294 MARITIME INTERNATIONAL LAW. 



have not taken part in the Congress of Paris, and to invite them to 

 accede to it. 



" Convinced that the maxims which they now proclaim cannot but 

 be received with gratitude by the whole world, the undersigned 

 Plenipotentiaries doubt not that the efforts of their Governments to 

 obtain the general adoption thereof will be crowned with full success. 



" The present Declaration is not, and shall not be binding, except 

 between those Powers who have acceded, or shall accede to it. 



"Done at Paris, the x6th of April, 185$. 

 " (Signed.) 



" BUOL-SCHAUENSTEIN. 

 HUBNER. 



Walewski. 



BoURQUENEY. 



Clarendon. 



Cowley. 



Manteuffel. 



Hatzfeldt. 



Orloff. 



Brunnow. 



Cavour. 



De Villama'rina. 



Aall 



Mehemmed Djemil." 



This Declaration of Paris, therefore, as it is stated, is binding 

 only on the Signatory Powers, who were empowered to invite the 

 adhesion of all the Maritime States, unrepresented at the Congress. 



ACTION OF THE UNITED STATES. 



The attempt, made at this Congress by the British Government, to 

 abolish privateering was agreed to by all the Powers, with the 

 exceptions of Spain, Mexico, and the United States. Mr. Marcy, 

 the Foreign Minister in President Pierce's Administration, replied 

 in a Despatch, dated 28th of July, 1856, by making the famous 

 counter-proposal, viz. : — to exempt from capture private property at 

 sea, the merchandise of belligerents. This proposal was agreeable to 

 all the Powers but Great Britain, but she, not accepting it, the 

 former proposal fell to the ground, thus consequently, privateering, 

 though abolished between the Powers that have adhered to the 

 Declaration of Paris, still remains, in statu quo ante, between 

 Great Britain, Spain, Mexico, and the United States, in the 

 event of war. The refusal of the British Government to accede 

 to this proposal was, to say the least of it, unjust, for it could hardly 

 be expected that the United States, with a comparatively small 

 Navy, could consent to the abolition of privateering, while European 



