Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-12-15
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

congress met on the 9th inst, and the
Presidents Message was received at l o.
clock. 1t is a lengthy document and one
of great interest, particularly the portion
relative to the Foreign relations of our gov
eminent. We must content ourself with
the following brief extracts
Concerning the fishery difficulties, the
President thinks the present ga favorable
time for reconsideration of the entire sub
ject of the fisheries on the coast of the
British Provinces, with a view to place them
on a more liberal footing ofreciprocal priv
ilege. A willingness to meet us in some
arrangement Of this kind is understood to
exist, on the part of Great Britain, with a
desire on her part to include in one com
prehensive settlement, as we'll this subject
as the commercial intercourse between the
United States and the British provinces.
The subject is attended with considerable
difficulty. If tits found practicable to come
to an agreement mutually acceptable to the
two parties, conventions may be concluded
in the course Of the present winter. The
control of Congress over all the provisions
CT such an arrangement, affecting the reye-
nue., will of course be reserved"
About the Cuban affairs, we extract the
following:
The affairs of Cuba formed a prominent
topic in my last animal message. They re-
main in an uneasy condition, and a feeling
of alarm and irritation on the part Of the
Cuban authorities appears to exist. This
feeling has interfered with the regular com
mercial intercourse between the United
States and the island, and led to some acts
Of which wehave fright to complain. But
the captain General of Cuba is clothed with
no power to treat with foreign governments,
nor is helm any degree under the control
Of the Spanish Minister at Washington.
Any communication which he may hold
with an agento of aforcign power is informal
and matter of courtesy, Anxious to put
an end tothe existing nvenience8 (Which
seemed to rest on amisconception,) [ direc-
ted the newly appointed Minister to Mexico
to visit Havana, on his way to Vera Cruz.
He vas respectfully received by the Cap
tain General, who conferred with him free
E ly on the recent occurrences but no per-
manent arrangement was effected.
In the mean time, the refusal of the Cap
tain General to allow passengers and the
mail to be landed in certain cases, for a
reason which does not furnish in the opin-
ion of this Government even a good pre-.
sumptivc ground for such a prohibition, has
r been made the subject of a serious remon.
, STRANGE at Madrid; and [ have no reason tc
doubt that due respect will be paid by the
government Of Her Catholic Majesty tc
the representations which our Minister has
been instructed to make Of the subject.
1t is bat justice to the Captain General
to add, that his conduct toward the stea
mcrs employed to carry the mails Of thc
United States to Havana has, with the ex
ceptions above alluded to, been marked
with kindness and libarality, and indicate.
, no general purpose Of interfering with th>
; commercial correspondence and intercourse
between the island and this country.
4, Early in the present year Official notes
s were received from the Ministers of France
i; and England, inviting the Government o
the United States to become q party Will
Great Britain and France to a tri partit,
=, Convention, in virtue Of which the tire;
: powers should seyerally and colloctivel,
- disclaim, now and for the future, all inten
, ton to obtain possession Of the Island o
I Cuba, and should bind themselves to dis
u countenance all attempts to that effect Of
g the part Of any power or individual what
: ever. This invitation has been respect
i fully declined, for reasons which it woul
occupy too much space in this cOmmQnica
ton to state in detail, but which led II
d to think that the proposed measure woul
? be Of doubtful oonstitutionality, impolitio
and unavailing. [ have, however, in con
9. mon with several of my predecessors, d
g roctcd the Ministers Of France and En-
land to be assured that the United State
1 entertain no designs against Cuba; but tina
III on the contrary, | should regard its inco,
n p~oration into the Union at the present tim
a It's frought with serious peril.
I'd Were this island comparatively destitu'
>! of inhabitants, or occupied by a kindrc
tn race. | should regard it, if voluntarily c
&C. dod by Spain, as a most desirable acquia
nd ton. But, under existing circumstance
n | should look upon its incorporation IN
,l our Union as q very hazardous measur
v It would bring into the Confcdoracy a pc
- ulation Of a different national stock, spoa
ing a different language, and not likely
harmonic with the other members.
would probably affect ina prejudicial ma
I'D ncr the industrial interests Of the Sout
,ar and it might revive those conflicts Of OPP
ng ION between the different sections Of t
country, which lately shook the Union
or. its centre, and which have been so happ
not compromised.
Co~ncerningth be doctrinoof 'Interventio
the President says: 1t has been the u
form policy of this Government from
md foundation to the present day to abst
out from all interference in the domestic afa
-he of other nations. The consequence
.gh- been that while the nations of Europe h:
lie been engaged in desolating wars, our CO
try has pursued its peaceful course
Of u~aexampled prospe rityandhappiness
.,.- =, y-L:ob vvo bovo b0pO comDnIIpl