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to pass the laws which the transfer of the islands by treaty will have rendered not only necessary but urgent.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

George H. Yeaman, Esq., etc.,
Copenhagen.

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

Uncompleted Treaty Between the United States of America and His Majesty the King of Denmark Concerning the Cession of the Islands of St. Thomas and St. John. Signed at Copenhagen on October 24, 1867 1

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, Count Christian Emil Juel-Vind-Frijs, President of the Council of the Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Grand Cross of the Order of Danebrog, and decorated with the Cross of Honor of the same Order. And the said Plenipotentiaries having exchanged their full powers, which were 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 immediately upon the exchange of the ratifications thereof, the islands of St. Thomas and St. John, in the West Indies, with the adjacent islands and rocks, situated north of the 18th degree of north latitude.

His Majesty the King of Denmark will, however, not exercise any constraint over the people, and will, therefore, so soon as practicable, give them an opportunity of freely expressing their wishes in regard to this cession.

ARTICLE III

The inhabitants of the said islands shall be protected in their liberty, their property, and private rights, and they shall be free to remain where they now reside, or to remove at any time, retaining the property which they possess in the said islands, or disposing thereof and removing the proceeds wherever they please, without their being subjected on this account to any contribution, 1 From the official copy, U. S. Senate.

tax, or charge whatever. Those who shall prefer to remain in the said islands, may either retain the title and the rights of their natural allegiance, or acquire those of citizens of the United States. But they shall make their election within two years from the date of the exchange of ratifications of this convention; and those who shall remain in the said islands after the expiration of that term, without having declared their intention to retain their natural allegiance, shall be considered to have elected to become citizens of the United States.

ARTICLE V

In consideration of the cession aforesaid, the United States agree to pay, at the treasury in Washington, within three months after the exchange of the ratifications of this convention, to the diplomatic representative or other agent of His Majesty the King of Denmark, duly authorized to receive the same, seven millions five hundred thousand dollars, in gold.

The cession conveys to the United States the said islands and appurtenances in full and entire sovereignty, with all the dominion, rights and powers which Denmark now possess and can exercise in them, free and unincumbered by any grants, conditions, privileges or franchises in any way affecting or limiting the exercise of such sovereignty.

ARTICLE VI

When this convention shall have been duly ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate on the one part, and on the other by His Majesty the King of Denmark by and with the consent of the Rigsdag, the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington, within four months from the date hereof or sooner if possible.

In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this convention and thereto affixed the seals of their arms.

Done at Copenhagen, the 24th of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.

GEO. H. YEAMAN, (L.S.)

C. E. JUEL-VIND-FRIJS, (L.S.)

Extracts from Correspondence between Secretary Seward and the United States Agents in the Islands, October 26-December 4, 1867 1

MR. SEWARD TO MR. HAWLEY

Department of State, Washington, October 26, 1867.

SIR: This Government has concluded a treaty with Denmark for a cession of the islands of St. Thomas and St. John in the Caribbean Sea, belonging to that power. The treaty has not been received here, but it is understood that it contains a stipulation that before the cession shall be absolute the vote of the people of the islands shall be taken upon the proposed change of sovereignty. It is also understood that the Danish Government has sent a commission for the purpose of superintending the taking of that vote. As it is desirable that this Government also should not be entirely without the attendance of a representative there, you are requested to proceed to St. Thomas. You will, however, consider your attendance there as of a character entirely confidential. But this direction will not be construed so literally as to prevent you coming into useful communication with the Danish authorities and any consuls or naval representatives of the United States.

I herewith hand to you extracts of a dispatch written by the United States minister at Copenhagen, which very distinctly indicate the manner in which it is supposed that your agency can be made useful and effective. You are at liberty also to present yourself to the Danish commissioner, whom you will meet at St. Thomas, and you will show him this instruction and also the extracts of Mr. Yeaman's dispatch. In all things you will practice the utmost frankness with him and absolute deference to his judgment and opinions.

It is expected that you will meet Rear-Admiral Palmer, of the United States Navy, with the ship of war Susquehannah, at St. Thomas, who will have instructions similar to your own to cooperate with the Danish commissioner.

It is presumed that you will be at no loss for arguments to show those who may have votes upon the subject the advantages which they would derive from transferring their allegiance to the United States, should they think proper to remain in the islands. The market of this country, even now, is an eligible one for their products. It must become much more so in the event of their annexation. As one of the purposes of this Government in the acquisition is to secure a naval station, the inhabitants of the islands will derive benefits from that, which it is needless to expatiate upon. If, too, they should become a part of the domain of the United States, they and their posterity will have the same right to protection by a powerful government in

1 U. S. Sen. Doc. No. 231, pt. 8, 56th Cong., 2d sess., pp. 198–210.

war and to those advantages in time of peace which are enjoyed by other citizens.

It is not expected that you will stay in the islands longer than may be necessary after the vote referred to shall have been taken. The Department will expect reports from you during your sojourn there.

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SIR: I beg leave to inform you of my arrival at this island, in company with Mr. Perkins, on the 12th instant.

Mr. Moore, who preceded us by some two days, has, for prudential reasons, already communicated with Mr. Simmons, United States vice-consul, on the object of our mission, with which he is in full sympathy.

A dispatch by way of Porto Rico to the effect that the United States had purchased the Danish Islands for the sum of $15,000,000 reached here on the morning of our arrival, creating considerable excitement.

The rumor serves as the occasion of a free expression of opinion and gives rise to the question, "Will the United States continue St. Thomas a free port?"

If the merchants and others connected with the business relations of the island could be assured that there would be no change in this regard, and that their trade with the other islands would be maintained with its present advantages, the formidable objection to the transfer would be obviated. The whole issue, as they contemplate it, resolves itself into a question of trade, as the entire commerce of the island is built upon the freedom of the port.

If the decision is to be submitted to a popular vote there can hardly be a doubt that the result will be in favor of annexation.

We, of course, are not known as having any information on the subject, awaiting the arrival of the Danish commissioner, who is expected on the 16th instant.

The town has suffered considerable damage from the hurricane of the 29th ultimo, but the damage is being rapidly repaired.

With great respect, I remain your obedient servant,

Hon. William H. Seward,

Secretary of State.

CHARLES HAWLEY.

No. 2.)

MR. HAWLEY TO MR. SEWARD

Fredericksted, St. Croix, West Indies,
November 22, 1867.

SIR: I have the honor to report the arrival of the Danish commissioner, Chamberlain Carstensen, at St. Thomas, on the morning of the 17th instant. Mr. Perkins and myself waited on him without delay, and ascertained that it was his desire to proceed immediately to Christiansted, St. Croix, for consultation with the governor, and that we should accompany him.

Commodore Bissell, of the Monongahela, placed his vessel at the service of the commission, and we arrived at this place on the evening of the 17th instant, and proceeded next morning to Christiansted.

An interview was arranged for at 3 o'clock P. M., and while in the reception room of the government house a violent shock of an earthquake drove us from the building in confused haste and threw us into a scene of indescribable

terror.

Admiral Palmer, who came with the Susquehanna from St. Thomas on the morning of Wednesday, brings tidings of a similar disaster there, inflicting great damage to the town and injury to the shipping. This calamity, following so speedily the hurricane of the 29th ultimo, is a serious embarrassment to our mission, as it must, for a time at least, preoccupy public attention. It has already frustrated our hopes of a speedy arrangement of preliminaries, and left us in a state of uncertainty of what under the circumstances should be done.

I may, however, communicate the result of several informal conversations with Mr. Carstensen, who is quite frank and unreserved in the expression of his views. He is unwilling to order an election until reasonably assured that the vote will be favorable. Rather than hazard a failure he would prefer a postponement of any further measures here until such modifications can be secured in the treaty which will dispose of the present contingency.

He has received the same impression that forced itself upon our attention, as I had the honor to state in my first communication, that the mercantile interest of St. Thomas will be a unit against the transfer, without some assurance from the United States that, for a specified period at least, the present privileges and immunities enjoyed by the port will remain undisturbed. Governor Birch is of the same opinion. Indeed, it must be palpable to every one at all familiar with the present trade of St. Thomas and its resources, to bring it under the restrictions of our revenue laws is to destroy at a blow its commercial importance. The island is without productions -without anything to sell-except what it imports. The entire population is dependent

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