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oloaltam i.Aerrituou, tropritiod,
UAL MESSAGE
r ER
IttE
,EN . Tbr THE UNITED antra's.
ORESII
.t;ls*A4;itilero r•lca. 43, 14364
•
thew 'of t.l4..e!senato and House of
!entative - a; • •
Fellow c
Ripre
iince to the command of the Con-
It has tiow:Abecome my duty " to
:ongresiiinformation, of the state of
1, and recommend to their tonsider 7
4 measurei " at, I judge to be " ne,
3a expedient." • • -- ''
A
"st,,and • above . all, •
our' thanks art
(mighty God for the.arsinerous bene
i He bes.bestewed upon this people ;
mited prayers ought, to ascend to
lHe would continuo' to bless nue
rublic lin time ,to come its he has.,
in timii past. Since the adjourn-
•e last Congress, our constituents
yeit an Unusual degree.of health:—
has yielded' her frOits abundantly,
iount4lilly rewarded the toil of the
• All. ,Our great staples have com
igh_priceNand tiptill.within a brief
1 r manufactneing, teinemliand , me
• "'occupations. have largely. pal tiken
• neral prosperity. •We ,biome possess- •
a elements of ma . terialireilth, in rich
ce, andryet, notwithstanding all these .
e; our toe airy, in its monetary , ' in
. at_ the, viesent moment ins deplo
ditiort. in the midst of unsurpassed
alltlie productions' of agriculture'
.11 , khe elements of national wealth,wo
'Arial/factures suspended; our public
taided i ,our private eiterptises of
kinds abandoned, and thousandtef
ore; throirrout of employment and
g want. !Ilii,r , ,,,fepue or Chit Gov
, which is ably cierlyed from duties
'
is from abroad , has /kWh greatly re
hile t'l'ii• appropriations made by
1 .
silti hist _ session: for the current
rare very' large , in 'amsittrit..-
' these cireumstaneet a join m ay -be
[before the lose of, lour present ses
ibisoilthorth deeply to be regretted
rove' to be -only- a alight misfortune
nupared
,_with the suffering and A
m-ailing_ among „the people. .With
Gbyornment cannot fail deeply to,
iv...,
,thouglit it may. lie . without.the n .
extend -relief. - ' ,
ELI tutioti,
give to '
the Unio
ation snc,
cessary
'But 6 ,
ducjo
fits wtii
=pa crar I
Him that
great re
blese6
wrent of
bare enj
The ear
and has
-husband
- --mantled
'
pedal,
, zhanicall
of the gj
bunda
advktrta
terests I
rftVle co
and ir(2ll
find Our,
„works 11
di &son
useful la
~Areducgd
etnment l
nn ifnpo
.
Colsgres
fiscal
Uude
son ; ba
would p
when c:
tress D
this the
sym.pia
power.t
.
. Tue nsuarcrat. REVVLILION.
's It is ,ur duty to inquire what has prnalticed
- .such nn _ ortiniate results, , and whether their
recline e• can be. prevented! In-all. former
' revulsio .-s the. blame might haie been fairly
attribut to a variety of co-operating.caus
'u; bit , not.so upon' the present occasion.—
it is lip l arent. that'air existing misfortuneg
- have Pr. ceed at solelYfrom our extravagant and
'vicious, ystern of paper currency and. bank
,credits, exciting the people to wild,specnla
tions at d gambling in steels: These reiml
lsions in
so
continue to recur at mcnessive in-,
'tercels so long as the amount of the paper
.Curren.v and
_bank loans and discounts of
. the sit try sball be left: to the discretion of
court en, hundred irresponsible banking !nail
,
tationsi which - 4rue the very law of - their
nature ill constitt the interest of their stock
holder rather than the public Welfare. ' •
' The ramers of
the Constitution, whenlhey
zaveit! Congress the power ",'to coin money
.„-and to regulate the value thereof," and pia
hibite the States from coining money, emit
ting ix anythi ng
bi Is of credit,, , or.aking .
gold .a.d silver coin a tender in payment of
. debts, upposed they had"pfotected the pets.
rie ag.inst the evils of an exixeisive end irre
deema ,le paper currency.- , They are not ie._
Fp 0 r!si . a for, the- e± sting anomaly that a
.govern ent endowed with the sovereign .'at
.ttibut• of coining money and regulating
_tbe
. value !ereof,should have no, power to, pre
- vent o hers from driving this coin .out of. the
I Count' and filling up the channels ef•citcu
lation lilt paper which does not represent
gold d silier. - ' . ''''
It i one of the highest and most teeponsi
blei,du ies•* ( of Government` to insure to the
N peopl a sound circulating medium, the
1
inoir t t - h o is f -be ,wh e i it c h h e o r u oi glat i t i o y be abcw ad e a ct pt r ed grea wi ti th r,
the ut oat ponlible `wis dom , and skill to the
wants of internal trade And _foreign exe,hang-1
the - propU :standard, the marketable.
of every' man's property is increased ors
.tied in the same pr4ortion, and in
r to individuals as welt as incalculable
'ix the compunity are.the 'consequence.
ortunarely, under the 'construction of
eral constitution, which has now Orel
too long to be cumgeti,.this important
I
licate :duty has been "dissevered from
iningg power and virtually transferred
re than fourteen' .bandied State. banki,,
independently of each other, , andireg--
g, their piper issues almost exclusively
nerd- to - the present interest of . their
elders. Exercising the sovereign pow
providing a. Raper currency; instead of
for tb ) e'et,untry, the first duty which
banks osie to the public is to ItCep in their
a sufficient amount of gehl and4ilver
ire the convertibility of their notes into
at all ;draws and under all >circumstances:.
auk ought ever to be chartered without
restrictions on its business as, to secure
esult i - All other restrictions are-corn
ively..',vait4 This is the only true touch-'
the-bray t efficient regulator of-a paper
itcy-ilthe, only -one „which can guard
üblic - against over issnes ••ind bank sue
-0 Ili. 1
a collate r al 'aeventual. security it is
k jeh
tless, wise • andt in all cases ought to be
'red, that -ban in bold an amount of
ea States or State': eeeurities'equal.to
notes in circulation and pledged for
redemption. This, hewer, furnintiel
equate security against over imonsA 'On
outrary ,it may be perverted to. inflate
• ntrency. Indeed, it iWpossibleby :this
s to 'convert all the debte,of the United
and State Goveniments into bank.
,Is; Without reference to thaspecie requir
redeem theta. 'However valuable these
it ties may bp ie themselves, they cannot
onverted into gold and silver at the mti,..
t of Pressure, as our experience taachett/.
fficient-time to prevent bank-seeps
the depreci ation •of bank notes. ISt
isit
, which to-a very. co !Went
per money country., though vastly behind
• own in-this lespect, it waideemed Adria-
; anterior 40 the act of, rarliament of
4, which wisely separated, the iseue of
front the banking -depstkinent, for the
Ti of El'oiland always to -keep on band
~,
"value
evils 0,
Un
t.tock,
er of
eaiu,
These
vaul
to in
coin
such
this
pars
stow:
• dou
req
'Jul
thei
. thei,
no
the
. the
Otte
not,
ed t
gold and - silier-e4nalito one third of its com
bined circulation antfliteposits. •
If tits torqrrtion was no more than suf
ficient!to secure theconvertibitity of its notes,
with the whole of Great Britain, and to sortie
extent the continent of Europe, as a field for
its tirealation, - rendering it almost impossible
that,* seadett aed immediate run to a 'den
gerciniramount should be made upon it, the
same proportion. would „permit - 0y be" insnifi
tient undernurbanking system. Pch of our
fourteen, hundred intake ..has but it limited
circumference -for its circulalion, and in: the
coursed a very fur days the depositors and
note•holders might - demand from such *bank
a sufficient arnountin specie to compel it to
suspend, even although it bad coin in its.
vaults equal to one third of its immediate
liabilities. And yet lam not aware, with
the exception of the banks of Louisiana, that
'env State bank throughout the Union has
'been required . by its charter to keep this or
- any other proportion of gold and silver COM-,
pared tetth the amount of its combined circu
lation- and deposits. What has, been _the
consequence -
In a recent repor . t made by, the Treasury
Department on the , condition - of the banks
. ,
throughout the different States, according to
returns dated nearest to January, 1837, thel
aggregate amount of actual specie in their
vaults is i 58,349,838, of-their circulation
$214,778,822,and oftlieit deposits $230,151,-
352. Thus-it appears that these banks i ti,the
Aggregate have considerably leu than one
dollar in seven of gold and silver compared.
with their circulation Ind deposits. It was
palpihle, therefore, that the very ',first pres
sure must drive them to suspension, and de
prive the people of a convertible currency
with all its disastrous consequences. lt is
truly wonderful that they should have so long
continued to pAssorve their credit, when a
I lle c tinaihtforlhe payment - of one seventh or
tiAir immediate liabilities would have driven
them into-insolvency. And this is the condi
tion of the bank; notwithstanding that four
hundred millions of geld from California have
flowed in upon us withinNhe lasteight years
and the tide atilt continues to flow.
Indeed, such has been She extravagartce of
.!bank credits that the batiks now hold a con
siderably, less amount of specie, either in
propirtkon to their capjtal or t their circu
lation and deposits combined, than they did
before the discovery of gold in California.—
While in the year - 1848 theii specie in pro
portion to their capital - was more than equal
to One dollar for four and'a half; in 1857 it
does-not amount to one-dollar for every sii
dollars and thirty-three cents of their capital. I
In--the year 1848 the specie was equal within
a very small fraction to one dollar in five of
their circulation and' epOsits; iiiiss7 it is
not equal lo one dollar tri seven 'ancl\a . 'half
lof their circulation and deposits.
From this statement it is ; easy to -. sccouirt`
for our financial history for the last forty
years.: It has been a history of extravagant
expansions in the business of. the country fol
lowed by ruinous contractions. At succes
sive intervals the best and most, enterprising
men have been tempted to their ruin" by ex
rcessive bank loans of mete paper credit, ex
citing them to extravagant importations of
foreign goods, wild , screlations • and rninons ,
and demoralizing stock gambling. When
'the crisis arrives, as arrive it must, the banks
can extend no relief to the people. In a vain
struggle to redeem their liabilities in specie;
they are compelled to contrast their loans
and their issues ; and et last; fin the -hour 'a
distress,-Wheti ressistance is_ must needed,
they and their debtoro together. sink into in
solvency.
• It is this paper' system of extravagant ex
paniion,. 'raising the, nominal price of every
article far beyond its real value, when com
pared with the Met or skillet articled in coun
tyiesWhose circulation is wisely regulated,
Which has prevented' us froth competing in
our own markets with foreign manufacturers
has produciid extravagant importations, and
has counteracted the effect of the large inci
dental protection afforded lodmr domestic
Manufactures by the present revenue tariff . -
But for this the branches of our manufactures
composed - Of raw materials, the productional
our own country—inch as cotton, iron, and
woolen fabrics—would note* have acquired
almost exclusive pow:Mien of the home mar
ket, b t would have created for themselves a
foreig market:throughout the world. _
Deplorable,,however, as may be our pres
ent financial -condition, we - may yet indulge
in bright hopes for the fiture.. 'No other na
tion has - ever existed which could have en
dured such violent expansions At contractions
of paper credits Without lasting injury—yet
the buoyenCy of youth, the energies of our
populati4vand the spirit: which never quails
before difficulties, will enable us soon to re
cover from our present financial embarrass
ment, and may even occasion us speedily to
-forget the lesson which they have taught.-
'A TEMPORARY EAT s 101141,1.05 E.
In the mean time it is the duty of the Gov
ernment, by all proper Means within its pow
er, to aid. in alleviating_ the sufferings of the
people occasioned by the - suspension of tbe
banks; and to provide - against the recurrence
of the sime calamity. Uufortunately, , in
either aspect of the case, it can do but little.
Thanks to the independent treasury, the Gov.-
ernment has not suspended'payment, s
he was compelled to -de by the failure f th
banks in 1837. It will eolith= to discharge
its liabilities , to the people in goidiand silver.
Lis disbursements in coin will pathinto - cir-.
ciliation, and materially
. assist in restoring a
sound currency. From Hs high creditishould
we be compelled to make a temporary loan,
it can be effeetel'on , advantageous terms.—
Tbis, lOwever, shall, if possible, be avoided--
but if not,_then the amount shall • be limited
to the lowest practicable sum..:
I hairy; therefore, determined that . while no
- useful government works already in progress
shall be .suspended, 4 zair works, not already
continence), will be putponed.if this cau be
done without injury to .she country. Those
necessary for - its defense shall proceed as
though there hid been no crisis in our mono
triry affaim,
But the Federal 6 - everyone , . clunot do
mlich so provide against a recurrence of
isting evils, Even itinsininountable
tutional objections did not exist against the
crektion of a National Bank, this would Air
nisb trn adetinate 'preventive security. net
hieicay of the hank Of the United Sista
abaudantlrproves the truth of this assertion.
SUob a bank could not, if it would, - reguiate
the Wines and _milts 'of fourteen hundred
State banks in such a :rnanneros to prevent
thf*Potts igranOope c9outotioas ip
aWE ARE ALIE 4 EQUAL. 111EFOIIM tittob Alll ID. THE tbilig i filriTlON:s•- , thJitiites heti
• f • . 1 I
• •
olttrose, Susquekanna C,ountg, J orutug, Pit btr 17, 185
...
oar currency - ar lich a ffl icted the country
ihrougtiout,the e istence of the late bank, or
secure us against future suspensions. In 18-
25 an effort was nude by the Bank of Eng
land to curtail Ale issues of the.country banks
under the most Womble circumstances. The
paper currency hid been expanded to a ruin
ons'extent, and s.he Bank put forth' all its
power to contract it in order to reduce prices
and restore theiequilibrium of the foreign
exchanges. - It' rcordingly ,commenced a
system; of cu,rtailment of its loans and issues,
in the • vain hi l DiKi - that the joint stock and
private banks of the kingdom would' be com
pelled to follow itsexample. It-found, how
ever, that as it coniracted they expanded, and
at the end of the processoo employ the lan
gunge of a very high official -authority,
" whatever reduction of the paper circulation
-was effected bii the Bank of England (in
1825)-was more than made up by the issues'
of the country Winks."
TEE POWER OF 4 NATIONAL BRNE--EtWOIE
, TIONO tTO STATE - 11/1151(13. ..:,
But• a Bank of the United States would(
not, if it could, r4strain the issues and loans
of the State B nks, because its duty as a
redullitor -of the currency - must often be in
a
direct conflict with Theimmediate interest of
its stockholderfk ) If we expect one age r tj to
restrain or control another, their interests . must
at leasf, in 'some) degree, be. antagonistid:;-
But the Directors of a bank of the- United
States would feel the same interest`and the
same . inclination with the Directors of the
State Bank' to expand the currency, to accom
modate their favorites and friends with loans,
and to declare latie dividends. Such heel :keen
our experienee in regard to the last Bank.
• After all, we must mainly rely. upon the
t
patriotism and vitisclotn of tha,Stat for the
: prevention and redress of the evil* if they
will errirel iiA a ■l4.st mreie,lciasis flit ur paper
circulation by increasing the denomination of
bank notes, first fo twenty,Ond afterwards to
fifty dollars; ;if they will require that the
banks shall at all timed keep on band at least
one dollar in gold and silver for every three
dollars of their circulation and deposits; and
if they will prbvide by a self executing enact
ment, which nothing can arrest, that the mo
ment:they suspend they shall go into liqui
dation, I believe that such tn . ,' visions, with a
weekly publication by each bank of a state
ment of its condition; would go far' to secure
us against,future suspensions of specie pay
merits. ' -
BANKRUPT LAW /OR THR BANK&
•
Congre s in my opinion, possesses the power
to pass a uniform bankrupt law applicable to
all banking institutions throughout the Unit-,
ed Stater, and fatrongly 'recommend its exer
cise. This would. make it the irreversible or
ganic law_ of each bank's existence ! , that a
suspensi6n
_of tpceie payments shalflrod Lige
ite civil death. 'The instinet of self preserva
tion would then*Mpel• it to perfort‘i its do
tit in such a Manner as to escape the penalty
and' krwerva its' life.
- The - eaistencq (it banks and the circulation
of bank o.per ate so identified with the hab
its of our pe))0 , 4,. that they cannot at this day
be suddenly abOshed without much immedi
ate injury to ti &unity. It we could con
fine, them to their appropnate sphere, .and
prevent them from adrnikstering to the wild
and reckless speculation by exttavagant loans
and issues, !lei might be cotitktued with ad
-Vantage to the üblic.
But this I "ea', after long and ixinflec
t2ion, if experiince shall prove it to e im
possible etry , the facilities . which well
regulated banks might afford, without - at the
same time suflaring calamities which the ex
cesses of the[t+kii have hitherto inflicted up
on -the country, it would. then be far the les
ser evil-. to deprive- them altogether of the
power to issue a paper currency and confine
them to the functions of banks of deposit and
discount
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
i-
Our relations with foreign governments are,
upon tha whole, in a satisfactory condition.
The diplomatic difficulties which existed
between the Government of the United Suites
and that.of Giest BAtain at the adjournment
of the list Congress, have been happily ter
minated by'th4 appointment of a British Min
ister to this co?uotr.y, who has been cordially,
recefved: , 1
While it is igreat!y , to the ' interest, as I am
convinced it is the s incere desire , of the gov
ernments aud i t people of the two countries to
be on terms 4 intimisteltiendship with each
other, it has been our mibfOrtnue almost al
cis
a: s o t u o ts h ta a v n e di b: g d
q so n m as e t ii o s n ri twit;
with
gogreanott
Britain.
nr
$
THE CY.ATtOy-BRLWILE. TREATY.
Since the origi n of the Government we have
een emploied in negotiating treaties with
bat power, and afterward In discussing their
trueintent eed-meaning. In this respect, the
Convention of April 10th,. 1850, commonly
called the Clayton and Deliver treaty, has been
the most:unfortunate of all
.; because the two
Governmits place directly opposite and contra
flictory4constructions upon its first and most
Important article. While, in the United State',
We believe that this treaty would; place both
powers upon an exact equality by the stipu
lation that neither will ever " occupy; or tor-
Ofy, or colonize, or assume or exercise any
dominion" over, any part of Central America,
Lit—is contended . by the British Government
that the true construction of this language
bas left them in the rightful possession of all
that portion of Central America which was
in - their occupancy at the date of the treaty;
in in fact, that,the treaty is a virtual recogni-
Aion on the part of the United States of the
right of Great Britain, either as owner or pro
tector, to the whole, extensive coast of Central
America, ssreeping iound from theßio Rondo
to• the port and harbor of San Juan d 9 Nicer
agni, together with the adjacent Bay Islands,
iexcept the comparatively emall/portion of
this between ] the Sarstoon and Cape llondu- :
and `
Cape
•I
According to their construction, the treaty
does no mot's that simply prohibit them from
extendittt i . r possessions in Central Anueri
tel
ce beyon d . r i present limits. It is not too
much to assert that if its the United States
the, treaty. had been considered susceptible of
such iconstruction; it never would ,have been
DegotiatedAmder the authority - ot•the Presi
dent; nor wituld 7 it have receive& the appro
bation of the Senate.' The universal contri
tion in the united States wits, that when our
Government consented to violate its tradi
tional and-time-himored policy, an&to stipu
late pith ri foreign government never to oc
cupy or sMqitire territory in the • Central
'American portion of oar own cejlinent, the
coastdetatioti for this sacrifice warthat Great,
Britain 'ehould, in this respectat least, be
placed" in the same position with ountelve.
While we have no right to doubt/ the sinceri,
ty the British tiovernineat in their con
struction of the treaty, it is at the same limit
my deliberate conviction that this construc
tion is in opposition both to its letter and its
spirit.
THE VALLA/3•O4ARIINDCT•TIXATT:' ''
Under the late Administration i negotiatioed
were instituted-between ihntwo Governments
for the purpose, if possible, of removing these
difficulties; and a treaty having this laudable
object in view was signed At Landon on the
17th October, 1856, and was ,submitted by
the President to the Senate on the, following
10th of December. - Whether.thta treaty, either
In its original or antemleff form, would have
accomplished the object intended without
giving birth to new and embarrassing cora
phcations between - the two Governments, may
perhaps be well questioned. Certain it is,
however, it was rendered much less objec
tionable by, the different amendments made
to it by the'Senate. The treaty, as amended,
was ratified by Me on the 'l2th of March,.
1857, and was transmitted to London for rati-•
fication- by the British Government: That
Goverothent expressed its willingness , to con
cur in all the amendments made by the Sen
ate with -the isinole exception of
~the clause
relating to the Rueter' and the other_islands
in the ltay of Honduias. The article in the
original treaty, as submitted to the Senate,
after reciting , that these islands and their in
habitants "having ,been by a convention
bearing tlate the 27th day of August, 1856,
between Her Britattic Majesty and the Rep-u
-lic of,llonduras, constituted and 'declared a
free Territory ender the sovereignty -of the -
Reptihlic of Honduras," stipulated that " the
two contracting parties do hereby:mutual
ly engage to recognize and respect in all
:,,..I. l ..asona god ritesto of
the said free territory as a part of the Repub
lic of Hon:hires." - •
, Upon an examination or rt,in.o tinsshe.
tween Great Britain and Honduras of the 27th
of ttugu.t,lBs6,it was found that,while,declar
ing the Bay Islands - to be "a free territory un
der the sovereignty of the Republic. of Hon
duras," it deprived that . republic of rights
.without which its sovereignty over them could'
=scarcely •be said to exist. It divided them
from the remainder of Honduras, and gave
to their inhabitants a separate government of
their own, with legislative, executive, and ju
dicial officers elected by themselvhs. • It de
prived the government of Honduras of the
taxing , power in every form, and exempted
the people of the islands from the perfomance
of military duty except for their own exclu
sive defense. It also prohibited that republic
from erecting fortifications upon them for
their protection-.--thus leaving them open to
invasion from any Auarter ; and, finally, it
provided " that slavery , shall not at any time
hereafter be permitted to exist therein." •
Had Honduras . ratified this convention,
she would have ratified the establishment ors
State substantially independent within ber
own li m its, and a State at all times subject to
British influence and control, Moreover, had
the United States ratified the treaty with
Grerie.Britain in its original form, we should
have been bound "to recognize and respect
in all future time" these stipulations to the
prejudice of Honduras. Being.in direct op.
position to the spirit and meaning of the
Clayton and Bulger treaty as•understood in
the, United -States, the Senate r..jeeted the
entire clause, and substituted in its stead a
simpe recognition of the sovereign right of
Honduras to these islands in the following
•lAngnage:
`V'he- two contracting parties do hereby
muttrefly engage to recognise and respect the
rights ‘of \ Ruatan, Bonaco, Utile, Barbaretta,
Helena, end Morat, situate" in the Bay of
Honduras, Istrd off the toast : 4f the Republic
of Honduras, " under the: Sovereignity had
las a part of the id republic of Honduras."
Great Britain reje ea . this amendment, As
signing 'as't only rea tm, that the .ratifica
tions of the co ention of`ths 27th of Atrgust;
1856; between er and Ilondurai„ . ha , of
been "exchange , owing to. tlig4esitation f
that Governtoen ," lad this bwrione;it is
ri
/I
stated that "Her- tresty'll ...rovertim t would
have had 'little di cufty in agreeing the
modification 'prop'osed by the Senate, et, ich
then wouhi"bave had in'effect the same sigma.
'fication as the original wording." ,Whether
this would have been the effeett whether the
mere circumstance of th. .euhauo of the
railfisatious of- - the British convention with
Honduras prior in point of time to the ratifi
cation of our
in effect" h
as the origint
fled the amei
be doubted.
question has
, The Britir
ter rejecting
to enter into
States, similt
which they
United Star
Senate's des
the sovereil
Islands the
" Whenever
Hobdures 51.. /
treaty with/Great
Brita'm shall have ceded, and theßepublic of
Hondursi shall have accepted,tbe said islands,
subject to the provisioni•and conditions con
taiu,ed in such i treaty."
,This proposition; was of course, rejected.
After the Senate had refused to recognize the
British convention with Honduras of the 27th
of August f 1856, With full knowledge of its
contents, it was impossible for me, necessarily
ignorant of "the provisioni•and conditions "
Which might be contained in a future . con
vention between the same parties, to sanction
- them in advance. '
. .
ABROGATION OF ma OLATTON:IMMVERTAISA
TY lIECO)LAIEN,DED.
The fact is that when 'Lk° nations like
Great Britain and the United States, mutti
ally.desirous, as they are, and I trust ever
maybe; of maintaining'the most friendly re-
lations with each other,
have unfortunately
concluded a treaty Whiots•they understand in
senses directly opprite, t hey
wisest course is
to abrogate such a treaty by mutual consent,
and to commence anew., Had this been done
Promptly, all diffidulties in Central America
would most probably ere this 'have been ad
justed to the satisfaction of both, parties. The,
time spent in, dismissing the meaning of the
Clayton and Bulger treaty would have been
devOWI to this praiseworty purpose, and the
tabi; W9tild have beau tha more easily ac-
EMI
compliehed because the i •
countries in Central Ame
. ing confined to awning' i
'the / routes across the Isth
I
Carrnat. aar.
- While entertaining t,
shall nevertheless not ref
any . reasonalks adjustm,.
/Literlin :Tiestions wlii ,
, .‘ : .
iticonstitent vrit t he Am .
of the treaty.; ()vertuleg,
4 1
been recent! made by
merit in a fri ndly spirit;
reciprocate; , ut whethe
will result in success I
to express an opinion. •
determine. ~
With Fn •l mce our , ancient relations
friendship still eontinue ( L .:. exist., The Ften
Government babe iti Beyond recent ituotan
which need nbt be enumerated, evinced a siiil
of good will Ond kindness toward our count
which I hearOly - reciprocate. It is, tiotwi
th is
standing to be much regretted that two
sinus whose ; productions re of such a .ch
actor as to Write them t •exteriate each
ges",ond freest, commercia ititercottne, BIM ,
continue to inforce oncient and obsolete
strietiotia of trade again ' t each other. I
commercial treaty with ranee )1s in- thii
spect an excetion from or tratieti with .
other cotnotntclal nation . lt jealously lei
discriminatingcn duties bq h on tonnage arid
articles, the growth, p uce or manufact
of one countiy, when or 'Ting in vessels
longing to the other.
More that forty yea
March 181.5i;Congress p
to all nations to admit
with their national prod
of the. Unified States t
with . onr oion irolioclis I
reciprocate to vs similt
act confinedthe recipro
lions of thit respective
migna ruin{ '' :,,..... am p,
with the United States. '
1828, retnoied this resti
similar reelprocitY to all
reference toi',:tbe origin of
these principles, our coo
arrangements have been
France; and let 113 hoj
may not lori,g exist
Our relations with
have ever been, on the
The present i Emperor, a
gora, hare never failed,
offered, to inanifest th,
country; acid their frien
highly appiecinted by
people of Or United 8
With all kaher Euro n governments ,
,cept that oft Spain our lations are aspnace
ful as we'cOuld desire. I regret to say that
no progress] whatever as been made since
the adjournment of C egress, towards. the
settlement Of any' of th numerous claims- of
our eitizeweagainst the Spanish Government.
Besides, the outrage co witted 'on our flag
by the SparliSh war fri ate Fekeolonai on the
high seas, off the cols of Cuba, in M a rch,
firing into the mericealnail ste l mkt
El Dorado, and detain pg and searching her,
iiknains yeacknowedg d and miredre sed.
The general tone andtemper of the Sp Dish
1
Government towards th t of the-bnited.S ate:
are much -0) be regretted. Our presen En
voy Eatraordinary anc Minister Pleni ten
tiary to Madrid has as ed to be recalled and
i l
it is my purpose to send out a new Mi wet
to Spain, with specs I instructions o all
questions pending bet een the two go-ern-',
meets, and with a Bete mination to have them
speedily and amicably djuated, if this be pos;.'
c,
Bible. In ithe meanti e, whenever one min-
ister nrg the just clai aof our citizens upon 1 1
the nod of the Spa rah Government, be is
met with, the , objecti n that Congress have
never made the appr priation recommended
by President Polk, i his annual Message
- of Dtkeemtier, 1847, "to be paid the Spanish
i:
Government (Or the urpose of distribution
\ 'among the claimatits in the Ainistad Caw."
i f.
'similari recommend lion Was made b my
-- -= ....Niecesso ,in his Message f ne
'—'-, concurring th
- -' it- I
friendly relations with dr "ri ,
expressed a strong wish that we ahoy
represented at Teheran by a Minister P
tentiat y ; and I reconimendthat snap
ationbe made for th s-'purgcte.
.
craws. k. ,
Recent occurrences.in Chithr,have ben un
favorable to a revision of the treaty vi li that
empire of the ad Juy,lB44i - w.ith 'a - iew to
,:
the security and cxrnsion of miteo mercy.
The twenty-fourth a't
ticle of this treat .skipu
lated for a revision f it, in erne 81 nencp ,
should prove this to he requisite: " IR whiCh
ease the two Govern mats will, at the lexpins
tion of twelve years rom the date of said con
vention, treat arnica Iy-concerning the same,
by tbeans of suita le
,persons appointed to
coadect isuch , nego 'ations. ° These twelve
'years 'expired on th ad JOY; 1850; but long
before that period i was ascertained that im
portant changes in' he treaty wercineeeisary
and several front • attempts-were made by
the gmtniesioner o the - United , States to ef'
'feet these CllllsgB B . \ Another effert ) lwas about
to be l made for then me purpose b , our , Com
missioner, in coup otion with thel, Ministers
of YAgland,and - Fr nce, but this was suspect-,
ded by the occur? nec of hcat.iliti in the
Canton River bitty a Greatltritain &lathe
chi w eae - Empire. ese' hostilities litre nec
essarily interrupted the trade of all nations
with 'Canton, .whtlt is :lowlier a slate of
a
blociade f and bays occasioned ,se 'cluslose
of life and 'looped .. Meanwhile lose
r-4:.,
motion withal - the' mpire against 8 exist
ing imperial' dynes 'stilt coatitues, acid it is
difficult to antrolpte what will be
. t e result.
}
Under these pre instances, I bay` deemed
it advisable kr a ' l poiirt a distingui et:Voiti
• •
. • i (\..
1
zen, of :Pennsylvania Envoy Extraordinary .
and Minister Plenipotentiary to proceed to
China, and to avail himself of an; opportuni
ties which may tiller tarnake oh nges in the
existing treaty favorable to American enth
warm Ho 'left the Ileited 'Siete. for the
place his of destinationin July lutin 'the war
steamer Minnesota. Special Ministers to Chico
have also been appointed by the Governments
of Great Eritian and etente.
While. our minister has been initriicted to
occupy. a neutral position in reference to the
:existing•hostilities at Canton, he will °cordial
ly co-operate with the British and French
;Ministers in all peaceful measures to secure' ,
by treaty stipulations, those just eoncessitions
to commetce. which the nations of th&world
have a right. to extent, end, which Chiatiren
not long -be permitted to withhold. From
assurances received, I entertaialio doubt that
the; three ?Moist:eft will Act' in, harmonious
concert to obtain similar commercial treaties
for each of of thnpsiwens they_tetirtisent.
slum AND NEW GRENADA.
tereat of the
l ie . a is identical,
fe ttansits over .
Ile.
RtOk. •
ese sentireente,
to contribute
;nt of the .Cent
h is not practical,
rican interprepiti-,
.r tbia..porpose.ba'
be British ()over'
which I cordial ,
this renewed eff.
:m not yet pre.
brier period : w
We cannot fail toTtel a deep interest in all
that concerns the welfare of the independent
republics ? , n our own continent, as well as of
the empire of Brazil.
Ouedifficulties with New Grenada, which
a short time since bore so 'threatening an - as
pert, are, it is to be hoped ) . iu a fair Dian of
settlementln almildner Just Mid bonoralile to
both parties.
THE ISTHMUS ROUTES,
The Isthinus of Central America, including
that of Panama, is the great highwayhetween
the Atlantic and Pacific, over which a' large
portion of the commerce of.the worldis des
tined to pass.; The United. States are tll re,
deeply interested , than - any , other nationi-in
preserving the freedom and security of all the
communications across this isthmus:. It is
our duty, therefore, to take care that they
siren not be interrupted either by invasions
from our own country or by wars between the .
Independent States of Central America. Un
der our treaty with. New ,Grenade of the 12th
Dpstember,ll3-10,_we are ; bound - lo guaranty
the neutrality of the letnniiis or ransom,
through which the Panstia Railroad *saes,
"as well as the rights of sovereignty and
property which New,Grenada hair and posses
ses over the said Territory." This obligation
is founded upon equivalents granted by the
treaty to the Government and -people of the-
United Stites. - --
Under these circumstances, I. recommend
to" Congress the pitisage of an aera n thorizing
thoPresiderit in case of necessAy to employ
the land and naval forces of the Unites States
to carry into effect this guarantee of neutral
ity and , protection.' 'I 'altin renotiiinind simi
lar legislation for 'the ,security of any, other
route across the isthmus in`, which we may
acquire an intereby treaty: . -
With the independent **Alice tin this
continent it. is both our duis , and our interest
to cultivate the most friendly relations. We
can never feel indifferent to their-fate, and .
must -always, rejoiee in their, prosperity.—
Unfortunately, both for them and -for us, oar
example ;and advice have icst much of their
influence in consequence ofthe lawless expe
ditions which have been fitted• out, against
some of them within the limits of our coun
try: Nothing is better calculated to retard our
steady material progress, or impair, our char
, actor as a nation, than the toleration of such
'enterprises in violation 'of the law of nations.
nueuirrSßreti.
It Is one of tie first. and highest duties of
any Independent State, in its relations with
the members of the great family of nattona,to
to rd-train Its people from acts of hostile ag
greision against their citizecier subj. cis.Zhe
most eminent writers on public law do n'A hes
itate to denounce such • hostile act' s :if:robbery
and murder. . ..
Weak and feeble Statesilike those of Cen
tral America, may not feel: themseives'able to
assert and vindicate their - sights. • The case
would be far different if expeditions were set:
on foot within our own territories to make
private war against a powerful nation. If
.such expeditions were fitted out from abroad.
against any portion of our ' , ,ottrti cotititti, to
burn down our cities, milkier and- plunder
our people, and usurp our government," we
should call any power on-earth to the strict
est accotibt for not preventing such tuOrmi
ties. - • ,-- ,
~,,_ •
Ever she&the administration, of 'General
Washtngtoo,acts of Congress have been in
force to punish severely 'the crime of setting
on foot a'niilitary expedithin within the limits
t,
of .the United States, tOiroceed from thence
against a nation or State pith w om we are
at peace . 'The present , neutralit act. of A
pril 20, 1818 } is but little more an a collee,
tion of pre-elistitig laws. Under this act, the
President is empowered to employ the land and
-naval forces aid- the, militia;" for the pnipose
'of preventing the carrying on of any such ex
pedition or enterprise froth the - territories and
jurisdiction of the - United- States," and the
collectors of customs are authorized and • re
, quired to detain any vessel in port when tberii
is reason tolellere she is about to take part
k re such lawless enterprises.'
When it sass first rendered probable that
a . attempt would .be made to get up another
unla • fal expedition against Nicaragua, the
Score . ry of State issued instructions to `the
Marshal. rid District Attorneys, which were
directed b . the Secretaries of War and Navy
to thoappro. 'ate Army and Navy
,officers,
requiring them o lie vi . gilant, andlo use their
best' exertions in ... crying into effect the pro
visions of the acte 8.18. Notwithstanding
-kheie - precaotions. the fiedition lianiescaped
str - Om,our shores.: Such en.: rprises can do no pos
sible good'to the country; but have already in.
a lo
flitted mach injury th to its interests and its
character. They b ve prevknted peaceful em
igration from the U ited States to the States
of Central America, WhiCh. Could not - fail to
prove highly beneficial to ell gle parties con
earned. "In a pecuniary rioiiit-ol' view alone,
our citizens have sustained heavy loissi:- sea from
- the seizure aind,closing t of the . transit route by
the San Juarrbetween - the two oneans. ‘`,.,,,
.
The leader '(')' Of the recent ex ition was
arrestell it New Orleans, but was ischarged
on giihng bail. for his • appearance in the.
insufficient SUM 21 ' two thousand' &oilers.
I commend the whole subject to the *teens
-attention of Congress, believing , that our duty
and- ouriuterest; aft Well as our regional char
acter, ..r t egnire . that 'WII 'should, opt snub'
teenier** as will be etlistitunlin Pest toning our
citizens from committing ilia out 'gm
'
(*Gee Wm Walker) ' ' - L
• • ~
isisAMILT. ~ ! ,
I regret to inform..yee, that *President
of - Pitsguay, has refused to SatiN :the treaty':
bitwesu the Vetted" Stets and Aat Stei* as
ago, on the 3d :of- 1
• . an act died g
their vessels la.en
cti ons. Into the p its
pon the same , te s:
royidcd they uo id:
advantares.' . is .
ity to the Prod 0- ,
foreign nations bo
'immure nt
.e act of
_May.2
ction, and Rffer
'such vessels "ith nt
their cargoes. Upon
mercial tteatiea and
founded, except With
that this excep ion
Russia remain its
ost
as tis p
riendly rd
foot
well
Iwhen the ocee
r good will tb
ship hass - always
:he Government
.Yes.
. -
lotumo4, guinttr
by the &nets*, the iiftiltiire 'of hide
was/mentioned in the tnessage . of thy #414:
. was/mentioned
to COn at the opening. of its see
colon in r, 1853. The neasonsareals;
.ed the -this *Veal will as s the corres
pondence herewith subtiiiitilet , •
It beinidesirable to ascertain the qtr
the river LaPlata And ihkritiutaries for naingaz
Lion ate** 6,the United - Slates steatiserWilter
I Witch was sent thit ..
er for that purpose s
•
1858. This iiinitilse erseitier,essfully ear:
tied on untiltEebruary,lBss,. when, While id,
the peaceful prosecution *biter voyage ; up the.. •
Parana river; the steamer was fired upon by
a Paraguayan fait: The the vas ridinned I.
biases the Water Witch was of fort*.
and not designed for offensive operations, acs
retired from the: confiit.t.. The pretext upon
whitish the attlittt wai toads was is Were* of
the President of Paraguay, , of October; 1854„
prohibiting foreign versids.of-war from nafiga
ting the rivers of that State. As,' Paraguay;
however; -was the, owner ;abut one bank' ;
of .
the that sem i the 'Other belongingto
Corrientes, a State of the Argentine Confed
eration, the right of its government to eipdtit
that such a decree would be °Wad cannot .
be acknewedgedi But the. Water Witch was •
not properly speaking a vessel-of-iar. She
was a small steamer ! , engaged in a scientific -
eliterprirei bit:elided' !kirthe advancement. of
commercial States getietallys Under these
eireunistanhee I am constrained th eohoider
the attack upon her -as unjustifiable, and it •
calling for estisfection•from - the Paragiiayan
government..
Citizens of , the - Voited States, also, wile
were established itt business , in ParagUah
hairt,', bad *their property seized aid taken
from them, and have otherwise been treated
by the authorities in an Winking and •erbi
tiery manner wbith requires redress.
demand for these purposes will be toads
in a armlet conciliatory spirit. ,Thris will the
more probably , be granted if the Executive
shall have authority to izse other means in the
event of a refusal; 4Ccordingly
ominsrided. .
, • Rennie.
It is Unnecessary to sate - in detail the •
alarniing condition of the Territoryof Kansas;
at the time of my inauguration. The-opixtning
parties then'stood in bostile.erray againAeach
other. and any accident might have re-Ii rated
the dames of civil war. Besides 'at
critical moment Kansas was left without a
Governor, by the resignation 'of Governor
Geary.
- .
Oa the 19,th of Februaryproyions, the Ter
ritorial Legislature bad passed' a la* provid
i4 for the election of delegates, on the 'third."
Monday of Jfine, to a convention, to meet ptt
the- first Monday:of geptember, - for the.- put..
pose of framing a constitution preperntory to
admission into the Union. This law was in
the main fair and jest; and.it.is 3 to be regret-
ted that all the qualified electoni:tad,notr
registered'themselres and voted under its pro
visions.
; At the time of the election for delegates an
extensive organisation esistedin the Territory,
whose avowed object it_ was, if need be, to put
down the lawful governinent by,force, and to
establish a government -of their own under .
the Igo., called Topeka .COnstitution. • 'The
persons attached. to this revolutionary ofgani
szation abstained froni'taking say- part in the
election. .
The act ofthe Territorial tegislature bad
omitted to provide for -ulitnitting to the 'pee-
ple the constitution which might bi; framed
by the convendon 1 and in the eicited state --,-
of public feeling throtightiut _Kansas an Aip-
prehension extensively prevailed chats ,
design •, • •
existed to force upon them a constitution in- ,
relation to slavery egsitist-their will. . In this '
.emergen4 it became my duty, as it was ni
unquestionable.tight,laving in• view the nn-
ion of all good citizens in support of the ter
ritorial
.- •
lairs,' to express an-opinion on the
tree - coast:undo° of the proitaiona concerning
slavery contained in the organic act of Con.
gress of. the 30th o f May, 115.54. Congress _ "
declared it to be" the true intent and` mean-
ing of this act not to legislate Slavery, into
any territory or State,'nor to exclude it there-
from, but to leave the peOple thereof perfectly / ~
free to font and, regulate; their domestic iti•
stitotions in their own way." Under it Kanies
" when admitted - as a State," was to "lie re
mired into the Union, Witkor without slave- -
'3,, as their.conatitution. may preseribe at the .
• '...
time of their admission" -,.. ,
Did Congress mean by tts langtiage tb .
the delegates elected to frame a Constitution
should have authority nally to decide - the -,,
question of - slavery, or ‘ clid they intend, by
leaving it tit the people, that the people of -. !..
l ei
Kansas themselves should , decid is question
by a direct vote I On - this ject I confetti
tt ,
I had never entertained ase °Us dou t, and,
therefore, in my; instrucgons to Gov. alker L 'i
of the 28th Idarehlas I merely, sai that ' .
when " a CutistitutiA shall be submittedto "..
the people oldie Territory, they meat be pro- ' .
tected in the exercise of their right of voting
ter pr against that instrument, and the fair
expression •ot the popular will must not be ,
interruptedly frau.i or violence.
;in expressing this opinion it was far front .. ,
my intention to interfere with the decision of
the people of Kansas, either
,for or- agrinst.'
slavhiy. 'Prom this I have, always carefully . '
abstained:: Intrusted with the duty of taking
"Icare 'that the laws be faithfully exectited:'
my only _`desire was that the people of Kailas&
should furnish to Congress the evidence re- '
- quired- by the organic act, whether for Or
against 'invert, and in this manner smooth . ..
their passage into,,the Union. In emerging- ,
.Gem the condition of territorial dependence -•
into that of a sovereign State, it wak their
duty, in my opinion, to make kriown - their •
will by the votes,Of the majority on the direct •
queition_whether this important domestic in
atitution should or should not continue to ,
ex
ist..lndeed, this'was the only possible mode ,
in which their Will could be
‘ kuthentically , . •
ascertained: • i . - ' '
• The election of'delegetee to a convention
mast necessarily take place, in reparate dis - -
Wats. prom tbis cause ii may readily , •
hapkn, as has often been the case, that a, - '
majority of the people of
,a State or Territory, s
are On one side Ai the question . whilst tiLma- / ,
jority of the representatives from
,the aen.oo
districts into Willa it in - dividedinny be bp ! --,---
on . the other side. This antes' from the feel
that in some 'districts delegates may be ninOt• L
Oa by small majorities, whilst in others time -
of different sentiments may receive majorities .•
sufficiently groat not • Only •to overcome *
votes glean forth. fanner, baktoleaveitliiige;
majority of the wboler people indirect , -.
sition to a majority of, tlutdelegates... : ,
ee l , history -Tema, that '-intlueapes inert-% '
-1