Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-12-07

nroyiso. that it should further continue
| in force, till the conclusion OF a general
and definite treaty Of commerce; unless
| terminated by notice six months in
advance, Of either of the parties to the
| other Its operation so far as it ex-
tended, has been mutually advantage
Gus. and it still continues in force; by
common consent. But it left uadjust-
ed several objects Of great interest to
the citizens and subjects Of both coun-
tries, and particularly mass OF claims
to considerable amount, Of citizens OF
the United States upon the Government
of France Of indemnity for property
taken or destroyed under circumstan-
ces of the most aggravated and outra-
peous character. In the long period
durine'which continual and earnest ap-
peaIs have been made to the equity
and magnanimity of France, in behalf
of these claims, their justice has not
been, as it could not be, denied. II was
hoped that the accession Of new So
vereign to the Throne would have at
forded a favorable opportunity for pre-
senting them to the consideration OF
his Government. They have been pre-
senied and urged, hitherto without ef-
feet.
The repeated and earnest represen.
tations of our Minister al the Court oil
France, remain as vet even Without an
! snswer. Were the demands OF nations
upon the Justice of each other suscep.
tibe of adjudication by the sentence o!
an impartial tribunal, those to which |
now refer would long since have been
settled, and adequate indemnity would
have been obtained There are large
| amounts of similar claims upon the
Netherlands, Naples, and Denmark
For those upon Spain, prior TO 1919,
indemnity was, after many years OF pa
tient forbearance, obtained, and those
upon Sweden have been laIely compro-
missed by private settlement, in which
the claimants themselves have acqui-
esced. The Governments Of Denmark
and Of Naples have been recently re-
minded OF those yet existing against
them; nor will any of them be forgot
ten while hope may be INDUCED Of
obtaining justice, by the means within
the constitutional power Of the Exccu-
tive, and without resorting to those
measures Of self-redress, which, as well
as the time, circumstances and occa-
sion, which may require them, are
within the exclusive competency ofthe
Legislature.
1t is with great satisfaction that |
am enabled to bear witness to the libe-
raj spirit with which the Republic Of
Colombia has made satisfaction for
well-es,ablished claims of a similar
character And among the documents
now communicated to Congress, will
be distinguished a Treaty Of Com
merce and Navigation with that Re
public, the ratifcatiens Of which have
been exchanged since the last recess Of
the Legislature. The negotiation If
similar treaties with all the iIdepend-
ent South American States, has been
contemplated, and may be yet accom-
plished. The basis of them all, as
proposed by the United States, has
been laid in two principles; the one OF
entire and unqualified reciprocity the
othe the mutual obligation Of the par
ties, to place each other permanently
upon the footing Of the most favored
nation. These principles are, indeed,
indispensable to the effectual emanci-
patton of the American hemisphere
from the thraldom Of colonizing mo-
nopolies and exclusions An event ra-
pidly realizing in the progress OF hu-
man affairs, and which the resistance
sill opposed in certain parts of Eu-
rope to tne' acknowledgement Of the
South American Republics as indie
pendent States, will, it is believed, con-
tribute more effectually to accomplish.
The time has been, and that not re-
mote, when some OF those States might,
in their ANXIOUS desire 10 obtain a no.
minal recognition, have accepted OF a
nominal independence, clogged with
burdensome conditions, and exclusive
commercial privileges granted to the
nation from which they have separated,
to the disadvantage Of all Others -
They are now all aware that such con
cessions to any European nation, would
be Incompatible with that indepen-
dence which they have declared and
maintained.
Among the measures which have
been suggested to them by the new re-
Lotions with one another, resulting from
the recent changes of their condition,
is that of assembling, at the lsthmus
of Panama, a Congress at which each
of them should be represented, to de-
libera,e upon objects important to the
welfare Of all. The Republics of Co
lombia, Of Mexico, and Of Central Ame-
| RIGA, have already deputed Plenipo-
ten,iaries to such meeting, and they
have invited the United States to be
also represented there by their minis