1752. CONSULS, Punished.—[continued].
The President is informed
* * * that M. Duplaine, consul of
France at Boston, has * * * rescued a
vessel from the officer of the court of justice,
by process from which she was under arrest
in his custody; and that he has in like manner,
with an armed force, opposed and prevented
the officer, charged with process from a court
against another vessel, from serving that process.
This daring violation of the laws requires
the more attention, as it is by a foreigner
clothed with a public character, arrogating
an unfounded right to Admiralty jurisdiction,
and probably meaning to assert it by
this act of force. By the law of nations, consuls
are not diplomatic characters, and have
no immunities whatever against the laws of
the land. To put this altogether out of dispute,
a clause was inserted in our consular
convention with France, making them amenable
to the laws of the land, as other inhabitants.
Consequently, M. Duplaine is liable to
arrest, imprisonment, and other punishments,
even capital, as other foreign subjects resident
here. * * * You will immediately institute
such a prosecution against him as the
laws will warrant.—
To Christopher Gore. Washington ed. iv, 55.
Ford ed., vi, 404.
(Pa.,
Sep. 1793)
