it is possible that the Government may deem it a fit item to be formed in your Consular accounts.

With respect to the communication from Mr. Martin Koszta, of which you have inclosed me a copy, I have only to say, that I regret that that individual should throughout have shown himself so unworthy the interest that has been excited, and the efforts that have been made in his behalf; and still more, that his folly, impertinence, and obstinacy, should have been encouraged, if not prompted by the Austrian citizens, who ought rather have endeavoured to inspire him with sentiments of decent respect and gratitude towards the authority which assumed the heavy responsibility of interfering to protect him after he had been abandoned to his fate by the American Consulate at Smyrna.

The arrangements made between Mr. Brown and Mr. Weckbecker for Koszta's embarkation were altogether proper, and your refusal to carry them into effect, as well as your general course of action in the whole affair, will be duly reported to the American Government, which will, I doubt not, take such notice of your conduct as it merits. I am, &c.

E. S. Offley, Esq.

GEORGE P. MARSH.

No. 28. The United States Minister at Constantinople to the Secretary of State of The United States.

SIR,

Constantinople, November 5, 1853. I HAVE the honour to enclose herewith a report from Mr. John P. Brown, of the result of his inquiries at the Porte in respect to the circumstances under which Martin Koszta was expelled from Turkey.

The facts stated by Mr. Brown, and those communicated by me in former despatches, contain all the information I have yet been able to obtain in definite form on the subject.

I think it doubtful whether any written demand was ever made for the expulsion of the refugees from the Turkish territory (though that supposition is by no means improbable), but the fact that such a demand was orally made is so notorious here that no person would presume to dispute it at Constantinople.

Negotiations with the Porte are always, in a great measure, oral; and it is only in regard to the conclusion of Conventions or Treaties, or to matters requiring to be referred for examination to particular bureaus, that written communications are usually made.

While this question was pending, I was in very frequent personal communication with Ali Pacha, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, and well remember that the demand of the expulsion of those persons by Austria was more than once mentioned between us. I must

. dmit, that it was then generally understood at Constantinople, chat the refugees so expelled were not to return to Turkey, though I do not know that any written or other formal engagement to that effect was exacted of them. The expulsion was accepted by Austria as a substitute for extradition, and I have no doubt that it was understood by all parties as intended to be perpetual, or that the Porte would have felt itself at all times bound, according to the spirit of the engagement, to re-expel any of the refugees who should return to the Turkish dominions, after having been sent out of them by the Government. I have, &c.

The Hon. W. L. Marcy.

GEORGE P. MARSH.

(Inclosure.)—Mr. J. P. Brown to The United States Minister at

SIR,

Constantinople.

Pera, October 25, 1853. I HAVE the honour to report to you, that agreeable to your instructions, I have made inquiries on the subject of the expulsion from the Turkish empire of Mr. Martin Koszta and the other political refugees who were sent, in 1851, in one of the Sultan's steamers of war to England, whence many of them proceeded to The United States.

His Excellency Ali Pacha, now not in office, and who was Minister of Foreign Affairs during the period of the Hungarian revolution, and the difficulties growing out of the refuge which the Hungarians, Poles, and Italians found in the Ottoman dominions, informed me a few days since, that after Kossuth, Bathyain, and other Hungarian Chiefs were internated at Kutahieh, the Ottoman Government" at the desire and with the knowledge of the Austrian Government," expelled Koszta and many others from this country, by sending them, as asserted, to England. Many others who remained at Shumla after the removal of the Chiefs to Kutahieh, were allowed freely to come to this capital, and it is not known that the Austrian Government made any further demand about them. The present first dragoman of the Porte, his Excellency Nouel Deu Bey, has made a similar statement to me; i.e., that Koszta and many others of the refugees then at Kutahieh, were expelled from this country at the demand of Austria, or to use his own language, Eloígné de la Turquie par le désir et avec la connoissance de la Légation Autrichienne."

66

I have been unable to procure a copy of the demands made at this time by the Austrian Legation, though the dragoman of the Porte believes that it possibly may be contained in some of the official communications made at the time by the Austrian Legation

I yesterday had a conversation with his Excellency Rechib Pacha, now Minister of Foreign Affairs, and who, at the period [1853-54.]

3 X

referred to, was Grand Vizier. He could not remember whether the persons alluded to were expelled from this country or not at the demand of Austria. He gave me full permission to make inquiries at the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, and that of the Grand Referendary of the Porte (Amidgi), for documentary evidence of the cir cumstances, but I find the superior members of the bureaux so much occupied with the important question of the present period, that I could not induce them to have the voluminous correspondence examined.

I may add, that it is a matter of public notoriety here, that the refugees in question were sent out of Turkey at the demand of the Austrian Legation. The Austrian Consul-General, Michauwish, on the occasion of the affair of Koszta, stated to me (what I believe to be erroneous), that when they were expelled from Turkey, they made an engagement never to return to it again. This statement, made as an argument against the legality of Koszta's return (ard therefore of the legality of his arrest by the Austrian ConsulGeneral of Smyrna), goes to show that this expulsion was intended by Austria as an eternal banishment and an expatriation for ever, from what she considers as her jurisdiction over all Austrian subjects in the Ottoman Empire. She has, consequently, herself severed the bonds which existed between her and the refugees, especially in Koszta's case. I have, &c.

The Hon. G. P. Marsh.

JOHN P. BROWN.

No. 29.-The United States Minister at Constantinople to the Secretary of State of The United States.

SIR,

Constantinople, December 14, 1853. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 31, of September 27, 1853, and to report that I have fulfilled your instructions.

As I have explained in former dispatches, business with the Porte is in the main transacted orally, and it is not usual to make written communications to the Ottoman Government, except matters of technical negotiation, or where a reference to some bureau is likely to be required.

of

For this reason, I did not address a note to the Departinent Foreign Affairs, but took a convenient opportunity to communicate verbally the contents of your letter to Rechib Pacha, now at the head of that department.

The Pacha received the communication respectfully, but made no reply. I think myself authorized, however, from previous conversations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and other eminent personages, to say that the Ottoman Government does not feel

aggrieved by the course pursued by Mr. Brown and Captain Ingraham ; and I do not believe the Porte will be induced, by reasons of state, to express a dissatisfaction which it does not feel.

The Hon. W. L. Marcy.

I have, &c.

GEORGE P. MARSH.

DISCOURS du Roi des Belges, à l'Ouverture des Chambres.Bruxelles, le 8 Novembre, 1853.

MESSIEURS,

A LA fin de la dernière session, vous aviez applaudi au projet d'union de mon fils bien-aimé le Duc de Brabant avec l'Archiduchesse Marie-Henriette d'Autriche. Cette union s'est réalisé sous vos yeux. Elle est une garantie de bonheur pour l'héritier du trône, un gage de perpétuité pour ma dynastie, en même temps qu'un lien avec l'Europe et un témoignage de la confiance qu'inspire la nationalité Belge. Mon cœur s'en est réjoui, et le pays tout entier s'en est réjoui avec moi.

La politique impartiale et bienveillante qui préside à nos relations internationales est chaque jour mieux comprise; cette politique assure le maintien de nos bons rapports avec toutes les Puissances.

Des mesures qui touchent à des intérêts essentiels ont reçu leur exécution. La conversion de 3 emprunts a procuré à l'Etat une notable économie. L'organisation de notre établissement militaire à donné à l'armée une situation stable, en augmentant nos moyens de défense. C'est un bienfait que l'armée apprécie; elle s'en montre digne par sa discipline, par son instruction et par l'excellent esprit qui l'anime. Son dévouement et celui de la garde civique ne feront jamais défaut.

L'augmentation toujours croissante du produit des impôts atteste la situation prospère de la plupart des branches de notre richesse industrielle et commerciale.

Mon Gouvernement s'occupe des moyens d'affermir cette situation. Des négociations commerciales se poursuivent activement.

La Société des Bateaux à Vapeur Transatlantiques est définitivement constituée; elle va mettre la main à l'œuvre.

Le service Consulaire est réorganisé.

L'esprit d'entreprise, cet élément indispensable des grandes affaires, se révèle par des progrès constants. Nos produits abordent les marchés les plus lointains, et leur place s'élargit sur les marchés qu'ils connaissaient déjà.

Mon Gouvernement vous demandera d'abaisser les droits d'entrée sur les matières premières, dans l'intérêt de la fabrication Belge; il vous proposera de remplir les lacunes et de corriger les vices de la législation sur les droits de patente.

Des travaux publics décrétés il y a moins de 2 ans les uns s'exécutent par l'Etat, les autres en vertu de Conventions que l'Etat a conclues. Il est permis d'espérer qu'en général les délais fixés pour leur complet achèvement ne seront pas dépassés.

Félicitons-nous, Messieurs, de cette application de l'activité nationale. Elle portera d'heureux fruits. Dès à présent, elle fournit d'utiles ressources à une partie de nos populations laborieuses, qui souffrent du renchérissement des denrées alimentaires.

Cette calamité passagère réclamait des mesures exceptionnelles. Mon Gouvernement a pris les plus urgentes sous sa responsabilité. Il les soumettra à votre examen.

Une loi vous a été présentée sur le crédit foncier. J'espère qu'à l'aide de quelques amendements, cette question recevra une prompte et satisfaisante solution.

Vous avez adopté la première partie du nouveau code pénal; la deuxième partie de ce vaste travail pourra sans doute vous être incessamment soumise.

Vous aurez aussi à voter définitivement le code forestier, ainsi que la loi d'expropriation forcée, ce complément du régime hypothécaire et l'un des éléments du crédit foncier.

Une loi modifiant quelques parties du code pénal militaire pourra être immédiatement discutée.

L'étude des réformes à introduire dans l'organisation judiciaire, dans le régime du notariat et dans les dépôts de mendicité se poursuit sans relâche.

Le Gouvernment achève de préparer, avec toute l'attention que commande ce grand intérêt, l'ensemble des dispositions destinées à régulariser l'administration des établissements de charité et des fondations.

L'instruction publique à tous les degrés continue de développer. L'enseignement industriel se propage. L'enseignement des sciences commerciales est fondé. Un institut supérieur de commerce s'organise dans une de nos grandes villes, avec le concours du Gouvernement.

Les essais tentés pour éclairer la marche de notre agriculture n'ont pas été stériles; l'expérience permet la présentation d'un système définitif d'enseignement; il sera prochainement livré à vos délibérations.

La voirie vicinale reçoit de continuelles améliorations.

La législation sur l'exercice des diverses branches de l'art de guérir et sur la police sanitaire offre des lacunes qu'il importe de combler. Un projet de loi a été rédigé dans ce but ; il est en ce moment soumis à une révision attentive. Combiné avec un système intelligent d'hygiène publique, il aura sur l'état sanitaire du pays une bienfaisante influence.