Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-12-16

: OF hostility upon any vessel pr arm
# ment under Its protection.
f Ministers and consuls of foreig
], nations are the means and agents
: communication between US al nd thos
t nations, and it is of the utmost in
portance that, while residing in th
! country, they should feel d perlec
: Security SO long as they faithful
, discharge their respective dut ties an
: are guilty of no violation of o ur law
: This is the admitted law Of hations
and no country has deeper interes
in maintaining it than the Unitet
States. Our commerce spreads owe
every sea and visits every cline, ant
our ministers, and consuls. are ap
pointed to protect the interests o
that commerce, as well as to guarG
the peace of the country and main
tain the honor Of its flag. But how
can they discharge these duties un.
less they be themselves protected!
and ifpr5tected,i it must be by the laws
of the co untry in which they re side.
And what is due to our own public
funetionaries residing in foreign ma
ton sis exactly the measure of what is
due to the iunctionaries of other gov
ernments residing here. As ii war,
the bearers Of Bags Of truce are sacred,
orelse wars would be interminable; SO
in peace, ambassadors, public minis
ters, and consuls, charged with friend
ly national intercourse, are objects of
respect and protection each
according to the rights belonging to
his rank and station. In view Of
these important principles, it il with
deep modification and regret that l
announce to you that, during the
excitement growing out of the q exeeu-
tons at Havana, the Office Of her
Catholic MJesty's consul at.New
Orleans was disabled by a mob, his
destroyed, the Spanish flag
found in the Office carried off and
torn in pieces, and he himself induced
10 flee ior 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 inquire into the facts and
the extent Of pecuniary loss sustained |
by the CONSUL with the intentiHn Of
laying them before you, that you
might make provisionior such il dem
nifty to him as a just regard for the
honor of the nation and the respect |
which isdue toa friendlypowe might, |
N your judgment, seem to require.
lhe cores spondenee upon this sub
ect between the Secretary of State
md heI Catholic Majesty's minister
is herewith transmit
ed.
The occurrence at New Orleans has
ed nae to give my attention to the /
state of our laws in regard to foreign !
ambassadors, ministers, and cousulS.
think the legislation of the country
S deiicie ut in not proyidingsullicient-
y eithe + for the protection or the
punishment of consuls. ] therefore
'ccomme I'D the subject to the consid-
3ration Of Congress.
Your attention is again invited to
he question of reciprocal trade be-
wecn the United States and Canada
md other British possessions near
,ur frontier. Oyertures for a con-
,ention upon this subject have been
eceiYed from her Britannia Majesty's
minister plenipotentiary; but it seems
o be in many respects preferable that
he matter should be regulated by
ecipfocal legislation. Documents
re laid before ycu showing the terms
which the British government is will
ing to offer, and the meas ures which
may adopt, if some an frangement
Ipon this subject shall no 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
ppear that her Britannia MJesty's
government is dcsirous that a part Of
he boundary line between Oregon
nd the British possessions should be
uthoritatiYely marked out, and that
n intention was expressed to apply /
0 Congress for an appropriation to
Iefray the expenses on the part Of
he United States. Your attention
o this subject is accordingly invited,
nd proper appropriation recon-
nended.
A convention for the adjustment