The principal changes
effected are the following:
The clauses of the Convention of 1784, clothing consuls with privileges
of the law of nations, are struck out, and they are expressly subjected,
in their persons and property, to the laws of the land.
That giving the right of sanctuary to their houses, is reduced to a
protection of their chancery room and its papers.
Their coercive powers over passengers are taken away; and over those,
whom they might have termed deserters of their nation, are restrained to
deserted seamen only.
The clause, allowing them to arrest and send back vessels, is struck
out, and instead of it, they are allowed to exercise a police over the
ships of their nation generally.
So is that, which declared the indelibility of the character of subject,
and the explanation and extension of the eleventh article of the treaty
of amity.
The innovations in the laws of evidence are done away: and the
convention is limited to twelve years' duration. Convinced that the fewer
examples, the better, of either persons or causes unamenable to the laws
of the land, I could have wished, still more had been done; but more
could not be done, with good humor.
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