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TREATY OF FRIENDSHIP, COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC OF COSTARICA

In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity

Commercial intercourse having been for some time established between the United States and the Republic of Costarica, it seems good for the security as well as the encouragement of such commercial intercourse, and for the maintenance of good understanding between the United States and the said republic, that the relations now subsisting between them, should be regularly acknowledged and confirmed by the signature of a Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation;

For this purpose they have named their respective Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

The President of the United States, Daniel Webster Secretary of State;

And his Excellency the President of the Republick of Costarica, Señor Don Felipe Molina Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of that Republic to the United States;

Who after having communicated to each other their full powers, found to be in due and proper form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles:

1 For a detailed study of this treaty, see 5 Miller 985.

ARTICLE I

There shall be perpetual amity between the United States and their citizens on the one part, and the Government of the Republic of Costarica and its citizens on the other.

ARTICLE II

There shall be between all the territories of the Republic of the United States and territories of the Republic of Costarica, a reciprocal freedom of commerce. The subject and citizens of the two countries, respectively, Shall have liberty freely and securely to come with their ships and cargoes to all places ports and rivers the territories aforesaid, to which other foreigners are or may be permitted to come; to enter into the same, and to remain and reside in any part thereof, respectively; also to hire and occupy houses and ware houses for the purposes of their commerce; and generally the merchants and traders of each nation respectively, shall enjoy the most complete protection and security for their commerce, subject always to the laws and statutes of the two countries, respectively.

In like manner the respective ships or war and post office packets of the two countries shall have liberty freely and securely to come to all harbors, rivers and places to which other foreign ships of war and packets are or may be permitted to come; to enter in into the same, to anchor and to remain there and refit, subject to the laws and statutes of the two countries respectively.

By the right of entering the places ports and rivers mentioned in this Article, the privilege of carrying on the coasting trade is not understood, in which trade national vessels only of the country where the trade is carried on are permitted to engage.

ARTICLE III

It being the intention of the two High Contracting Parties to bind themselves by the preceding Articles to treat each other on the footing of the most favored nation, it is hereby agreed between them, that any favor, privilege or immunity whatever, in matters of commerce and navigation, which either Contracting Party has actually granted, or may hereafter grant, to the subjects or citizens of the other High Contracting Party, gratuitously, if the concession in favor of that other nation shall have been gratuitous; or in return for a compensation as nearly as possible of proportionate value and effect, to be adjusted by mutal agreement, if the concession shall have been conditional.

ARTICLE IV

No higher nor other duties shall be imposed on the importation into the territories of the United States, of any article being of the growth, produce or manufacture of the Republic of Costarica and no higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into the territories of the Republic of Costarica of any articles being the growth, produce or manufacture of the territories of the United State than are or shall be payable on the like articles, being the growth produce or manufacture of any other foreign country; nor shall any other or higher duties or charges be imposed in the territories of either of the High Contracting Parties, on the exportation of any articles to the territories of the other, than such as or may be payable on the exportation of the like articles to any other foreign country, nor shall any prohibition be imposed upon the exportation or importation of any articles the growth produce or manufacture of the territories of the United States, or of the Republic of Costarica to or from the said territories of the United States, or to or from the Republic of Costarica, which shall not equally extend to all other nations.

ARTICLE V

No higher nor other duties or payments on account of tonnage of light or harbor dues, of pilotage, of salvage in case either of damage or shipwreck, or on account of any other local charges, shall be imposed in any of the ports of the Republic of Costarica on vessels of the United States, than those payable in the same ports by Costarican vessels; nor in any of the ports of the United States, on Costarican vessels, than shall be payable in the same ports on vessels of the United States.

ARTICLE VI

The same duties shall be paid on the importation into the territories of the Republic of Costarica, of any article being of the growth, produce or manufacture of the territories of the United States whether such importation shall be made in Costarican or in vessels of the United States; and the same duties shall be paid on the importation into the territories of the United States of any article, being the growth, produce or manufacture of the Republic of Costarica, whether such importations shall be made in United States or in Costarican vessels.

The same duties shall be paid, and the same bounties and drawbacks allowed, on the exportation to the Republic of Costarica, of any articles being the growth, produce or manufacture of the territories of the United States whether such exportations shall be made in Costarican or in United States vessels; and the same duties shall be paid, and the same bounties and drawbacks allowed, on the exportation of any articles, being the growth, produce or manufacture of the Republic of Costarica to the territories of the United States, whether such exportation shall be made in United States or in Costarican vessels.

ARTICLE VII

All merchants, commanders of ships and others citizens of the United States shall have full liberty in all the territories of the Republic of Costarica, to manage their own affairs themselves, or to commit them to the management of whomsoever they please, as broker, factor, agent, or interpreter; nor shall they be obliged to employ any other persons in those capacities than those employed by Costaricans, nor to pay them any other salary or remuneration than such as is paid in like cases by Costarican citizens; and absolute freedom shall be allowed in all cases to the buyer and seller to bargain and fix the price of any goods, wares, or merchandise imported into or exported from the Republic of Costarica as they shall see good, observing the laws and established customs of the country. The same privileges shall be enjoyed in the territories of the United States by the citizens of the Republic of Costarica under the same conditions.

The citizens of the High Contracting Parties shall reciprocally receive and enjoy full and perfect protection for their persons and property and shall have free and open access to the courts of justice in the said countries, respectively for the prosecution and defense of their just rights; and they shall be at liberty to employ in all cases, the advocates, attorneys, or agents of whatever description, whom they may think proper, and they shall enjoy in this respect the same rights and privileges therein as native citizens.

ARTICLE VIII

In whatever relates to the police of the ports, the lading and unlading of ships, the safety of merchandize, goods and effects, the succession to personal estates by will or otherwise, and the disposal of personal property of every sort and denomination, by sale, donation, exchange, testament, or in any other manner whatsoever, as also the administration of justice; the citizens of the two high contracting parties, shall reciprocally enjoy the same privileges, liberties and rights, as native citizens, and they shall not be charged in any of these respects, with any higher imposts or duties than those which are paid or may be paid by native citizens; submitting of course to the local laws and regulations of each country, respectively.

If any citizen of either of the two High Contracting Parties shall die without will or testament in any of the territories of the other, the Consul-General or consul of the nation to which the deceased belonged, or the representative of such Consul-General or Consul in his absence, shall have the right to nominate curators to take charge of the property of the deceased, so far as the laws of the country will permit, for the benefit of the lawful heirs and creditors of the deceased; giving proper notice of such nomination to the authorities of the country.

ARTICLE IX

The citizens of the United States residing in the Republic of Costarica, and the citizens of the Republic of Costarica residing in the United States, shall be exempted from all compulsory military service whatsoever, either by sea or by land, and from all forced loans or military exactions or requisitions; and they shall not be compelled, under any pretext whatsoever, to pay other ordinary charges, requisitions or taxes, greater than those that are paid by native citizens of the Contracting Parties respectively.

ARTICLE X

It shall be free for each of the two High Contracting Parties to appoint Consuls for the protection of trade, to reside in any of the territories of the other Party; but before any Consul shall act as such, he shall, in the usual form be approved and admitted by the Government to which he is sent; and either of the High Contracting Parties may except from the residence of Consuls such particular places as they judge fit to be excepted. The Costarican Diplomatic Agents and Consuls shall enjoy in the territories of the United States whatever privileges, exemptions, and immunities are or shall be granted to agents of the same rank belonging to the most favored nation; and in like manner the Diplomatic Agents and Consuls of the United States in the Costarican territories, shall enjoy according to the strictest reciprocity whatever privileges, exemptions and immunities are or may be granted in the Republic of Costarica to the Diplomatic Agents and Consuls of the most favored nation.

ARTICLE XI

For the better security of commerce between the citizens of the United States and the citizens of the Republic of Costarica, it is agreed, that if at any time any interruption of friendly intercourse, or any rupture should unfortunately take place between the two High Contracting Parties, the citizens of either of the two High Contracting Parties who may be within any of the territories of the other, shall, if residing upon the coasts, be allowed six months, and if in the interior, a whole year to wind up their accounts and dispose of their property; and a safe conduct shall be given them to embark at the port which they themselves shall select; and even in the event of a rupture all such citizens of either of the two High Contracting Parties who are established in any of the territories of the other, in the exercise of any trade or special employment, shall have the privilege of remaining and of continuing such trade and employment therein without any manner of interruption, in the full enjoyment of their liberty and property as long as they behave peaceably, and commit no offence against the laws; and their goods and effects of whatever description they may be, whether in their own custody or entrusted to individuals or to the State, shall not be liable to seizure or sequestration, nor to any other charges or demands than those which may be made upon the like effects or property belonging to the native citizens of the country in which such citizens may reside. In the same case debts between individuals, property in public funds, and shares of companies, shall never be confiscated, sequestered nor detained.

ARTICLE XII

The citizens of the United States and the citizens of the Republic of Costarica, respectively, residing in any of the territories of the other party shall enjoy in their houses, persons, and properties, the protection of the Government, and shall continue in possession of the guarantees which they now enjoy. They shall not be disturbed, molested or annoyed in any manner on account of their religious belief, nor in the proper exercise of their religion, either within their own private houses, or in the places of worship destined for that purpose, agreeably to the system of tolerance established in the territories of the two High Contracting Parties; provided they respect the religion of the nation in which they reside, as well as the constitution, laws and customs of the country. Liberty shall also be granted to bury the citizens, of either of the two High Contracting Parties who may die in the territories aforesaid, in burial-places of their own which in the same manner may be freely established and maintained; nor shall the funerals or sepulchres of the dead be disturbed in any way or upon any account.

ARTICLE XIII

In order that the two High Contracting Parties may have the opportunity of hereafter treating and agreeing upon such other arrangements as may tend still further to the improvement of their mutual intercourse, and to the advancement of the interests of their respective citizens, it is agreed that at any time after the expiration of seven years from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of the present Treaty, either of the High Contracting Parties shall have the right of giving to the other Party notice of its intention to terminate Articles IV, V & VI of the present Treaty; and that at the expiration of twelve months after such notice shall have been received by either Party from the other, the said Articles, and all the stipulations contained therein shall cease to be binding on the two High Contracting Parties.

ARTICLE XIV

The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington or at San José de Costarica within the space of one year, or sooner if possible.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same and have affixed thereto their respective seals.

Done at Washington this tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty one.

DAN1 WEBSTER [SEAL]

F. MOLINA [SEAL]


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