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 The expectations justly founded mon the prom- ses thus solemnly made to this Government by that ot France, were not realized The French Cham. bers met on the 3lst of July. ls3f soon after the election and although our Minister in Paris urged the French Ministry 10 bring the subject before them, they declined doing so. He next insisted that the Chambers. II pEerogued without acting on the subject, should be reassemblod Ut a period so early that their action on the treaty might be known in Washington prior 10 the meeting of Congress thIs reasonable request was not only declined, but the Chambers were prorogued 10 the 29th of De- cember, day so late that their decision, however urgently pressed, could not, in all probability, be obtained in time to reach Washington before the necessary adjournment of Congress by the consti- tuition. The reasons given by the Ministry for re- tusing to convoke the Chambers at an earlier pe- rlod, were afterwards shown not 10 De nsuperable, by their actual eonveeaton on the ls of Decem- Der, under special call for domestic purposes, which fact however did not become known to this Government unul after the commencement of the last session of Congress-

 Thus disappointed In our just expectations, it be- came my imperative duty to consult with Congress n regard to the expediency of resort realiato- " measures, in case the stipnatons of the treaty should not be speedily complied with; and to re- commend such as, in my judgment, the occasion called for. To this end, an unreseryed communi- eaton of the case, Ill all it's aspects became nd!s- pensabie. To have shrunk, in making it. from

  standing, and that the truth would justify, for fear of giving offence to others, would have been uIl- worthy ot us. To have gone, on the other hand, single step further, for the purpose of woundng the pride of a Government and peoplg with whom We iad so many motives for cuiiiyatng relations of amlty and reciprocal advantage, would have been unwise and improper. Admonshed by tho past. ot the difficulty of making even the simplest statement ot wrongs without disturbing the sensbillties of those who had, by their position, become responsible for their redress, and earnest. ly desrous Of preventing further obstacles from that source, went out of my way to preclude q construction o the message, by which the recom- mendaton that was made to Congress might be re- garded q menace to France, n not only disa- ivowing such design, but in declaring that her pride and her power were too well known to ex- pect any thing from her fears Tue message did not reach Paris until more than month after ..:c Chambers had been in session, and such was tho insenslbhy of the Ministry to our rlghtiul claims and just expectations, that our Minister has been informed that the matter, when introduced would not be pressed Cabinet measure.

 Although the message not officially commu- nicated to the French Government, and notwith- standing the declaration to the contrary which it contained, the French Ministry decided to consi- der the conditional recommendation of reprisas, q menace and an insult which the honor of the na- ] ton made 1t incumbent them to resent. The measures resorted to by them to evinee their sense

 

 call of their Minister at Washington, the offer of passports to the American Minister al Paris and a public notice 10 the Legislative Chambers, that all diplomatic intercourse with the United States had 1 been suspended

 Having, in this manner, vindcated the dignity of France, they next proceeded to illustrate her jus tce. To this end, bill was immediately introdu- ced into the Chamber of Deputies, proposing to make the appropriations necessary carry into ef l feet the treaty. As this bill subsequently passed 1 into law, the provisions of which now constitute the main subject of difficulty between the two na- l tions, 1t becomes my duty, in order to place the subject before you in clear light, to the his- tory of it's passage, and refer, with some particu- arity to the proceedings and discussions in regard to it. The Minister of Finance, in his opening speech, alluded to the measures which had been adopted to resent the supposed lndlgny, and re- commended the execution of the treaty as mea- sure required by the honor and justice of France. 1 He, as the organ of the Ministry, declared the message so long as 1t had not received the sanction Of Congress, mere expression of the personal opinion of the Presldent for which :scis;sT tho Government nor the People of the United States were responsible, and that m engagement had been entered into, for the fulflment of which the l honor of France was pledged. Entertaining these views, the single condition of which the French Mi nlsry proposed to annex to the payment of the mo- ney, was, that it should not be made until it was certained that the government of the United States 1 or in other words, that no steps had been author- ] ized by Congress Of hostile character towards l France.

 l What the disposition or action of Congress might be, was then unknown to the French Cabi- net But, on the l4th of January, the Senate re- solved that it at that time inc xpedent to adopt any legislative measures in regard to the state of affairs between the United States and France, and no action on the subject had occurred in the House of l Representatives. These facts were unknown in Paris prior to the 25th of March, 1885, when the committee, to whom the bill of indemnification had been referred reported 1t to the Chamber of Depu- ties. That committee substantially re-echoed the sem timents of the Ministry, declared that Congress had set aside the proposition of the President and re- commended the passage of the bill without any 1 other restriction than that originally proposed. Thus it known to the French Ministry and Cila1eIs, position assumed by iheni, and which had been so frequently and solemny nounced the only one compatible with the honor of France, was maintained, and the bill passed as 1 originally proposed, the money would be paid, and there would be an end of this unfortunate contro- yersy.

 1 But this cheering prospect was soon destroyed 1 by an amendment introduced into the bill at the moment of its passage, providing that the money l should not be paid until the French government had received satisfactory explanations of the Pre- l sident's message of the 2d December, 1884; and what is still more extraordinary, the President of the Council of Ministers adopted this amendment, and consented to is incorporation in the bill In regard to a supposed insult whose had been for mally resented by the recall of their Minister, and tine offer ot passports to oifTs they now, for the first time, proposed to ask explanations. Senti- mens and propositions which they had declared could not justly be imputed to the government or people of the United States, are set up obstacles