190 Tin; TliKATY OK WASllINOTOX. 



ivgulalloMs and to tlio tenor of treaties. Total oxcnip- 

 tiou iVom the loeal law is iiiaintained only })y the 

 sul^jects of Christian States in countries outside of 

 Christendom. 



In iiio^^t of the countries of Cliristcndoni foreigners 

 [ivv i)rotected in their i)ersonal I'iglits ecjually witii 

 the inhabitants, and, if wronged, have access to the 

 tribunals tor redress, even against injuries by the lo- 

 cal (iovernnient itself 



Generally, indeed, it may be said, with trutli, that 

 the ]"ights of a foreigner are better protected than 

 those of tlie iidiabitants of the country itself; for, in 

 adtlition to tlie triljunals of tlie country where lie so- 

 joui'ns, the foreign(>r has the benetlt of the jMinister 

 and Consuls of his own ccnintry. 



Of this I'avor the foreigner has occasional need, it 

 is true; but it is a privilege susceptible of great 

 abuse, by reason o^ the extravagant pretensions occa- 

 sionally made by jiersons who may sufl'er any real or 

 aj)parent wrong, and who are prone to elevate trivial 

 grievances into international cpiestions, to the annoy- 

 ance of all (lovernments, and to the peril of the pub- 

 lic pea'?e. ]\[ost of such subjects of complaint ai'c 

 capable of being settled by the local tribunals, and 

 ought to be. The laws of Kome lie at the founda- 

 tion of the jurisprudence of all Europe and America 

 alike; the Ibrms of judicial administration are sub- 

 stantially similar in all the States of both Continents; 

 ajul in many of the cases of alleged wrong to foreign- 

 ers, and of call for diplomatic intervention, the affair 

 is one which, if at home in his own country, the party 



