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Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 8 x 10, May 6, 1845. President Polk authorizes and directs "the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to a full power authorizing William R. King to exchange the ratifications of an additional article to the recent convention between the U. States and France, for the surrender of criminals." In fine condition.
This document comes from a relatively early period in the history of extradition between nations. In earlier years, people who committed crimes could escape punishment by fleeing to another country. The first extradition treaty of the United States was embodied in the 27th Article of the treaty with Great Britain of 1794, commonly called the Jay Treaty, which provided for suspected murderers and forgers to be returned to the country of their crime. The United States' first extradition treaty with France was signed in 1843 and enlarged on February 24, 1845, in an agreement by which robbery and burglary were added to the list of extraditable crimes.
At this time, William R. King was serving as United States Minister to France. His first undertaking in Paris was to ascertain King Louis Philippe's opinion on the United States annexation of Texas—a key part of Polk's presidential policy. King received a positive reaction from the French monarch, and the annexation took place without opposition from any European powers.
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