THE ISLANDS OF ST. THOMAS AND ST. JOHN, WEST INDIES, 1868 Extracts from Correspondence Concerning the Proposed Cession of the Islands of St. Thomas and St. John by Denmark to the United States, July 17, 1866-October 24, 1867 1 MR. SEWARD TO MR. RAASLOFF (Confidential) Department of State, Washington, July 17, 1866. SIR: I have the honor to propose to you that the United States will negotiate with the King of Denmark for the purchase of the Danish islands in the West Indies, namely, St. Thomas and the adjacent islets, Santa Cruz and St. John. The United States would be willing to pay for the same five millions of dollars in gold, payable in this country. Negotiation to be by treaty, which, you will of course understand, will require the constitutional ratification of the Senate. Insomuch as you propose to visit Copenhagen, the United States minister at that place will be instructed to converse with you or with your Government on the subject; but should your Government conclude to negotiate, the proceeding will be expected to be conducted here and not elsewhere. Accept, sir, the renewed assurance of my high consideration. SIR: This morning I received a note from General Raasloff, informing me that Count Frijs desired to see me this evening. At the appointed time I was received by the count at his house, General Raasloff being present. 1 United States, Compilation of Reports of Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, 17891901 (Senate Document No. 231, pt. 8, 56th Congress, 2d session), vol. 8, pp. 162–198. The object of the interview was to acquaint me with the conclusions of the Danish Government upon the subject of your confidential proposition to General Raasloff of July last. The count informed me that your offer had been promptly communicated to the Danish Government, and had been repeatedly and duly considered; that the Government had uniformly been, and were still, of the opinion that the terms offered could not be accepted; and that the Government had concluded to comply with what they supposed to be your desire, that they should make a counter proposition. He said they would cede the group of three islands to the United States for $15,000,000; or, in the alternative, the two islands of St. Thomas and St. John for $10,000,000, and Santa Cruz for $5,000,000, with the option of taking the two former and rejecting the latter; that as to Santa Cruz, the Government could not sell without the consent of France; and he was of the opinion that if there was any difficulty on that point, so that it could not be ceded to the United States, it would not be sold to France but be kept by Denmark; that the ratification by the Rigsdag of such a cession is constitutionally necessary; and, after that, the Danish Government will require that the consent of the people of the islands shall be had. SIR: By the telegram in cipher of this Department of the 23d instant. which Mr. Adams was directed to forward to you in writing from London, you were informed of the terms and conditions upon which the United States would accept a cession of the Danish West India Islands. If by the time that this instruction shall reach you the Danish Government shall be prepared to accept those terms and conditions, the accompanying full power will enable you to enter upon and conclude the negotiations of a convention upon the subject. A draft of a convention is also transmitted. It is expected that in the instrument as ultimately signed there will be no material variation from this draft. The cession must include all the islands owned by Denmark in the quarter referred to. The sum to be paid therefor by the United States must not exceed $7,500,000 in gold. The convention must be signed and ratified on behalf of Denmark on or before the 4th of August next. These terms and conditions are indispensable. If they should be refused by Denmark you will declare the negotiation at an end. It is not believed that the consent of the people of the islands is necessary. You will notice that provision is made in the draft for the withdrawal of any of the inhabitants of the islands. If they choose to remain there they may either become citizens of the United States, or, if they should prefer not to forswear their natural allegiance, they may stay and will enjoy that protection which is by treaty stipulated in behalf of Danish subjects elsewhere in the United States and which they might also claim pursuant to public law. I am, sir, your obedient servant, George H. Yeaman, Esq., etc., Copenhagen. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. DRAFT OF THE TREATY ACCOMPANYING THE ABOVE The United States of America and His Majesty the King of Denmark, being desirous of confirming the good understanding which exists between them, have for that purpose appointed as plenipotentiaries the President of the United States, George H. Yeaman, accredited as their minister resident to his said Majesty, and His Majesty the King of Denmark. And the said plenipotentiaries having exchanged their full powers, which are found to be in due form, have agreed upon and signed the following articles: ARTICLE I His Majesty the King of Denmark agrees to cede to the United States by this convention all the Danish West India Islands, namely, the island of St. Thomas, the island of Santa Cruz, and the island of St. John. ARTICLE II In the cession of territory and dominion made by the preceding articles are included the right of property in all public lots and squares, vacant lands, and all public buildings, fortifications, barracks, and other edifices which are not private individual property. Any Government archives, papers, and documents relative to the territory and dominion aforesaid which may be now existing there shall be left in the possession of the agent of the United States, but an authenticated copy of such of them as may be required will be at all times given by the United States to the Danish Government, or to such Danish officers or subjects as may apply for them. ARTICLE III The inhabitants of the ceded territory, according to their choice, reserving their natural allegiance, may return to Denmark within two years, but if they should prefer to remain in the ceded territory they shall be admitted to the enjoyment of all the rights, advantages, and immunities of citizens of the United States, and shall be maintained and protected in the full enjoyment of their liberty, property, and religion. MR. YEAMAN TO COUNT FRIJS 1 Legation of the United States, SIR Calling your excellency's attention to our interview on the 17th day of this month touching the proposal heretofore made by the Government of the United States to the Government of His Majesty to negotiate for the cession of the Danish West India islands, I have the honor to inform you that on the same day I forwarded a suitable telegraphic dispatch to the Secretary of State of the United States, advising him of the substance of the terms you had indicated, and also on the same day forwarded to him a dispatch in writing, giving detailed account of our interview and of the proposals which you did me the honor to authorize and request me to submit to the consideration of my Government. And I have now the honor to inform you that I am to-day in receipt of a telegram advising me of the terms upon which my Government will negotiate and that full power and instructions have been forwarded to me by mail from Washington to enable me to carry into effect the negotiation if the proposals meet with the approbation of His Majesty's Government. I therefore deem it proper and best to advise you, in advance of the reception of my formal power and instructions, of the definite terms upon which my Government expresses its willingness to effect the negotiation. It proposes to pay for the three islands, St. Thomas, St. John, and Santa Cruz, $7,500,000 in United States gold coin; the treaty to be signed here and ratified by Denmark absolutely before the 4th day of August next or the negotiation will end. Consent is not given to await or depend upon a ratification by vote of the people of the islands. 1 U. S. Sen. Doc. No. 231, pt. 8, 56th Cong., 2d sess., pp. 172-73: The treaty is to be constitutionally ratified by the President and the Senate before next May, and the ratifications are to be exchanged at Washington. The public property, civil and military, to be ceded with the islands, and private property to be protected in the possession of the owner. The inhabitants reserve their allegiance, and have, during two years, the right of electing their nationality, those who remain after two years to be citizens of the United States, under the Constitution and laws thereof. The Government of the United States reserves the right to withdraw its proposition and end the negotiation at any time before notice is received of its ratification by Denmark. I have expressed these points as fully as I am able to do from the condensed preliminary instructions which I have so far received, and I deem it proper to add that they are expressed to me in the form of final propositions. If anything further and material for the consideration of His Majesty's Government is observed in my more detailed instructions, it shall be promptly communicated when they are received. My present object is, to put in a definite form, and at the earliest practicable moment, before His Majesty's Government, the main features of agreement which my own Government proposes shall be embraced in the treaty. I avail myself of this occasion to offer to your excellency the renewed assurances of my profound consideration. HIS EXCELLENCY COUNT FRIJS, GEO. H. YEAMAN. Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the Council, Copenhagen. MR. YEAMAN TO MR. SEWARD No. 75.) Legation of the United States, SIR: I have the honor to inform you that, at the request and appointment of Count Frijs, I had an interview with him yesterday upon the subject of my confidential note to him of the 28th of May. The interview was official, and General Raasloff was present. His Excellency proceeded to acquaint me with the conclusion of His Majesty's Government upon the several points of my note, based upon your telegraphic dispatch conveying to me your instructions for the conduct of the negotiation. First, he explained that the offer of seven and a half millions for the three islands could not be accepted and was declined. At the same time he regretted the present inability of the two Governments to agree upon the terms of the negotiation, and expressed the willingness of his own Government further to entertain the matter, and to consider whether a mutually satisfactory under |