The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-31 00:00:00

INTERVENTION OF BRAZIL.

In prosecuting the war with Mexico, whilst the
utmost care has been taken tJ avoid every just cause
of complaint on the part of neutral nations, and none
has been given, liberal privileges have been granted
to their commerce in the ports of the enemy in our
military occupation.
The difficulty with the Brazilian Government,
which at one time threatened to interrupt the friendly

relations between the two countries, will, I trust, be
speedily adjusted. I have received information that
an Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
to the United States will shortly be appointed by his
Imperial Majesty ; and it is hoped he will come in-
structed and p epared to adjust all remaining diffe-
rences between the two Governments in a manner
acceptable and honourable to both. In the mean
time, I have every reason to believe that nothing
will occur to interrupt our amicable relations with
Brazil.
It has been my constant effort to maintain and cul-
tivate the most intimate relations of friendship with
all the independent Powers of South America ; and
this policy has been attended with the happiest re-
sults. It is true that the settlement and payment of
many just claims of American citizens against these
nations have been long delayed. The peculiar posi-
tion in which they have been placed, and the desire
on the part of my predecessors, as well as myself, to
grant them the utmost indulgence, have hitherto pre-
vented these claims from being urged in a manner
demanded by strict justice. The time has arrived
when they ought to be finally adjusted and liquidated,
and efforts are now making for that purpose.

PERU.
It is proper to inform you that the Government of
Peru has in good faith paid the first two instalments
of the indemnity of 30,000 dollars each, and the
greater portion of the interest due thereon, in execu-
tion of the convention between that Governtnept
and the United States, the ratifications of which were
exchanged at Lima on the 31st of October, 1846.
The Attorney-General of the United States, early in
August last, completed the adjudication of the claims
under this convention, and made his report thereon in
pursuance of the Act of the Bth of August, 1846. The
sums to which the claimants are respectively entitled
will be paid on demand at the Treasury.

CHINA.
I invite the early attention of Congress to the pre-
sent condition of our citizens in China. Under our
treaty with that power, American citizens are with-
drawn from the jurisdiction, whether civil or criminal,
of the Chinese Government, and placed under that of
our public functionaries in that country. By these
alone can our citizens be tried and punished for the
commission of any crime ; by these alone can ques-
tions be decided between them, involving the rights
of person and property ; and by these alone can con-
tracts be enforced into which they may have entered
with the citizens or subjects of foreign powers. The
merchant vessels of the United States lying in the
waters of the five ports of China open to foreign
commerce are under the exclusive jurisdiction of
officers of their own Government. Until Congress
shall establish competent tribunals to try and punish
crimes, and to exercise jurisdiction in civil cases
in China, American citizens there are subject to
no law whatever. Crimes may be committed
with impunity, and debts may be contracted with-
out any means to enforce their payment. Inconve-
niences have already resulted from the omission of
Congress to legislate upon the subject, and still
greater are apprehended. The British authorities in
China have already complained that this Government
has not provided for the punishment of crimes, or the
enforcement of contracts against American citizens in
that country, whilst their Government has established
tribunals by which an American citizen can recover
debts due from British subjects.
Accustomed as the Chinese are to summary justice,
they could not be made to comprehend why criminals
who are citizens of the United States should escape
with impunity, in violation of treaty obligations,
whilst the punishment of a Chinese, who had com-
mitted any crime against an American citizen, would
be rigorously exacted. Indeed, the consequences
might be fatal to American citizens in China, should
a flagrant crime be committed by any one of them
upon a Chinese, and should trial and punishment not
follow according to the requisition of the treaty. This
►night disturb, if not destroy, our friendly relations
with that empire, and cause an interruption of our
valuable commerce.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.

-
Our treaties with the Sublime Porte, Tripoli,
Tunis, Morocco, and Muscat, also require the legisla-
tion of Congress to carry them into execution, though
the necessity for immediate action may not be so
urgent as in regard to China.
The Secretary of State has submitted an estimate
to defray the expense of opening diplomatic relations
with the Papal States. The interesting political
events now in progress in these states, as well as a
just regard to our commercial interest, have, in my
opinion, rendered such a measures highly expedient.
Estimates have also been submitted for the outfits
and salaries of charges d'affaires to the republics of
Bolivia, Guatemala, and Ecuador. The manifest
importance of cultivating the most friendly relations
with all the independent states upon this continent
has induced me to recommend appropriations neces-
sary for the maintenance of these missions.
I recommend to Congress that an appropriation be
made, to be paid to the Spanish Government for the
purpose of distribution among the claimants in " the
Amistad case." I entertain the conviction that this
is due to Spain under the treaty of the 20th of Oc-
tober, 1795 ; and, moreover, that, from the earnest
manner in which the claim continues to be urged, so
long as it shall remain unsettled it will he a source
of irritation and discord between the two countries,
which may prove highly prejudicial to the interests
of the United States. Good policy, no less than a
faithful compliance with our treaty.'
inconsiderable obligations, re-
quires that the appropriation demanded
should be made.

FINANCIAL AFFAIRS.
A detailed statement of the condition of the finances
will be presented in the annual report of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury. The import-: for the last fiscal
year, ending on the 30th June, 1847, were of the
value of 146,545,638 dolls., of which the amount ex-
ported was 8,011,158 dolls., leaving 138,534,480
dolls. in the country for domestic use. The value
of the exports for the same period was 158,648,622
dolls., of which 150,637,463 dolls. consisted of do-
mestic productions, and 8,011,158 dolls. of foreign
articles.

The receipts into the Treasury for the same period
amounted to 26,346,790 dolls. 37c., of which there
was derived from customs 23,747,864 dolls. .66c.,
end from sales of public lands, 2,498,335 dolls, 20c.
and from - incidental and miscellaneous sources,
100,570 dolls. 51c. The last fiscal year, during
which this amount was received, embraced five months

a

under the operation of the Tariff Act of 1842, an,
seven months during which the Tariff Act of 1846
wa3 in force. During the five month under the Act
of 1842 the amount received from customs was
7,842,306 dolls. 90c. ; and durif“ the seven months
under the Act of 1846 the amount received was

15,905,557" dolls. 76e.
The net revenue from customs during the ye;:r
ending on the let of December, 1846, being the last
year under the operation of the Tariff Act of 1842,
was 22,971,403 dolls. 10c., and the net revenue from
customs during the year ending on the Ist of Decem-
der, 1847, being the first year under the operation
of the Tariff Act of 1846, was about 31,500,000
dollars, being an increase of revenue for the first
year under the Tariff Act of 1846, of more than
8,500,000 dollars over that of the last year under the

tariff of 1842.
The expenditures during the fiscal year ending on
the 30th of June last were 59,451,177 dolls. 660., of
which 3,522,012 dolls. 37e. was on account of Or
ment of principal and interest of the public debt, in=
eluding Treasury notes redeemed and not funded.
The expenditures, exclusive of payment of public
debt, were 55,929,095 dolls. 23c.
It is estimated that the receipts into the Treasury
for the fiscal year ending on the 30th of June, 1848,
including the balance in the Treasury on the Ist of
July last, will amount to 42,886,545 dolls. 80e., of
which 31,000,000, it is estimated, will be derived
from customs ; 3,500,000 from the sale of the public
lands ; 400,000 from incidental sources, including,'
sales made by the Solicitor of the Treasury • and
6,285,294 dolls. 55c. from loans already authorised
by law, which, together with the balance in the
Treasury on the Ist of July last, make the sum
estimated.
The expenditure for the same period, if peace with
Mexico shall not be concluded, and the army shall be
increased as is proposed, will amount, including the
necessary payments on account of the principal and
interest of the public debt and Treasury notes, to
58,615,660 dolls. 7c.
On the Ist of
,the present month, the amount of
the public debt actually incurred, including treasury
notes, was 45,659,659 dolls. 40c. The public debt
due on the 4th of March, 1845, including Treasury
notes, was 17,788,799 dolls. 62c.; and consequently,
the addition made to the public debt since that time
is 27,370,859 dolls. 78c.
Of the loan of 23,000,000, authorised by the Act
of the 28th of January, 1846, the sum of 5,000,000
was paid out to the public creditors, or exchanged at
p.ar for specie ; the remaining 18,000,000 was offered
for specie to the highest bidder not below par, by an
advertisement issued by the Secretary of the Trea-
sury, and published from the 9th of February to the
10th of April, 1847, when it was awarded to the
several highest bidders, at premiums varying from I
per cent. to 2 per cent. above par. The premium
has been paid into the Treasury, and the sums awarded
deposited in specie in the Treasury as fast S 3 it WO
required by the wants of the Government.