The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-12-14
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Felioo Citizens ofthe Senate
and House of ReDreseatatives.

rennial election OF Chlef Magistrate has pass
cd off with less than the usual exciteuent.-
However individuals and parties may have
been disappointed in tho result, il is neverthe-
less subject of national congratulations that,
tho choice has been effected by the independent
suffrages ofa free people, undisturbed by those
influences which in other countries have too
often affected the purity of popular elections.
Our grateful thanks are due to an all-merci-
ful Providence, not only for staying the pesti.
lence which i'm different forms has desolated
some of our cities, but for crowning the labors
of the husbandman with an abundant harvest.
and the nation generally with the blessings of
peace and prosperity. "a
Within few weeks the public mind has
been deeply affected by the death of Daniel
Webster. filling at his disease the office of Sec
retary of State. His associates in the execu-
tive government have sincerely sympathsed
with his family aud the public generally on
this mournful occasion. His commanding tai
ents, his great political and professional emf
nence. his well tried patriotism, and his long
and faithful services, in the most important
public trusts have caused his death to be la
mented throughout the country, and have earn
ed for him u lasting place in our history.
In the course of the last summer considera-
BILE anxiety was caused for a short time by an
official intimation from the government of
Great Britain that orders had been given for
the protection ofthe fisheries upon the COASTS
of the British provinces in North America
against the alleged encroachments of the fish
ing vessels of the United States ano France
The shortness of this notice and the season of
the year seemed to make it matter of urgent
Importance. 1t was at first apprehended that
an increased naval force had beeen ordered to
the fishing grounds to carry into effect the
Rrti int tafio of al
convention OF 1918, i'm reference TO tho true in
tent Of which the two governments differ. II
was soon discovered that such was not the de-
sign of Great Britain, and satisfactory explana-
tons of the real objects of the measure have
been given both here and in London.
The unadjusted difference, however, between
the two governments as to the Interpretation
of the first article of the convention of 1918 is
still a matter ofimportance American fish
ing vessels within nine or ten years have been
excluded from waters to which they had free
access for twenty five years after the negotia-
tion Of the treaty. In lS45 this exclusion was
relaxed so far as concerns the Bay of Fundv,
but the just and liberal intention of the Homo
Government. in compliance with what we
think the true construction of the convention,
to open all the other outer BAYS to our fisher
men, was abandoned in consequence of the OPP
position of the colonies. Notwithstanding
this, the United States have, since tho Bay of
Fundy was reopened to our fishermen in lS45
pursued the most liberal course toward the CO.
lonial fishing interests. BY the revenue law
of 1916, the duties on colonial fish entering our
ports were very greatly reduced, and by tho
warehousng act il is allowed to be entered in
bond without payment of duty. In this way
colonial FISH has acquired the monopoly of the
export trade in orr market, and is entering to
some extent into the homo consumption
These facts were among those which increas-
ed the sensibility of our fishing interest, at the
movement in question.
These circumstances and the incidents above
alluded to have led me to think the moment
favorable for reconsideration of the entire
subject Of tge fisheries on the coast Of the Brit
ish Provinces. with view to place them upon
more liberal footing of reciprocal privilege.
willing ness to meet us in some arrangement
of this kind is understood TO exist on the part
of Great Britain, with desire on her part to
include in one comprehensive settlement, as
well this subject as the commercial intercourse
between the United States and the British prov-
inecs. have thought that whatever arrange.
ments may be made on these two subjects, it
is expedient that they should be embraced in
separate conventions. The illness and death
Of the late Secretary of State prevented the
commencement of the contemplated negotia-
ton. Pains have been taken to collect the in
formation required for the details of such an
arrangement. The subject is attended with
considerable difficulty. 1t is found practicable
to come to an agreement mutually acceptable
to the two parties, conventions may be concu-
ded in the courSc of the present winter The
control Of Congress over all the provisions of
such an arrangement, affecting the revenue,
will of course be reserved.
The affairs of Cuba formed a prominent topic
in my last annual message. They remain i'm
an uneasy condition, and feeling of alarm
and irritation on tho part of the Cuban au-
thories appears to exist. This feeling has
interfered with the regular commercial inter-
course between tho United States and the Is
land, and led so some acts of which we have
right to complain. But the Captain General of
Cuba is clothed with no power TO troat with for
cigh governments, nor is he in any degree un-
der the .control of the Spanish Minister at
Washington Any communication which be
may hold with an agent of foreign power is
informal and matter Of courtesy. Anxious to
put an end to existing inconveniences,) which
seemed to rest on misconception. / direc-
ted the newly appointed Minister to Mexico
to visit Havana, on his way to Vera Cruz. He
was respectfully received by tho Captain Gen
eral, who conferred with him freely on the re-
cent occurrences; but no permanent arrange.
ment was effected.
In the mean time the refusal Of the Captain
General to allow passengers and tho mail to
be landed in certain cases. for reason which
does not furnish in the opinion of this Govern
ment even good presumptve ground for such
a prohibition. has been made tho subject of a
serious remonstrances Mt Madrid; and have
no reason to doubt that due respect will be
paid by the government of Her Catholic Males
ty to the representations which our Minister
has been instructed to make on the subject.
It is but justice to the Captain General to
add that his conduct towards the steamers i'm
piled to carry the mails Of the United States
to Havana has. with tho acceptions above allu-
ded to. been marked with kindness and liber-
ality, and indicates no general purpose of in
terfering with the commercial correspondence
and intercourse between the Island and this
country.