Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 22.djvu/996

 UONVENTION—SERBlA—CONSULAR. Ocronnn 2—14, 1881. 969 ARTICLE III. Consuls-general, consuls, vice-consuls and consular agents, citizens Exemptions from of the State by which they are appointed, shall be exempt from pre- *’·”°¤°· °*°- liminary arrest, except in the case of offences which the local legislation qualities as crimes and punishes as such; they shall be exempt from military billetings, from service in the regular army or navy, in the militia, or in the national guard; they shall likewise be exempt from all direct taxes, national, state or municipal, imposed upon persons, either in the nature of capitation tax or in respect to their property, unless such taxes become due on account of the possession of real estate, or for interest on capital invested in the country where the said officers exercise their functions. This exemption shall not,however, apply to consulsgeneral, consuls, vice-consuls or consular agents engaged in any profession, business or trade; but said officers shall in such case besubject to the payment of the same taxes that would be paid by any other foreigner under the like circumstances. , Anricmsz IV. When a court of one of the two countries shall desire to receive the _J¤di<=i=¤1 d¤p<>¤i~ judicial declaration or deposition of a consul-general, consul, vice- *‘°““· consul or consular agent, who is a citizen of the State which appointed him, and who is engaged in no commercial business, it shall request him, in writing, to appear before it; and in case of his inability to do so, it shall request him to give his testimony in writing, or shall visit his residence or office to obtain it orally. ‘ It shall be the duty of such officer to comply with this request with as little delay as possible. In all criminal cases, contemplated by the sixth article of the Amend- Wi tnesso s in ments to the Constitution of the United States, whereby the right is se- °¤m¤¤*1 °¤¤°°· cured to persons charged with crimes to obtain witnesses in their favor, p the appearance in court of said consular otlixmr shall be demanded, with all possible regard to the consular dignity and to the duties of his office. A similar treatment shall also be extended to the consuls of the United States in Serbia, in the like cases. Arzcrrcrn V. Uonsuls-general, consuls, vice-consuls and consular agents may place National um. over the outer door of their offices the arms of their nation, with this ¤¤d¤¤6¤· inscription: Consulate—General, or Consulate, or Vice—Consulate, or Con- t sular Agency of the United States or of Serbia. They may also raise the iiag of their country on their offices,except in the capital of the country when there is a legation there. They may in like manner, raise the ilag of their country over the boat employed by them in the port for the exercise of their functions. Anrrcnn VI. The consular offices shall at all times be inviolable. The local author- Consular omm ities shall not, under any pretext, invade them. In no case shall they *° b° *°“°m‘l°· examine or seize the papers there deposited. In no case shall those offices be used as places of asylum. ·When er consular officer is engaged in qther business, the papers relating to the consulate shall be kept separa e. Ancrrcnn VII. · In the event of the death, incapacity or absence of consnls-general, Ad interim omwusuls, vice-consuls and consular agents, their chancellors or secre- °°'°· taries, whose omcial character may have previously been made known to the Department of State at \Vashington or to the Ministry of For-