BY DAY ID OYER. PRSSIBB'm MBSSIGB. j Fclloto Citizens of tA: Senate end House of Representatives. When ire compare the condition of the coun try at the present J.iy with wbd it was one year •go, at the meeting of Congress, we have much reason Cor gratitude to that Almighty Providence which has never Cmied to interpose for our re lief, at the uiott critical periods of our history. One year ago, the sectional strife between the 1 l.orih and eouth, on the dangerous subject •.<[ eLvery, had agaiu become so intense as to tbrcaiCD the peaco an 1 perpetuity of the con federacy. The application for the Jans-don of Kansas as a State into the Union, fostered 'his unhappy agitation, and brought 'ue whole sub ject once more before (Congress. It was tin desire of every patriot th it such measures of legislation might ha adopted as would remove the excitement from the States, a-i 1 confine it t) li lerii'oiy wnrre it legiriinjieiv belonged. Much h- i-ec.i ioue, lam .ppy to siv, vow-tds the iCComn.isiuaeut of this ol>jce, during she fait se.-si-'Q nt thing' ess. The "supreme Court o; the United States had previously decide i that ..31 American citizens have an -qu.il right tu take into the territories whatcV' r is held a, property under the laws of ny of '-be .States, and to hold such property ilt ere under tins guardianship of the fedora! cuu-titutioD, *" ! i.g us :he territorial condition thai! rem h. : Lis is no., a re! c-t .hiisbcJ position, and the proceedings i f the last session were ukue wanting to g;v • : i.'act,s .1 effect. The prin ciple bus oeeij r.eugutz ■i l .u some form or oth er, by an aim >*t unanimous vote of both houses i f Congress, ih,; a territ.-ry L< a right to come into the Union either us a free or a slave State, according to the Wiil ot a majority of its pro plc. The just equality of all the States litis thus I een viuJic.itei, and • fruitful s urea of dangerous dtssens: u am' tig them Uus : ru re move J. Whilst such Las t ecu the beneficial tendency ot your legislative proceedings outside of Kl --*e, their it flueu.ee Las row here been so happy as within that territory ii.-etf. L-.-ft to manage and control i's own fcff.irs in jr.s ovru way, with out ifie ci• -sure o • xt-rtol influence, the rtv- I'lutiomry l op ka r rgantziiion end all resist ance to the territorial government established ny Congress, have been finally abandoned. Ao •t natural consequence, that fine territory now appears to bo tranquil and prosperous, and i" attracting increasing thousands . , car.gru t: s to make it their happy home. The past unfortunate txpcriei.ee of K i.-as nas enforced the lesson s( > often already taught that resistance to lawful autoriM, under our form of t'ovemincut, cannot fail in ice end to prove disastrous to it., authors. Ha i the peo ple of the territory yielded obedience to the laws enacted by then* legislature it would at 'he present moment have contained a large ad ditional population if industrious and entor. pri-iug cuiztms, who have tuiuii deterred from euteriug its border, by the existence of civil strife and organiz d rebellion. It was the resUtaucc- to rigb'fu! aatbc-rity and the persevering attempts to establish a rev olutionary government under the Topeka con stitution, which Caused the people of Kansas to commit the grave error of refusing to vote for delegates to the convention to frame a consti tution, uuuer a law not denied to be fair and just in its provisions. This refusal to vote has Lecu the prolific source of all the evils which have followed. In their hostility to the terri torial government, they disregarded the pnnci pie, absolutely essential to the working of our torui of governmeut, that - majority of those who vote —not the majority who mav reman at Louie, from whatever cause—must decide the result of an election. For this reason, seeking to take advantage of their own error, they de nied the authority of the couveu'ion thus electr id to frame a constitution. ' Tbe convention, notwithstanding, proceeded to adopt a constitution unexceptionable in its general leaiutcs. and providing for the eubinis tiou of the slavery question to a vote of the people, which, in my opinion, ;b y were bound to do, under the Kansas ana .Nebraska aei.— This was the ail-important question which had Mono convulsed tho territory, und yet the op ponents ot the lawful government, persisting in their first error, refhiiuetl from exercising their right to vote, and preferred that slavery should continue, ratucr tiiau surrender their revolutionary Topeka organizuiion. A wiser and better spirit seemed to prevail tefore the first Monday of January last when aa election was held under the constitution.— A majority of the people then voted for a gov ernor and other State officers, for a member of Uougress, and members of tiio State legislature. This elcctiou was warmly contested by tbe two political parties in Kansas, and a greater vote was ptilied than at any previous election. A large majority of the members of the legisla ture elect belonged to that party which had 1 riviously refused to vote. Tho anti-slavery party were thus placed in tbo ascendant; and the political power of the State was in their own hand*, llud Congress admitted Kuusas into the Union under the Lecomptou constitu tion, the legislature might, at its very first ses st*s, have submitted the question to a vote of tLe people, whether tbey would or would not have a convention to amend the constitution, either on the slavery or uuy other question, and have adopted ail necessary moans for giving •peedy effect to tire will of lire majority. Thus the Kaunas question would have been iortnadi ateiy and fiually nettled. Uuuer these circumstances, I submitted to 1 ongrcss the constitution thus framed, with all Uie officers ulready elected necessary to put the government into operation, accoiupauied by a strong recommendation in tavor of the ad mission ol Kansas as a JSute. lu the course of my long punt to life I have never performed A Weekly Paper, Devoted to Literature, Politics, the Arts, Scieaees, Agriculture, &e., &c—Terras: One Dollar and Fifty Cents in Advance. any official act which, in the resro-pect, has uf forded tua more heartfelt satisfaction. It? ad mission could have inflicted no possible injury on any human being, whilst it would, within a brief period, have restored peace to Kansas and harmony to the Union. Io tlmtevonr, the slavery question would era this hare been fin ally settled; according to the legally expressed will of a majority of the voters, and popular sovereignty would thus have been vindicated in a constitutional manner. With mv drop convictions of duty, I could have pursued uo other course. It is true that, as aci iudividud, I had expressed an opinion, both before and daring the session of the con vention, in favor of submitting the remaining clauses of the constitution, as well as (hat con cerning slavery, to the people, But, acting in an official character, neither myself mw any human authority had the power to rcjudgo the proceedings of the convention, and declare the constitution which it had framed to be a nullity. To have done this, wpnld have been a violation of the Kansas and Nebraska act, which left the people of the territory "perfectly free to form •nd regulate their domestic- institutions in their own way, subject eniy 'o the constitution of the Uuiti l Scales.'' It would equally have violated the great principle of popular s.iver eigijty, at the foundation of ocr iosMtut'ons, to deprive the people of the power, if tliey thought proper to exercise it, cf confiding to delegates elected by themselves the tru.-t of framing a constitution, without requiring tliem to subject their constituents t" tho trouble, expen.-o and d-lay of a scc. nd election. It wool 1 have hc-ti iu opposition to many j.recedeuts in our history, commencing in the very best age of the repub lic, of the a-.mission of teriitorics as States into li e Union, without a previous vote of the peo ple approving (Leir constitution. It is to L-e lamented ihat a question so insig nificant when viewed io its practical effects on D.e people of Kansas, whether decided one way cr tiio other, should iiave kindled such a flame cf .x.'itemont throughout the country. This icfl'.'Otion in.y prove to bo a lessou of wisdom and of warning f-r our future guidance. Ih .'c iiealiy considered, the question is simply w' eth •■r the people >.[ that territory should first come into the Union uad then change any provision in their constitution uot agrecahie to themselves or ac-oiii-ii-di the very s.'uo object by re lualuing t-ut of t!-e Ut.iori and framing another constitution in accordance with their will? .n I'itliur case the result would be precisely the souic. The only d.ff.'ience in pr-iat of fact is, that the ebjeoi w* old hiyc hoeti mue'i sooner nttaiucd, and -he pariSealion of Kinsvs more -pC-'di'iy effected, had it been admitted as ;t State during the last cession of Congress. My i ecomiuendaii.. ii, however, for the hum-.- iliate admissi ;i of K'naa3, iViltd to meet, th" approLatiou of Congress. They deemed it wiser to adopt a different measure for the settlement of the question. For tny own part, I should have been willing to yield my assent to aiuiost any cons'itutional measure to aceampiish this ohjeet. I, therefore, cordially acquiesced iu what has been called the English Compromise, and approved t he "act for the admission of the State of Kui-as iuto the Union," upon the terras tl. 'ieiu prescribed. Under the rtdiiiance which accompanied the Eeeempt.-u constitution, the people of Kansas had claimed louhie the quantity of public lauds fcr the .support of common schools, which had over been previously granted to any State upon entering lite Union; ami also the alternate sec t os of land for twelve miles on eaeii side ot two rail roads, proposed to he constructed from the northern to the southern boundary, and from the . astern to the western boundary of the State. Congress, deeming these claims unrea sonable, pro\ ided, by the act of May 4, 18;3, to which I have just referred, for the admission of the State on an equal footing wiih the origi nal States, but ''upon the fundamental ennui tion precedent" that a majority of the people thereof, at au election to be held Ur that pur pose, sh' uld, iu place of the very large grants of public lands witieh they had demanded under the ordinance, accept such grauts as had been made to Minnesota and other new Stafe.s. Un der this act, stiould u m juity reject the pro position offered tbcui, "it sliall be deemed and held that the people of Kansas do not desire admission into the Union with said constitution under the conditions set ,orth in said proposi tion." 1_ that event, the act authorizes the people of tl.c territory to elect delegates to forui a constitution and State government tor themselves, "whenever, and not before, it is as certained by a census, duly and ieguiiy taken, that the population of said territory equals or exceeds (he ratio of representation required tor a member of the House ot .Representatives of the Congress of the United States." The dele gates thus assembled "shait first determine by a vote whether it is 'he wish ot the people ot tbo proposed State to bo admitted iuto the Uuion at that time, and, it so, shall proceed to form a constitution, and lake all uecessary steps for tiio establishment of a State governuicut in conformity with the tedctal constitution. Al ter this constitution sluil have beou toriued, Congress, carrying out the principles of popu lar sovereignty aud non-intervention, have lefi "the mode ar.d manner ot its approval or rati fication by tho people of the proposed t. be ''prescribed by law," aud th"}' "shall then be uduiitted into tho Union as a At .te un der such cousfitutiou thus fairly and legally made with or without slavery, as said coiHUtu tion may prescribe." Au election was held throughout Kansas, iu pursuance of the provisions of this act, on the second day of August last, and it re-uiteu in the rejection, by a large majority, of the pro- P"iition submitted to the people by Oougress.— I'll is being tbe case, they arc now authorized to form another constitution, preparatory to ad mission into th J Uuion. but not until their num ber, as ascertained iy 4 r- nsu", shall equal or BEDFORD, PA., FRIDAY. DECEMBER 17, 1858. I exceed the ratio required to elect a member 'o the House of Representatives. It is not' probable, in fho present state of . the ease, that a third constitution can be law fully framed and presented to Congress by j Kansas, before its population shall have reach ed the designated number. Nor is it to be presumed (hat, after their Sid experience in re sisting tbe territorial laws, they will attempt to adopt a constitution iu express violation of the provisions of an act of Cingress. During the session of 185G, much of the time of Con gress \Vu9 occupied ou ihe question of admit -1 ting Kansas uudor the Topeka constitution.— ; Again, nearly the whole of the last session was devoted to tire question of its admission under i the Lecouqton constitution. Surely, it is uot | unreasonable to requite the people of Kansas I to wait, before making a thud attempt, until ; tbe number of tbc.r inhabitants shall amount to uiucty-tbreo thousand four hundred and twenty. During this brief period, the harmo ny of the States, as well as the great business interests of lhe country, demand that the peo ple of the Uuion shall uoi, for a third time, be convulsed by another agitation on the Kansas ! question. By waiting for a short time, aud . acting iu obedience to law, Kansas will glide ' into the Union without the slightest iuipedi | tuent. This excellent provision, which Congress ; have applied to Kansas, ought to he ex'euded and rendered applicable t'o all territories which i may hereafter seek admission iuto the Uuion. \\ hilst Congress possess the undoubted pow er of admitting a uew State into tbe Union, however ftiuxil may be the number of its inhabi tants, yet this power ought uot, in my opinion, ; to be exercised before tbe population shah •mount to the ra'io require 1 b% the act for the • admisd.in of Kansas, li .d ibisheet. previously i the ruie the country would have escaped sii the evil? and misfortunes to which it has been ts ! posed by the Ivan "as question. Of ccufso it would be unjust to give this tula a retrospective application, and exclude a State which, ac'iug upon tbe pa-t practice of Ihe governiucn*, baa a!ready formed il.s constitution, ei oted its UJ-io'r.ie atti ather officer*, and is nu-.v prepared to enter the Uuion. Vhe rr.'e ought to be ad >p?ed, wln-ther we consider its bearing on tLe people of the terri tories or npou the people ui tbe existing Siates. i Mauy of me serious uisseutioos which L ive ! prevailed iti Congress and throughout ths coun try, v.iuld have been avoided, had this rule > fit an earlier period of 'be gov ernment. i Immediately upon tue fo. m v iou ot a terri tory, people from diffefcut States aud irom foreigu eouu vies rush into ii, for the laudable ; purpose of improving th ir condition. Their | first duty to themselves is to open and cultivate . tarui", to cons'r .jt ro. is, to establish school?, to erect places of religious worship, and to de | vote their energies generally to reclaim the ; Wiidct'tocij and to lay the foundations cf a flourishing and prosperous commonwealth. If, in this incipient condition, with a population of ' a few thuusaud, they should prematurely enter the Union, they are oppressed by the burdeu of ; State taxation, and the means necessary for the , improvement of (lie territory and the aUvance j incut of their own iutcresis, are thus diverted ; to very difiereut purpose'. Tiie federal govoiuaient lias ever been a liberal parent to the territories, and a generous contributor to the useful enterprises of the early outliers, it has paid the expenses of their governments aud legislative assemblies out of . rtie common treasury, and ihus relieved theiu Irom a heavy charge. Under these circuiti stauces, noiuing can he better calculated to retard their material progress, than to divert them from their uselut employ rncnts, by prema turely exciting angry political contests mut'iig themselves, tor ihe benefit of aspiring leaders, i It is su.tdy no hardship tor embryo governors, senators, and membursot Congiesv, to wait un til the number ot inhabitants shall equal tuose [of a siugio eoogre.-sioiirii district. Tucy surely ought not to be permitted to rush into the ( Union, with a population less than oue-half of several of the large counties in the interim of some oi ihe bute?. i iri-s was the condition of ; Katisas when it tuade application to he admitted j uudcr tho topeka constitution. Resiues, it requires some time to render tne Uij-s of a ! population collected iu a new territory, at all homogeneous, and to uuiie th in ou au> thing lIAC U fixed poiiey. Establish the rule, and mi wtiJ look. ioi'tVaru to ii „ijd govern theuiseivss ; accordingly. j Rut jusitce to the people of the several States requires that this rule stiouid bo established by i Congress. Each State is '.ntitled to two stua : tvirs and at least one representative iu Congress, i Should tue people of the Stales fail to elect a \ ice Fresiuout, the power devolves upou the ! Senate to select tins officer from the two high ■ est cauuidalcs cb liis list. In case of the death jof the Ficsiueut the Vice President, thus | elected by ihe Senate, becomes President of . ihe United Stales. Ou ad questions ot iegis laiiou the senators irom lao smallest Stales of i the Union have au equal vote with those from tne largest, lue same may be said in regard i io the ratification ot treaties, and of Executive appointments. All this Las worked admirably ' iu practice, whilst it conforms iu priuciple with the ciisiacier ot a government instituted by | sovereign States. I presume no Auicricau j citizens would desire the slightest change iu the arrangement. Still, is it not unjust and uuequai to the existing States to invest some forty oi fifty thousand people, collected iu a territory, with the attributes of sovereignty, and place them on an equal footiug with Vir ginia aud New York in the Senate of tbe United i States ? For these reasons 1 earnestly recommend the ! passage of a general act, which shut! provide | that upon the application of a territorial legis ! inline, declaring their belief that tire territory ' contains a number of inhabitants which, if m a State, would entitle them to elect a member of Congress, it shall ba the duty of the President to cause a census of (he inhabitants to be ta ken, t i if fcuud sufficient, then, by the terms of this act, to authorit them to proceed "in way" to frame a State constitution, preparatory to admission iut> the Union. I also recommend that an appropriation may be mason, ujivi in this they were not disappoint ed. Tbe Secretary of War employed all his en ergies to forward them the necessary supplies, ■■Old to mu9ter and send such -a military force to [ Utah as would render resistance ou the part of the Mormons hopeless, and thus teriniuate the war without the effusion ot blood, jtj his ef forts lie was efficiently susUtnod by Congress. They granted appropriations sufficient to cover the deficiency thus necessarily created, und also provided for raising two regiments of vol unteers, "for the purpose of queiiiug distur bances m the territory of Utah, for the pro- . teoti! u of supply and emigrant Hams, aud the* suppression ot Indian hostilities ou the Iron tiers. Happily, there was no occasion to call these regiments iuto service. If there had been, I should have felt serious embarrassment iu selecting them so great was '.lie number of our brave and patriotic citizens anxious to s.ive j their country in this di.-t;.nt aud dangerous ex- j peditioti. Thus it has ever been,and thus unj i: j ever tie ! Tne wisdom mid economy of semimg sutueieut reinforcements to Utah are established uot only [ by the event, hut in the opinion of those who, | from their position and opportunities, are the j most capable of formiug a correct judgment, j General Johnston, (hecommander of the forces, | iti addressing the Secretary ot \\ ar, from Fort j Bridger, under date of October, 1357, ex- , presses the opiuion that "uukss a Urge toroe i is sent here, from the nature of the country, a j protracted war on their (the Mormons) part is j inevitable." This lie considered necessary, to ] terminate the war "speedily aud more economi cally than if attempted by insufficient means." lu the meantime, it was my auxiou9 desire that tbe Mormons should yield obediance to the constitution aud the laws, without renJcriug it necessary to resort to military toroe. Io aid in accompiisuiug this ohjeet, 1 deemed it ud~ visabie, iu April Usf, to uisputch two dis tinguished citizens of the United fetato*, Messrs. Powell and MoCullocb, to Utah, lliey bore with the in a proclamation, addressed by myself to the iuhabttauts of Utali, dated on the sixth day of that month, warning thorn ot their true ooudition, aud how hopeless it was ou thtb pait to persist in rebellion against the United States, and offering all those who should sub mit to the laws a full pardou for their past seditions and treasons At the sauia lime, I assured those who should persist iu rebeiliou against the United States, that they must ex pect no further lenity, but look to be rigorous ly dealt with according to thtir deserts. Ihe instructions to these agents, as well as a copy of tho proclamation, and their reports, are herewith submitted. It will bo seen by their report of the dd of July last, that they have fully confirmed the opinion expressed by Gen- [ eral Johnson in tbe previous October, as to the ! necessity of sendiug reinforcements to Utah. : In this they state, that they "are firmly iui ; pressed with the belief that the presence of i the army here and the large additional farce i that had been ordered to this territory, where the chief inducements that caused the Mormons to abandon the idea of resisting the authority of the United States. A k.s decisive polky | would probably have resulted iu a long, bloody, and expensive war. These gentlemen conducted themseivee to my eutire satisfaction, and rendered useful ser vices in executing tbe humane intentions of the government. It also affords ir.e great satisfaction to state that Governor (Juuiiu;ug has preformed his duty in an able and conciliatory manner, aud with the happiest effect. 1 cannot, in ilfis con-j iiexion, retrain tr-un men tinning the valuable: services of Coi. Thomas L. ivt'ne, who, from motive? of pure benevolence, and without any official character or pecuniary compensation, visited Utah during tlie last inclement winter, for the purpose of eon'rihutiug to iho pacifi cation of the territory. I am happy to inform you that the governor and other civil officers of Uth are uow per formiug their appropriate fuuciious without re sistance. The authority of the constitution and the laws has been fully restored, and peace prevails throughout the territory. A portico of the troops sent to Utah are now encamped in Cedar V.!iey, forty-four tuiles southwest of Salt Eake City; and the remain der have been ordered to Oregon to suppie->s Indian hostilities. The march of the aimy to Sab Lake City, j rurough the Indian territory, has bad u power- j ful effect in restraining the* Loitile feelings j against the United States which existed among j ihe Indians iu that region, and in securing em igrants to the far west against their depreda tions. This will also be the means of estab lisLiug military posts and promoting settle ments alcng the route. I recommend that the benefits of our land laws and pre-emption system ba extended to the people of Utah, by the establishment of a j land office in that territory. I have occasion, a'so, to congratulate you on j the result cf rur negotiations with China. You wore informed in my m-t annual mes sage that our minister had he; instructed to occupy a neutral position ia tbe hostilities Con ducted by Great Britain ami France against Canton. Re was, bo'.vevU, a' the -.me tint", directed to co-operate cordially who the Bur is a and French ministers in oil peaceful iners urc.-i to secure by treaty those just concessions to foreign commerce which the nations ot' the world had a right to demaui. It wr.v impossi ble for tne to proceed further then this on my own authority, without usurping the war-ma king power, which, under the constitution, be longs exclusively to Oo.ngr ss. Besides, after a careful examination of the nature and extent of or.r grievances, I did no: believe they were of such a pressing and ag gravated cbaracted as would have justified Congress iti declaring war against the Guicese empire, without first uiakiog another earnest attempt to adjust thctu by peaceful negotiation. I was the more inclined to this opinion, be cause of the severe chastisement which had then but recently been inflicted upon the Obi tiese by our squadron, in the capture and de struction of the Barrier forts, io avenge an al leged insult to our flrg. Tiio event has proved the wisdom of our neutrality. Our minister has executed his in structions with eminent skill and ability. In conjunction with tbe Russian plenipotentiary, he has peacefully but effectually co-operated with tbe English aud French plenipotentiaries, aud each of the lour powers has concluded a separate treaty with China, of a highly satis factory character. Ihe treaty coueiuded by our own plenipotentiary will immediately be submitted to the Feimte. I am happy to announce that, tLtough the energetic, yet conciliatory efforts of our eonsui geueral in Japan, a new treaty has been con cluded with that empire, wtiieb may be expect ed materially to augment our trade and iuer- 1 course m T.at quaiter, and remove from our countrymen the uisupilities which have hereto- [ fore boon imposed upon the exercise of their religion. Tue tieaty shall be submitted to the Senate, for approval, without delay. 1; is my earnest desire that every misunder standing with tho government of Great Britain should be amicably and speedily adjusted. It has been the misfortune of both countries, al most ever since the period of the revolution, to have been annoyed by a succession of irrita ting aud dangerous questious, threatening their friendly relations. This has partially prevent ed the full development of those feelings of mutual friendship between tha people of the two countries, so uatural in themselves, and so conducive to their common interest. Any se rious luterrupliou iu the commerce betweeu tho United Suites aud Great Britain, would be equally injurious to both, iu fact, no two na tious have evci existed on the face of the earth, which could do each other so much good or so much harm. EuterUiuiag these sentiments, I am gratified to inform you that the long pending controver sy betweeu the two governments, iu relation to tne question of visitation and search, has been amicably adjusted. Tho claim ou the part of Grea'i liritatu, forcibly to visit American ves sel" on the high seas iu time of peace, could uot be sustained under the law of nations, aud it has been overruled by her most euiiueut ju rist?. This question was recently brought to au issue, by (ho repeated acts of British cruis ers, iu boardiug and searching our meioh-mt vessels in the Gulf of Mexico and tbe atija ceut seas. These acts were the more injurious and annoying, as these waters are traversed by a large portiou of the commerce and naviga tion of the United States, and ibeir free and VOL. 31, NO. I unrestricted ue is csftoiiti.il to the security of I the coastwise trade between different States of I the Union. Such vexatious iuterrnptions could | uot fail to excite tiic feelings of the country, and to rfquire the interposition of the govern ment. Remonstrances were addressed to the British government against these violations of our rights of sovereignty, and a naval force was at the smic time ordeicd to the Cuban wa ters, with directions "to pio'ect all vessels of the United .States on the high seas, from search e>i detention by the vessels of vrar uf ary oth er Lai ion." These measures received the un qualified snd even enthusiastic approbation of the American people. Most foitunatcly, how ever, no collision took place, and the British government promptly avowed its recognition of tiic principles of international iaw upon this subject, as laid down Ly the government of tho United States, in the note of lbs Secretary of 3:ate to the British Minister at Washington, of Aptii 10, 1858, which secure the vessels of the Uuited Slates upon the high seas fioin vis itation or search in time of peace, under any circumstances whatever. The claim baa been abandoned iu a manner rcfiecting honor on the British government, aud evincing a just regard for the law of nations, and cuuuoi faii to strengthen the amicable relations between the two countries. The British government, at tho same time, proposed to the United States that some mode nhculi bs adopted by mutual arrangement be tween the two countries, of a character which may be found effective, without being offensive, for verifying ihe nationality of vessels sus pected, on good grounds, of catryiog false col ors. They have also invited the United State* to take the initiative, and propose measures for this purpose. Whilst declining to assume so grave a responsibility, the Secretary of State has informed the British government that we are ready to receive any proposals which thoy may feel disposed to offer, having tbis object in view, and to cousider them ia an amicable spir i'. A strong opinion is, however, expressed, that the occasional abuse of the flag of any nu'.iou is an evil far leas to be deprecated, than would be tbe establishment of any regulations which might be incompatible with the freedom o." the sea 3. This government has yet receiv ed no communication specifying the manner iu which the British government would propose to ca.ry out their suggestion, and lam iuciiued to believe that no plan which can be devised, wiii be free from grave embarrassments. Still I shall form no decided opiuion on the subject, uo ii I si.aii have earefu'Jy and iu ihs best spirit examined any proposal which they may tuiak pioper to uiakc. lam ttuly sorry I cannot also inform you ihat the complications between Great Britain and the Jutted States, arising out of the Clay ton at. 1 Buhvcr tre-i'v of April, 1850, have been f; idly adjusted. At the commencement cf your last session, I Lad reason to hope that, emancipating them selves trom further unavailing disoussions, the two governments Wcuib proceed to settle the Central American question in a practical man ner, alike honorable and satisfactory to both; and this Lope 1 have not yet abandoned, la my List annual message, 1 stated that overtures had beeu made Ly toe British government for this purpose, in a friendly spirit, which 1 cor uiaiiy reciprocated. Their proposal was to withdraw these questions from direct negotia tion between tbe two governments; but to ac ( couipiish the same object by a negotiation be tween the British government and each of the Central American republics whose territorial interests aro immediately involved. The set tlement \yas to be mMe in accordance with the geueral tenor of lite interpretation put upou the Clayton and Buiwer treaty by the Uuited Btates, with certain modifications. As nego tiations are stiii pending upou tbis basi-q it would not be proper for me now to communi cate their present condition. A final settle ment ot these questions is greatly to be desi red, as this would wipe out the last remaining subject between the two countries. Our relation with the great empires of France and Russia, as wcli us with all other govern ments on the continent of Europe, txeept th!t of Spain, continue t against the Spanish government, the merits of which have been ably discussed for a series of years, by our successive diplomatic representatives.— Xotwitbstanding tbis, we have not arrived at a result in any siugie instance, unless wo may except the case of tbe Black Warrior, under the lato administration; and that pre sented an outrage of such aeharaotcr as would have justified an immediate resort to war. All our attempts to obtain redress have been baf fled and defeated. Tbe frequent ami oft-re curring changes iu tho Spanish ministry have been employed as reasons lor doiwy. We have been compelled to wait again and again, until