By the President of the Republic of Texas. PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS, by a Proclamation issued on the eleventh day of February, A. D. 1840, in contravention of law and Treaty stipulations, by Mirabeau B. Lamar, (then President,) "the duties on all wines, the product of France, imported direct from any of the Ports of France, in French or Texian Vessels" were abolished: And whereas, in further violation of law and Treaty stipulations, "all collectors of customs were required to permit all wines, as aforesaid, to be admitted free of duty, into any of the ports of this Republic, until this proclamation shall be revoked by the President:" And whereas, neither propriety, policy nor a just regard due to the rights of our citizens requires the continuance of such an immunity to any foreign power: And whereas, other Governments have made the same a cause of complaint to this:- Therefore, be it known that I, SAM. HOUSTON, President of the Republic of Texas, by virtue of the power vested in me by law, do, hereby, solemnly revoke the said proclamation, and require all collectors of customs in the Republic to demand and receive the duties imposed upon wines, the product of France, imported into Texas, according to the rates established by law, and by the existing Treaty between the two countries: This proclamation to be in force and take effect from and after the fifteenth day of February next. In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, and caused the great seal of the Republic to be affixed. Done at the town of Washington, the twenty-first By the President: Secretary of State. By the President of the Republic of Texas. PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS, by an act of Congress of the Republic of Texas, approved February 5th, 1840, the eighth section, it is provided, that all free persons of color shall remove out of this Republic, within two years from the passage of said act, under certain penalties: And whereas, it has been represented to me, that there are a number of honest and industrious persons of that description, who have been citizens of this country for a number of years, and have always heretofore conducted themselves so as to obtain the confidence and good opinion of all acquainted with them, and are now anxious to be permitted to remain in the Republic for the next two years, from and after the fifth day of February next: Therefore, be it known, that I, SAM. HOUSTON, President of the Republic of Texas, in virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the constitution and the law, do, in the name and by the authority of said Republic, issue this, my proclamation, remitting the penalty of the law that might otherwise attach against them for remaining in the Republic; to be in effect and operative for the term of two years from the fifth day of February next: Provid d, those who wish to obtain the benefit of this proclamation, apply to the Chief Justice of the county in which they reside, and make satisfactory proof of their good character, and also enter into bond and security, in the penal sum of five hundred dollars, payable to the President and his successors in office, for their good behavior during the term specified in this proclamation. In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, and caused the great seal of the Republic to be affixed. Done at the town of Washington, the twenty-first By the President of the Republic of Texas. PROCLAMATION. To all and singular to whom these presents shall come, -GREETING: WHEREAS a Treaty of Commerce and Navigation, between the Republic of Texas and Great Britain, was concluded and signed by the Plenipotentiaries of this Republic and her Britannic Majesty, at the City of London, on the thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty; which Treaty is, word for word, as follows: TREATY OF COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS AND The Republic of Texas, and Her Majesty, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, being equally desirous of affording every facility and encouragement to their respective Citizens and Subjects, engaged in commercial intercourse with each other, have nominated as their Plenipotentiaries to conclude a Treaty for this purpose, that is to say: The Republic of Texas, General James Hamilton, &c., &c., And Her Majesty, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honorable Henry John, Viscount Palmerston, Baron Temple, a Peer of Ireland, a Member of Her Britannic Majesty's Most Honorable Privy Council, a Member of Parliament, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, and Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs;— Who, after having communicated to each other their respective Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles: ARTICLE I. There shall be reciprocal liberty of Commerce and Navigation between and amongst the Citizens of the Republic of Tex as, and the subjects of Her Britannic Majesty; and the Citizens or Subjects of the two countries, respectively, shall not pay, in the Ports, Harbors, Roads, Cities, Towns, or Places whatsoever, in either State, any other or higher duties, taxes, or imposts, under whatsoever names designated or included, than those which are there paid by the Citizens or Subjects of the most favored Nation; and the Citizens and Subjects, respectively, of the Two High Contracting Parties, shall enjoy the same rights, privileges, liberties, favors, immunities, and exemptions, in matters of Commerce and Navigation, that are granted, or may hereafter be granted, in either Country, to the Citizens or Subjects of the most favored Nation. No duty of Customs, or other imposts, shall be charged upon any goods the produce of one Country, upon importation by sea or by land, from such country into the other, higher than the duty or impost charged upon goods of the same kind, the produce of, or imported from, any other Country; and the Republic of Texas, and Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, do hereby bind and engage themselves not to grant any favor, privilege or immunity, in matters of Commerce and Navigation, to the Citizens or Subjects of any other State, which shall not be also, and at the same time, extended to the Citizens or Subjects of the other High Contracting Party, gratuitously, if the concession in favor of that other State shall have been gratuitous; or on giving as nearly as possible the same compensation or equivalent, in case the concession shall have been conditional. ARTICLE II. No duties of Tonnage, Harbor, Lighthouses, Pilotage, Quarantine, or other similar or corresponding duties, of whatever nature, or under whatever denomination, shall be imposed in either Country, upon the Vessels, or upon any articles the growth, produce, or manufacture of the other, in respect of voyages between the two Countries, if laden, or in respect of any voyage, if in ballast, which shall not be equally imposed, in the like cases, on National Vessels; and in neither country shall any duty, charge, restriction, or prohibition, be imposed upon, nor any draw-back, bounty, or allowance be withheld from, any goods imported from, or exported to, any Country, in the Vessels of the one Country, which shall not be equally imposed upon, or withheld from, such goods, when so imported or exported in the Vessels of the other Country. ARTICLE III. The Citizens and 'Subjects of each Country shall enjoy fu!! liberty to go to the Ports and Harbors of the other Country, where other foreigners are allowed to enter, to unlade their Merchandise therein, to hire and occupy Houses, and peaceably to conduct their respective Trades and Professions. The Ships of War of both Countries, respectively, shall have the liberty to enter freely and touch at all such Ports in each Country, into which the Ships of War of any other Nation are permitted to enter; subject, however, to the Regulations, Laws, and Statutes of the respective Countries. ARTICLE IV. The stipulations of the present Treaty shall not be considered as applying to the Navigation and carrying Trade between one Port and another situated in the Dominions of one Contracting Party, by the Vessels of the other, as far as regards Passengers, Commodities, and Articles of Commerce; such Navigation and transport being reserved by each Contracting Party to National Vessels. ARTICLE V. The High Contracting Parties reserve for future negotiation, at such time as they may mutually agree upon, the conditions upon which the Trade and Navigation shall be regulated between the Republic of Texas and Her Britannic Majesty's Colonial Possessions in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. ARTICLE VI. Whereas, in the present state of Texian Shipping, the Republic of Texas would not enjoy the full benefit of the reciprocity intended by this Treaty, if no Vessel were to be admitted into British Ports as a Texian Vessel, unless it had been built within the territory of Texas; it is therefore agreed, that for the space of eight years, to be reckoned from the date of the exchange of the Ratifications of this Treaty, any Vessels, wheresoever built, being bona fide the property of, and wholly owned by, one or more Citizens of the Republic of Texas, 'and whereof the Master and three fourths of the Mariners, at least, are naturalized Citizens of the said Republic, or persons domicilia |