CONVENTION

Aprile

made Jan, 12. 1825.

1824. Between the United States of America and Russia. (a) Ratified on the In the name of the most holy and indivisible Trinity: 1th Jan. 1825.

The President of the United States of America and His Majesty the

emperor of all the Russias, wishing to cement the bonds of anity Proclamation which unite them, and to secure between them the invariable mainte

nance of a perfect concord, by means of the present Convention, have named, as their Plenipotentiaries, to this effect, to wit: The President of the United States of America, Henry Middleton, a citizen of said States, and their Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near his Imperial Majesty: and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, his beloved and faithful Charles Robert Count of NesselRODE, actual Privy Counsellor, Member of the Council of State, Secretary of State directing the administration of Foreign Affairs, actual Chamberlain, Knight of the order of St. Alexander Nevsky, Grand Cross of the order of St. Wladimir of the first class, Knight of that of the White Eagle of Poland, Grand Cross of the order of St. Stephen of Hungary, Knight of the orders of the Holy Ghost and of St. Michael, and Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor of France, Knight Grand Cross of the orders of the Black and of the Red Eagle of Prussia, of the Annunciation of Sardinia, of Charles III. of Spain, of St. Ferdinand and of Merit of Naples, of the Elephant of Denmark, of the Polar Star of Sweden, of the Crown of Wirtemberg, of the Guelphs of Hanover, of the Belgic Lion, of Fidelity of Baden, and of St. Constantine of Parma; and PIERRE de Poletica, actual Counsellor of State, Knight of the order of St. Anne of the first class, and Grand Cross of the order of St. Wladimir of the second; who, after having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon, and signed, the following stipulations:

ARTICLE FIRST. Navigation It is agreed, that, in any part of the Great Ocean, commonly called and fisheries of the Pacific Ocean, or South Sea, the respective citizens or subjects of the Pacific to be free to both the high contracting powers shall be neither disturbed nor restrained, parties. either in navigation or in fishing, or in the power of resorting to the

coasts, upon points which may not already have been occupied, for the purpose of trading with the natives, saving always the restrictions and conditions determined by the following articles :

Illicit trade to be prevented.

ARTICLE SECOND. With the view of preventing the rights of navigation and of fishing, exercised upon the great ocean by the citizens and subjects of the high contracting powers, from becoming the pretext for an illicit trade, it is agreed that the citizens of the United States shall not resort to any point where there is a Russian establishment, without the permission of the governor or commander; and that, reciprocally, the subjects of Russia shall not resort, without permission, to any establishment of the United States upon the North West Coast.

(a) See treaty with Russia, posi, 414.

CONVENTION

Entre les Etats-Unis d'Amérique et Russé. Au nom de la très Sainte et Indivisible Trinité :

Le Président des Etats Unis d'Amérique, et Sa Majesté l'Empereur de toutes les Russies, voulant, cimenter les liens d'amitié qui les unissent, et assurer entre eux le maintien invariable d'un parfait accord, moyennant la présente Convention, ont nommé pour leurs Plénipotentiaires à cet effet, savoir : Le Président des Etats Unis d'Amérique, le Sieur HENRY MIDDLETON, citoyen des dits Etats, et leur Envoyé Extraordinaire et Ministre plénipotentiaire près Sa Majesté Impériale: et Sa Majesté l'Empereur, de toutes les Russies, ses amés et féaux les Sieurs Charles ROBERT Comte de Nesselrode, Conseiller Privé actuel, Membre du Conseil d'Etat, Secrétaire d'Etat Dirigeant le Ministère des affaires étrangères, Chambellan actuel, Chevalier de l'ordre de St. Alexandre Nevsky, Grand Croix de l'ordre de St. Wladimir de la Ire classe, Chevalier de celui de l'aigle blanc de Pologne, Grand Croix de l'ordre de St. Etienne d'Hongrie, Chevalier des ordres du St. Esprit et_de St. Michel et Grand Croix de celui de la Légion d'Honneur de France, Chevalier Grand Croix des ordres de l'aigle noir et de l'aigle rouge de Prusse, de l'annonciade de Sardaigne, de Charles III. d'Espagne, de St. Ferdinand et du mérite de Naples, de l'Eléphant de Danemarc, de l'Etoile Polaire de Suède, de la Couronne de Würtemberg, des Guelphes de Hanovre, du Lion Belge, de la Fidélité de Bade, et de St. Constanlin de Parme: et Pierre de POLETICA, Conseiller d'Etat actuel, Chevalier de l'ordre de St. Anne de la 1re classe, et Grand Croix de l'ordre de St. Wladimir de la seconde; lesquels apres avoir échangé leurs pleins-pouvoirs, trouvés en bonne et due forme, ont arroté et signé les stipulations suivantes :

ARTICLE PREMIER. Il est convenu que dans aucune partie du grand océan, appelé communément Océan Pacifique ou Mer du Sud, les citoyens ou sujets respectifs des hautes puissances contractantes ne seront ni troublés, ni gênés soit dans la navigation, soit dans l'exploitation de la pêche, soit dans la faculté d'aborder aux côtes sur des points qui ne seroient pas déjà occupés, afin d'y faire le commerce avec les indigènes, sauf toutefois les restrictions et conditions déterminées par les articles qui suivent.

ARTICLE DEUXIÈME. Dans la vue d'empêcher que les droits de navigation et de pêche exerceés sur le grand océan par les citoyens et sujets des hautes puissances contractantes ne deviennent le prétexte d'un commerce illicite, il est convenu, que les citoyens des Etats Unis n'aborderont à aucun point où il se trouve un établissement Russe, sans la permission du Gouverneur ou Commandant; et que réciproquement les sujets Russes ne pourront aborder sans permission à aucun établissement des Etats-Unis sur la côte nord ouest.

ARTICLE THIRD. No establish.

It is moreover agreed, that, hereafter, there shall not be formed by ment to be the citizens of the United States, or under the authority of the said formed by citi States, any establishment upon the Northwest Coast of America, nor in zens of the U.S. north of 54 de any of the islands adjacent, to the north of fifty four degrees and forty grees 40 min.

minutes of north latitude; and that, in the same manner, there shall be utes, or by Rus- none formed by Russian subjects, or under the authority of Russia, sia south of the samne latitude. south of the same parallel.

ARTICLE FOURTH. Interior seas to It is, nevertheless, understood, that, during a term of ten years, be free to both counting from the signature of the present convention, the ships of both nations for ten

powers, or which belong to their citizens or subjects, respectively, may years.

reciprocally frequent, without any hindrance whatever, the interior seas, gulphs, harbours, and creeks, upon the coast mentioned in the preceding article, for the purpose of fishing and trading with the natives of the country.

ARTICLE FIFTH. Certain articles

All spirituous liquors, fire-arms, other arms, powder, and munitions always to be of war of every kind, are always excepted from this same commerce excepted from permitted by the preceding article, and the two powers engage, reciprothis commerce.

cally, neither to sell, nor suffer them to be sold to the natives by their respective citizens and subjects, nor by any person who may be under their authority. It is likewise stipulated that this restriction shall never afford a pretext, nor be advanced, in any case, to authorize either search

or detention of the vessels, seizure of the merchandize, or, in fine, any - measures of constraint whatever towards the merchants or the crews

who may carry on this commerce; the high contracting powers reciprocally reserving to themselves to determine upon the penaltics to be incurred, and to.inflict the punishments in case of the contravention of this article, by their respective citizens or subjects.

ARTICLE SIXTH. Ratifications

When this Convention shall have been duly ratified by the President to be exchanged of the United States, with the advice and consent of the Senate on the ia ten months. cne part, and on the other by his Majesty the Emperor of all the Rus

sias, the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington in the space of
ten months from the date below, or sooner, if possible. In faith where-
of, the respective plenipotentiaries have signed this Convention, and
thereto affixed the seals of their arms.
Done at St. Petersburg, the į April, of the year of Grace one thou.

sand eight hundred and twenty-four.