The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-12-25

and that Commodore Parker was also directed
to proceed to the Mosquito shore, to protect our
commerce. We extract the following passage
from the letter of the Secretary of the Navy to
Commodore Parker:
Whatever may have been the merits Of the
question between the captain of the Prone
theus and the authorities of Nicaragua, the
United States acknowledge no right in the
Government or vessels Of Great Britain to ex-
ercse any police and supervision over Ameri-
can merchant vessels in Nicaragua or else
where out of the British dominiOns On the
contrary, the first article of the convention be-
tween the United States and her Britannia
Majesty, relative to Nicaragua signed April
10, 1850, of which copy is also enclosed, ex-
pressly excludes each of the contracting parties
from assuming or exercising any dominion over
Nicaragua, Costa Rica the Mosquito coast, or
any part of Central America
The officer of her Britannia Majesty on that
station is to be informed of these views. and
the local authorities of the port are to be assured
that the United States will not justify the non
payment of any lawful and proper port duties
on the part of their merchant vessels, and that
they desire the most friendly relations with the
Government of Central Aaleriea and will faith
fully maintain on their part the stipulations of
the treaty already referred TO-" y
Mr.. Brodhead presented petition from citi-
zens of Pennsylvania praying the restoration
of the punishment of fiogging in the navy.
Mr. Stockton said that he was surprised
that petition with such an object could re.
ceive so many signatures in Philadelph ia. He
recognised the right of petition, but he could
not approve Of this petition. He desired to
present his views on this subject; and, if it
was in order, he would move to lay the petition
on the table He would call it up on next
Tuesday.
The motion to lay on the table was agreed
6i. J....s. ~. ,.lts-s..~4-- - penp<D -.
Messrs wy SSss,to" p, C., WsSh;-otou,,
and others, setting forth estimates, &c, 81 a
plan to supply Washington city and George
town with water from the falls of the Potomac
river Referred to the Committee ON the Dis
trict OF. Columbia.
Mr. Walker submitted the following resolu-
tons, which lie over
Whereas the signs of the times are porten-
tous of an approaching struggle in Europe be-
tween the republican masses for constitutional
Governments on the one side, and the adyo-
Gates of monarchy for absolute Governments
W
hooves the Representatives of the American
People of the united sovereign States of Amer
lea to seriously consider, and betimes to inquire
into the relations of the Government and cOun-
try to this struggle, and their duty, in view of
it, to themselves, to foreign nations, and the in
ternational law: Therefore,
BE At resolved, That the Committee on For
egn Relations be instructed to inquire into and
report upon the expediency of an open declara-
ton by Congress, to foreign nations and the
world that the United States hold strictly to
the policy and principle that each individual
nation State or Power, possesses for itself the
exclusive right and sole power to take care and
dispose of its own internal concerns, without
| and exempt from the intervention and interfe-
renee ofany foreign Government State, Conled-
eracy, Alliance, or Power whatsoever and that
any such Intervention or Interference by Or on
the part of any foreign Government, State Con-
| federacy Alliance, or Power, constitutes an in
fraction of the law of nations, authorizing and
justifying the nterposition of any or oil other
Governments, Cenfederacies, or Powers, al
their discretion, to prevent such intervention
and to repair such infraction of the law of ma
tons.
Resolved, further, That the same committe
| be instructed 10 inquire also into tne e4peuen
cy of requesting the President of the Unite
States to cause negotiations to be opened witt
all other constitutional Governments with
view and to the end of obtaining their cO-ope
ration with the United States in the declara
ton aforesaid. and the policy and principle
thereof and in the observance, defence and
maintenance of the law Of nations in this re-
spect. -
COMPROMISE MEASURES.
Some interesting debate, in which Messrs.
Mason. Brodhead, Rhett Hale Foote Stockton,
and Butler participated In the course of this
debate Mr. Foote declared himself willing to
see California divided in 8 constitutional man
ner and Mr. Hale repeatedly pronounced the
Supreme Court of the United States to be the
citadel of slavery.
We shall notice this debate in another col
umn.