By the President of the United States of America.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas a convention between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Sweden defining the rights, privileges, and immunities of consular officers was concluded and signed by their respective plenipotentiaries at Washington on the first day of June, one thousand nine hundred and ten, the original of which convention, being in the English and Swedish languages, is word for word as follows:

The President of the United States of America and His Majesty the King of Sweden, being mutually desirous of defining the rights, privileges, and immunities of consular officers of the two countries, and deeming it expedient to conclude a consular convention for that purpose, have accordingly named as their plenipotentiaries:

  • The President of the United States of America, Philander C. Knox, Secretary of State of the United States of America; and
  • His Majesty the King of Sweden, Herman Ludvig Fabian de Lagercrantz, his envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary at Washington;

Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found to be in good and proper form, have agreed upon the following articles:

Article I.

Each of the high contracting parties agrees to receive from the other consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, vice consuls, deputy consuls general, deputy consuls, and consular agents in all its ports, cities, and places, except those where it may not be convenient to recognize such officers. This reservation, however, shall not apply to one of the high contracting parties without also applying to every other power.

Article II.

The consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, vice consuls, deputy consuls general, deputy consuls, and consular agents of each of the two high contracting parties shall enjoy reciprocally in the [Page 724] States of the other, all the privileges, exemptions, and immunities that are enjoyed by officers of the same rank and quality of the most favored nation. The said officers, before being admitted to the exercise of their functions and the enjoyment of the immunities thereto pertaining, shall present their commission in the forms established in their respective countries. The Government of each of the two high contracting parties shall furnish the necessary exequatur free of charge, and, on the exhibition of this instrument, the said officers shall be permitted to enjoy the rights, privileges, and immunities granted by this convention.

Article III.

Consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, vice consuls, deputy consuls general, deputy consuls, and consular agents, citizens of the State by which they are appointed, shall be exempt from arrest except in the case of offenses which the local legislation qualifies as crimes and punishes as such; they shall be exempt from military billetings, service in the Regular Army or Navy, in the militia, or in the National Guard; they shall likewise be exempt from all direct taxes—national, State, or municipal—imposed upon persons, either in the nature of capitation tax or in respect to their property, unless such taxes become due on account of the possession of real estate, or for interest on capital invested in the country where said officers exercise their functions, or for income from pensions of public or private nature enjoyed from said country. This exemption shall not, however, apply to consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, vice consuls, deputy consuls general, deputy consuls, or consular agents engaged in any profession, business, or trade; but the said officers shall in such case be subject to the payment of the same taxes that would be paid by any other foreigner under the like circumstances.

Article IV.

When in a civil case a court of one of the two countries shall desire to receive the judicial declaration or deposition of a consul general, consul, vice consul, or consular agent, who is a citizen of the State which appointed him, and who is engaged in no commercial business, it shall request him, in writing, to appear before it, and in case of his inability to do so it shall request him to give his testimony in writing, or shall visit his residence or office to obtain it orally, and it shall be the duty of such officer to comply with this request with as little delay as possible; but in all criminal cases, contemplated by the sixth article of the amendments to the Constitution of the United States, whereby the right is secured to persons charged with crimes to obtain witnesses in their favor, the appearance in court of said consular officer shall be demanded, with all possible regard to the consular dignity and to the duties of his office, and it shall be the duty of such officer to comply with said demand. A similar treatment shall also be extended to the consuls of the United States in Sweden, in the like cases.

Article V.

Consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, vice consuls, deputy consuls general, deputy consuls, and consular agents may place over the outer door of their offices the arms of their nation, with this [Page 725] inscription: Consulate general or consulate, or vice consulate, or consular agency of the United States or of Sweden.

They may also raise the flag of their country on their offices, except in the capital of the country when there is a legation there. They may in like manner raise the flag of their country over the boat employed by them in the port and for the exercise of their functions.

Article VI.

The consular offices shall at all times be inviolable. The local authorities shall not, under any pretext, invade them. In no case shall they examine or seize the papers there deposited. In no case shall those offices be used as places of asylum. When a consular officer is engaged in other business, the papers relating to the consulate shall be kept separate. Nor shall consular officers be required to produce the official archives in court or to testify as to their contents.

Article VII.

In the event of the death, incapacity, or absence of consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, vice consuls, and consular agents, their chancellors or secretaries, whose official character may have previously been made known to the Department of State at Washington or to the minister for foreign affairs in Sweden, may temporarily exercise their functions, and while thus acting shall enjoy all the rights; prerogatives, and immunities granted to the incumbents.

Article VIII.

Consuls general and consuls may, so far as the laws of their country allow, with the approbation of their respective Governments, appoint vice consuls general, deputy consuls general, vice consuls, deputy consuls, and consular agents in the cities, ports, and places within their consular district. These agents may be selected from among citizens of the United States or of Sweden, or those of other countries. They shall be furnished with a regular commission, and shall enjoy the privileges stipulated for consular officers in this convention, subject to the exceptions specified in Article III.

Article IX.

Consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, vice consuls, and consular agents shall have the right to address the authorities whether, in the United States, of the Union, the States, or the municipalities, or in Sweden of the State, the Provinces, or the commune, throughout the whole extent of their consular district, in order to complain of any infraction of the treaties and conventions between the United States and Sweden, and for the purpose of protecting the rights and interests of their countrymen. If the complaint should not be satisfactorily redressed, the consular officers aforesaid, in the absence of a diplomatic agent of their country, may apply directly to the Government of the country where they exercise their functions.

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Article X.

Consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, vice consuls, deputy consuls general, deputy consuls, and consular agents of the respective countries may, as far as may be compatible with the laws of their own country, take at their offices, their private residences, at the residence of the parties concerned, or on board ship, the depositions of the captains and crews of the vessels of their own country and of passengers thereon, as well as the depositions of any citizen or subject of their own country; draw up, attest, certify, and authenticate all unilateral acts, deeds, and testamentary dispositions of their countrymen, as well as all articles of agreement or contracts to which one or more of their countrymen is or are party; draw up, attest, certify, and authenticate all deeds or written instruments which have for their object the conveyance or encumbrance of real or personal property situated in the territory of the country by which said consular officers are appointed, and all unilateral acts, deeds, testamentary dispositions, as well as articles of agreement or contracts relating to property situated or business to be transacted in the territory of the nation by which the said consular officers are appointed; even in cases where said unilateral acts, deeds, testamentary dispositions, articles of agreement, or contracts are executed solely by citizens or subjects of the country within which said consular officers exercise their functions.

All such instruments and documents thus executed and all copies and translations thereof, when duly authenticated by such consul general, consul, vice consul general, vice consul, deputy consul general, deputy consul, or consular agent under his official seal, shall be received as evidence in the United States and in Sweden as original documents or authenticated copies, as the case may be, and shall have the same force and effect as if drawn tip by and executed before a notary or public officer duly authorized in the country by which said consular officer was appointed; provided, always, that they have been drawn and executed in conformity to the laws and regulations of the country where they are intended to take effect.

Article XI.

The respective consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, vice consuls, deputy consuls general, deputy consuls, and consular agents shall have exclusive charge of the internal order of the merchant vessels of their nation, and shall alone take cognizance of any differences which may arise, either at sea or in port, between the captains, officers, and crews, without exception, particularly in reference to the adjustment of wages and the execution of contracts. The local authorities shall not interfere except when the disorder that has arisen is of such a nature as to disturb tranquillity and public order on shore or in the port, or when a person of the country or not belonging to the crew shall be concerned therein.

In all other cases the aforesaid authorities shall confine themselves to lending aid to the said consular officers, if they are requested by them to do so, in causing the arrest and imprisonment of any person whose name is inscribed on the crew list whenever, for any cause, the said officers shall think proper.

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Article XII.

The respective consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, vice consuls, deputy consuls general, deputy consuls, and consular agents may cause to be arrested the officers, sailors, and all other persons making part of the crews in any manner whatever of ships of war or merchant vessels of their nation, who may be guilty, or be accused, of having deserted said ships and vessels, for the purpose of sending them on board or back to their country. To this end they shall address the competent local authorities of the respective countries, in writing, and shall make to them a written request for the deserters, supporting it by the exhibition of the register of the vessel and list of the crew, or by other official documents, to show that the persons claimed belong to the said ship’s company. Upon such request thus supported, the delivery to them of the deserters can not be refused, unless it should be duly proved that they were citizens of the country where their extradition is demanded at the time of their being inscribed on the crew list. All the necessary aid and protection shall be furnished for the pursuit, seizure, and arrest of the deserters, who shall even be put and kept in the prisons of the country, at the request and expense of the consular officers, until there may be an opportunity for sending them away. If, however, such an opportunity should not present itself within the space of two months, counting from the day of the arrest, the deserters shall be set at liberty, nor shall they be again arrested for the same cause.

If the deserter has committed any misdemeanor, and the court having the right to take cognizance of the offense shall claim and exercise it, the delivery of the deserter shall be deferred until the decision of the court has been pronounced and executed.

Article XIII.

All proceedings relative to the salvage of vessels of the United States wrecked upon the coasts of Sweden, and of Swedish vessels wrecked upon the coasts of the United States, shall be directed by the consuls general, consuls, vice consuls general, and vice consuls of the two countries, respectively, and until their arrival by the respective consular agents, wherever an agency exists. In the places and ports where an agency does not exist, the local authorities until the arrival of the consular officer in whose district the wreck may have occurred, and who shall be immediately informed of the occurrence, shall take all necessary measures for the protection of persons and the preservation of wrecked property. The local authorities shall not otherwise interfere than for the maintenance of order, the protection of the interests of the salvors, if these do not belong to the crews that have been wrecked, and to carry into effect the arrangements made for the entry and exportation of the merchandise saved. It is understood that such merchandise is not to be subjected to any customhouse charges unless it be intended for consumption in the country where the wreck may have taken place.

The intervention of the local authorities in these different cases shall occasion no expense of any kind, except such as may be caused by the operations of salvage and the preservation of the goods saved, together with such as would be incurred under similar circumstances by vessels of the nation.

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Article XIV.

In case of the death of any citizen of Sweden in the United States or of any citizen of, the United States in the Kingdom of Sweden without having in the country of his decease any known heirs or testamentary executors by him appointed, the competent local authorities shall at once inform the nearest consular officer of the nation to which the deceased belongs of the circumstances, in order that the necessary information may be immediately forwarded to parties interested.

In the event of any citizens of either of the two contracting parties dying without will or testament in the territory of the other contracting party, the consul general, consul, vice consul general, or vice consul of the nation to which the deceased may belong, or, in his absence, the representative of such consul general, consul, vice consul general, or vice consul shall, so far as the laws of each country will permit and pending the appointment of an administrator and until letters of administration have been granted, take charge of the property left by the deceased for the benefit of his lawful heirs and creditors, and moreover, have the right to be appointed as administrator of such estate.

It is understood that when under the provisions of this article any consul general, consul, vice consul general, or vice consul, or the representative of each or either, is acting as executor or administrator of the estate of one of his deceased nationals, said officer or his representative shall, in all matters connected with, relating to, or growing out of the settlement of such estates, be in such capacities as fully subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of the country wherein the estate is situated as if said officer or representative were a citizen of that country and possessed of no representative capacity whatsoever.

The citizens of each of the contracting parties shall have power to dispose of their personal goods within the jurisdiction of the other by sale, donation, testament, or otherwise, and their representatives, being citizens of the other party, shall succeed to their personal goods, whether by testament or ab intestato, and they may in accordance with and acting under the provisions of the laws of the jurisdiction in which the property is found take possession thereof, either by themselves or others acting for them, and dispose of the same at their will, paying such dues only as the inhabitants of the country wherein such goods are shall be subject to pay in like cases.

As for the case of real estate, the citizens and subjects of the two contracting parties shall be treated on the footing of the most-favored nation.

Article XV.

The present convention shall remain in force for the space of ten years, counting from the day of the exchange of the ratifications, which shall be made in conformity with the respective constitutions of the two countries and exchanged at Washington as soon as possible within the period of one year. In case neither party gives notice, twelve months before the expiration of the said period of-ten years, of its intention not to renew this convention, it shall remain in force one year longer, and so on, from year to year, until the expiration of a year from the day on which one of the parties shall have given such notice.

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In faith whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed this convention and have hereunto affixed their seals.

Done in duplicate at the city of Washington this first day of June, one thousand nine hundred and ten.

[seal.] P. C. Knox.
[seal.] H. L. F. Lagercrantz.

And whereas the said convention has been duly ratified on both parts and the ratifications of the two Governments were exchanged in the city of Washington on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand nine hundred and eleven;

Now, therefore, be it known that I, William Howard Taft, President of the United States of America, have caused the said convention to be made public, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof, may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed.


Wm. H. Taft.

By the President:
Huntington Wilson,
Acting Secretary of State.