In 1831, President Andrew Jackson appointed James Buchanan (future president) to be the minister Plenipotentiary to Russia and instructed him to negotiate a commercial treaty with Russia. The Treaty of Navigation and Commerce between the United States of America and Russia was concluded on the Emperor's birthday, December 18th, 1832 in St. Petersburg, and was ratified on May 11, 1833. This is the story of Buchanan's diplomacy. My next post will be on the events that led to the abrupt termination by the United States of the treaty almost 80 years later in 1911.
In 1830, John Randolph of Roanoke had to resign from his position of ambassador to Russia and Buchanan was selected to take his place. Buchanan's task in Russia was a difficult one due to poor communication with the United States, lack of information from the State Department and the suspicious nature of the government in St. Petersburg. Russia, at the time was preoccupied with questions of Belgium’s independence and the recent Polish rebellion. Buchanan determined that the quickest way to convince the Emperor Nicholas I was to convince him that a treaty of commerce with the United States was in the best interests of the Russian empire. Through perseverance and personal interactions, James Buchanan was able to convince Chancellor Count Nesselrode to overcome the opposition coming from the Minsters of both Finance and Interior. Their objections included matters relating to the Tariff of Abominations of 1828 and a provision for the extradition of Russian sailors who were known to try and desert while in American ports. After many delays, Count Nesselrode suddenly notified Buchanan that Emperor Nicholas had made the decision to conclude the log-awaited treat. Despite this surprise announcement, it was another several weeks before any further word came from the Foreign office. The treaty was completed and ready for review, but again the Foreign Office stalled and there was a concern that the final details of the treaty might not be completed before Congress adjourned in March. Buchanan cleverly suggested to Nesselrode that in honor of his Imperial Majesty, the treaty be signed on the Emperor's birthday, December 18. Buchanan's diplomacy along with the recent conclusion of a Franco-British treaty maintaining independence of Belgium, gave what the United States had been seeking for twenty years, a Commercial Treaty with Russia.
In 1831, President Andrew Jackson announced to Congress that a minister would soon be nominated to negotiate a commercial treaty with "His Imperial Majesty and the Emperor his predecessor'. Despite, enjoying a most friendly and liberal trade relations with Russia, a commercial treaty had not yet been received. Health concerns of the minister and preoccupation by war had delayed attempts in the past.
"With the other powers of Europe, we have fortunately had no cause of discussions for the redress of injuries. With the Empire of the Russias our political connection is of the most friendly and our commercial of the most liberal kind. We enjoy the advantages of navigation and trade given to the most favored nation, but it has not yet suited their policy, or perhaps has not been found convenient from other considerations, to give stability and reciprocity to those privileges by a commercial treaty. The ill health of the minister last year charged with making a proposition for that arrangement did not permit him to remain at St. Petersburg, and the attention of that Government during the whole of the period since his departure having been occupied by the war in which it was engaged, we have been assured that nothing could have been effected by his presence. A minister will soon be nominated, as well to effect this important object as to keep up the relations of amity and good understanding of which we have received so many assurances and proofs from His Imperial Majesty and the Emperor his predecessor."
In 1832, Jackson made very little mention of the negotiations other than to mention that "Negotiations are going on to put on a permanent basis the liberal system of commerce now carried on between us and the Empire of Russia"
In 1833, Jackson finally had the pleasure of announcing that the treaty of navigation and commerce had been concluded. Jackson used the day of December 6, not the 18th. December 6th was the first day of the convention to sign the treaty. Either way, the treaty had been ratified and would now secure a "flourishing and increasing commerce" between the two nations.
"The friendly relations which have always been maintained between the United States and Russia have been further extended and strengthened by the treaty of navigation and commerce concluded on 1832-12-06, and sanctioned by the Senate before the close of its last session. The ratifications having been since exchanged, the liberal provisions of the treaty are now in full force, and under the encouragement which they have secured a flourishing and increasing commerce, yielding its benefits to the enterprise of both nations, affords to each the just recompense of wise measures, and adds new motives for that mutual friendship which the two countries have hitherto cherished toward each other."
For President Andrew Jackson and James Buchanan, this was the end of a successful negotiation with Russia. The treaty did nothing but formalize the status quo and there are questions about its effectiveness, but nevertheless for the next 79 years it cemented the friendly commercial ties between the two countries. That is, until 1911 when the United States under President William Howard Taft would terminate the treaty. Stay tuned, my next post will cover the events that led to and justify such an abrupt action taken by the United States.
References
Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2019). Third Annual Message | The American Presidency Project. [online] Available at: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/third-annual-message-3 [Accessed 11 Jul. 2019].
Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2019). Fourth Annual Message | The American Presidency Project. [online] Available at: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/fourth-annual-message-3 [Accessed 11 Jul. 2019].
Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2019). Fifth Annual Message | The American Presidency Project. [online] Available at: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/fifth-annual-message-2 [Accessed 11 Jul. 2019].
2001-2009.state.gov. (2019). United States Relations with Russia: Establishment of Relations to World War Two. [online] Available at: https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/pubs/fs/85739.htm [Accessed 11 Jul. 2019].
TREATY WITH RUSSIA, Investmentmoot.org. (2019). [online] Available at: http://investmentmoot.org/files/3414/4544/1265/Treaty_of_1832.pdf [Accessed 11 Jul. 2019].
Journals.psu.edu. (2019). James Buchanan's "Calm of Despotism", pages 295-298. [online] Available at: https://journals.psu.edu/pmhb/article/viewFile/31107/30862 [Accessed 11 Jul. 2019].
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