No. 5.
Mr. Davis to Mr. Fish.
Sir: I have the honor to report that I left Paris, the 13th instant, for this place in company with Mr. Adams, Sir Alexander Cockburn, and Lord Tenterden. On the route we were enabled to discuss and arrange the preliminaries for the organization of the Tribunal. This has made the work to-day comparatively light.
After calling upon the various Arbitrators this morning, we proceeded [Page 417] to the Hotel de Ville to pay our respects to the President of this Canton and to the Council of State. We were formally received by them, and Mr. Adams made a proper acknowledgment of our appreciation of their courtesy in tendering the Hotel de Ville for the conferences.
At three o’clock the gentlemen had all arrived at the rooms assigned to us. The proceedings commenced by an informal examination of the powers of the Arbitrators, all of which were found to be in due form.
Mr. Adams then said that as neither he nor Sir Alexander Cockburn could preside, it had been thought advisable to invite the gentleman next in rank, in the order named in the Treaty, to preside over the meetings of the Tribunal. Sir Alexander Cockburn said that he seconded the proposal, not only for the reason given by Mr. Adams, but because Count Sclopis was one of the most illustrious of the Jurists of Europe. Count Sclopis took the Chair and returned his thanks in a neat speech.
It had been arranged beforehand that Mr. Stämpfli should be asked to name a Secretary. On the formal request by Count Sclopis, in the name of the Tribunal, he named Mr. Alexander Favrot, of Berne. The gentleman was waiting in the ante-room, and was conducted to his place by Lord Tenterden and myself.
I then presented the Case on behalf of the United States. Some new evidence from Melbourne and the Cape of Good Hope, which I had received at the last moment, had to be put in manuscript, in fact partly in press copies; but it is in press in Paris, and printed copies will soon be substituted.
I send herewith a copy of the note accompanying the Cases. It was identical with all parties.
I also send a copy of the note which Lord Tenterden presented with his Case and Documents.
December 16.
The conference was held to-day at the Hotel de Ville pursuant to adjournment. All the Arbitrators were present, and it was determined to adjourn until June, unless one of the parties should convene an earlier meeting under the fourth article of the Treaty. I inclose copies of the Protocols of yesterday’s and to-day’s conferences.
I have, &c.,