[seal.] Andrew Johnson to William H. Seward, December 28, 1866

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

Whereas satisfactory evidence has been received by me from his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of France, through the Marquis de Montholon, his envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, that vessels belonging to citizens of the United States entering any port of France or of its dependencies, on or after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, will not be subjected to the payment of higher duties on tonnage than are levied upon vessels belonging to citizens of France entering the said ports—

Now, therefore, I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by an act of Congress of the seventh day of January, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-four, entitled, “An act concerning discriminating duties of tonnage and impost,” and by an act in addition thereto of the twenty-fourth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight, do hereby declare and proclaim that on and after the said first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, so long as vessels of the United States shall be admitted to French ports on the terms aforesaid, French vessels entering ports of the United States will be subject to no higher rates of duty on tonnage than are levied upon vessels of the United States in the ports thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.