BY DAVID OYER.
PBESIBESH MESSIfiB.
feUou? rifis *of Hit Senate
iiKil of the Heme of JleyststnUilircc
The constitution of the United States pro
\- that Congress shall assemble annualy
n the first Monday of December,and it has
' i usual for the President to make no
urimtucatlon of a public character to the
.-•mate and House of Representatives until
> jvis lof their readiness to recieve it. I
i-ive deferred to this usage until the close
r the first month of the session, but my
c< .viet'.ons of duty will not permit melon?
>r to postpone the discharge of the oblig.i
<i enjoined by the constitution upon the
iVcsident'Ho give to the Congress informa
tion of the state of the Union, and reconj
mSnd to their consideration such measures
; lie shall judge necessary and expodi-
Lt is a matter of congratulation that the
Republic is tranquilly ail vanning in a career
of prosperity aud peace.
iiaEIGN RELATIONS: CENTRAL AMERICA.
\\ hilst relations of amity continue to ex
is* between the United States aud all for
: en powers, with some of them grave ques
tion- - are depending, w.hich may require the
eoit.-i leratiou of Congress.
Of such questions, the most important is
that, which his arisen out of the negotia
tions with great Britain iu reference to Cca
tral America.
By the convention concluded b-tween the
two governments on the lUth of April, ISSO
lioth parties covenanted, that "neither will
ever occupy or fortify,or colonize, or assume
or exercise any dominion over, Nicaragua,
(' sta Biua, the Mosquito coast, or any part
of Central America."
It was the undoubted understanding of
the United States, in making this treaty,
that all the present States of the former ru
puoiio of Central America, and the entire
territory of each, would thenceforth enjoy
complete independence, aud that both con
•aeriug parties engaged equally, and to the
- inie extent, tor theproseut and for the fu
;ur<: and if either then had any claim of
: ia Central, America, such claim, and
• '•cfupatioa o: authority under it, were
unre- rvetlly relinquished by the stipulations
f the convention: aud that no dominion was
theteafier to be exorcised or a.ssuuijtl iu
any part of Central America, by great Brit
ain or the United States.
This government consented to restrictions
iu regard t - - wasa-iii , wl^i-niii
we had specific and peculiar interests, only
upon the conviction that the like restric
tions were in the same sense, obligatory ou
Great Brita'n. Bat for this understanding
of th? force and effect of the convention, it
would never have been concluded by us.
No clear was this understanding on the
part of the I uited States, that, in correspon
dence contemporaneous with the ratifica
tion of the convention, it was distinctly ex
pressed, tha* the mutual covcuans of uon
'•ccupa'ion were not attended to apply to
the British establishment at the Balize.—
This qualification is to be ascribed to the
fact; that, iti virtue of successive treaties
'.tit previous sovereigns of the country,
if eat Britain has obtained a concession of
i lie right to cut mahogany or dye-woods at
ibe Balize, but wiih positive exclusion of all
domain or sovereignty: and thus it confirms
'he t .dura! construction and understood
import of tie treaty as to all the rest of
the regh'U to which the stipulations ap
plied,
It however, became apparent, at an early
day after entering upon the discharge of my
; .■••sent functions, that Great. Britian still
<• itinued in tha exorcise or assertion of
lirgc authority in all ih it part of Central
America com;u miy called the Mo-quin
■ •"ast, and covering the entire length of the
State of Nicaragua, and a part of Costa Ri
ca; that she regarded the l&iize as her ab
s dute domain, aud was gtadualiy extend
ing its limits at the expense of the State of
Honduras; aud that she had formally colon
ized a considerable in.vilar group known as
the Bay islauds, aud belonging, of right, to
that State.
All these arts or pretensions of Great
Britain, being contrary to the rights of the
.States of Central Amel i a, and to the man
liest tenor of her stipulations with the Uni
ted States, as understood by this govern
ment, have been made the subject of nego
tiation through the American Minister in
London. I transmit herewith the instruc
tions to him on thesubjcct, and the corres-
I cadence between hint and the British Sec
. Gary for Foreign Affairs, by which you will
perceive that the two governments differ
widely and irreconeileabiy as to the con
traction of the convention, and i's effect on
their respective relations to Central Amer
ica.
Great Britain so construes the co-.ven
as to maintain unchanged all her pre
vious pretentions over the Mosquito coast,
and iu different parts of Central America.
Th -•■se pretentions, a.s to the Mosquito coast,
*rc founded on the assumption of political
relation between Great Britian and the rem
nant of a tribe of Indians on that cons', en
tered into at a time when the whole country
'•Us a colonial possession of ripain. It can
not be successfully controverted, that, bv
he public law of Europe and America, no
oesible act of such Indians or their prcde
c 'sor* could confer on Great Britain any
iitical rights.
Great Britain doc? not allege the assent
M du as the origin of her claims ot. the
coast. Suo Im, ou the contrary,
'j c I and successive treaties, rcnouu
- and relinquished aR pretensions of her
'Gin and recognized the full and sovereign
j- * Spain iu t|,q most unequivocal
•■■.a ?. \vt these pretensions, so without
L" J ' 1,1:1 in the beginning, and thus
p atcdiy abjured, were, at a reeejj' period
A W cekly Paper, De\ otcd to Literature, Politics, the Arts, Sciences, Agriculture, &c., &c —Terms: Two Dollars per annum.
j revived by Gn at Britain against the Cen
i teal America.i States, the legitimate sue
| cessmrs to all the aueieut jurisdiction of
Spain in that region. They were first ap
! plied to only a defined part of the coast of
| Nicaragua, afterwards to the whole of its
Atlantic coast, and lastly to a part of the
I l Oavt or Costa Rica: and they arc now reas
; scrted to this cntent, notwithstanding en
gagements to the United States.
On tiie eastern coast of Nicaragua and
Costa llica, the interference of Great Brit
am, tlioug.i exerted at one time in the form
| of military occupation of the port of San
Juan del Norte, then in the peaceful pos
| session of the appropriate authorities of the
Cuutral American State.-, is now presented
. by her as the rightful exercise of a protec
torship over the Mosquito tribe of tndt
! ans.
But the establishment at the Balize, now
i reaching far beyond its treaty limits into the
State of Honduras, and that o? the Bav is
lauds, appertain tag of right to the same
i .Mate, arc as distinctly colonial govowmieuts
astho.se of Jamaica or Canada, and there
fore contrary to the very letter as well as
toe spirit of the convention with the United
Mates, as it was &t the tune of ratification,
and now is, understood by this govern
ment.
The interpretation which the British gov
ernment, thus in assertion and act, persists
in ascribing to the convention, eutirely
i changes its character. While it holds us to
ail our obligations, it in a great measure
releases Great Britain from these, which
constituted the consideration of this govcro
uieut for entering iuto the convention. It
! is impossible, iu my judgment, for the Uni
te i States to acquiesce iu such a Construc
tion of the respective relations of the two
governments of Central America.
To a renewed call by this government
upon Great Britain, to abide by, and carry
into effect, the stipulations of the conven
j tion according to its obvious import, by
with bra wing from the possession or col
onization of portions of the Central Ameri
can States of Honduras, Nicaragua, and
Costa Rica, the British government has at
length replied, affirming that the operation
of the treaty is prospective only, an 1 did
not require Great Britain to abandon or con
tract any pos.essions held by her in Central
America at. the date of its conclusion.
This reply substitutes a partial issue, in
j t he pi -co of the general one presented by
• the I; uited States. The British government
! passes over the question of the rights of
Great "Britain; real or-s'ipfvjScT, in Cmt'ral
America, aid assumes that she ha 1 such
light- at the date of ta: treaty, and that
those rights comprehended the protector
slnpof ili • M juito Indians, the extended
: j iri- fiction and limits of the Balise. and the
colony of the Bay islands, and thereupon
proceeds by implication to infer, that, if the
stipulations ot the treaty be merely fu'ure
in effect, Great Britain may .still continue
to hold the contested portions of Central
America. The United States cannot ad
j tuit either the inference or the premises We
steadily deny, that, at the date of the treatv
Greal Britain had any possessions there,
! other than tiie limited aud peculi ircstahlis!-
ment at the Balize, and maintain that, if she
had any, they were surrendered by the con
vention.
Tni? government, recognizing the obli
gations ot the treaty, has of course, desired
to see if executed iu good faith by both
parties, and in the discission, t'a irc.'.ir.-.
j has not looked to rights, which we might
i assert, independently of the treaty, in con
sideration of our geographical position and
of other circumstance.*, which create for
us relations U> the Ueutral American Stat■•>
different from those of any government, in
Europe.
The British government, iu its last com
munication, although w<dl knowing tiie
views of the United States, still declares
tii it it sees no icasori why a conciliatorv
spirit may not enable the govern in in's to
overcome all ob-tacle? to a satisfactory ad
jusfi*-ent of the subject.
Assured of the correctness of the con
struction of the treaty constantly ad iere l
to by this government, aid resolved to in
sist on the right.* of the United State-', yet
actuated aUn by the sain; dis ire, which is
avowed by the British government, to re
move all causes of serious misunderstand
ing between two nations, associated by so
uiuny ties ot intore-t aud kindred, it has ap
| pea red to mc proper not to consider an ami
cable solution of the controversy hope
less.
There is. however, reason to apprehend,
that with Great Britain in the actual oaeu
j patViti of the disputed territories, and the
treaty therefore practically null, la far as
regards our rights, this international diffi
culty cannot long reuiuiu undetermiued,
without involving in .serious danger the
friendly relations, which it is the interest
, as well as the duty of both oountries to
! cherish and pre-erve. It will affurJ in ;
i sincere gratification, if future efforts shall
! result in the success, anticipated heretofore
j with more confidence th in the aspect of the
; case permits me now t > entertain. •
RECRUITMENT.
J One other subject of discussion between
the 9 United States an! Great. Britain has
1 grown oat of the attempt, which the exi
j geuuies of the war in which she is engaged
with RUSSIA induced her to make, to dra.v
, recruits from the United States.
Itas the traditional and settled policy of
the United States to maintain impartial
j neutrality during th; wars which fro.u tiiuo
to time occur among the great power? of
I the world. Performing all the duties of
U 'Utr ility towaids the respective bellige
rent state q we may reasonably expect them
not to interfere with our lawful enjoyment
of its benefits. Notwithstanding the cxis
| tencoof such hostilities, our citizen? retain
j the iti liyidn i! right tq cuntiuu- all their ae
customed pursuits, by laud or by sea, at
home- or abroad, subject only to such re
strictions iu this relation, as the Jaws of
war, the usage of nations, or special trea
ties, may impose; and it is our sovereign
right that our territory and jurisdiction shall
not be invaded by either of the belligerent
parties, for the transit of their armies, the
operations of their fl.;3ts, the levy of troops
for their service, the fitting out of cruisers
by or against cither, or any other act or in
cident of war. And these undeniable rights
of neutrality, individual and national, the
United States will under no circumstances
surrender.
In pursuance of this policy, the laws of
the I trite J States Jo not forbid their citi
zens to sell to either of the belligerent
powers.articles, contraband of war, or to
take munitions of war or soldiers on board
their private sbips for transportation; and,
although, in so doing, the individual citi
zeu exposes his property or person to so.ue
of tiie hazards of war, his aMs do not in
volve any brencii of national n.r. raiity,
'mrof themselves implicate the government.
Thus, during the progress of the present
war ;;i Europe, our citizeu? have, without
national responsibility therefore, sold gun
powder,and arms to all buyers, regardless
of the destination of these articles. Our
merchantmen have been, aud still continue
to bo, largely employed by Great Britain
and by France,in transporting troop-, pro
visions, and munitions of war to the princi
pal seat of military operations, and in bring
ing home their sick aud wounded soldiers:
but such use of our mercantile marine is
not interdicted eiiher by the international,
or by our municipal law, and therefore does
not compromit our neutral relations with
Ilus-ia.
But our municipal law, in accordance
with the law nf nations, peremptorily for
bid?, not only foreigners, but our own citi
zens, to fit out, within the limits of the
United States, a vessel to commit hostili
ties against any state with which the United
States are at peace, or to increase the force
of any foreign armed vessel intended for
such hostilities against a friendly state.
Whatever concern may have been felt
by either of the belligerent powers lest pri
vate armed crni.scn, or other vessels, i:i the
service of one, might be fitted out in the
por's of this country to depredate cn the
property of the other, all such fears have
proved to be utterly groundless. Our citi
zens have been withheld from any such act
or pprpt'ttJrv good faith, a4 by respect for
flieuffw. - -
While the law? of the ITptnft are thus pe
remptory in their prohibition of the equip
ment or armament of belligerent cruisers iu
our ports, they provide not loss absolutely
that no jiers-in shall, within the territory or
jurisdiction of the United States enlist or
enter himself, or hire or retain another per
son to enlist or enter himself, or to go be
ymd lhe limits or jurisdiction of the United
States with intent to b • enlisted r-r entered,
in the service of any foreign state, either a*
a soldier, or as a moriin; or seaman on
board of any vessel of war, letter of unr
qm or privateer. And these enactments
are also iu strict conformity with the law of
nations, which declare? that no state has
the right to raise troop? for land or sea ser
vice in another state without its consent, —
and that, whether forbidden by the ninniei
pal law or not, the very attempt to do it,
Without siieli consent, is aa attack on ti. -
national sovereignty.
Such being the pnalic right? and the mu
nicipal law of the United Sutra, no solici
tude ou the subject was entertained by thi
government, when, a year since, the Brit
ish Parliament passed an act to provide for
the enlistment of foreigners in tiie military
service of Great Britain. Nothing on the
face of the net, or its public history, indi
cated that the British government proposed
to attempt recruiting in *he United States,
nor did it ever give intimation of such inten
tion to this government. It was matter of
surprise, therefore, to find, subsequently,
that the engagement of persons within the
United States, to proceed to H tlifux, in the
British province f Nova Scotia, and there
enlist in the service of Great Britain, was
going on extensively, with little or no dis
guise. Ordinary legal steps were immedi
ately taken to arrest and puoi*h parties
concerned, and s vpat an cn 1 to acts in
fringing the municipal la.v and derogatory
to oar sovereignty. Meanwhile suitable
representations on the subject were address
ed to the British Government.
Thereupon it became known, by t.ie aj
mUs.on of the D.i'u.i Government iuolf,
that the attempt to draw recruits from this
country originated with it, or at least had
had its approval an 1 sanction; butit also
appeared that the public agents engaged in
it had stringent instructions not to violate
the municipal law of the United States.
It is difficult to understand how it should
have been supposed that troops eou'd be
raise 1 hero by Ureal Britain, without vio
lation of the Municipal law. Tlie unmis
takable object of tin; law was to prevent
every suo'u aet, which, if performed, must
be either in violation of the law, or in
studied evasion of it; and in either alterna
tive, the act done would be alike injurious
to the sovereignty of the United States.
In the meantime the matter acquired ad
ditional importance, by the recruitment in
tue United States not. being discontinued,
and the disclosure of the fact 1 hat they
were prosecuted on a systematic plan de
vised by official authority; that recruiting
rendezvous had boeu opened ju our princi
pal cities, and depots far tho reception of
recruits established on our frontier; and
the whole business conducted under the su
pervision and by the regular co-operation of
British officers, civil and military, some in
the North American province-, ami some in
the United Stales. The complicity of these
oil • iii an un 1 .•rUt'cing.- which aould on-
BEDFORD. PA.. FRIDAI JANUARY 18, 18-50.
ly be accomplished by defying our laws,
throwing suspicion over cur atritude of j
neutrality, and disregarding our territorial I
rights, is conclusively proved by tlio evi
dence elicited on the trial of such of their ,
agouts as have been apprehended and con- j
wieted. Some of the officers thus iuipliea- ;
tod are of high official position, aud inany
of thorn beyond out jurisdiction, so tliatle- ;
gaj proceedings could not reach the source :
of the uiisobicf.
Those considerations, amHhe fact, that j
the cause of complaint was not a mere cas
ual ojcu.-rence, but a deliberate design, en
tered upon with full knowledge of our laws
and national policy, and conducted by re
; sponsible public functionaries, impelled me
j to present tiie case to the British gim?ru
mo.i;, in order to secure, not only a cessa
, tion of the wrong, but. i's reparation. The
subject U still under discussion, tiro lesult
of which will be communicated to you in
j due time.
I repeat the recommendation submitted j
jto tue last Emigre*-, that provision be ,
made for the appointment of a cominissiou
. cr, in connexion v. i - h Great Britain, to snr- '
vcy and establish the boundary lino, which j
. divides the Territory of Y-'ashiugiou iroiu ,
the contiguous British possessions. By- j
I reason of the extent and importance of!
the country iu di-puie, there fins bea ho-!
mineat danger of collision between the sub- j
| jeets of Great Britain aud :Ue- citizens of
the United rirates, iucluding their respect- j
. he authorities i:i that quarter The pros
i pect of a speedy arraugeuicu confrtbn-1
' ted hitherto to induce ou buflff-ride-forbear- .
a Dec to assert by force what lack.claim? a.s '
i a Ountinuaace of delay - on the part
•of the two governments to :na^iu the tuat
! tor will increase the dangerßand dilficui
ties of lhe controversy. |
Misunderstanding exists to tire ex- '
tent, character and value offithe possesso- ,
ry rights of the Hudson's Bay Company,
and the pr.-peny of the Pug g s Sound Ag
rioultural Cmnpany, reserved in our treaty
with Great Bri'ain relative |i.the Territo
ry of Oregon. I have reasufn to believe
that a cession of the right* both compa
uiesti the United Nutes, vynli would t-e
j the readiest mean.* of all ques
j tio|is, can be obtained ua r&gKiabic terms;
! and w ith a view to this ai,| present the
l subject to the attest ion of
'The colony of vi<i, having cn- '
i acted the laws required by t*i; treaty of ,
the fifth of June, ISot, iri noj placed on
| the same f- ouwz, iu cniumariuri
bßerebursc v ith the TTlfttel States, a? the
otb.-r British North American provinces,
'i'be coiuuiission, which that treaty con
j tcmplated, for determining the rights of
1 fishery in rivers and mouths of rivers ou
j the rmast? of the Uaiyed States and the
British North American provinces, has been
: organized and has commenced its labors - , to
complete which there is needed fur'her ap
propriations lor the services of another -cu
iOil.
fot'M) ui ;:r.
j In pursuance of the authority Conferred
by a resolution of the Senate of the Irni
| ten State* passed on the 3d of March last,
j notice wis giveti to Denmark, on the 1 4th
1 da_v of April, of the intention of this gov
j eminent to avail itself of the stipulation of
the subsisting convention of friendship,
commerce ami navigation between tint
Kingdoin and the United jStatee, whereby
either party might, after ten years, termi
nate the same, at the expiration of one year
Irom the date of notice i°>r that purpose.
The considerations which lei tun ro call "
the attention of Congress to that eouven- j
lion, and induced the Senate to adopt th- 1
resolution referred to still continue in fui! j
force. The convention contains an article
I winch although it does not directly engage
i the United States to submit to the iuiposi- j
sitiou of tolls on vessels and cargoes of
| Americans passing into or from the IRJtic .
sea, dnring the continuance of the treaty,
yet may, to possibility, ho construed as im
plying such submission. The exaction of
those tolls not being justified hy any prin
ciple of international law,it became the
right and the duty of the United hfates to .
relieve themselves from t'.ie implication of
engagement on the subject, so a* to be per
! fectly free to act in tbo premises i such .
way as th'-ir public interests and honor
shall demand.
I rem tin of the opinion that the United
States ought not to submit to the payment
or the Sound dues, not so much because of
■ their amount, which is n secondary matter,
i but because it is in effect the recognition !
of the /ight of Denmark to treat otic of
the great maritime highways of nations as i
a close sea, and the navigation of it us n
privilege for which tribute may be imposed
upon those who Lave occasion to use it.
This government, nn a former occasion (
not unlike the present, signalized its deter
mination to maintain the freedom of the
• sea, and of the great natural channels of
navigation. The liarbary States had, for a
long time, coerced the payment of tribute
from ail nations, whose .-hips frequented
the Mediterranean. To the last demand of
j such payment made by them, the United
i titate*, although suffeiing less by their dep
redations than many other uations. return
ed the explicit answer, that we preferred
war to tribute, and thus opened the
Wuv to the relief of the commerce of the !
world from an ignominious tax, so loug sub
mitted to by the mora powerful nations of
Europe.
If the matter of payment of the Sound'
' dues differ from that of the tribute former
ly conceded to the liurbary States, still
their exaction by Denmark has 110 better
foundation in right. Each was, ia its ori- j
gin, nothing but a tax oil a common natural j
right, extorted by these, who wore at that ;
time able to obstruct the l'rce tin i secure
enjoyment of i*, but who no longer possess >
that power.
Denmark,while resisting our assertion of
the freedom of the Baltic Sound aud Belts,
has indicated a readiness to make some new
arrangement ou the.subject, and lias invi
ted the governments interested, including
toe United State.?, to be represented in a
convention to assemble for the purpose t-f
receiving and considering a proposition,
which sLe intends to submit, for tins capi
talization of the Souu'l dues, and the dis
tribution of the sum to be paid a? commu
tation among the governiueuU. according
to the respective proportions of their mai a
tinre commerce to and from the Baltic, i
have declined in behalf of i:c United
States to accept this invitation, for the most,
cogent reasons. One is, that Denmark
does not offer to submit to the convention
the question of her right to levy the Found
dues. A second is, that if the eouveutieu
were allowed to take cognizance of that
particular question, still it would not be.
competent to deal with th•• great interna
tional principle involved which affects tie
right iu other cases of navigation aud com
mercial freedom, a.s well as that of ace ;?
to inc. Baltic. Above all, by the express
terms of the proposuion.it is couteniplated.
that the consideration of the S iumi dues
shall be commingled with, and made subor
dinate to, a matter wholly extraneous, the
balance ot power among tiie governuieuU
of Europe.
\\ hilo, however, rejecting this proposi
tioiqnnd insisting in the right of free trau-it
into and from the Baltic, I have express, -i
to Denmark a willingness, ou the part of
tiie United States, to share liberally with
other power? - in compensating Ucr for aay
commerce si,all hereaf
ter dtfjivivfrou* expenditures made hv her
for the improvement aud safety of the nav
igation of the Souud or B.;!!*.
I lay before you, litrewi h. sundry dncu
in/nts on tiie-uhjeet, in which my views
are w-itv fully disclosed. Bhquid no satis
factory arrangement be soon eoncladed, I
shall again call your atteiitiou to the sub
ject, with recommendation of such meas
ures a* may appear to be required iti order
to assert and secure tire lights of the Uni
ted States, so far as they are affected by the
pretension* of Denmark.
Fit AM .•
I announce with much gratification, that
.-inee tlie adjournment of tiie last Congress,
the question, than existing between this
government and that of Franc, respecting
tue Fri.n.-h L ;■ }:■•■■■ Li
bee u saiisfaetoiuy ac le nurrie it, an J Urit tti?
relations of the two government? cribtincu;
tj be of the most friuuuiy nature.
GREECE.
A qucs ion, also, which l as been j--?nrili:g
for several years between the Unit: i Ntate?
aud the Kingdom of Greece, growing out of
the sequestration, by public authorities of
that country, of piupc.-fy belonging to tre
present American consul :.t Athens, and
which had been the subject o; very earnest
discussion heretofore, b,s r.n—'itlv bee set
tle-1 to the satisfaction to the party inter
ested and of bo r Ugovernments.
SI'AIN.
With Spain, tieae-ful re: at tors still
maintained, and some progress b. is be"-,
made in securing the redress wrongs
[ complained of bv ti. ? gjvernine , i'. Spain
has nor only disavowed and disapproved
the cou-luet of the officers, who lijeg-ibiy
.-•jizid and detained fh-. ceiaiM iU.iek War
j rier at Havana, but lias also paid the sum
! claimed as ind nrmity for tfee !•>?.? thereby
! inflicted on citizens of tor United States.
In consequence of a destrn -five Imm
cane, which visited Uub.i ia 1844, the >u
r.rebie authority of that island issued a de
cree. permitting the importati n, fur the
period of six mouths of certain building
materials and provi-dous, free of duty, but
revoked it when about half the period at fly
had clasped, to the injmy of.-it :7,2ns ot the
United btates, who had pro -reded to acton
the faith of that decree. Th" Spanish g v
--oranient refused irn.eninifi -iTi >:i to the j ir
ties aggrieved untii recently, when i: was
assented to,payment being promised to be
made so soon as the amount due can be as
certained.
Satisfaction claimed for the arrest and
search of the steamer 111 Dor.'da lias not
yor been accorded, bu' there is reason to
believe that it will be, and that ease, with
others, continues to bo urged on the atten
tion of the Spanish government. Id > not
abandon the hope of concluding with Spain
some general arrangement, which, if it do
not wholly prevent the rccnrr.-nco of diffi
culties in Cuba, will render th-m lc-s fre
quent, whenever they -hall occur facilitate
their more speedy settlement.
istxtco.
"1 ho ir.teiposition of this government tins
been invoked by many of its citizen-, 0:1 ac
count of injuries done to their persons and
property, for which the Mexican republic is
responsible. The unhappy* situation oi
that, country, for some time past, has not
allowed its government to give dua con
sideration to claims of- private reparation
and has appeared to call for and justify
some forbearance .in such matters on the
part of this government.
CENTS AT. AMEEtfA.
In regard to the Atnerie in republics,
whicli, from th air proximity aud other con
siderations, have peculiar 'relations to this
government, while it lias been my constant
aim strictly to observe all theiibligatious of
political friendship aud of gocu neighbor
hood, obstacles to this have ari-on in s>'ui;
of them, from their own insufficient.poivgr
to check lawless irruptions, which in effect
throws masi of the task on the United States.
Thus it is thai the distracted internal con
dition of the State of Nicaragua lots made
it incumbent on ma to appcui to the good
faith of our eitizyas to abstain from r. nitty-
' ial intervention in it? nSfMrs, ami to uloi.t j
{•retentive toenail) > t< the same an*!, w'ui -u, I
on a .similar occasion, had Hie hist results
in reas. uriug the peace of the Mexican States >
of Soitora ami Lower Oalsft . ma.
TREATIES.
Since tlie last s-. s -ion of Congress a trea- :
ty of au>ity, commerce, and navigation, and |
i for the surrender of fugitive criminals, with
the kindoiu of the Two .Sicilies; a treaty of j
friendship, commerce, ami navigation with
Nicaragua; and a eonv.i.;;on of cotmucrcia! .
reciprocity with the 1 !-;v\ Ran kingdom, have !
t-ece negotiated. 'J'he Ufer kingdom,and j
'.lie State of Nicaragua hav • ui- > deeded to
declaration, recognizing as international ,
rights the j.ria hples eondried in the eon- .
vei;tion b'tween the I uitei States and !
Russia of the 2'dd of J ulv, ISh*. These
try..ties and coaven'ioci will he laid before ;
the Senate for latiuOalmu.
TREASVttV.
The stat'merits made, in my last annual
message, respecting the atieipatcd receipts
and expenditures of tlie Treasury,have been
substantially ve:iaed.
]• sip;ears frorh the r port of the S Ci*-
tary of the Treasury, that the receipts du
. ring the last fiscal year ending June 130,
I S Vi, iVoai '■■■ 11 -ource*. were sixty-five mil
! " < tbreu thousand ruae hundred and thir
ty dollars, and rh.it the public expenditure? 1
for the ?aui > period, exclusive of payment
on account of til 3 public debt, amounted to
i fifty-six ti.iilion thr • hundred and sNrty-
Ift v.. thousand three hundred and ninetv
j three dollars. During the s itae period, the
. payments liuidc in redemption of the |v.b
--' lie del.:, iiieindiug interest and premium.
| amounted to i:I::e million eight hundred and
i forty-four thousand five hundred aad tweu
| ty-eight dollars.
The balance i:i ibe Treasury at the be-.
! ginning of the present fiscal year. July 1,
i-fk'J. was eighteen ti.iilto'i nine hundr !
, una tL .uy-oo: t; <>•;.< iiul nine hundred and
i seventy-six dollars: the receipts for the
first quarter, and the est ima ted receipts for
:ti remaining threo-quM!' •-<, amount, t.:-
| gather, to sixiy-scvcii luiUtou nine hundred
: and eighteen thousand t -ven hundred anil
thirty-f. ur dollars thus affording it all, as
1 the avnlab! ' r- sor.-c> of the current fi-ci!
1 year, tl;e sum eixhty-six million eight
• iiumlvi-'lar.d ten uou.;s.
If. to-Ciic aecuM eXyCnditrres of the first
j quarter f toe current :i-eat year, Le added
i the nroLahle cxnculi tares for the tematnii.g
i f the TiCa-nry, the sum total will be f-iv
eiity-one uitilict: tv.u hundred and'tw. nty
six thousand eight hundred and forty-six
dollars thereby leaving an estimated bal
] anc iu the treasury on July 1, 1 of
i if:ecu tiilli: ci l:u;idr-l ati.l t wentj
| three thousand eight hundred and six*y
tbrec M .Mrs and furry on • c its.
Iu the above < a'i.u.stu i expenditures of
i the present ii-cal year ar > i minded throe
! million dollars to u •,t the last i'jstalmeut
of the ten luil'io •. ; provided for iu the late
treaty with Mexico, and n million sev
en hundred and fifty th -:M •: dbir.s ar
propriiid on account of to debt duo to
Texas, whii 'a two sums mak ail aggregate
amotuit i.;' icii I'.i.iion seven hundred, and
Ct!\ thousand dollars, and reduce the ex
penditures, act mil or cs'luiated, for ordina
ry ohi -is i..' year, t- the s u;u of sixty
mi'li ' .ur bu . .. 1 and - -venty-six tbou
-1 t . s.
Th • an: -nut of the pub!ie*le!)f, at the
j ceunnoij ■. .ueut of tie f r - ut fise .1 vosr,
i was forty iniiiiou five hundred aad eightv
thrce thousand six hundred and thirty-otic
: dollars, and dedu itiori being imde of sub*
j-cqru.-nt j yni ens. tie: w ■ >'e pub'it *•* t
: of tlie icder.i! goveruuient remaining at U.N
, iiais is je-s than for v tui'lion n'ollars.
| hue remnant of cut.i n other govern
j mens .<;• cits', aino .uli: gto two hundred
j in 1 .'Mv:y-three thousand do:!a.-s, ro.'V.-red •,i
i hi tny messtt -a as o ilsiauding, has Moee
I been pa:i
I aia fully pursuatlc.l th it j: w m!J bo
■ iliffi.-uU loiicii j a sys'em superior to that,
!>y whscU the fi-va: busitH'ss of the go'veru
, nit tit is now coiiduete ;. N ov\\'uh.;tandit:g
j the {treat number of public ag.'nts of c.d
--j lection and disburienieot, it is ticlicve i that
I the checks and guards prov:d<-d, including
i the requirement of monthly returns, render
| it scarcely possible for any considerable for
any considerable fraud <m the part of those
I agents, or neglect involving hazard of
| scnous pnbli • loss, to escape uefefctiun. I
; renew, iMw.iver, the couunjtidatl-an, barer,-
I lore made by u<r, of the cnajtmc.it of a
law deelariag it felony u:t the part of p
i.c officers to inseri ibis : entries iu their
[ books of record or arrows,, or to mike
filsc returns, b:j 1 also rtqaicing them <>:•
the termination of their service to deliver
to theii success'.s til h.Kt, record; and
otnertdj ets .f a pub'in r. it ere in their
custody.
Derived as our j übMe re venae is, in eld. f
part, from duties on itupnris, its luagnitude
affords gratifying cviuwi'-o wt" tlie procp i
ity, not only of oar eo.'uuicrcc, b::t of the
other great interests nj<ou wh : ca ; wit
pen in.
The principle that all uion'vs not re-1
quired for the current expenses of tne irnv
crniuent sboOld remain fir active employ
ment in the hands of t ; u peopie, and the
cniispici.ms fact thai tbu annual revenue
troui all sources exceeds, hv many tuiiliout |
of doii.irs, tha amount needed tor a rvo>
dent and ec<>uoui':<-al admiuistratioti of pivb-
Uo affairs, cannot fait to vuggest the pro
i priity of an early revision und redact ioa
of'the tariff of duties tm impnru. It is
now so generally conceded tuat tjs purpose
of revenue alone can justify the iuimxsition
of duties on imports tables and schedules, :
which unquestionably toqwtd e.-scntial j
I modificaUons, a departure fro.u th i prin
; aipL-a the present tariff is u>t aat'u-lpi
i tod- .. .. ' 1
VOX. 29, *0 3.
ui: v.
I Th* urutr, during thcpr.&t year, has ts< u
: actively engaged in defcudirig the Indian
fr 'Uiier, the slate of the service permitting
■ Juit few and -iiiai; garrisons iu our perma
j lu ut hmificnttors. The addiii'itiaj, regimen's
authorized at the last session of (.hmgress
; t.u>e b'.-i-u rocir.ired end ••rgsn.zed ami a
j large port ban >f the troops have already
bc> n In the lie! J. All tlie liuti -:,
| whiirft cetolve on the ui liury establishment
| haw b.-cu e iiis.'jctoriiy performed, and th?
j dctigers and privatioUs incident to thcahar
| actcr of the service required of our troops
i have i-y mistied aduiiionai cvi-acncc of their'
: vug.age, Zuai, ; U'.i• cpacitj' to li.c t a*y
! rcqui-..iu, tv-iicii tiicir country may make
i upon ihf.ii. I'..- the details Of tire uiiiltary
• oporatiens, the distribution of the trvops,
and aui ui lint! Pr vi ions reqairei by tuc
J military sort ice. I refer to the report of lie
. Secretary of War nud the accoiupu-ytug
. locuuici.t's.
hxpericnoe, gathered from events whtcti
lir.ve iyanpircd s'nee tny last annual itten
-agc, has but serve ! t-i confirm the opinion
' then express- 1 !of tin! propriety of making
provisions, by a retired list, for disabled
j liters, ar.d for. increased coitipien-ation to
' the officers r- 'ained on th • ! ; st f.w active
duty. All the reason: which exbted when
• these measures v-erv rtfeounn nuicd on ftr
--' Bit Ci'ariorjs, continue witbimt tuodiCe 'lon
j exeunt so flit" as ••ircamstaritos fcave givou to
S snore Of thctß adii-.k,aal forefc.
The recomeu'duttons, heretofore made fr
:t { a.tia! reoigiaixatw i of the army, re
. a.. e t'cucxvcd. 'lhe tiiora.-gii tlcmei.iary
; cducativ a given to those officers, who i-< a.
e.-.mcr ti-cir - rviec v, iiii the grad..- vf cadet.
I qualified them, to a certain extent, to per-"
i i.ig ti. dutc-,. i every arm of tii: -• , vice:
j bat i t uive tb-_ Ligi.e,t e.Ti iri.ey to artillery'
•: tcqqiic.s t ve j .cjtice a;;d .-pecia! study cf
tinny year-; and it is not, therefore, believed'
to Lieu Hv. itde to maintaia. in lime of peace,
a iaigei' lorce of that am than can Lc u-u,al
ly employed in the duties appertain n.j to.
; >:.•• sc. 'vice ul ficiu aid s:.g: av'sibrry.
iduties of inn staff in ,ill its varum)
! brauchcs belong to u:e movement of troojo
aud tiic cSciwtsvy of an al':..y ill the fi :itf
wo aid Inaict i diy dtp u.I unou the alilitv
with which those duties aw digcha:got?. It
is u es in the Case of tho artillery, ;t
speoialiy , hut require-, also, an intimate
i.nuwle.jgo of the duties of an officer of
tr.e 1 i. . a.. l 1: is not itoubted that, to cam
: : me -c, tne .edacatiuu <f Sfc hfficeis tor rdthcr
::vr T'TIN 'sN-'iJr
si.'.tole ii.at La s.mii have sjrt'd . : botiu.
With this vu:v, it was rejomeaded i.l a"
furincr uvea ioa that tUa duties of the
shuu.'d be magiiy performed by details fro.u
the hue; and villi conviction ut tuc advuti
ia.ca wh'.cii would result liom such a change
it a..-aa | rociitmi.for the cou.-.iuerativtt of
Coital' 'O.
:• ivf.
Tim report f the b cretrrv of the Navy,
beri-Hiiii siibmated, exiubi:* in full ihe
aava! o: oratijiis oi the past year together
with too pra.-oat c.omiii lOU of the Scr
v ce. a : i it makes suggestiot:s of fr.rtl.er
ic. i.l to uii'tl: your attention L iu
\ itpi.
Tii -.' Histi'u mof lha six steam fvig
at'.ss, for which r.ppr.q riations were vrridc by
last (.• f.grcs.-, has preecided ia the
most satis aciory manner and with such
fxptiih: ti, at to warrant the nciicf that
t'ury will :-c ready for service curfy in the
•mi u sp.v g. Imp r ant as t::.< a-Ml
!i u \-i our uav.il force i, it still rcmaitis
: a.i. cm.c l t the exigencies of the pr-vr
tion os' th" fcxicnsi-vi sea cust and vast
euimiiorevd in*-.-: cuts of the I iiilc I d at......
iu v.rt' <• tins Met and of the acknowledg
ed •>.' i.ic policy of a gradual and
systematic iacfgasft of the navy, an apiyru
v ri.uiuii •. : .;caiumeuded for the cot.struct.' i;
of stx a-u sloops ni'-ujtr.
In ri ;.r 1 fn the steps t..ka i:t cx"cu*icrt
of the ict of Congress to promote the efii
eb'tiry of the navy, it i>- nunsccssaiy ior ic
to s.av more tl.au to express entire eoti
."irrciice 111 the übst rva : ms On t!:at sub
i.'t pre -• ,te ! bv th ■ Secretary i.i bis re
pot t.
i'Ot'T t "Kii'K.
It will be pc.-eeived, by the report f the
Postmaster Gonor.t', tint tin gros expend:-*
tura t.i) depart uint for the iust ii-s.-ai
venr was n.ne uiit.mu nine bwpvlrod and
sixty-ccghi th'.'isiitid three huudrc- su.l
fo. Tv-two uoih.rs, and the gn.sv receipts
sevi-a suiilio:: tiiree hundred and forty-two
tiious.iu ! one hundred ai:i thiHC-slx dol
lars, mak;rig iiipexoM, of exreudiuirs over
rccipta of two uiiliiou six bun!red abd
twenty-six thousand tvro bun J; .'i a-) I si;
; doiUr.-; and that the coit of igali wa'i
i po tatioa li ning tii t year was huadrcd
and sovcnty-fmir thousand nine hundred
>m| fifty- two dollars greater iffiu t!w prc
vi ii •••! •. Much of the h.-av/ oxpea.fi
tur*s, t. which h- Tieusury i thus al
jccied, I •bo AsaribaJ to thv Ivrgeqaaa
titv of phitei nutter emvfje 1 i>v tin'
mads, oithcr iranked, or liabhi to tw pivs
t;: * compare iw'iib that charged ou letteo
: sod to the o.Mt of uia.i Service uu
; railroads ft id by ocean Koau.er*. 'i he sug
. gesiionsof P<*;ituMi'er Ifougral ou be
j subject deserve the co;i-idera.ioa of Con
gress.
INTLJtIf! I;.
Tii* report of the Secretary of the Inter
ior will citgag' year attenti >n, a) well for
useftti gg";'iius it c-mtains, as for the
ititcrcsi and importance of the subj etx to
: which tii-v refer.
*
Tlie agg; cga'o anmuyt of public hi . 1
1 a!d during thy.last fiscal year, located wit
military ~<cni or iuid-wsiTaur*, taken, u
i yadcr gragtu' for r ail, ami selected w<.