The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-12-04
NO. 257.

as they faithfully discharge their respec-
pue jnties and are guilty of no violation OF our
i've This is the admitted law of nations,
al M country has deeper interest in main
.:,,;nc Il than the United States. Our COM
',, spreads over every sea and visits every
lime and our ministers and consuls are APP
a";nted 10 protect the interests of that COM
rcc rs well as to guard the peace Of the
'',,,trv and maintain the honor Of its flag.
Rut how can they discharge these duties I'M
iss. they be themselves protected! and If pro-
lied il must be by the laws of the country
in which they reside. And what is due to our
n,n nublic functionares residing in foreign
nations is exactly the measure OF what Is due
% the fupctionaries of other Governments re-
sling here. As in war. the bearers of flags
or tr1ce are sacred or else wars would be in
terminabe. so in peace, ambassadors public
ministers and consuls, charged with friendly
national intercourse, are objects of especial re-
snact and protection. each according to the
LIGHTS belonging to his rank and station. In
view of these important principles, it is with
deem modification and regret | announce to
YOU that. during the excitement growing oat
of the executions at Havana. the office OF her
Catholic Majesty's consul at New Orleans was
assailed by mob, his property destroyed, the
Snanish flag found in the Office carried of and
torn in pieces, and he himself induced to flee
for his personal safety, which he supposed to be
in danger On receiving intelligence Of these
events. / forthwith directed the attorney of the
United States residing at New Orleans to in
ouire into the facts and the extent of the pc
cuniary loss sustained by the consul, with the
intention of laying them before you, that you
might make provision for such indemnity to
him as a Just regard for the honor Of the ma
ton and the respect which is due to a friendly
power might in your judgment seem to require.
The correspondence upon this subject between
the Secretary of State and her Catholic Males
TVS minister plenipotentiary is herewith trans
mitted.
The occurrence at New Orleans has led me
TO give my attention to the state of our laws in
regard to foreign ambassadors, ministers, and
consuls think the legislation of the country
is deficient in not providing sufficiently either
for the protection or the punishment of consuls.
| therefore recommend the subject to the con-
sderation of Congress.
Your attention is again invited to the ques-
tion of reciprocal trade between the United
States and Canada and other British possessions
ueay. our froufer 0yertures DIR a, salSsfftion
ppon this subject have beer received fdfn her
u T7:T.neJs+ ' H'-'e-~- SnIg- ;,G;".on,'orv'
but il seems to be in many respects preferarl
that the matter should be regulated by recip-
rocal Legislation Documents are laid before
you showing the terms which the British Gov
eminent is willing to offer and the measures
which it may adopt if some arrangement upon
this subject shall not be made
From the accompanying copy of note from
the British Legation at Washington, and the
reply of the Department of State thereto it
will appear that her Britannia Majesty's Gov
ernment is DESTROYS that part of the boundary
line between Oregon and the British possessions
should be authoritativey marked out, and that
an intention was expressed to apply to Congress
for an appropriation to defray the expense
thereof on the part of the United States Your
attention to this subject is accordingly invited,
and proper appropriation recommended.
A convention for the ad ustment of claims of
citizens of the United States against Portugal
has been concluded and the Publications have
been exchanged The first instalment of the
amount to be paid by Portugal fell due on the
3Oth of September last and has been paid
The President of the French Republic, ac-
cording to the provisions of the Convention,
has been selected us arbiter in the case of the
General Armstrong and has signifed that he
accepts the trusts and the high satisfaction he
feels in acting rs the common friend of two
nations with which France is united by senti-
ments of sincere and lasting amity.
The Turkish Government has expressed its
thanks for tho kind reception given to the Sui
tan's agent Amin Bey, on the occasion of his
recent visit to the United States. On the 2Sth
of February last a despatch was addressed by
the Secretary of State to Mr. Marsh, the Ameri-
can Minister at ConstantinOple instructing
him to ask of the Turkish Government per-
mission for the Hungarians, then imprisoned
within the dOminions of the Sublime Porte to
remove to this country. On the Sd of March
last both Houses of Congress passed resolu-
ton requesting the President to authorize the
employment of public vessel to convey to this
country Louis kOssuth and his associates in
captivity.
The instruction above referred to was COM
piled with, and the Turkish Government hav-
ing released Governor Kossuth and his COM
panions from prison, on the 10th of September
last they embarked on board of the United
States steam-frigate Mississippi which was Sc
lected to carry into effect the resolution of Con-
gress. Governor KOssuth left the Mississippi
Mt Gibraltar, for the purpose of making a visit
TO England, and may shortly be expected in
New York. By communications to the De-
partment of State he has expressed his grateful
Acknowledgements for the interposition of this
Government in behalf of himself and his asso-
ciates This country has been justly regarded
as safe asylum for those whom political
events have exiled from their own homes in Eu-
rope and it is recommended to Congress to con-
slider in what manner Governor Kossuth and
his companions, brought hither by its authority,
shall he received and treated.
1t is earnestly to be hoped that the dfferen-
ces which have for some time past been pend
ing between the Government Of the French
Rrepublic and that of the Sandwich Islands
may be peaceably and durably adjusted, so as
to secure the independence of those islands.
Long before the events which have of late inn
parted so much Importance to the possessions
Of the United States on the Pacific, we acknowl-
edged the Independence of the Hawaiian Gov
eminent. This Government was first in taking
that step, and several of the leading Powers of
Europe Immediately followed We were inhu-
enccd in this measure by the existing and pros
pectiye importance of the islands as place of
refuge and refreshment for our vessels engaged
in the whale fishery, and by the consideration
that they lie in the course Of the great trade
which must. at no distant day, be carried on
between the western coast of North America
and Eastern Asia
We were also influenced by a desire that
those islands should not pass under the control
OF any other great maritime State. but should
remain in an independent condition, and 10 be
sslble and useful to the commerce of all
nations. ! need not say that the importance
of these considerations has been greatly en-.
HANGED by the sudden and vast development
which the interests of the United States have
attained in California and Oregon; and the
policy heretofore adopted in regard to those
islands will be steadily pursued
1t is gratifying not only to those who consid-
er the commercial interests of nations, but nj.