The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-12-10 00:00:00

PRESIDENT GRANT'S MESSAGE TO
CONGRESS.

We are indebted to The Time: for the 1011-ming tele-
graphic summary of President Grant's Message to
Congrees, delivered the sth instant
The United States have kept aloof from the Eur,pean war,
declining intervention, but have used their good offices for
the protection of the citizens of the belligerent nations.
Should the time come when till action of the United States
can hasten the return of pease by a single hour, that action
will be heartily taken.
The insurrection to Cuba has not changed its aspect since
the close of the last Session of Congress Arbitrary arrests
in Cuba by the Executive have Interfered with the rights of
American citizens there, and negotiations are pending at
Madrid for redress, hut are sot yet concluded. In theta the
Prestdeot proposes a joint Spanish-American Commission is
the United States, with power to sojudicate claims arising
from these arrests. The President b4pes this plan will be
received favourably by Spain. Should the negotiations he
concluded, he will communicate the fact to Congress,
but-
tug its action on the en' j‘ct.

The President roxrets that the 'tan l nulngo Annexation
Treaty failbd of ratification by the Senate, and says that as
soon as It Is known that the United Stales have 811.1.1.1itd
the project of annexing that island • free port there will be
negotiated for ny European nations, lie stilL strongly urges
It. acquisition by the l'utted States a, de:treble, devotiPg a
large portion of hi, Message to the subject.
. . .

No conclusion, he rave's, has been reached for the adjust-
ment of claims growing out of the course of the British
Government during the re`ielllon. the Cabinet at Linden
so far as its views have been expressed, does not seem willing
to concede that the iiritish Ministry was guilty of any
negligence, or had done, or permitted any act dur.rir the
war, of which the United Waits have just came of com-
plaint. Their firm and unalterable convictions are directly
the reverie; he, thezef ore, recommends Congress to authoexe
the appointment of • Commission to take proof it the amounti
and ownership of the claims, and give notice of them to
the representative of Her Majesty at Washington; and that
authority be given for the settlement of these claims by the
United States, so that the Government shall have the owner-
ship of the private claims, as well as the responsible control
of all demands against Great Britain. It cannot be neces-
sary to add that whenever Iltr hi Jetty's Government shall
entertain a desire for a full and friendly adjustment of these
claims the United States will enter upon their consideratlon
with an e .rnest desire for a C011atIVOI) consistent with the
sense of honour and dignity of both nations.

The course pursued by the Canadi ins towards the fisher-
men of the United States during the past season bad not been
marked by a friendly feeling. The President rec,mete the
history of the negotiatims and trashes on this subject, and
says MI irresponstide agent has exercised his authority in an
Unfriendly way. Vessels have been se. 4 'salient no. ice,
In viulaUon of the imatom previously prevailing, and been
taken into colonial psrls, their voyages broken up, and the
vessels condemned. There is reason to believe this Un-
friendly and Vexatious treatment was designed to tear
harshly upon the United States' fishermen, with • view to
a political effect upon this 11 rvernment. 'f he Cana-
dian statutes assume still hems-lee and more tin-
tenable jurisdiction over United States' vessels; they
authorise officers or other persons to bring vessels hover-
ing within three marine miles of the Canadian shore tot •
port, search the cargo. and examine the master on oath, an
Indict heavy penalties if true answers are not given. The
Progdont recitplinlitos mottle Canadtan ntnint• on tke

subject, decreeing the forfeiture of vessels. It Is net
known, he says, that any condemnation, have been made
under this statute Should the Canadian authorities attempt
enforcing it, it will btcome the President's duty to into such
steps as may be necessary to protect the rights of American
citizens. the Canadian laws deny American fishing vessels
accen, to their ports, except for supultes, and then compel
departure In twenty.four hours. No seizure is knowd to
have been made under this law, but so far as a claim for the
eidorcement is grounded on an alleged conitruc.fon of the
Convention of ISIS, it cannot be acqttiesced in by the United
States, and it is hoped will not be Insisted in by tier
Majesty's Goveremeht. During the conferences preceding
the negotiation of this Convention the British Commission.'
pi...poled to expressly exclude the fishermen of the United
Stet', from the privilege of earning on trade with
any Canadian subjects residing within thefts assigned
for tintir use, and also that it should not be lawful for
'vessels°, the United States engaged in such fishery to have on
boar di any articles, excepting articles necessary for their flatt-
ing voyages, and that vessels contravening there regulations
would be ceased and confiscated. Thts pr'positiou, idea-
Mal with the construction now put upon the I flguage of
the Convention, was emphatically reJsctest by the A nerlean
Commissioners, arid thereup m was tbandoned t. 7 the British
Plet.ipotentlarles ; and Arttcle I as it now stands In the
Cotvention, won eubstituted. If, however, it be said this
glum is founded on celonial statutes, wid not on the C seven-
lion, this, Government cannot but regard it as unfriendly,
and in contravention of the spirit, if not of the letter,
of the Treaty, for the &lintel execution of which
the Imperial British Government is alone rerpon-
sible. In anticipation that an attempt may be made
by the Cinadlan authorities in the coming season to repeat
their unueighbourly an•t .wards our fist,ermen, I recommend
Congress to conft roll the Executive power to suspend by pro-
clamation the laws now in force authorizing tbe transit of
goods in bond across the territory of the Utditel States to
tinted& ; and further, should such an e z•reme measure
become necessary, to seamed the operation of any laws
whnrebv I.e liea vessels are permitted to enter the waters of
ille tel •• A like unfriendly dialysation has been mani-
fested by the u adieu maintenance of the claim of a tight to
exclude en, • 'the United States from the St. I. swrenca
river. This ails Is a natural outlet of the commerce of
the United —es, and the President argues at length
against the C A:4 Alan right to close it to such commerce Ile
cites the Mahe, the Danube, and other river. whore cant.
ration on. been ...clued free. Ile h les the British Govern-
ment wtil see the ;lattice of abandoning the narrow and in-
conaistent claim to which her Canadian Provincm have mead

The kreaident refers to the depreered commerce, and
thinks that hereafter we shall have to look to countnos
snuth of the United States for Its re.ivaL He recommends
Government to encourage the construction of iron vessels,
and also encourage other branches of shlWmilding.
The remainder of the Message refers exclusively to domestic
&Hain.