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to great expense by the disregard which the Persian Government has shown for its engagements in regard to Herat, asks no pecuniary indemnity of any kind.

H.E. Lord Cowley.

CLARENDON.

No. 184-Lord Cowley to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Rec. Feb. 10.) (Extract.) Paris, February 8, 1857. I HAD the honour to receive, yesterday morning, your Lordship's despatch of the 6th instant.

Previously to receiving that despatch, Ferokh Khan had requested to see me again on the subject of the invitation which I had conveyed to him in the name of Her Majesty's Government, to proceed to London if his instructions permitted him to do so, and if his powers were sufficiently ample to allow him to conclude a Treaty on the basis already known to him, and I had fixed Saturday afternoon to receive him. He came at the appointed hour, unattended by any one of his own suite, but accompanied by Captain Lynch.

His Excellency expressed uncertainty as to his intentions. He said that his position was most embarrassing; that he was alone in a strange land, at a great distance from his own country, without any one to whom he could turn for advice; therefore he said that he had again come to apply for mine. I told Ferokh Khan, in reply, that I could but repeat what I had said to him before; but that I was willing to enter with him at once into such further discussions as the present state of the questions at issue rendered necessary.

After some little hesitation, Ferokh Khan decided that he would remain at Paris for the present, reserving, however, to himself, the privilege of going to England hereafter, should he deem it advisable.

I then proposed to put in writing, and to send to him, the conditions of Her Majesty's Government. I said that I should make them as complete as possible, so as avoid all possibility of misunderstanding in future.

The Earl of Clarendon.

COWLEY.

No. 185.-The Earl of Clarendon to Lord Cowley. MY LORD, Foreign Office, February 10, 1857. HER Majesty's Government entirely approve the language held by your Excellency to Ferokh Khan, as reported in your despatch of the 8th instant, with regard to the negotiations for peace with Persia.

H.E. Lord Cowley.

I am, &c.

CLARENDON.

No. 186.-Lord Cowley to the Earl of Clarendon.—(Rec. March 5.) (Extract.) Paris, March 4, 1857. I HAVE the satisfaction to transmit herewith to your Lordship a Treaty of Peace between the Queen and the Shah of Persia,* signed this day by the Persian Plenipotentiary and myself.

The Earl of Clarendon.

(Extract.)

COWLEY.

No. 187.-The Earl of Clarendon to Lord Cowley.

Foreign Office, March 6, 1857. I HAVE received your Excellency's despatch of the 4th instant, inclosing the Treaty of Peace between Her Majesty and the Shah of Persia, signed on that day by your Excellency and the Persian Ambassador.

It is my agreeable duty to convey to your Excellency the entire and cordial approval of Her Majesty's Government of the remarkable ability and judgment with which you have conducted the negotiation with the Persian Ambassador, which various circumstances combined to render difficult, and to the successful issue of which the patience, moderation, and firmness displayed by your Excellency so essentially contributed.

H.E. Lord Cowley.

CLARENDON.

No. 188.-Lord Cowley to the Earl of Clarendon.—(Rec. March 12.) (Extract.) Paris, March 4, 1857.

I HAVE the honour to inclose herewith the translation of a note which his Excellency addressed to me on the 2nd instant, together with a copy of my reply, dated the 3rd, relative to the abandonment by Her Majesty's Government of certain of the conditions which had been originally put forward as those on which peace with Persia might be restored.

The conclusions at which I have arrived with Ferokh Khan on these points are the result of much discussion; but I have thought it expedient, in order to avoid the possibility of future difficulties, that they should now be consigned to writing. Hence the exchange of notes to which this despatch refers.

The original note of Ferokh Khan is likewise inclosed. The Earl of Clarendon.

(Translation.)

COWLEY.

(Inclosure 1.)-Ferokh Khan to Lord Cowley. 5 Rejeb, A.H. 1273. (March 2, 1857.) His Excellency, the abode of greatness, the support of friends, the kind, the revered.

From the communications which have hitherto taken place, it is evident that the British Ministry consider his Excellency, &c. the Grand Vizier of Persia to be an obstacle to the friendship of the two

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exalted States of Persia and England; whereas everything that he has hitherto done has been by the command of His Majesty the King, his benefactor. His Majesty, my benefactor, however, has not considered the incidents which have occurred as being contrary to the Treaty which is the basis of the friendship between the two States. For this reason, His Majesty has specially commissioned me to explain the real state of this matter to the British Ministry, and to assure them that the continuation of his Excellency in the office of Grand Vizier will not be detrimental to the friendship of the two States, but that it will, on the contrary, be the very best means of preserving and confirming that friendship. I therefore feel certain that the British Ministry will no longer insist upon a change in the Grand Viziriate.

As regards any compensation to the inhabitants of Herat, it may be said that since the marching of the Persian army in that direction was solely caused by the obstinacy of those very inhabitants of Herat; and as the commissioning an army was not intended as an act of enmity against them, but simply for their protection, therefore no injury whatever happened to the inhabitants of Herat from the Persian troops, since each month remittances of cash have been made to Herat from the capital, and from Khorassan, for the wants of that army; and at no time, either before or after the conquest of Herat, did any molestation or injury happen to the inhabitants; on the contrary, they have been the objects of every sort of consideration and kindness. Besides this, it has been fully ascertained, since my departure from Constantinople, that His Majesty, my benefactor, after the conquest of Herat, exercised every species of favour and benevolence towards them, so much so that, in the view of encouraging the agriculture and cultivation of the country, he has sent considerable sums of money thither.

I am quite sure, that upon the representation of these my sincere explanations, perfect confidence will be felt that the inhabitants of Herat, instead of suffering injury and loss, have derived great benefit and advantage therefrom; and that, in consequence, the British Ministry will not renew the propositions and discussions entered upon at Constantinople.

In respect of Bender Abbas, as I have already often mentioned, the negotiations between the Persian Government and the Imaum of Muscat have been completely satisfactory to both parties. And for this reason, the renewal of said negotiations would lead to no other result than to be the source of fresh difficulties.

It is also evident that, according to the agreement made at Constantinople, and according to the paper given to the Persian Government by Meerza Hashem, in respect to his renouncing the asylum of the British Mission, he will hereafter have no connection

with the British Government, but will be, as formerly, in the service of the Persian Government.

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(Inclosure 2.)-Lord Cowley to Ferokh Khan.

Paris, March 3, 1857.

THE Undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador at the Court of the Emperor Napoleon, has had the honour to receive the note which his Excellency Ferokh Khan, Ambassador from the King of Persia at the same Court, addressed to him the 2nd instant.

The object of Ferokh Khan is to induce Her Majesty's Govern ment to desist from certain of the conditions, which had been communicated to him at Constantinople, as those on which Her Majesty's Government would be ready to make peace.

The conditions he mentions are that respecting the dismissal of the Sadr Azim, that concerning an indemnity to be paid by the Persian Government to the Heratees, and that relating to the mediation of Her Majesty's Government for the settlement of the differences which had arisen between the King of Persia and the Imaum of Muscat, respecting the tenure by the latter of Bender Abbas.

The Undersigned comprehends from the note of his Excellency Ferokh Khan, coupled with the verbal explanations which the Undersigned has had the honour to receive from his Excellency, that the King of Persia makes it a personal request of the British Government, that the first of these conditions should not be insisted upon; that with regard to the second, his Excellency has learnt that since the engagement which he contracted at Constantinople, considerable sums of money had already been sent by the King of Persia to Herat, and that consequently more profit than loss has accrued to the inhabitants of that town from its occupation by Persian troops, and he hopes, therefore, that he may be released from the promises which he made on this point at Constantinople. With respect to the mediation of Great Britain in the matter of Bender Abbas, his Excellency Ferokh Khan observes, that the question is already satisfactorily settled between the parties interested, and that consequently no mediation is necessary.

The Undersigned cannot but regret that his Excellency Ferokh Khan should not have repeated in writing that which he has often given the Undersigned to understand, while conversing on these matters, namely, that if these conditions were persisted in by Her Majesty's Government and agreed to by the Persian Government, the King of Persia's dignity and independence would be greatly compromised in the eyes of his subjects, because it is for this reason

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that Her Majesty's Government have determined on desisting from them, being most unwilling by insisting on obnoxious stipulations, not absolutely necessary to the attainment of peace, to do aught that would either influence the sentiments of the Persians towards their Sovereign, or injure the power and welfare of the Persian dominions. It is the desire, as it is the policy, of Her Majesty's Government, that Persia should be strong, prosperous, and independent, and they cannot give a greater proof of their sincerity in this respect than by the moderation of their demands, while in possession of a valuable portion of the Persian territory.

The Undersigned has, then, the pleasure to inform his Excellency Ferokh Khan that Her Majesty's Government will not insist on his acceptance of the three conditions to which his Excellency's note refers; and with regard to the future position of Meerza Hashem, which is likewise alluded to by his Excellency, the Undersigned has the honour to assure him that if Meerza Hashem has, as is reported, renounced the service of Her Majesty's Mission at Tehran, Her Majesty's Mission, on its return to Tehran, will not attempt to exercise any protection over him. The Undersigned, &c.

Ferokh Khan.

COWLEY.

No. 189.-The Earl of Clarendon to Lord Cowley.

MY LORD,

Foreign Office, March 14, 1857. In reply to your Excellency's despatch of the 4th instant, forwarding copies of the correspondence which you had with Ferokh Khan, relative to the withdrawal of certain conditions of peace by Her Majesty's Government, I have to state to your Excellency that Her Majesty's Government entirely approve of your having committed to writing the discussion with the Persian Ambassador upon this subject. I am, &c.

H.E. Lord Cowley.

CLARENDON.

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MESSAGE of the President of The United States, on
Opening of Congress.-Washington, December 8, 1857.

FELLOW-CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND

OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

IN obedience to the command of the constitution, it has now become my duty "to give to Congress information of the state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures" as I judge to be "necessary and expedient."

But first, and above all, our thanks are due to Almighty God for the numerous benefits which He has bestowed upon this people; and

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