No. 22.
Mr. Bayard
to Mr. Tree.
Washington, May 21, 1886.
Sir: The copies of the “Bulletin Officiel de l’État Indépendant du Congo,” which accompanied your dispatch No. 88, have been received. The decree found in No. 3, at page 46 et seq., concerning the extradition of criminals, has been carefully examined.
It is not seen that in the possible case of a fugitive from the justice of this country taking refuge in the Congo States his recovery could be effected by us under Article I of the decree, since we could not base a special arrangement for the particular case upon an offer of reciprocity on our part in the absence of a treaty.
It might have been more convenient had the Congo States adopted the existing extradition treaties of Belgium and applied them to their own territory; in which case a simple protocol between the United States, Belgium, and the Congo States would have sufficed to extend our Belgian stipulations.
This Government will consider the advisability of negotiating a convention of extradition with the Congo States; but at present the remote prospect that such a treaty will be found necessary or useful does not suggest urgency.
I am, sir, &c.,