The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-12-21 00:00:00

restrrin their citizens from all violations of the lasts
which have passed for its enforcement. But this go-
vernment recognizes a still higher obligation to re-
press all attempts on the part of its citizens to disburb
the peace of a country where order prevails or has
been re-established. Depredations by our citizens
upon nations at peace with the United States, or com-
binations for committing them, have at all times been
regarded by the American government and people
the greatest abhorrence. Military incursion by our
citizens into countries so situated, and the commission
of acts of violence on the members thereof, in order
to effect a change in its government, or under any
pretext whatever, have from the commencement of our
government, been held equally criminal on the part
of those engaged in them, and as much deserving of
-punishment as would be th,-; - d ute- of-t e
prtbhc-
peace by the perpetration of similar acts within our
own territory.
By no country of persons have these invaluable prin-
ciples of international law—principles, the strict ob-
servance of whit is so indispensible to the preserva-
tion of social order in the world—been more earnestly
cherished or sacredly respected than by those great and
good men who first declared, and finally established,
the independence of our own country. They promul-
gated and maintained them at an early and critical
period in our history ; they were subsequently em-
bodied in legislative enactments of a highly penal cha-
racter, the faithful enforeement of which has hitherto
been, and wilt, I trust, always continue to be, regarded
as a duty inseparably associated with the maintenance
of our national honour. That the people of the United
States should feel an interest in the spread of political
institutions as free as they regard their own to be, is
natural ; nor can a sincere solitude for, the success of
all those who are, at any time, in good faith struggling
for their acquision, be imputed to our citizens as a
crime. With the entire freedom of opinion, and an
undisguised expression thereof, on their part, the go-
vernment has neither the right, ncr, I trust, the dis-
position to interfere. B.ut whether the interests or
honour of the United States require, that they should
be made a party to any such struggle, and, by inevita-
ble consequence, to the war which is waged in its sup-
port, is a question which, by uor constitution, is wisely
left to congress alone to decide. It is, by the laws,
already made criminal in our citizens to embarrass or
anticipate that .decision, by unauthorised military
operations cm their part. Offences of this character,
in addition to their criminality as violations of the
laws of our country, have a direct tendency to draw
down upon our own citizens at large the multiplied
evils of a foreign war, and to expose to injurious im-
putations the good faith and honour of the country.
As such they deserve to be put down with promptitude
and decision. I cannot be mistaken, lam confident,
in counting on the cordial and general concurrence of
our fellow citizens in this sentiment. A copy of the
proclamation which I have felt it my duty to issue, is
herewith communicated.
I cannot but hope that the good sense and patriotism, the
regard for the honour and reputation of their country, the
respect for the laws which they have themselves enacted for
their own government, and the love of order for which tire
mass of our people have been so long and so justly distin-
gaished, will deter the comparatively few who are engaged in
them from a further prosecution of such desperate enter-
prises. In the mean time, the existing laws have been, and
will continue to be, faithfully executed ; and every effort will
be made to carry them out in their full extent. Whether
they are sufficient or not, to meet the.actual state of things
on the Canadian frontier, it is for Congross to decide.
It will appear from the correspondence herewith submit-
ted, that the government of Russia declines a renewal of the
fourth article of the convention of April, 1824, between the
United States and His Imperial Majesty, by the third, rticle
of which it is agreed that " hereafter there shall not be formed
by the citizens of the United States, or under the authority
of the said States, any establishments upon the northwest
coast of America, nor in any of the islands acljrcent, to the
north of 54 deg. 40 min. of north latitude; and that in the
same manner there shall be none formed by Russian sub-
jects, or under the authority of Russia, south of the same
parallel ;" and by the fourth article, "that, during a terra of
ten years, counting from the signature of the present con-
vention, the ships of both powers, or which belong to their
citizens or subjects respectively, may reciprocally frequent,
without any hindrance whatever, the inferior seas, gulfs,
harbours, and creeks upon the coast mentioned in the tire-
ceding article, for the purpose of fishing and trading with the
natives of the country. The reasons assigned for declining
to renew the provisions of this article, are, briefly, that the
only use made by our citizens of the privilege it secures to
them, has been to supply the Indians with spirituous liquors,
ammunition, and fire-arms; that this traffic has been exclud-
ed from the Russian trade; and as the supplies furnished
from the United States are injurious to the Russian establish-
ments on the northwest coast, and calculated to produce
complaints between the two governments, His Imperial Ma-
jesty thinks it for the interest of both countries not to accede
to the proposition made by the American government for the
renewal of the article last, referred to.
The correspondence herewith communicated will show the
grounds upon which we contend that the citizens of the Unit-
ed States have, independent of the provisions of the conven-
tion of 1824, a right to trade with the natives upon the coast
in question, at unoccupied places, liable, however, it is ad-
mitted, to be at any time extinguished by the creation of Rus-
sian establishments at such points. This right is denied by
the Russian government, which asserts that, by the operation
of the treaty of 1824, each party agreed to waive the general
right to land on the vacant coasts on the respective sides of
the degree of latitude referred to, and accepted, in lieu there-
of, the mutual privileges mentioned in the fourth article. The
capital and tonnage employed by our citizens in their trade
with the north-west coast of America, will perhaps, on advert-
ing to the official statements of the commerce and navigation
of the United States for the last few years, be deemed too
inconsiderable in amount to attract much attention; yet the
subject may, in other respects, deserve the careful considera-
tion of Congress.
I regret to state that the blockade of the principal ports on
the ....torn coast of Mexico, which, in consequence of differ-
ances between that 11,1).6;4. ioscicutect in
May last, unfortunately still continues, enforced by a compe-
tent French naval force, and is necessarily embarrassing to
our own trade in the Gulf, in common with that of other na-
tions. Every disposition, however, is believed to exist on
the part of the French government, to render this measure as
little onerous as practicable to the interests of the citizens of
the United States, and to those of neutral commerce• and it
is to be hoped that an early settlement of the difficulties be-
tween France and Mexico, will soon re-establish the harmo-
nious relations formerly subsisting between them, and again
open the ports of that Republic to the vessels of all friendly
nations.

A convention for marking that part of the boundary be
tween the United States and the Republic of Texas, which
extends from the mouth of the Sabine to the Red River, was
concluded and signed at this city on the 25th of April last.
It has since been ratified by both governments, and season-
able measures will he taken to carry it into effect on the part
of the United States.
The application of that republic for admission into this
Union, made in August, 1837, and which was declined for
reasons already made known to you, has been formally with-
darwn. as will appear from the accompanying copy of the
note of the Minister Plenipotentiary of Texas, which was
presented to the Secretary of State on the occasion of the ex-
change of the ratifications of the convention above mentioned.
Copies of the convention with Texas, of a commercial
treaty concluded with the King of Greece, and of a similar
treaty with the Peru-Bolivian Confederation, the ratifica-
tions of which have been recently exchanged, accompany
this message for the information of Congress, and for snch
legislative enactments as may be found necessary or expe-
dient' in relation to either of them.
To watch over and foster the interests of a gradually in-
creasing commerce; to guard the rights of American citi-
zens, whom business, or pleasure, or other motives may
tempt into distant climes, and at the same time to cultivate
those santimeuts of mutual respect and good will which ex-
perience has proved so beneficial in international intercourse,
the Government of the United States has deemed it expedi-
ent, from time to time, to establish diplomatic connections
with different foreign States, by the appointment of repre-
sentatives to reside within their respective territories. lam
gratified to be enabled to announce to you that, since the
close of your last session, these relations have been opened
under the happiest auspices with Austria and the Two Sici-
lies; that new nominations have been made in the respec-
tive missions of Russia, Brazil, Belgium, and Sweden and
Norway, in this country; and that a Minister Extraordinary
has been received, accredited to this Government from the
Argentite Confederation.
An exposition of the fiscal affairs of the Government, and
of their condition for the past year, will be made to yq,u by
the Secretary of the Treasury.
The available balance in the Treasury, on the Ist of Janu-
ary next, is estimated at '2,765,342 dollars.—The receipts of
the year, from customs and lands will probably amount to
20,615,598 dollars. These usual sources of revenue have
been increased by an issue of Treasury notes; of which less
than eight millions of dollars, including interest and princi-
pal, will be outstanding at the end of the year, and by the
sale of one of the bonds of the Bank of the United States,
for 2,254,871 dollars. The aggregate of means from these
and other sources, with the balance oa hand on the Ist of
January last, has been applied to the payment of appropria-
tions by Congress. The whole expenditure for the year on
their account, including the redemption of more than eight
millions of Treasure notes, constitutes an aggregate of about
forty millions of dollars, and will still leave in the 'Treasury
the balance before stated.
Nearly eight millions of dollars of Treasury notes are to
be paid during the coming year, in addition to the ordinary
appropriations for the support of Government. For both
these purposes, the resources of the Treasury will undoubt_
edly ba sufficient, if the charges upon it are not increased
beyond the annual estimates. No excess, however, is likely
to exist; nor can the postponed instalment of the surplus
revenue be deposited with the States, nor any considerable
appropriations beyond the estimates be made, without caus-
ing a deficiency in the Treasury. The great caution, advis-
able at all times, of limiting appropriations to the wants of
the public service, is rendered necessary at present by the
prospective and rapid reduction of the tariff; while the vigi-
lant jealousy, evidently excited among the people by the oc-
currences of the last few years, assures us that they expect
from their representatives, and will sustain them in the exer-
cise of, the most rigid economy. Much can be effected by
postponing appropriations not immediately required for the
ordinary public service, or for any pressing emergency ; and
much by reducing the expenditures where the entire and
immediate accomplishment of the objects in view is not in-
indispensable.
When we call to mind the recent and extreme embarrass•
ments produced by excessive issues of bank paper, aggra-
vated by the unforeseen withdrawal of much foreign capital,
and the inevitable derangement arising from the distribution
of the surplus revenue among the states as required by con-
gress, and consider the heavy expenses incurred by the re-
moval of Indian tribes; by the military operations in Flo-
rida, and on account of the unusually large appropriations
made at the last two annual sessions of congress for other ob-
jects, we have striking evidence, in the present efficient state
of our finances, of the abundant resources of the country to
fulfil all its obligations. Nor is it less gratifying to find that
the general business of the community, deeply affected as it
has been, is reviving with additional vigour, chastened by the
lessons of the past, and animated by the hopes of the future.
By the curtailment of paper issues, by curbing the sanguine
and adventurous spirit of speculation; and by the honour-
able application of all available means to the fulfilment of
obligations, confidence has been restored both at home and
abroad, and ease and facility secured to all the operations of
trade.
The agency of the Government in producing these results
has been as efficient as its powess and means permitted. By
withholding from the States the deposite of the fourth instal-
ment, and leaving several millions at long credits with the
banks, principally in one section of the country, and more
immediately beneficial to it; and, at the same time, aiding
the banks and commercial communities in our section, by
postponing the payment of bonds for duties to the amount of
between four and five millions of dollars; by an issue of
Treasury notes as a means to enable the Government to meet
the consequences of their indulgencies, but affording at the
same time, facilities for remittance and exchange; and by
steadily declining to employ as general depositories of the
public revennes, or receive the notes of all banks which re-