Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-03-09

We republsh the following Letter, being one Of
those transmitted by the PRESIDENT to CONGRESS-
on Tuesday, for the purpose of correcting in it a
slight error which occurred in its transcription for
the press:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, January IA, 1880
SR Twas honored by the receipt of your of the st
would be excluded by any order in council from the full
benefit of that change of system which Great Britain has
adopted by the modification Of her navigation laws
and expressing the great satisfaction of her Maesy
with the decision Of the President the United
States, concedng to British vessels in American ports the
same privileges and advantages which granted to
American vessels in British ports. II
The questions whether British vessels shall be admitted
trade you PROPOSE between the Atlantic and Pacific ports
of the United States, and whether vessels Of British build
shall be admitted to the advantages of American register
considered by the President proper subjects for egs
atve consideration, and will be submitted the judgment
Of Congress.
avail myself of this occasion to renew to you the assu-
rance OF my distinguished consideration.
JOHN M. CLAYTON.
Rt. Hon. Sir H. l.. BULwER, &c. &c. sc.
From the foregoing Letter of the SECRETARY OF
STATE it will be seen that our Government has sue
ceeded in obtaining by negotiation, from Great
Britain, the al-important assurance that no Order
in Council shall disturb the reciprocity between the
two countries in the carrying trade; the apprehen-
sion Of such an order in council having heretofore
created uneasiness in commercial circles
For the better understanding of this matter, it
ought to be stated that, by the British Navigation
Act, which went into operation on the 1st of Janu-
ary, 1850, it is provided that her Majesty in Coun-
Gil may, atany time on deciding that the recpro-
city in the carrying trade between Great Britain
and the United States, or any other country, is not
mutual or that British ships have not in our ports
equal privileges with those which American vessels
enjoy in British ports, issue her proclamation, by
Order in Council, denying to our vessels the benefit
Of the indirect carrying trade.
The whole benefit secured to other nations by
the British navigation act is thus placed, by the
terms Of that act at the discretion of her Majesty
in Council. BY the assurance which our Govern
ment has obtained from that Of Great Britain, the
matter may now be considered as at rest. The
negotiation on this point therefore, has terminated
greatly to the credit of the Administration, as well
as TO the good of the country.
The Letter Of Sir HENRY BULwER on the SUBJ
ject Of the duties upon iron, &C. was communicated
to this Government, as is obvious from the face Of
it. in consequence of express instructions from his
own'G Government, and quite probably in the very
terms of those instruc tions That letter connects
the subject of the duties on iron with the modifca-
ton of the British navigation laws and, the Min
ster having been thus instructed TO lay the subject
before this Government, it became the duty of the
Executive Of the United States to transmit his
muncation to Congress, which alone has jurisdic
ton in the matter. The subject is one of deep in
terest; and so, indeed, is the topic of the other
note Of Sir HENRY, relating to the grant of Ameri-
can registers to Britsh-built ships. " -.
We approve of the conduct Of the Executive, in
submitting these propositions to Congress; it no.
appearing to us that either could properly have
been included in diplomatic arrangement, or
treaty, between the two Governments.
Sir HENRY having declared that he is instructed
by his Government to present these subjects to the
consideration of the United States, the comfy of
nations required of the Executive TO transmit them
to thasdepartment Of the Government to which the
consideration of them properly belongs.
NORTH CAROLINA.