no R5? IF AND FAEMEE, AND MECHANICS' " B.EG-ISTEE. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY JONATHAN BOW, SOMERSET, SOMERSET COUNTY, PA. New Series. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1845 Vol. 4.-No. 4. am j -Jo) S f 6) Jj lm Onondaga Salt. -The quantity of O nomlaga salt made last year at the State Salines (New York) was-3, 127,500 bu shels. lr. Spencer the late Superinten dent of the Salines, expresses the opinion that he can mrke salt at Saltville (Va.) Springs at a cost not exceeding five cents per bushel, and that he ?an make coarse salt, similar to Turks Island, for a cost little exceeding that price. MESSAGE OF THE president of tljc 11. States. DECEMBER, 184 5. feUoiD-cilizens of the Senate and House of Representatives : It is to rae a source of unaflccted satis faction to meet the Representatives of the States and the people in Congress assem bled, as it will be to receive the aid of their combined wisdom in the administra tion of the public affairs. In performing, for the first time, the duty imposed on me by the constitution, of giving to you in formation of die state of the Union, and recommending to your consideration such measures as in my judgment are necessary and expedient, I am happy that I can congratulate you on the continued pros perity of our country. Under the bles sings of Divine Providence and the be nign influence of our free institutions, it stands before the world a spectacle of na tional happiness. Willi our unexampled advancement in all the elements of national greatness, the affection of the people is" confirmed for the Union of the States, and for the doc trines of popular liberty, which lie at the foundation of our government. It becomes us, in humility, to make our devout acknowledgments to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, for the inestima ble civil and religious blessings with which we are favored. In calling the attention of Congress to our relations wi-h foreign Powers, I am gratified to be able to . state, that, 'though with some of them there have existed since your last session scriov.3 causes of irritation and misunderstanding, yet no ac tual lu-Htilites have taken place. Adopt ing the maxim in the condnct of our for eign alTairs, to "ask nothing that is not right, and submit to nothing that is wrong," it has been my anxious desire to preserve peace with all nations; but, at the same time, to be prepared to resist aggression, and to maintain our just rights. In pursuance of the joint resolution of Congress, "for annexing Texas to the U niteu States," my predecessor, on the third day of March, 1815, elected to sub mit the first and second sections of that ' - resolution to the republic of Texas, as an overture, on the part of the United States, for her admission as a State into our U nion. This election' I approved, and ac cordingly the charge d'affairs of the Uni ted States in Texas, under instructions of the 10th of March, 1815, presented these sections of the resolution for the accep tance of that republic. The executive government, the Congress, and the people of Texas in Convention, have successive ly complied with all the terms and condi tions of the joint resolution. A constitu tion for the government of the State of Texas, formed by a convention of depu ties, is herewith laid before Congress. It is well known, also, that the people of Texas at the polls have accepted the terms of annexation and ratified the constitu tion. I communicate to Congress the corres pondence between the Secretary of State and our charge d'affairs in Texas; and al so the correspondence of the latter with the authorities of Texas; together with the official documents transmitted by him to his own government. The terms of annexation which were oflered by the United States having been accepted by Texas, the public faith of both parties is solemnly pledged to the compact of their union. Nothing remains to consummate the event, but the passage of an act by Congress to admit -the State of Texas into the Union upon an equal footing with the original States Strong reasons exist why this should be done at an early period of the session. It will be observed that, by the constitution of Texas, the existing government is only - combined temporarily till Congress can act; and that the third Monday of the present month is the day apyointed for holding the first general election. On that day a governor, lieutenant governor, and both branches of the legislature, will be chosen by the people. The President of Texas is required, immediately after the receiptof the official information that the new State has been admitted into our Union by congress, to convene the Legis lature; and, upon its meeting, the existing government will be superceded, and the State government organized. Questions de?ply interesting to Texas, in common wi;h the other States; the extension of our revenue laws and judicial system over her people and territory, as well as measures of a local character, will claim the early 'attention of. Congress; and, therefore, up on every principle of republican govern ment, she ought to be represented in that body without unnecessary delay. 1 can- ! not too earnestly recommend prompt ac- ! tion on this important snbject. As soon as the act to admit Texas as a State shall be passed, the union of the two republics will be consummated by their own voluntary consent. This accession to our territory has been a bloodless achivement. No arm of force has been raised to produce the result. The sword has had uo part in the victo ry. We have not sought to extend our territorial possessions by conquest, or our republican institutions over a reluctant peo ple. It was the deliberate homage of each people to the preat principle of our federative union. , If we consider the extent of territory involved in the annexation its prospec tive influence on America the means by which it has been accomplished, spring ing purely from the choice of the people themselves to share the blessings of our union, the history of the world may be challenged to furnish a parallel. The jurisdicticn of the United States, which at the formation of the federal con stitution was bounded by the St. Mary's, on the Atlantic, has passed the Capes of Florida, and been peacefully extended to the Del Norte. In contemplating the gran deur of this event, it is not to be forgotten that the result was achieved in despite of the diplomatic interference of European monarchies. Even France the country which had been our ancient ally the country which has a common interest with us in maintaining the freedom of the seas the country which, by the cession of Louisiana, first opened to us access to the Gulf of Mexico the country with which we have been every year drawing more and more closely the bonds of successful commerce most unexpectedly, and to our unfeigned regret, took part in an ef fort to prevent annexation, and to impose ou Texas, as a condition of the recogni tion of her independence by Mexico, that she never would join herself to the Uni ted States. We may rejoice that the tranquil and pervading influence of the A merican principle of self-government was sufficient te defeat the purpose of British and French interference, and that the al most unanimous voice of the people of Texas has given to that interference a peaceful and effective rebuke. From this example, European governments may learn how vain diplomatic arts and in trigues must ever prove upon this conti nent, against that system of self-government which saems natural to our soil, and which will ever resist Foreign interfe rence. Towards Texas, I do not- doubi that a liberal and generous spirit will actuate Congress in all that concents her interests and prosperity, and that she will never have cause to regret that she has united her lone star" to that glorious constella tion. I regret to inform you that our rela tions with Mexico, since your last session, have not been of the amicable character which it is our desire to cultivate with all foreign nations. On the sixth day of March last, the Mexican envoy extraordi nary and minister plenipotentiary to the United States made a formal protest, in the name of his government, against the joint resolution passed by Congress, "for the annexation of Texas to the United States," which he chose to regard as a violation of the rights of Mexico, and, in consequense of it, he demanded his pass ports. He was informed that the gov ernment of the United Slates did not con sider this joint resolution as a violation of any of the rights of Mexico, or that it. afforded any just cause of offence to his government; that the republic of Tex as was an independent Power, owing no allegiance to Mexico, and constituting no part of her territory or rightful sovereign ty and jurisdiction, He was also assured that it was the sincere desire of this go vernment to maintain with that of Mexico relations of peace and . good understan ding. That functionary, however, not withstanding these representations and as surances, abruptly terminated his mis sion, and shortly afterwards left the coun try. Our Envoy Extrordinary and Min istcr Plenipotentiary to Mexico was re fused all official intercourse with that go vernment, and, after remaining several months, by the permiseion of his own go vernment, he returned to the U. States. Thus, by the acts of Mexico, all diploma tic intercourse between the two countries was suspended. Since that time Mexico has, until re cently, occupied an attitude of hostility towards the United Stateshas been mar shalling and organizing armies, issuing proclamations, and avowing the intention to make war on the United States, either by an open declaration, or by invading Texas. Both the Congress and Conven tion of the people of Texas invited this Government to send an army into that territory, to protect and defend them a gainst the menaced attack. The moment the terms of annexation, offered by the United States, were accepted by Texas, the latter became so far a part of our own country, as to make it our duty to afford such protection and defence, , I therefore deemed it proper, as a pecautjonary mea sure, to order a strong squadron to the coasts of Mexico, and to concentrate an efficient military force on the western frontier of Texas. Our army was order dered to take position in the country be tween the Nueces and the Del Norte, and to repel any invasion of the Texan ter ritory which might be attempted by the Mexican forces, Our squadron in the gulf was ordered to ce-operate with the army. But though our army and navy were placed in a position to defend our own, and the rights of Texas, they were ordered to commit no act of hostility a gainst Mexico, unless she declared war, or was herself the aggressor by striking the first blow. The result has been, that Mexico has made no a ggressive move ment, and our military and naval com manders have executed their orders with such discretion, that the peace of the two republics has not been disturbed. Texas had declared her independence, and maintained it by her arms for more than nine years. She has had an organ ized government in successful operation during that period. Her seperate exis tence, ai an independent State, had been recognized by the United States and the principal Powers of Europe. Treaties of commerce and navigation had been concluded with her by different nations, and it had become manifest to the whole world that my further attempt on the part of Mexico to conquer her, or aver throw her government, would be vain. Even Mexico herself had become satis fied of this fact; and whilst the question of annexation was pending before the people of Texas, during the past sum mer, the government of Mexico by a for mal act, agreed to recognise the indepen dence of Texas on condition that she would not annex herself to any other Power, The agreement to acknowledge the independence of Texas, whether with or without this condition, is conclu sive against Mexico. The independence of Texas is a fact conceded by Mexico her self, and she had no right or authority to prescribe restrictions as to the form pf government which Texas might after ward, choose to assnme. But though Mexico cannot complain of the United States on account of the annexation of Texas, it is to be regreted that serious causes of misunderstanding between the twe countries continue to exist, growing out of unredressed inju ries inflicted by the Mexican authorities and people en the persons and property of citizens of the United States, through a long series of years. Mexico has ad mitted these injuries, but has neglected End refused to repair them. Such was the character of the wrongs, and such the insults repeatedly offered to American citizens ajid the American flag by Mexi co, in palpable violation of the laws of na tions and the treaty between the two countries of the fifth of April, 1831, that they have been repeatedly brought to the notice of Congress by my predecessors. As early as the eigth of February, 1837, the President of the United Sutes de clared, in a message to Congress, that "the length of time since some of the in juries have been committed, the repeat ed and unavailing applications for re dress, the wanton character of some of the outrages uponlhe persons and prop erty of our citizencs, upon the officers and flag of the United States, independ ent of recent insults to this government ane! people by the late Extraordinary Mexican minister, would jusiiry in the eyes of all nations immediate war." He did not, however, recommend an imme diate resort to this extreme measure, which, he declared, "should not be used by just and generous nations, codfiding in their strength for injuries committed, if It can be honorably avoided;" but, in a spirit of forbearance, proposed that an other demand be made on Mexico for that redress which had been so long and unjustly withheld. In these views, committees of the two Hosse of Con gress, in reports made to their respect ive bodies, concurred. Since these pro ceedings more than eight years elapsed, during which, in addition to the wrongs then complained of, others of an aggra vated character have been committed on the persons and property of our citizens. A special agent was sent to Mexico in the summer of 1838, with full authority to make another and a final demand for redress . The demand was made; the Mexican government promised to repair the wrongs of w ich we complained; and after much delay, a treaty of indemnity with that view was concluded between the Powers on the eleventh of April, 1339, and was duly ratified by both gov ernments. By this treaty a joint com mission was created to adjudicate and decide on the claims of American citi zens on the government of Mexico. The commission was organized at Washing ton on the twenty-fifth day of August, 1840. Their time was limited to eigh teen months; at the expiration of which, they had adjudicated and decided claim araonnting to two millions twenty-six thousand one hundred and thirty nine dollars and sixty-eight cents in farar of citizens of the United States against the Mexican government, leaving a large amount of claims undeeided. eOf the latter, the American commissioners had decided in favor of our citizens, claims amounting to nine hundred and twenty eight thousand six hundred and twenty seven dollars and eighty-eight cents, which were left unacted en by the um pire authorized by the treaty. Still fur ther claims, amounting to between three and four millions of dallars, were sub milted to the board too late to be consid ered, and were left undisposed of. The sum of two millions twenty-six thousand one hundred and thirty nine dollars and sixty eight cents, decided by the board, was a liquidated and ascertained debt due by Mexico to the. claimants, and there was no justifiable reason for delaying its payment according to terms of the treaty. It was not, however, paid. Mexico ap plied for fnrther iudulgence; and, in that spirit of liberality and forbearance which has ever marked the policy of the United Slates towards that republic, the requst was granted; and, on the thirtieth of Jan- ury, 1 843, a new treaty was concluded Bv this treaty it was provided, that the interest due on the awards in favor of claiments tinder the convention of the eleventh of April, 1839, should be paid on the thirtieth of April, 1813; and that "the principal of the said awards, and the interest arising thereon, shall be paid in five years, in equal instalments every three menths; the said term of five years to commeuce on the thirtieth day of April, 18-13, and the three first of the twenty instalments, have been paid. Seventeen of these instalments remain unpaid, seven of which are now due. The claims which were left undecided by the joint commission, amouniing to more than three millions of dollars, to gether with other claims for spoliations on the property of ourcitizeris, were sub sequently presented to the Mexican gov ernment for payment, and were so far recoinised, that a treaty, providing for their examination and settlement by a joint commission, was concluded and signed at Mexico on the tweutielh day of November, 18 13 This treaty was ratified by the United States, with cer tain amendments, to which no just ex ception could have been taken; but it has not vet received the ratification of the Mexican government. In the meantime our citizens who suffered great losses, and some of whom have been reduced from affluence to bakruptcy, are without remedy, unless their rights be enfocred by their government. Such a continued and nnprovoked series of wrongs could never have been tolerated by the United States, had they been committed by one of the pcincipal nations of Eerope. Mex ico was, however, a neighboring sister republic, which, following our exam ple, has achieved her independence, and for whose success and prosperity all our sympathies were early enlisted. The United States were the first to recognise her independence, and to receive her in to the f.-.mily of nations, and have ever been desirious of cultivating with her a good undemanding We have therefore borne the repeaded wrongs she has com mitted, with great patience in the hope that a returning senseof justice wauld ul timately guide her councils, and that we might, possible, honorably avoide any hostile collision with her. Without the previous authority of Congress, the Executive possessed no power to adopt or enforce adequate rem edies for the injuries we had suffered, or to do more than be prepared to repel the threatened aggression on the part of Mexico. After our army and navy had remained on the frontier and coasts of Mexico fer many weeks, without any hostile movement on her part, though her menaces were continued, I deemed it important to put an end, if possible, to this state of things. With this view, I caused steps to be taken, in the month of September last, to ascertain distinctly, and in an authentic form, what the de signs of the Mexican government were; whether it was their intention to declare war, or invade Texas, or whether they were disposed to adjust and settle, in at; amicable manner, the pending differen ces between the two countries. On the ninth of November an "official answer was received, that the Mexiean govern ment consented to renew the diplomatic relations which had been suspended in March last, and for that purpose were willing to accredit a minister from the United States. -With a sincere dessire to preserve peace, and restore relatious of good understanding between the two re publics, I waived all ceremony as to the manner of renewing diplomatic inter course between them; and assuming he initiative, on the tenth of November a distinguished citizen of Louisiana was appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Min ister Plenipotentiary to Mexico, clothed with full powers to adjust, and definitive ly settle, all pending differences, between the two countries, including those of boundary between Mexico and the State of Texas. The minister appointed has set out on his mission, and is probably by this time near the Mexican capital. He has been instructed to bring the ne gotiation with which he is charged to a conclusion at the earliest practicable period; which, it is expected, will be in time to enable me to communicate the result to Congress during the present session. Until that result is known, I forbear to. recommend to. Congress such ulterior measures of redress for the wrongs and injuries we havo so long borne, as it would have been proper to make had no such negotiation been in stituted. Congress aDpropriated, at the last ses sion, the sum of two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars for the payment of the April and July instalments of the Mexican indemnities for the year 1844; "Provided it shall be ascertained to the satisfaction of the American government that said instalments have been paid by the Mexican government to the agent appointed by the United States to recive the same, in such manner as to discharge all claim on the Mexican .government, and said agent tu be delinquent in re mitting the money to the United States." The unsettled state of our relations with Mexieo has invoved this subject in much mystery. The first mformaiion in an authentic form from the agent of the United States, appointed nnder the administration of my predecessor, was J received at the State Deparimeet on the ninth of November last. This is con tained in a letter, dated the seventeenth of October, addressed by him to one of our chrzens then in Mexico, with the view of having it commuHicated to that department. From this it appears that the agent, on the twentieth of Sep tember, 1814, gave a receipt to the treas-, ury of Mexico for the amount of the April and July instalments of the indem nity. In the same communication, however, he asserts that he had not re ceived a single dollar cash; but that he holds such securities as warranted him at the lime in giving the receipt, and "en tertains no doubt but that he will eventu ally obtain the money. As these instal ments appear never to have been actual ly paid by the government of Mexico to the agent, as that government has not therefore been released so as to discharge the claim, I do not feel myself warranted in directing payment to be mado to the claimants out of the treasury, without further legislation. Their case is, un doubtedly, one of much hardship; and it remains for Congress to decide wheth ca any, and what, relief ought to be grant ed lo them. Our minister to Mexico has beeu instructed to ascertain the facts of the case from the Mexican government in an authentic and official form, and report the result with as Utile delay as possible. Mr attention was early directed to the negotiation, which on the fourth of March last, I found pending at Washing ton between the United States and Great Britain, on the subject of the Oregon territory. Three several attempts had been previously made to settle the ques tion in dispute between the two countries by negotiation, upon the principle of compromise; tut each had proved un successful. These negotiations took place at Lon don, in the years 1818, 1824, and 1826, the two first under the administration of Mr Monroe, and the last under that of Mr. Adams, The negotiation of 1818 having failed to accomplish its ohject, resultfd in the convention of the twenti eth of October of that year, By the third article of that convention, it was "agreed, that any country that maybe claimed by either party on the northwest coast of America, westward of the Sto ny mountains, shall, together with its harbors, bars, and creeks, and the navi gation of all rivers within the same, be free and open for the term of ten years from the date of the signature of the present convention, to the vessels, citi zens, and subjects of the two Powers; it being well understood that this agree ment is not to be construed to the preju dice of any claim which either of the two high contracting parties may have to any part of the said country, nor shall it be taken to affect the claims of any other Power or State to any part of the said country; the only object of the high-contracting parties in that respect being, to prevent disputes and differen ces among themselves." The negotiation of 1824 was produc tive of no result, and the convention of 1818 was left unchanged. The negotiation of 182G, having also failed to effect an adjustment by com promise resultfd in the convention of August the sixth, 1827, by which it was agreed to continue in force, for an indefi nite period, the provisions of the third article of the convention of the twenti eth of October, 1818; snd it was further provided, that "it shall be competent, however, to either of the contracting parties, in case cither should think fit, at any lime after the twentieth of Octo ber, 1828, on giving due notice of tweTve months to the other contracting party, to annual and abrogate this convention; and it shall, in such case, be accordingly en tirely, annulled & abrogated after the ex piration of the said term of noire. In these attempts to adjust the contro versy, the parallel of the forty-ninth de gree of north latitude had been offered by the United States to Great Brnian, and in those ef 1818 and 1S26, with a fnrther concession of the free navigation of the Columbia river seuth of that lati tude. ' The parallel of the forty-ninth degree from the Rocky mountains to its intersection with the fiortueaatcinniost branch of the Columbia, and ihenco down the channel of that river to the sea, had been offered by Great Britain, with an addition of a small detached territorv north of the Columbia. Each of these propositions had been rejected by. iho parties respectively. In October, 1843, the Envoy Extra ordinary anJ Minister Plenopotentiary of the United States in London was au thorized to make a similar offer to thosa in ISIS and 1S20. Thus stood the question, when the negotiation was shortly afterwards transferred to Wash ington; and on the thirty-third of August, 1844, was formally opened, under the direction of my immediate predecessor. Like all the previous negotiations, it was based upon principles of "corupro mise," and the avowed purpose of the parties was, "to treat of the respective claims of the two countries to the Ore gon territory, with the view to establish a permanent boundary between them westward of the Kocky mountains to-the Pacific ocean." Accordingly, on the twenty-sixth of August, 1S44, the Brit ish plenipotentiary offered to divide tho Oregon territory by the forty-ninth par alel of north latitude, from the Kocky mountains-to the point of its intersection; with the northea3ternmost branch of the Columbia river, and thence down that river to the sea; leaving the free naviga tion of the river to be enjoyed in com mon by both parties the country south of this line to belong to the United States, and that north of it to Great Bri tain. At the same time, he proposed in addition, to yield to the United States a detached' territory, north of the Colum bia, extending to the Pacific & the Straits of Fuca, from Bulfinch's harbor inclu sive, to Hood's canal, and to make free to the United States any port or ports south of latitude forty-nine degrees, which they might desire, either on tho main land, or on Quadra and Vancou ver's island. With the exception of the free ports, this was the same offer which had been made by the British, and rejec ted by the American government in the negotiation of 1826. This proposition was properly rejected by the American plenipotentiary on the day it was sub milted.' This was the only proposition of compromise offered by the British plenipotentiary. The proposition on tho part of Great Britain having been reject ed, the British plenipotentiary requested thai a proposal should be made by the U nited Stales for "an equitable adjustment of the question. When I came into office, I found this to be state of the negotiation. Though entertaining the settled conviction, that the British pretensions of Ut!c could not be maintained to any portion of the Or egon territory upon any principle of pub lic law recognized by nations, yet in de ference to what had been done by my predecessors, and especially in consider ation that propositions of compromise had been thrice made by two proceeding administrations, to adjust the question on the parallel of forty-nine degrees, and in two of them yielding to Great Britain the free navigation of the Co lumbia, and that the pending negotiation had been commenced on the bas3 of compromise, I deemed it to be my duty not abruptly to break it off. In consid eration, too, that under the conventions of 1818 'and 1827, the citizens of sub jects of the two Powfrs. helJ a joint oc cupancy of thejeountry, I was induced to make anothar effort to settle this long" pending enntroversy in the spirit of mod eration which had given birth lo the re newed discussion. A proposition was accordingly made, which was rejected by the British plenipotentiary, who, without submitting any other proposition, suffer ed the negotiation on his part to drop.ex--pressing his trust that the United Slate would offer what he saw fit to callsome further'proposal for the settlement of the Oregon question, more consistent with fairness and equity, and with the rea sonable expectations of the British gov ernment.' The proposition thus offer ed and rejected 'repeated the offer of the the parallel of forty-nine degrees of north latitude, which had been made by two prcceeding administrations, but without proposing to surrender to Great Britiain, as they had done, ihe free navigation of the Columbia river. The right of any foreign Power, to the free navigation of any of our rivers, through thc-hea-rtof our country, was one which I was unwil ling to concede. It also embraced a pro vision to make free to Great Britain any port or ports on the cape of Quadra and Vancouver's island, south of this par allel. Had this been a new question, under discussion for the first time, this proposition would not have been made. The extraordinary and wholly inadmis sible demaods of the British government, and the rejection of the preposition made in deference alone to what had been done by my predecaesors, and the implied ob liFai"inn which iheir acts seemed to im-, j pose, afford satisfactory evidence that no 'compromise hich the United State", ought to accept, can be effected. v.'itl thii conviction, the proposition of com--promise which had been maVe and rejec-' ted, was by my direction, sequently: wiihdrawn, and our tit'e lo the whole f Oregon territory a?f-extc, aru a is bev.