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W nearer I'roprielor.] Truth and Right God nj|jd our Country, [Two Dollars per Ann Hid
VOLUME 6. BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY. DECEMBER 14. 1854. NUMBER 47.
—>WWWgwi ■■—.■ va- i I i.WI
TIIE STAR OF TliE SOUTH
Is published every Thursday Morning, by
1?. W. WEAVER,
OFhlCli- Upstairs, in the new brick building
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THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
Bead IB both Houses ol r§res* De
cember <tti, 1851.
Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and House of
Representatives.
The pest has been an erenlful year, an d
will be hereafter referred to as a marked
epoch in the history of the worlJ. While
we have been happily preserved from the
calamities of M. OJJJ domestic prosperity
has not uninterrupted. The
crops, in portions Of the country, have been
nearly cut o(T. Disease has prevailed to a
greater extent than usual, and thn sacrifice
of human life, through casualties by sea
and land, is without parallel. Put the pes
tilence has swopt by, and Restored salubrity
invites tbe absent to their homes, and the
return Of business to its ordinary channels
If the earth has rewarded the labor of the
husbandman less bountifully than in prece
ding seasons, it has left him wiih abundance
for domestic wants, and a large surplus for
exportation. In the present, therefore, as in
paßt, we find ample grounds for reverent
thankfulness to the God of grace and provi
dence, for His protecting care and merciful
dealings with us as a people.
Although nnr attention has been arrested
by painful interest in pissing events, yet
our country feels no more than the flight vi
brations of the convulsions which have rha-"
ken Europe. As individuals, we cannot re
press sympathy With human suffering nor
regret for Ike causes which produce it. As ;
a nation, we are reminded that whatever in
terrupts the peace or checks our prosperity
of any part of Christendom, tends, more or
less, to involve our own. The condition of >
4 States is uot unlike that of individuals. They
are naturally dependent upon oaeh oilier.—
Amicable relatione JjsJvtatfli them, and re
ciprocal good are essential fur the pro
motion of is desirable in their m or
al, social, and political condition. Hence it
V baa been oiy earnest endeavor to maintain
peace and friendly intercourse with all na-
The wise theory of this go-ernmeni, so
9 "-early adopted and steadily pursued, of avoi-
all entangling alliances, hac hitherto
exempted it from many complications, in
it would oiberwi.se have become ins
Notwithstanding this our clearly
defined and well sustained course of action,
NP and our geographical position so remote (rotn
K Europe, increasing disposition has been ma-
Bf*"* nifeeled, by some of its governments, to su-
pervtse, and, in certain respects, to direcj,
W our foreign policy. In plans for adjusting the
ballauce of power among themselves, they
have assumed to take us into account, and
tv would coustr.in us to conform our conduct
to their views One or another of the pow
er! of Europe has, from lime to time, under
taken to enforce arbitrary regulations, con
trary in many respects to established princi
ples of international law. That law, the U
nited Slates have, in their foreign intercourse
uniformly respected and observed and they
cannot recognize any such interpolations
therein, as the temporary interests of others
H may suggest. They do not admit, that the
sovereigns ol one continents, or a particular
•l of states, can legislate fur all
others.
Leaving the transatlantic nations to adjust
their political system in the way they may
<Jf -'[think best for their common welfare, the iri-
powers ol this continent may well
A assert the right to be exempt from all annoy
. ing inlerferen ce on their part. Systematic
abstinence from intimate political connec
tion with distant foreign nations, done not
conflict with giving the widest ranee to our
foreign commeice. This distinction, so
clearly marked in history, seems to have
been overlooked, or disiegarded, by eome
leading foreign states. Our refusal to be
brought within, and subjected to, their pecu
liar eyetem, has, 1 fear, createAa jealous dis
trust of our conduct, and induced, on their
part ocaaeional act* of disturbing effect up
on our foreign relatione.
Our present attitude and past course gives
* . assurances which should not be questioned,
that our purposes are not aggressive, nor
threatening to the safety and welfare of oth
' er nations. Our military] establishments, in
time of peace, is adapted to maintain exte
rior defences, and to preserve order among
the aboriginal Irfbes within Ibe limits of the
Union. Our naval forces is intended only
' for the protection of our citizen* abroad,
and of commerce, diffused, as it is. over all
* the eeas of the globe. The government of
tbe United States being essentially pacific iu
policy stands prepared (d repel invasion by
jjfe the voluntary service of patriotic people,
■kjwnd provides no permanent means of for-
Effi Sll aggression These considerations should
pHlay all apprehension that we aie disposed
encroach on the rights, or endanger the
security of other states.
* Some European powers have regarded,
§
with disquieting coreern, the territorial ex
pansion of the United States. This rapid
growth has resulted from the legitimate ex
ercise of Sovereign rights, belonging alike
to all nations, and by many liberally exer
cised. Under ruch circumstances, it could
hardly have been expected that those among
' them which have, within a comparatively
, recent period, subdued and absorbed an
cient kingdom*, planted their standards on
i every continent, and r.ow possess, or claim
the control of, the islands of every ocean as
Ihoir appropriate domain, would look with
unfriendly sentiments upon the acquisitions
of this country, in every instance honorably
obtained, hr would feel themselves justified
in imputing our advancement to a spirit of
aggression or to a passion for political pre
dominance.
Our foreign commerce hat reached a mag.
niiu-.te and extern ntsrfly equal to that olThe
first maritime power of tbe earth, and ex
ceeding Dial of any oilier. Over this great
interest, in which not only our merchants,
but all classes of citizens, at least indirectly,
are concerned, it is the duty ot the execu
tive and legislative branches of the govern
ment to exercise a careful supervision, and
and adopt proper measures for its protection.
The policy which I have had in view in re.
gard to this interest, embraces its fuluro as
its present security.
Long experience hn< shown that, in gen
oral, when the principal powers of Europe
are engaged in war, the rights of neutrnl na
tions nre endangered. This consideration
j led, in ihe progress of tho war of our inde
pendence, to the formation of the celebra
ted confederacy of armed neutrality, a pri
mary object of which was, to assart the doc
trine that the free ships make free goods,
except in ibe casa of articles contraband of
war, e doctrine which, from the very com
mencement of our national being, has been
a cherished idea of the statesmen of this
country. At one period or another, every
maritime power has, by some solemn trea
ty stipulation, recognized thai principle; and
ii might have been hoped that it would come
, to bo universally received and respected as
a rule of international law. But the refusal
of one power prevented this, and in the
I next great war which ensued, that of the
j French revolution, it failed to be respected
smong tho belligerant states ofEuropo.
Notwithstanding this, the principle is gen
erally admitleJ to be a eound and salutary
.one ; so much so that, at ihe commence
ment of the existing war in Euiopo, Great
Britain and France announced their pqtpore
to observe II for the present; not, however,
as a recognised international right, but as a
mere concession for the lime bein- 1 .
The en-operation, however, of these two
powerful maritime nations io tho interest of
neutral rights, appeared to me to afford an
occasion inviting and justifying, on tho part
at the United States, a reneweJ effort to
make Ihe doctrine ia question a principle of.
iiilemational law, by means of special con
ventions between the several powers of Ku
ropo and America. Accordingly, a proposi
tion, embracing not only the rule, that free
bhips make free goods, except contraband
articles, but also the less contested one, that
neutral properly, other than contraband,—
though on board enemy's ships, shall be ex
empt from confiscation, lias beon submitted
by tins government to those ofEuropo and
America.
Ku.-aia acted promptly in this matte/, and
a convention was concluded botween that
country and the United States, providing for
the observance of die principles annouiioed,
not only as between themselves, but .also as
between them and all other nations, which
shall enter into like stipulations. None of
the other powers have as yet taken final ac
tion on the subject. lam not aware, Jiow.
ever, thai arty objection to the proposed slip
ulalions has been made ; but, on the con
trary, the are acknowledged to be essential
to the security of neutral commerce; and'
(he only apparent obstacle to ttieir general
adoption is in the possibility that it miy be
encumbered by inudmisabla conditions.
The king of the two Sicilies has express
ed to our ministers at Naples his readiness
to concur in our proposition relative to neu
tral rights, and to enter into a convention on
that subject.
The king of Prussia entirely appioves of
the project of a treaty to the same effect,
submitted to him, but proposes an addition
al article providing for the ronunoiation of
privateering. Such an article, for most ob.
vious reasons, is much desired by nations
having naval establishments large in propor
to their foreign commerce. If it were adop
ted as au international rule, the commerce
of a nation .having comparatively a small
naval force, would bo very much at the mr
cy ot its enemy, in caie ol war with a pow
er of decided naval superiorly. The bare
stalemont of the condition in which tbe Uni
ted Stains would be placed, after having su>
tendered tbe right to resort privateers, in the
war with a belligerent of naval sumpremacy
will show that this government could never
listen to such a proposition. The navy or
the first maritime power in Europe is at least
ten types as large as that of the United
States. The foreign commerce of the two
countries is nearly equal, and about equally
exposed 10 hostile depredations. In war be
tween that power and the United Stales,
without resort OR our part to our mercantile
marine, Ihe means of our enemy to inflict
injury upon our commorae would' be tenfold j
greater than ours to retaliate. We could not
extricate our oountry from this unequal con
dition, with such an enemy, unless we at
once deparled from our present peaceful pel-
OgMo—Hwn—■'■Mjumi rnrwmmmmmmwMijmmmmsmamasta
■ icy, mid hpcame a groat naval power. Nor
J would thia country be better situated in war
. with one of the secondary naval powers.—
3 the naval disparity would be leas, the great
,. er extent, and more exposed condition of
i our wide-spread commerce, would give any
i of them a like advautage over .us.
,• The proposition to enter into engagements
. to forogo resort to privateers, in- case tide
i country should be forced into war with a
, great naval power, is not entitled to more
j favorable consideration than would be a
i proposition to agree not to accopl the servi
, ces of volunteers for operations on land
When the honor of the rights of oar conn
[ try require it to assume a hostile attitude, it
[ condfiemly relics upon the patriotism of its
. citizens, not ordinary devoted to the milita
ry profession, to augment the army and the
, nevy, so as to make Ihsm fully asUqut* Xo
j the emergency which calls them into action.
The proposal to surrender the right to employ
: privateers is piofessedly founded upen the
, principle, that private property of utiofiend
, ing non-oombatants, through enemies, should
be exempt from the ravages of war; but
Hi* proposed surrender goes but little way
in rarrying out that principle, which equally
requires that such private property should
not be seized or molested by national ships
i of war. Should the leading powers of Eu
rope concur in proposing, as a rule of inter
national law, to exempt private properly,
upon the ocean, from seizare by public arm
ed ctoKers, as well as by privateers, the U
nited Slates will readily meet them upon
that ground.
Since the adjournment of congress, the rat
ifications of the treaty between the United
States and Great Britain, relative to coast
fisheries, and to reciprocal trade with the
British North American provinces,have been
exchanged, and some of its anticipated ad
vantages are already enjoyed by us, al
though its full execution was to abide cor
tain acls of legislation not yet fully psiform
ed. So soon as it was ratified, Great Bri
tain opened to our commerce the free navi
gation of the river St. Lawrence, and our
fishermen unmolested access to the shore's
and bays, from which they had been previ
ously excluded, on the coasts of her North
American in return for which,
she asked lor the introduction, free of duty,
into the parts of the United Slates, of Ihe
fish caught on the same coast by British fish
ermen . This being the compensation, stip
ulated in the treaty, for privileges of the
highest importance and value to the United
States, wfeich were thus valutilarl!/ yicldod.
before it became efluctive, the request (ooro
ed to me to be a reasonable otto; but it
could not be acceded to, from want of au
thority to suspend our laws imposing duties
upon all foreign fish, la the meantime, the
treasury department issued a regulation, for
ascertaining the duties paid or secured by
bonds on fish caught on the coasts ol the
British provinces, and brought to our mar
kets by British subjects, after Ihe fishing
grounds had been made fully accessible lo
io the citizens of Ibe United States. I rec
ommend to .your favorable consideration a
proposition, which will be submitted lo you,
fur authority lo refund the duties and cancel
the bonds thus received. The provinces of
Canada and New Brunswick have also anti
cipated the full operation of Ihe Jtreaty, by
legislative arrangements, respectively, to ad
mil, f rce of duty, the products at tho Uni
ted States mentioned in the free list of the
treaty ; and an arrangement, similar to that
rcgwding British fmb, has been made for du
ties now changeable on the products of those
provinces enumerated in the same free list
and introduced therefrom into thd United
• States, a proposition lor refunding whicjr
will, in my judgement, be in like manner
entitled to your favorable consideration.
There is difference of opinion between
ihe United States and Great Britain, as lo the
boundary line of the territory of Welling
ton adjoining the British possessions on tho
Pacific, which has already led (o difficulties
on the part of the citizens and local author
ities ol the two governments. 1 reommend
that provision to be made for a commission,
' to be joined by one on the part of her Bri
tanic Majesty, for the purpose of running
and establishing Die line in controversy.—
Certain stipulations of Ihe third and fourth
i Articles of the treaty concluded by the Uni
ted Slates and Great Britain in 1846, regard
ing possessory rights of the Hudson's Bay
■ company, and property of tlie.l'ugel's Sound
Agricultural company, have given rise to se
i rious disputes, and it is important to all con
cerned, that summary means of settling
them amicably should be devised. -I have
reason to believe, that an arrangement can
be made on just terms, for tbe extinguish
ment of the rights in question, embracing
lIBPJ tho right of the Hudson's Bay compa
ny lo the C3fi?alion of the river Columbia;
and I tliereforo sitgg'asl !o your consideration,
th* expediency of making a contingent ap
propriation for that purpose.
was the early and effecient ally of
the Ueiled States in their struggle for inde
pendence. From that time to the present,
with occasional slight interruptions, cordial
relatioas of friendship have existed between
the governments and people of the two
cnuntrios. The kindly sentiments, cherish
alike by both natrons, have led lo extensive
social and commercial intercourse, which, I
trust, will not be interrupted or checked by
any casual evortt or an apparently unsatisfac
tory character. The French consul at San
, Francisco was, r.ot long since, brought into
the United Slates dislriot court at that place,
by compulsory process, as a witness ID iavor
of auotber foreign ceusul; iu violation, as the
UL-UJ' -LyJ 1 - "i-——
f French government ooneoives, of his privl
r legos uni'er our consular convention with
- France. There being nothing in the traria
• action which could imply any disrespect to
f* France or Its consul, such explanation has
y been made, us I hope will be satisfactory.
Subsequently, misunderstanding arose on
s the subjeot ol the French hav*
s ing, as It appeared abruptly excluded the
a American minister to Spain from passing
s through Francejn his way/roro London to
t Mart rid. But that government has eqnivo
. cally disavowed any design to deny the right
_ of transit to the minister of the United Stales;
end, after explanations to this effect, be has
I resumed his journey, and actually returned
s through France to Spain. I herewith lay
. before Congress the correspondence oil this
, subject between our envoy ai Paris and the
uiinUlsr lirf ' ills 'ffmoh
government.
. ' The position of our affairs with Spain re
, mains as at the close of yeur last session.—'
. Internal agitation, assuming very nearly the
character of political revolution, has recent
t ly convulsed that country. The late mtnis
• ters were violently expelled from power,
- aod men, of very different views in relation
I to its internal affairs, have succeeded. Since
this chaugo, there lias been no propitious
. opportunity to resume, and press on, nego
tiations for the adjustment of serious ques
t lions of difficulty between the Spanish gov
ernment and the United Slates. There is
reason to believe that our minister will find
, the present government more favorably in
clined than the proceeding to comply with
onr just demands, and to ttiako suitable ar
[ rangemenls for restoring harmony, and pre
serving peace between the two countries.
{ Negotiations are pending -with Denmark
to discontinue the practice of levying tolls
on our vessels end their cargoes pressing
through the sound. I do not doubt that we
can claim exemption tho-ef;ora, as a mat
ter of right It is admitted on all hands,
that the exaction is sanctioned not by the
general principles of the law of nations,
. but only of special conventions, which most
, of the comercial nations have entered into
with Denmark. The fifth article ofourlrea
tyip IS2G, with Denmark, provides that
thiffe shall not be paid oil the vessels of the
United Slates and their cargoes when pass
, ing through the sound higher dolies than
those of the most favored nations. This
may be regarded us an implied agreement
, to submit to the tolls during the continuance
of the treaty, and consequently may ernbar
..JW ibe.e*eiiion of ear :fe!.v la t> released
. therefrom. There aro ufso other provisions
in the treaty which ought to be modified. It
was to remain in torce for ten years, and
j until one year alter either party should give
notice to the oilier of intention to terminate
it. 1 deem it expedient that the contempla
ted notice should be given to the govern
ment of Denmark.
The naval expedition dispatched about
two years since for the purpose of establish
, ing rotations with the empire of Japan; has
been ably and skillfully conducted to a suc
cessful termination by the officer to whom
it was entrusted. A treaty, opening certain
of the ports of that populous country, has
been negotiated ; and in order give full ef
fect thereto, it only remains to exchange ra
tifications, and adopt requisite commercial
regulations.
The treaty letel y concluded between the
i United Slates and Mexico sealed some ol
our most embarrassing difficulties with thai
country, but numerous claims upon it for
wrongs and iajuries to onr ciiizeus remain
. Ed unadjusted, and many new cares have
I been recently added 1 to the former list of
i grieviances. Our legation has been earnest
r in its endeavors to obtain from tho Mexican
government, a favorsblsj consideration of
, these claims, unt hitherto without success,
i This failure is, probably, in some measure,
. to be ascribed to the disturbed of
i that country. It has been my anxious de
; sire to maintain friendly relations with the
Mexican republic, and to cause its rights
| and territories to be respected, not only by
our citizens, but by foreigners, who have re
! sorted to the United States for the purpose of
, organizing hostile expeditions against some
. | of the states of that republic.' The dcfence
, ! less condition in which its* frontiers have
. 1 been left, has stimulated lawless adventurers
. 1 to embark in these enterprises, and greatly
1 increased the difficulty of enforcing our ob-
I ligations of neutrality. Regarding it as my
. j solemn duty to fulfil, efficiently, these ob
. 1 ligations, not only towards Mexico, but otft
, er foreign nations, I have exerted all the
i powers with which lam invested to defeat
i such criminal proceedings, sua! bring to
. punishment those who, by taking a part
; therein, violated our laws.
The energy and activity onr civil and
; military authorities hive fiustraied the de
signs of those who meditated expeditions of
■ this character, except in two instanoes. One
of these, composed of foreigners, was at
first countenanced and aided by the Mexi
can government itself, it having been de
ceived as to their real object. The other,
small in number, eluded thp vigilance 6f
the magistrates at San Franoiseo, and suc
ceeded in reaching the Mexican territories;
but the effective measures taken by this
government compelled the abandonment of
of the undertaking.
The commission to establish the new line
between the United Stales and Mexico, ac
cording to the provisions of Ihe treaty of
the 30tb of December last, has been organ
ized, and the work is already commenced.
Our treaties with the Argentine confeder
ation, and with the republics of Uraguay
••
- and Paraguay, secure to us the freo naviga
i lion o/ the river La Platte, ami some of its
. laqjor tributaries; but the same success has
not attended our endeavors to open the Am
i azon. The reasons, in favor of the free use
of that river,*! had occasion to present fully
i in a former message; and , considering the
- cordial relations which have long exis
i ted between thisgovernmeni and it
; may be expected that pending negotiations
i will, eventually, reach a favorable result.
Convenient means 'o transit between the
I several parts of a country, are not only de- 1
; sirable for tho objects of commercial and
i personal communication, but essential to
its existence under one govenment. Sepa
rated as are the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
i of the United States by the whole breadth
of the continent, still |he inhabit*";* of each
r* etevelv &mnd tOgßfher Ly
of origin and institutions, and by stroog at
tachment to the Uuion. Hence the constant
and increasing intercourse, and vast inter
change of commercial productions, between
these remote divisions of the Republic. At
the present lime, the most practicable and
only commodious routes for communication
between them, are by the way of Ihe lath -
! musof Central America. It is the duty of
! the government to secure these avenues a
! gainst all danger of interruption.
In relation to Centra) America, perplexing
questions existed between the United States
and Great Britain at the time of the cession
of California. These, as well as questiions
which subsequently arose concerning inter
oceanic communication across the Isthmus
were, as it was supposed, adjusted by the
treaty of April 19, 1850; hut. uuforlunatoly,
they hae been re-opened by serious mis
understanding as to'the import of some of
its provisions, a readjustment of which is
now under consideration. Our minister at j
London has made strenuous offjfls to ao |
complish this desirable object, bnt has not j
yet found it possible to bring the negotiations j
to a termination.
As incidental to these questions, I deem i
it proper to notice an occurrence which hap- :
pened in Contral America near the close of'
the last session of Congress. So soon as the
necessity was perceived of establishing rn
ler-oceanic communications across the isth
mus, a company was organized, under au
thority of the state of Nicaragua, but com
posed, for the most pait, of citizens of the
United States, for the purpose of opening
such a transit wy, by the river San Juan
and I.ake Nicaragua, which soon became an
eligible and much used route in the frans
portafion of our citizens and their property
between the Atlantic and Pacific.
Meanwhile, nud in anticipation of the
cclnpleiion end importance of this transit
way, a number of adventurers had taken pos
session of the old Spanish port at ihe mouth
of the river San Juan, in open defiar.ee of
the states of Central America, which, upon,
their becoming iullependent, Lad rightfully
succeeded to the local sovereignty and juris
diction of Spain.
These adventurers undertook to change
the name of the place from San Juan del
Norte to Grejtown, and, though at first pre
tending to act as the subjects of the Mosquito
Indians, they subsequently repudiated the
control of any power whatever, nsumed to
adopt a distinct political organization, nnd ]
declared themselves an independent sover- i
eign state. If, at some time, a faint hope t
was entertained that they might become a !
stable and respectable oo mmunity, that hope
soon vanished.
They proceeded toassort unfounded claims
to civil jurisdiction over Pnnla Arenas, a pos
ition on the opposite side of ihe river Sail
Juan, which was in possession, under a title
wholly independent of them, of citizens of
the United Stales, interested in tho Nicara
gua Transit Company, and which was indis
peusible necessary to the prosperous opera
lion of this route across the Isthmus. Tht
company resisted llioif groundless claims 7
whereupon they proceeded to destroy some
of its buildings, and attempted violently to
dispossess it.
At a later period they organised a strong
force for the purpose of demolishing Ihe e
stnblishment at Punta Arenas, but this mis
chievous design was defeated by the inter
position of one of our ships of wsr, at that
lime in the harbor of Ran Suan. Subse- ,
quenlly to this, in May last, a body of men |
from Oreytown crossed over to Punta Are- |
nas, arrogating authority to arrest, on the
charge of murder a captain of one of the j
steamboats of Ihe Transit Company. Being \
well awara that the claim to exercise juris
diction there would be resisted then, as it
had beeri on previous occasions, they went
prepared to assert it by foroe of arms. Our
minister to Central America happened to
be present on that occasion. Believing that
the captain of the steamboat was innocent,
he witnessed the transaotions on which the
charge was founded, and believing, .also,
that the intruding party, having no jurisdic
tion over the place where they proposed to
make the arrest, would encounter desperate
resistance if they persisted in their purpose
lie interposed, effectually, to prevent vio
lence and bloodshed.
The American minister afterwards visited
Greytown, and whilst he was there, e mob,
including certain of the so called publio
functionaries of the place, and surrounded
the house in which he was, avowing that
they Had come to arrest him, by order of
some person exercising chief authority.
While parleying with them he was wound
ed by a missile from the crowd. A boat,
despatched from the Amerioan steamer "Nor
thern Light" to relieve him from the peril
'4||
I—ul - _■!. , W Jjll ,JJ . ™'-'l—
- Lous situation in which ho was understood
1110 he, was fired into by the town guard, and
t compelled to return. These incidents, to- j
■ gelher with the known character of the pop
i ulation of Ureylown, and their excited state,
induced just apprehensions that the lives
, and property of our citizens at l'unta Arenas
, would be in imminent danger after the de
parture of the steamer with her passengers,
for New York, unless a guard was left for
their protection. For this purpose, and in I
order to ensure the Bafety of the passengers I
and properly passing over the route, a tem- I
porary force was organized, at considerable
expense to the Unite'' States, for whicb
provision was made at the last session ofJ
Congress.
This pretended community, a heteroze- j
nous assemblage gathered varioue j
countries, and composed, tor the most part (
of blacks and persons of mixed blood, had ;
had previously given other indications of |
mischievous and dangerous propensities. I
Early in the same month, property Was
clandestinely abstracted troiu die depot of
the Transit Company, and taken to Grey
town. The plunderers obtai ned shelter thero,
and their pursuers were driven back by its
people, why not only protected the wrong
doers and shared the plunder, but treated
with rudeness and violence those who sought
to rocover the property.
Such, in stibstanco, are the facts submit
ted to my consideration, and proved by
trustworthy evidence. I could not doubt (tia 1
j the case demanded the interposition of this
j government, Justice required that raparea- j
j lion should be made for an many and such
gross wrongs, and that a course of insolence j
and plunder, lending directly to the insecu- I
rity of the lives of numerous travellers, and |
of the rich treasure belonging to our citizens, 1
! passing over this transit way, should be j
| peremptorily arrested.—Whatever it might |
; be in o'her respects, the community in ques
tion, in power to do mischief, was not ties- i
I nicable. It was well provided with ordnance, i
j small arms and ammunition, and might
' easily seize on the unarmed boats, freighted ,
i with mtllions of property, which passed dat- ,
ly within its reach. It did not profess to be
longto any regular government, nnd had, in
fact, no recognised dependence, orconnec'.ion
with, any one to which the United Stales or
their injured cilezens might apply for re
i dress, or which could be held responsible
in any way, for the outrages committed. |
Not staoditig belore the world in the alti
tude of att organized political society, being t
neither competent to exercise the rights bor j j
discharge the obligations of a government, (
it was, iu fact a marauding establishment, j
ton dangerous to be disregarded, and to
guilty :o pass unpunished, and yet incapable ,
of being treated in any other way than as a j
practical resort of outlaws, or a camp of ,
savages, depredating on emigrant trains or
caravans on the frontier settlements of civil- (
izad States. ,
Seasonable notice was given to the peo- i
pie of Greytown that this government re- |
quired them to repair the injuries that they i
had done to our citizens, and to make a i
suitable apology for theit insult of our min- I
isler, and that a ship of war would be de- I
j patched thither to enforce compliance with ! ]
j these demands. But the notice passed un-!
heeded. Thereupon, a commander of the !
navy, in chatga of tho ftloop-of-war "Cay
etu.e," was ordered to repeat the domands,
and to insist upon a compliance therewith.—
j Finding that neither the populace or those
j assuming to have authority ever them, mani
: tested any disposition to mike the required
reparation, or even to ofler en excuse for
their conduct, ho warned them, by a public
proclamation, that it they did not give sat'
isfaction within a lime specified, he would
bombard the town.
By this procedure lie afforded litem op- <
portunity to provide for their personal safe
ty To those also who desired to avoid loss I
of property, in the punishment about fo be
inflicted on the oflending town he furnished i
the means of removing their effects by the t
boats of his own ship, and of a steamer |
which be procured and tendered to tnem
for that put pose. At length perceiving no I
disposition on the part of the town to com- I
ply with his requisitions, he appealed to the l
commander of her Britaniu Majesty's sclionn- <
1 er "Bermuda," who wai seen to have inter. I
j course, and apparently much influence with i I
: the loaders among litem, —to interpose, and j t
! persuade them to lake some course calcula i i
i ted to save the necessity of resorting to the ; <
' extreme measure ihdicated in hisproclama- '
tiou ; but that cflii-pr, instead of acceding to 1
lire request, did nothing more than to pro- <
test against the contemplated bombardment, t
No steps of any sort were taken,' by the I
pie, to give the satisfaction required. No I
individuals, if any there were, who regarded t
themselves as not responsible for tbe mis- 1
conduct of the community, adopted any I
means to separate themselves from the late I
of the guilty. f
The several charges, which the demands £
for redress were founded, had been publicly '
kntiwn to all for same time, and were again r
announced to them. They did not deny v
any of these charge* , they offered no ex- '
planation, nothing in extenuation of their t
conduct; but contumaciously refused to 1
hold any interconrs* with the commander '
of the "Cayne." By their obstinate silence
teoy seemed rather desirouato provoke chas-
tisement than to escape it There is ample
reason to beli eve that this conduct of wanton *
defiance, on their part, is imputable to the I
delusive idea that the American government °
would be deterred from phnishing tbem, J a
through fear of displeasing a formidable for i i
Jty. '*• •* , y w-.
j eign power, which, they, preumud to think,
looked with complacency upon their aggres
sive tin tl insulting department towards the
UnitPd States. The "Coyne" at length fired
upon the town. Before much ii.juty bad
boon done, the fire was twice suspended,
in order to aflbrd opportunity tor an arrange
ment ; but litis was declined. Most of the
buildings of the place, of little value gener
iy, were, in the sequel destroyed , but ow
j ing to the considerate l precautions taken by
, our naval Commander, there wasnodestrao
j lion of life.
| When the "Cayne was ordered to Cen
tral America, jt was confidently hoped and
; ox peeled that no occasion would arise for
j " a resort to violence and destruction of
i property audioes of life." InMructiens to
l that effect weta jtlven to hqr commander.
| And no extreme nut would have been requi
si to had not the people themselves, by lbe;r
f extraordinary conduct in the affair, frustra
| led all the possible measures for obtaining
satisfaction. A withdrawal from the place,
lite object of hi* visit entirely defeated,
would, under thrf oircumetauces in which
the comrhttmlcr of the Cyane found him
self, have been the absolute abandonment
of all claim of our citizens for indemnifica
tion and submissive ncqutescenoe in nation
al indignity. It would ha*o encouraged in
these law less men a spirit of insolence and
rapine moat dangerous to the lives and '
properly of our citizens at Punta Arenas,
and probably emboldened them to grasp at
the treasures and valuable merchandize
I continually over the. Nicaragua
route. It have beetflnest
satisfactory to wo il the objects of tbe
I "Cy atie V mission could have been con
sum ate J without afty act of public force J
but the arrogant contumacy of tbe offenders
rendered it impossible lb void the alterna
tive, either to break up Ihejl establishment
or to leave them impressed with the idea
they might persevere with impunity in i
career of insolenco and plunder.
This transaction has been the subject of
complaint on the part of some foreign pow
ers, and has been characterized with more
of harshness than of justice, if compari
sons were to be instituted, it would be
difficult to present repealed instances iit the
history of tbe States, standing In the very
front of modem civilization, where commu
nities, far less offending and more defence
less than Greytown, have been chastised
with much greater severity, and where not (
cities only bare been laid in rains, but
human life has been recklessly sacrificed,
and the blood of the innocent made profuse
ly to mingle with that oi the guilty.
Passing from foreign to domestic affairs,
your attention is naturally directed to the
financial condition Of the country, always a ? A
subject of general interest. Fpr complete
and exact information regarding the finan
ces. and the various branches Of the public
service connected therewith, I refer you to
the report of the Secretary of the Treasurey, i,/ >
fwm which it will appear that the /
of revenue during the last fiscal year, fror\
all sources, was seventy-three million
hundred and forty-nine tbonsahd
hundred and five dollars: and that the pubJ
lie expenditures for the same period exclu- 9-
sive of payments on account of the public -
debt, amounted to fif'y one million eighteen
thousand two hundred and forty-nine dol
lars. During lite samS period, the payments
mads in redemption of the public debt,
eluding interest and premium, amounted to
twenty-four million three hundred and
thirty-six thousand three hundred v
eighty dollars. ' 'j
To the mm total of tho receipts of that
year is to be added a balance remaining in v.
tbe Treasury at the commencement thereof, .
amotfntiag to twenty-one million nine hun
dred and fortf-two thousand eigbt hundred
and ninety-two dollars ; and afdite close of jJa
the same year, u corresponding balance 4-
mounting to twenty million one hundred '
and thiriy-aeven thousand nine hundred ahd
sixty-seven dollars of receipts above ex
penditures, also remaining in the Treasury.
Although, in tbe opinion of the Secrete 'jr of
the Treasury, the receipts of tbi Current
fiscal year are not likely to equal in amount
these of the last, yet they will undoubtedly
exceed the amount of expenditures by at
fifteen millioc of dollar*. I shall,
therefore, continue to direct that the surplus
revenue be applied, so far as it can be ju
diciously and economically the re
duction of the public debt, of
which at the commencement fis
cal year, was sixty-seven million three hun
dred and forty thousand six hundred and
twenty eight dollars; of wbtoh there had
been paid on the twentieth day of Novem
ber, 1854, the sum of Iwer.ty-lwo million
three hundred and sixty-five thousand one
hundred and seventy-two dollars; leaving a
balance of outstanding public debt of only
forty-four million nine hundred and seventy
five thousand four hundred and fifty-six
dollars, redeemable at different petiods
within fourteen year*. There are also rem
nants of other government stocks, most of
which are already due, and on which the
interest has ceased, but whioh have not yet
been presented for payment, amounting to
two hundred and thirty-three thousand one
hundred and seventy-nino dollars.
This statement exhibits the fact, that the
annual inoome of the government greatly
exceeeds the amount of its public debt,
which latter remains unpaid, only because
the time of payment baa not yet matured,
and itcanuvt oe discharged at once, except
St the option of public creditors, who pre
fer to retain the rsourihes of the tfijifad