 Republic of Texas Treaty
with the United Kingdom & Ireland
26th day of May 1842
Draft: President Lamar Letter of Credence
Re: James Hamilton
To the Right Honorable
Lord Viscount Palmerston
Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs
My Lord
I have the honor by this letter of credence
which will be presented by General James Hamilton
to accredit to her Majestys Government that Gentleman
whom I have Commissioned as a Confidential
Agent * to obtain the recognition of the Independence of
and negotiate a treaty of amity & commerce between nations
this Republic by Her Majesty’s Government; and
it is hoped he will be able to present such
reasons to your Lordship as will either alone
or in Connexion with such Minister as may
to your [Govnt?]
be [ ? ] be accredited ^ and it is hoped, this
Gentleman will be able to present such reasons
as will prove satisfactory in reference to this
Subject. To enable him to do so I have the
honor To ask to request that full faith and
credit may be given to all he shall say on
the part of this Government
Given under my hand and the
great Seal of the Republic at the City
of Austin this 21st day of Dec’r
A.D. One thouseand eight hundred and
thirty nine and in the year of
the Republic the fourth-----
* of the Republic of Texas
The object of the appointment of his Agent is that he may [col?]
To the
Endorsed:
Copy, Letter of
Credence Genl Hamilton
to Lord Palmerston to
negotiate for recognition &c.
Decr 21st 1839
Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith &ca, &ca, &ca, To All and Singular to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting! Whereas a Convention between Us and the Republick of Texas, was concluded and signed at London, on the Fourteenth day of November, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty, by the Plenipotentiaries of Us and of the said Republick, duly and respectively authorized for that purpose; which Convention is, word for word, as follows:
Convention.
Whereas Her Majesty The Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, being desirous of putting an end to the hostilities which still continue to be carried on between Mexico and Texas, has offered Her Mediation to the contending Parties, with a view to bring about a pacification between Them; and whereas the Republick of Texas has accepted the Mediation so offered; Her Britannick Majesty and the Republick of Texas have determined to settle, by means of a Convention, certain arrangements which will become necessary in the event of such pacification being effected, and have for this purpose named as Their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:
Her Majesty The Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, The Right Honourable Henry John Viscount Palmerston, Baron Temple, a Peer of Ireland, a Member of Her Britannick Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council, a Member of Parliament, Knight Grand Cross of the most Honourable Order of the Bath, and Her Britannick Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; And the Republick of Texas, General James Hamilton &ca. &ca. Who, after having communicated to each other their respective Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles:
Article I.
The Republick of Texas agrees that if, by means of the mediation of Her Britannick Majesty, an unlimited Truce shall be established between Mexico and Texas within Thirty days after this present Convention shall have been communicated to the Mexican Government by Her Britannick Majesty's mission at Mexico; and if, within Six months from the day on which that communication shall have been so made, Mexico shall have concluded a Treaty of Peace with Texas; -- then and in such case the Republick of Texas will take upon itself a portion, amounting to One Million Pounds Sterling, of the Capital of the Foreign Debt contracted by the Republic of Mexico before the 1st of January, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty Five.
Article II.
The manner in which the Capital of One Million Pounds Sterling of Foreign Debt, mentioned in the preceding Article, shall be transferred from the Republick of Mexico to the Republick of Texas, shall be settled hereafter by special Agreement between the Republick of Texas and the Republick of Mexico, under the mediation of Her Briannick Majesty.
Article III.
The present Convention shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at London as soon as possible within the space of nine Months from this date.
In Witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the Seals of their Arms.
Done at London, the Fourteenth day of November, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty.
Palmerston.. J. Hamilton. [L.S.] [L.S.]
We having seen and considered the convention aforesaid, have approved, accepted, and confirmed the same in all and every one of it's Articles and clauses, as We do by these Presents approve, accept, confirm, and ratify it for Ourselves, Our Heirs, and Successors:--Engaging and Promising upon Our Royal Word, that We will sincerely and faithfully perform and observe all and singular the Things which are contained and expressed in the Convention aforesaid, and that We will never suffer the same to be violated by any one, or transgressed in any manner, as far as it lies in Our Power. For the greater Testimony and validity of all which, We have caused the Great Seal of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to be affixes to these Presents, which We have signed with Our Royal Hand. Given at Our Court at Buckingham Palace, the Twenty Sixth day of May, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty Two, and in the Fifth Year of Our Reign.
Victoria R.
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