Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-12-03

and Bohemia, has been prepared for signature
by the Secretary Of State, and by the Baron de
Lederer, ia,rus,ed with full powers OF the AUS
trian Government. Independently Of The new
and friendly relations which may be thus CON-
menced with one Of the most eminent and pow
erful nations Of the Earth, the occasion has
been taken in it, as in other recent lIeates
concluded by the United States, 10 ex'end those
principles Of liberal intercourse and oil fair re-
ciprocity which intertwine with the exchanges
Of commerce, the principles oil Ju itice, and the
feelings Of mutual benevolence. This system,
FIRST proclaimed to the world in the tlrst com.
mercial Treaty ever concluded by the United
States, that of6t February, 1878, with France,
has been invariably the cherished policy OF our
Union. |, is by treaties OF commerce alone
that i, can be made ultimately 10 prevail as the
established system Of all civilized nations
With this principle our fathers extended the
hand of friendship TO every nation 81 the g'ooe,
ard 10 this policy our country has ever since
adhered-whalever Of regulation in our laws
has ever been adopted unfavorable TO the
interes, Of any foreign nation, has been essen
TALLY defensive and coun,eracting 10 similar
regulations of theirs operating against US.
Immediately after the close of the war Of
ipdrpendence, Comm issioners were appointed
bv the Congress Of the Confederation, aulhoi-
lied 10 conclude treaties with every nation OF
Europe disposed TO adop, them. Before the
wars of the French revolution, such treaties
had been consumma,rd with the United Meth
erlands, Sweden, and Prussia. During those
wars, treaties with Grea, Britain and Spain had
been effected and those with Prussia and France
renewed. In all these, some concessions to
the liberal principles Of intercourse proposed
by The United States had been obtalntd; but as,
in all the negotiations, hey came occasionaiIy
in collision with previous internal regulations,
OF exclusive and excluding compacts Of mono
poly, with which the other parties had beeh
| lrammelled, the advances made in them to-
wards tie freedom OF trade were partial and
imperfect. Colonial establishments, chartered
companies and ship building influence ,pervaded
and encountered the l.gislauon Of all the great
commercial States; and the United States, IN
Offering fee trade and equal privilege 10 all,
were compelled 10 acquesce in many excep.
lions with each Of the parties to their treaties,
accommodated TO theirexis,ing laws and ante
rior engagements.
The colonial system by which this whole
hemisphere was bound has fallen into ruins.
Totally abolished by revolutions, converting
colonies into independent nations, throughout
the two American Continents, excepting por-
lion of territory chiefly at the northern extre
nifty Of our own, and confined 10 the remnants
Of dominion retained by Great BRIAN over
the insular Archipelago, geographically the
appendages Of our part of the globe. With all
the rest we have free trade-even with The in
sular colonies Of all the European nations,
except Great Britain. Her Government also
had manifested approaches to the adoption OF
a free aud liberal intercourse between her CO.
oues and other raiens though, by RE p pYdettoY
exclusion has been revived for operation upon
the United States alone.
The conclusion Of our last Treaty uf Peace
with Grea, Britain was shortly Afterwards fol
lowed BY a Commercial Convention, placing
the direct intercourse between the Two coun-
tries upon footing of more equal reciprocity
than had ever before been admitted. The same
principle has since been much farther extend ,
ed by treaties with France, Sweden, Denmark,
the Hansea,ic Cities, Prussia, in Europe, and
with the Republics Of Colombia, and Of Cen
,ral America, in this hemisphere. The nutu-
ees, upon the navigation and commercial in
,ercour,e between the parties is the general
maxim which character,zes them all. There is
reason 10 expec, that ii will, at no distant pc
nod, be adopted by other nations both OF Eu-
rope and America, and to hope that by It's uni
versal pre-, alence, one Of the fruitful sources Of
wars Of commercial competition will be extin.
guished.
Among the nations upon whose Govern
ments many of our fellow ci,zens have had
long pending claims of indemnify for depreda.
tons upon their property during period when
the rights Of neutral commerce were dsre
garded, was that Of Denmark. They were
soon after the events occurred, the subject of
special mission from the United States, at the
close Of which the assurance was given by his
Danish Majesty that, al period Of more tran
guilty, and Ofless distress, they would be con-
sitered, examined, and decided upon, in s2i-
rit Of determined purpose for the dispensation
Of justice. / have much pleasure in informing
Congress, that the ful6lmenl of this honorable
promise is now in progress; that small por-
ton Of the claims has already been settled 10
the satisfaction IF the claimants; and that we
have reason TO hope that the remainder will
shortly be placed in train of equitable adjust
men,. This result has always been confidently
expected from the character Of personal integ-
rity and of bene evidence which the Sovereion