1828 John Quincy Adams - Treaty of Commerce and Navigation with Austria

In 1825, almost 50 years after Austria had rejected the first U.S. representative to Austria, Secretary of State Henry Clay announced that the United States was ready to conclude a commerce and navigation convention with  the Austrian Empire.  An empire that President John Quincy Adams described as "one of the most eminent and powerful nations of the earth".

In 1828, Emperor Francis gave Baron Von Lederer full power to negotiate a treaty and have formal discussion on trade with the United States.   Unfortunately, neither Adams nor Clay were able to place their signatures on the treaty. The convention did not conclude until 1829 after Andrew Jackson was elected president.  President Jackson and Secretary of State Martin Van Buren signed the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation on August 27, 1829 by then President Andrew Jackson. The treaty was later ratified on February 10, 1830 and then by President Andrew Jackson on February 11, 1830.  The treaty went into force in February of 1831, and remained in force until the U.S. entered World War I.  The articles of the treaty provided reciprocal and free trade between the two nations, granting free entry into the ports, places and rivers of the territories of each party.  The treaty granted each nation the status of most favored nations and restricted either nation from placing additional duties or tariffs on the other's vessels.  Nevertheless, Adams had some glowing words about the treat in 1828.

"A treaty of amity, navigation, and commerce between the United States and His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, has been prepared for signature by the Secretary of State and by the Baron de Lederer, intrusted with full powers of the Austrian Government. Independently of the new and friendly relations which may be thus commenced with one of the most eminent and powerful nations of the earth, the occasion has been taken in it, as in other recent treaties concluded by the United States, to extend those principles of liberal intercourse and of fair reciprocity which intertwine with the exchanges of commerce the principles of justice and the feelings of mutual benevolence."

President Jackson gave a brief mention to the treaty with Austria during his first State of the Union address that was "commenced and nearly completed with that power by the late Administration."

Our trade with Austria, although of secondary importance, has been gradually increasing, and is now so extended as to deserve the fostering care of the Government. A negotiation, commenced and nearly completed with that power by the late Administration, has been consummated by a treaty of amity, navigation, and commerce, which will be laid before the Senate.

In Jackson's second State of the Union Address, he informed Congress that the treaty had not yet taken place.  The Austrian government had not ratified the treaty.

"The exchange of ratifications of the treaty concluded last year with Austria has not yet taken place. The delay has been occasioned by the non-arrival of the ratification of that Government within the time prescribed by the treaty. Renewed authority has been asked for by the representative of Austria, and in the mean time the rapidly increasing trade and navigation between the two countries have been placed upon the most liberal footing of our navigation acts."

In 2013, the U.S. and Austria celebrated 175 years of diplomatic relations.  Official diplomatic relations began in 1838, when Henry A. Mulenberg presented his credentials in Vienna as the first American Minister to Austria.  In that same year, Wenzel Philipp Baron de Mareschal presented himself in Washington D.C.  By 1850, Austria had 11 honorary Consular Offices in the Untited States with a significant focus on trade in tobacco and Cotton. 

References

Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2018). John Quincy Adams: Fourth Annual Message. [online] Available at: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29470 [Accessed 26 Jun. 2018].

Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2018). Andrew Jackson: First Annual Message. [online] Available at: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29471 [Accessed 22 Aug. 2018].

Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2018). Andrew Jackson: Second Annual Message. [online] Available at: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/second-annual-message-3 [Accessed 22 Aug. 2018].

Austrian Information. (2013). 175 Years of Diplomatic Relations. [online] Available at: http://www.austrianinformation.org/current-issue-summerfall-2013/175-years-of-diplomatic-relations-between-the-us-and-austria [Accessed 27 Jun. 2018].

Avalon.law.yale.edu. (2018). Avalon Project - Treaty of Commerce and Navigation Between Austria-Hungary and The United States; August 27, 1829. [online] Available at: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/aust01.asp [Accessed 27 Jun. 2018].