The Arkansas banner., 1845-12-24

Enropeau interference. Thenations of Amer
 lea are equally sovereign and independent
 with those of Europe. They possess tn9
 same rights, independent from all foreign i'l-
 deposition, to make war. 10 conclude peace,
 and to regulate their internal affairs. The People of the United States cannot therefore z
 vlew with indifference attempts of Europe an powers to interfere with the independent action of the nations on this continent The
 American system Of government is entirely
 different from that of Europe. Jealousy
 among the different soyereigns of Europe,
 lest any one of them might become too pow
 erful for the rest has caused them pnxiously
 10 desire the establishment of what they 1 term the balance of power. Ie cannot be
 permitted 10 have any application to the N. Americen continent, and especially to the U.
 States. We must ever maintain llle princi- pie, that the people of this continent alone
 have tue right to decide their own destiny. Should any portion of them, constituting anin- 1 dependent State, propose to mite themselves
 with our conlcderacv. this will be a question
 for them and us 10 determine, without any
 foreign inerposlion.
 We can never consent that European pow
 CTS shall interfere to prevent such anion,
 because it nigh. disturb the "balance of
 power" which they may desire to maintain 1 upon this continent. Near quarter oi
 century ago, the principle was distinctly an-
 nounced to the world in the annual message
 of one of my predecessors, that ssihe Amerl-
 can continents, by the free and independent
 condition which they have assumed and
 maintain are heneforth not to be considered
 as subjects for future colonization by any
 European 2ower.o This principle will apply
 with greatly increased force, should any
 European power attempt to establish any
 new colony in North America. In tue exis
 ting circumstances of the world, the present
 is deemed a proper occasion to feiterate and
 re-aliirm ihe principle ayowed by Mir. Mon-
 roc. and ,o state my cordial concurrence in it's Wisdom and sound policy. The reasser-
 lion of this principle, especially i'll reference ,' to North America, is at this day but the pro-
 mitigation of d policy which no European f power should cherish the disposition to re- sist. Existing rights ef every European na- ton should be respected; but Il IS due alike to our safety and our interests, that the eili- cient protection of our laws should be ex- tended over our whole territorial limits, and , that it should be distinctly announced 10 the world us settletllpoley, thu, no future Euro pcan colony oI dominion shall, with our consent, be planted or established on any part of of the North American continent. question has recently arisen under the
 tenth article of the suhsisting treaty between . the U States and Prussia. By this article, , the Consuis of the two countries have the : right to sil us judges and arbitrators s'in such fl differences as may arise between the captains and crews of tie vessels belonging to the , pation whose interests are committed to their . charge, without the interference of the lo- , cal authorities, unless the conduct of the f crews or of the captains should disturb the
 order or tranquility of the country, or the 1 said Consuls should require their assistance
 to cause their decisions to be carried into et- 9 feet or snpported.n
 The Prussian consul at New Bedford, in June lS11, applied to Mir. Justice Story to
 carry into effect decision made by hlm be- r tween the captain and crew of the Prussiai
 ship Borusia; but the request was refused , on the ground that without previous leglsla- e lion by Congress, the judiciary did not pos ii sess the power to give effect to this artl-
 cle of the treaty. The Prussian govern- ment through their minister here, have com paned of this violation of the treaty, and I have asked the government oi the U States
 to adopt the necessary measures to prevent timilar violations hereafter Good faith to . Prussia, as well as to other nations witlI
 whom VIC have similar treaty stipulatons, : requires that these should be faithfully ob- T served have deemed it proper, therefore, ? to lay the subject before Congress, and to o recommend such legislation as may be ne-
 cessary to give effect to these treaty ebligd-
 lions.
 By virtue of an arrangement made between . the Spanish government and that oi the U. h States, ill December, 1891, American vessels. .- since the 29h April l832, have been admit ted 10 entry in the ports of Spain, including Il those of the Baearic and Canary islands,
 on payment of the same tonage duty of five I cents per ton, as though they had been Span- , ish vessels, and this whethe our vessels ar- l rive in Spain directly from the U. S or indi- recty from any other country. When Con- gress by the act of the 18th of July, S32, give effect 10 this arrangement between the I two governments, they confined the reduce
 lion of tonnage duty merely to Spanish yes sels ''coming from port in Spaln,o leaving the former discriminating duty to remain agains. such vessels coming from a port in a any other country. It is maniiestly unjust that, whilst American vessels, arriving in the ports of Spain from other countries, pay. no . more duty than Spanish vessels arriving in the ports of the U. States from other countries should be subjected 10 heavy discrming tom uage duties This is neither equality nor re- ciprocity, and is in violation of the arrange . ments concluded in December, 1881, be- tween the two countries The Spanish go-
 vernment have made repeated and earnest remonsrances against this inequality, and the favorable attention of Congress has been |, several times invoked to the subject by my predecessors. l recommend, as an act of justice to Spain, that this inequality be re- move by Congress, and that the dlscrlmlna-
 ting duties which have been levied under the act of the 18th of July, 1S32, on spanish
 vessels coming 10 the U. States from any for r eign country, be refunded. This recommen- dation does not embrace Spanish vessels ar Q irving in the U States from Cuba and Porto Y Rico, which will still remain subject to the , provisions of the act of June 30th, 1854, . concerning tonage duty on such vessels.
 By act of the 14th of July, 1882, coffee : was exempted from duty altogether. This