The Express.
London, England, 1852-12-21 00:00:00

URA.

The Wain of Cuba formed a prominent topic in my last
annual m. ssage. They remain in an uneasy condition, and
• ftfling of alarm and irritation on the part of the Cuban
authorities appears to exist. 'lbis feeling has interfered
with the regular commercial intercourse between the
United States and the island, and led to some ac s of which
we have a right to complain. But the Captain General of
Cuba is clothed with no power to treat with foreign govern-
ments, nor is lie in any degree under the control of the
Spanish minister at Washington. Any communication
which he 'my hold wish an agent of • foreign power is in-
formal and matter of courtesy. Anxious to put an end to
the existing inconveniences (which seemed to rest on a mis-
conception), I dirwed the newly appointed minister
to Mexico to visit II , on his way to Vera Cruz.
He was respectfully received by the Cepmin General, who
conferred with him freely on the recent occurrences; but
no permanent arrangement was effected.
In the meantime, the refusal of the Captain General to
allow passengers and the mail to be landed in certain cases,
for a reason which does not furnish in the opinion of this
government even a good presumptive ',amid for such a
prohibition, ha. been made the subjezt of a serious remon-
strance at Madrid; and I have no reason to doubt that due
respect will be paid by the government of her Catholic Ma-
jesty to the representations which our minister has been in-
structed to make on the subject.
It is but justice to the Captain General to add, that his
conduct towards the steamers employed to carry the mails
of the United Sates to Havana has, with the exceptions
above alluded to, been marked with kindness and liberality,
and indicates no general purpose of interfering with the
commercial correspondence and intercourse between the
island and this country.
Early in the present year official notes were received
from the ministers of France and England. inviting the
government of the United States to become a party with
Great Britain and France to a tripartite convention, in
virtue of which the three powers shoal severally and col-
lectively disclaim, now and for the future, all intention to
obtain posscuion of the Island of Culm, sad should bind
themselves to discountenance all attempts to that affect on
the part of any power or in lividual whatever. This invita-
tion has been respectfully declined, for reasons which it
would occupy too much space in this communication to
state in detail, but which led me to think that the proposed
measure would he of doubtful constitutionality, impolitic,
and unavailing. I have, however, in common with several
of my predecessors, directed the Ministers of France and
England to be assured that the United .tat. s entertain no
designs against Cuba; but that, on the contrary, I should
regard its incorporation into the Union at the present time
as fraught with serious peril.
Were this island comparatively destitute of inhabitants
or occupied by a kindred race I should regard it, if volun-
tarily ceded by S,rain, as • moat desirable acquisition ; but,
under existing circumstances, I should look upon its incor-
poration into our Union as a very hazardous measure. It
would bring into the confederacy a population of a dd6
ferent national stock, speaking a oaf rent language, and
not likely to harmonise with the other members. It would
probably affect in a prejudicial m he industrial in-
terests of the south ; and it might revive those conflicts of
opinion Intim n the different sections of the country wt ith
lately shook the Union to its centre, and which have been
so happily compromised.

TE/IVANTErEC 11.0VTIL
The rejection by the Mexican Congress of the conven-
tion which h 4.1 been concluded between that republic
and the United States for the protection of a transit
way emcee the isthmus of Tehuantepec, and of the
interests of those citizens of the United &etre
who had beemne proprietors of the rights which Mexico had
conferred on one of her own citizens in regard to that tran-
sit, has thrown a atrious obstacle in the way of the attain-
ment of a very desirable national object. lem still willing
to hope that the differences on the subject which exist, or
may hereafter arise, between the governments, will be
amicably adjusted. This subject, however, has already
engaged the attention of the Senate of the United States,
and requires no further comment in this communication.

Till NICAVAOUAN DITTICULTY.:
The settlement of the question respecting the port of San
Juan de Nicaragua, and of the controversy between the
republics of Costa Rica and Nicaragua in regard to their
boundaries, was considered indispensable to the commence-
ment of the ship canal between the two oceans, which was
the subject of the convention between the Gaited States
and Great Britain of the 10th April, 18.10. Accordingly •
proposition for the same purpeoea addressed to the two
governments in that quarter, and to the Mosquito Indians,
was agreed to in April last by the Secretary of State and
the ministers of her Britannic Nlajesty. Besides the wish
to aid in reconciling the differences of the two republics, I
engaged in the negotiation from a desire to place the great
work of • ship canal between the two oceans under one
jurisdiction, and to establish tho important port of San
Juan de Nicaragua under the government of a civilised
power. The pr.praition in question was assented to by
Costa Rita and the Mosquito •duns. It has not proved
equally acceptable to Nicaragua, but it is to be hoped that
the further negotiations on the subject which are in train
will be carried on in that spirit of conciliation and compro-
mise which ought always to prevail on such occasions, and
that they will lead to • satisfactory result.

TINIZORLA AND ICINOI AYRES.
I hive the satisfaction to inform you that the executive
government of V • hi has acknowledged some claims of
milieus of the United States, which have for many years
pmt been urged by oar charge d'affaires at Cameras. It is
hoped that the same seam of jamice will actuate the Con-
gress of that republic in providing the means for their pay-
mask

TIM resent revolution in Buenos 'Ayres and the con-
federated mates having opened the prospect of an improved
Nate of things in that quarter, the governmects of Great
Britain and France, determined to negotiate with the chief
of the new coafederacy for the free access of their commerce
to the extensive countries watered by the tributaries of the
La Plata ; and they gave a friendly notice of this pun& so
to the United States, that we might if we thought proper
pintas the game mune. In compliance with this tante-
don, oar minister at Rio Janeiro and our charge d'affaires at
ButnosAym, have been fully:authoristd to conclude treaties
with the newly organised confederation, or the states oont-
posing it. The delays which have taken place in the for.
minion of the new government have as yet prevented the
execution of those instructions; but there is every reason
to hope that these vast countries will be eventually opened
to our commerce.

THZ RIPUBLIC OF URUGUAY.
A treaty of oommeros has been concluded between the
United States and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,
which will be laid before the Senate. Should this Con-
vention go into operation,.it will open to the commercial
enterprise of our citizens a country of great extent and un-
surpassed in natural resources, but from which foreign
nations have hitherto been almost wholly excluded.

Loool ISLANDS.
The correspondence of the late Secretary of State with
the Peruvian chargi d'affairee relative to the Lobos Islands
wee communicated to congress towards the close of the last
session. Since that time, on forther investigation of the
subject, the doubts which had bean entertained of the title
of Peru to those islands have been: removed ; and I have
deemed it just that the temporary wrong which had been
unintentionally done her, from want of information, should
be repaired by an unreserved acknowledgement of her
sovereignty.
I have the satisfaction to inform you that the course pur-
sued by Peru ban been creditable to the liberality of her
government. Before it was known by her that her title
would be acknowledged at Washington, her Minister of
Foreign Affairs had authorised our charge d'affairs at Lima
to announee to the American vessels which had gone to the
Loins for guano, that the Peruvian government was willing
to freight them on its own account. This intention has been
carried into effect by the Peruvian minister here, by an ar•
rangement which ia believed to be advantageous to the
partite in interest.

THE JAP.Or uxrenersost.
Our settlements on the shores of the Pacific have already
given a great extension, and in 401110 respects a new direc-
tion, to our commerce in that ocean. A direct and rapidly
increasing intercourse has sprung up with Eastern Asia.
The waters of the Northern Pacific, even into the Arctic
aim, have of late years been frequented by our whalemen.
The application of steam to the geoeril purpose. of Devise-
lion is becoming daily more common, and makes it desirable
to obtain fuel and other necessary supplies at convenient
points on the routes between Asia and our l'acific shores.
Our unfortunate countrymen who from time to time sutler
shipwreck on the coasts of the eastern seas are entitled to
protection. Besides these specific object., the general pro-
sperity of our states on the Pacific requires that an attempt
should be made to open the opposite regions of Asia to •
mutually beneficial intercourse. It is obvious that this at.
tempt could be made by no power to so great advantage u
by the United States, whose constitutional system excludes
every idea of distant colonial dependencies. I have accord-
ingly beta led to order an appropriai o naval force to Japan,
nuder the command of a discreet end intelligent officer of
the highest rank known to our service. lie instructed
to endeaeoar to obtain from the government of that coun-
try some relaxation of the inhospitable ...ad anti-social
system which it has pursued for shout two centuries. Ho
has been directed particularly to remonstrat• is the