800 Consuls, 800 Interpretations: The Uneven Projection of US Sovereignty across the Globe in the Long Nineteenth Century

Fall 2016 Legal History Workshop
When
September 30, 2016, 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Where
Walter F. Mondale Hall
Room 473

University of Minnesota Law School
229 19th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55455

From the creation of the US Consular Service as part of the new Department of State in 1789, consuls were essential to the proper functioning of US sovereignty in a global context. In performing their duties, they gave meaning and force to a range of bilateral treaties, and they were essential to the collection of customs duties, which were the chief source of federal revenue. As the nineteenth century progressed, the number and complexity of US laws with international aspects grew, as did the volume of people and goods crossing international borders. Consular responsibilities grew accordingly, as did the size of the service, but training and instructions to consuls did not. This talk will explore the Washington-based Consular Bureau's efforts to create a service that performed its tasks uniformly and effectively and the obstacles to that project presented by consuls more attuned to local conditions, those with their own conceptions consular responsibilities, and those whose education and experiences were overwhelmed by the demands of their posts.

Note: This is a discussion based workshop of work-in-progress with the expectation that those attending have read the workshop materials. Please contact Jacquelyn E. Burt at ruppx077@umn.edu for a copy of the materials.Â