the same ports on its own vessels.

ARTICLE VI.

Same subject.

The same duties shall be paid, and the same drawbacks and bounties allowed, upon the importation or exportation of any article. into or from the territories of the United States or into or from the territories of the Argentine Confederation, whether such importation or exportation be made in vessels of the United States or in vessels of the Agentine Confederation.

ARTICLE VII.

it.

The contracting parties agree to consider and treat as vessels of the United States and of the Argentine Confederation all those Nationality of ves which, being furnished by the competent authority with a what est blishes regular passport or sea-letter, shall, under the then existing laws and regulations of either of the two Governments, be recognized fully and bona fide as national vessels, by that country to which they respectively belong.

ARTICLE VIII.

Privileges of citi 2014 09 to trading and doing business,

All merchants, commanders of ships, and others, citizens of the United States, shall have full liberty, in all the territories of the Argentine Confederation, 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 in those capacities than those em

ployed by citizens of the Argentine Confederation, nor to pay them any other salary or remuneration than such as is paid in like cases by citi zens of the Argentine Confederation. And absolute freedom shall be allowed in all cases to the buyer and seller, to bargain and fix the price of any goods, wares, or merchandise imported into, or exported from, the Argentine Confederation, as they shall see good-observing the laws and established customs of the country. The same rights and privileges, in all respects, shall be enjoyed in the territories of the United States, by the citizens of the Argentine Confederation. The citizens of the two contracting parties shall reciprocally 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 defense of their just rights, and they shall be at liberty to employ in all cases such advocates, attorneys, or agents as they may think proper; and they shall enjoy, in this respect, the same rights and privileges therein as native citizens.

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ARTICLE IX.

In whatever relates to the police of the ports, the lading and unlading of ships, the safety of the merchandise, goods, and effects, and to the acquiring and disposing of property of every sort and denomination, either by sale, donation, exchange, testament, or in any other manner whatsoever, as also to the administration of justice, the citizens of the two contracting parties shall reciprocally enjoy the same privileges, liberties, and rights, as native citizens; and they shall not be charged in any of those respects with any higher imposts or duties than those which are paid, or inay be paid, by native citizenssubmitting, of course, to the local laws and regulations of each country Case of death of respectively. If any citizen of either of the two contracting parties shall die without will or testament, in any of the territories of the other, the Consul General, or Consul of the nation to which the deceased belonged, or the representative of such Consul General or Consul, in his absence, shall have the right to intervene in the possession, administration, and judicial liquidation of the estate of the deceased, conformably with the laws of the country, for the benefit of the creditors and legal heirs.

citizens of one country m territory of the other.

M. ovservice

&c.

ARTICLE X.

The citizens of the United States residing in the Argentine Confederation, and the citizens of the Argentine Confederation foxtd bons, tixes, residing in the United States, shall be exempted from all compulsory military service whatsoever, whether by sea or by land, and from all forced loans, requisitions, or military exactions; and they shall not be compelled, under any pretext whatever, to pay any ordinary charges, requisitions, or taxes, greater than those that are paid by native citizens of the contracting parties respectively.

Consuls.

ARTICLE XI.

It shall be free for each of the two contracting parties to appoint Consuls, for the protection of trade, to reside in any of the territories of the other party; but before any Consul shall act as such, he shall, in the usual form, be approved and admitted by the Government to which he is sent; and either of the contracting par

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