Litchfield enquirer., 1831-12-15

every reason to believe that it will prove high
 y beneficial. The trade thereby authorized has employed, to the S0th September last, upwards of 80 .O0O tons of American, and 15,- 900 tons of foreign shipping in the outward voyages and, in the inward, nearly an equal amount of American, and 2O,OeO only of fOr- eign tonnage. Advantages, too, have resulted 1 to our agricultural interests from the state of the trade between Canada and our Territories and States bordering on the St.Lawrence and the Lakes, which may prove more than eqni- valent to the loss sustained by the discrimina- l ton madetO favor the trade of the northern colonies with the West Indies.
 1 After our transition from the state of colo 1 nies to that of an independent nation. many points were found necessary to be settled be- tween us and Great Britain. Among them was the demarcaton of boundaries, not des- crihed with sufficient precision in the Treaty of Peace. Some of the lines that divide the States and Territories of the U. States from the British Provinces, have been defnitively ! fixed. That which separates us from the Provinces of Canada and New Bruns wick to the North and the East, was still in dispute when came into office. But found arrange ments made for its settlement, over which l had no control. The commissioners who had been appointed under the provisions of the Treaty of Ghent having been unable to agree, { a convention was made with Great Britain by my immediate predecessor in office, with the advice and consent ofthe Senate, ny which it was agreed "that the points of difference that have arisen in the settlement of the boundary line between the American and British domi- nions, as described ID the 5tf article of the treaty Of Ghent, shall he referred, as therein provided, to some friendly sovereign or state. who shall be invited to investigate. and make ] decision upon such points of difference :" and the King of the Netherlands having, by the late President and his Britannic Majesty, been designated as such friendly sovereign, 1t became my duty to carry. with good faith. the agreement so made into full effect. To this end | caused all the measures to be taken which were necessary to a full exposition of our case to the Sovereign Arbiter; and non1- mated as Minister Pienipotentiary to his.court distinguished citizen of the State most intc- rested in the question, and who had been one of the agents previously employed for settling the controversy. On the 10th day of January last, his Majesty the King of the Netherlands delivered to the Plenipotentiaries of the Uni ted States, and of Great Britain, his written opinion on the case referred to him. The pa pers in relation to the subject will be commit nicated by special Message, to the proper 1 branch of the Government. with the perfect confidence that its wisdom will adopt such measures as will secure an amicable settle l ment of the controversy, without infringing any constitutional right of the States imme- diately interested.
 It affords me satisfaction to inform you that suggestions, made by my direction. to the Charge d'Affairs of his Britannic Majesty to this Government, have had their desired effect in producing the release of certain American citizens, who were imprisoned for setting up the authority of the State of Maine, at place in the disputed Territory under the actual jurisdiction of his Britannic Majesty. From this, ard the assurances have receiv- ed, Of the desire of the local authorities tO a. void any cause of collision, have the best hopes that a good understanding will be kept up until it is confirmed by the final disposition of the subject.
 The amicahle relations which now subsist between the United States and Great Britain, the increasing intercourse between their citi- zens, and the rapid obIiteratioD of unfriendly prejudices to which former events naturally. 1 gave rs"-concurred to pr, sent this as fit pe- riod for renewing our endeavors to provide a. gainst the recurrence of causes of irritation, which, in the event of war between Great
 Britain and any other power, would inevita-
 bly cndangcr our peace. Animated by the
 sinccrest desire tO avoid such state 0fthings
 and peacefully to secure, under all possible circumstances, the rights and honor of the country. have given such instructions to the Minister lately sent to the Court of London as will evince that desire; and if met by cor respondent disposition, which we cannot douht, will put an end to causes of collision, which. without advantage to either, tend 10 estrange from each other, two nations who have every motive to preserve, mot only peace, but an intercourse of the most anicable na- 1 lure.
 | In my Message at the opening of the last session of Congress, expressed confident hope that the justice of our claims upon France. urged as they were with perseverance and signal ability by our Minister there, would finally be acknowledged. This hope has beeD realized. A Treaty has been signed which will immediately be laid before the Senate for it's appreciation and which, containing stipuDations that require Legislative acts. must have the concurrence of both houses before it can he carried into effect. By it. the French Government engage to pay sum which, if not quite equal to that which may he found due to our citizens, will yet. t is be- lieved, under all circumstances, be deemed satisfactory by those interested. The offer of gross sum. instead of the satisfaction of each individual claim, was accepted. because the only alternatives were, rigorous exac- ton of the whole amount stated to be due on each claim, which might, in some instances. be exaggerated by design, in others OverTated