Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-12-18

any NOHt Htt, lIDul NNI ol SiiSut
be repaired ly an unrcseryed acknowledgment
Of her sovereignty.
] have the satisfaction to inform you thst liz
course pursued by Peru has been crcditabic L.
tie libcrality of her Government. Before il
WAS known by her that her tile W"u}d lie -
| know edged nj Washington, her Minister TT
| Foreign Affairs had authorised our Cha"c d.
At1.rcs at Lima 10 announce 10 The American
vessels which had gon. 10 he LobOs, that The
! Peruvian Government WI: willing TO frci,'lIt
| them on It's own account. The intention has
| been carried into effect by the Peruvian Minis
| ter here, by an arrangement Whchis believed to
be advantageous to the parties in interest.
! Our settlements on the shores Of the Pacific
/ lave already given great extension, and is
! some respects new direction, to our, Onmercc
| in tjIai ocean. A direct and rapidly increasing
! intercourse has sprung up with Eastern Asia,
The waters ofthe Northern Pacific, even into the
Arctic sea, have OF late years been frequented
by our whalemen. The application Of steam to
the general purposes of nay cation is becoming
| daily more common, and makes it desirable to
obtain fuel and other necessary supplies at con-
venient points on the route between Asia and
our Pacific shores Our unfortunate country
men Wha from time 10 time suffer shipwreck on
! the coasts Of the eastern seas are entitled to
protection Besides these specific objects, the
general prosperity OF our States on the Pacific
| requires thai an attempt should be made to
open the opposite regions Of Asia TO mutually
! beneficial intercourse. 1t is obvious that this
attempt could lie made by no power to so great
advantage as by the United States, whose con-
! stitutional system excludes every idea ofdislant
colonial dependencies. have accordingly been
| led to order an appropriate naval force to jas
! pan, under the command of discreet and in
! teligent officer of the highest rank known, to
out service. He is instructed to endcavor to
obtain from the Government Of that country
some relaxation of the inhospitablc and anti
quated system which il has pursued for about
two centuries. He has been directed partcu-
larly TO demonstrate in the strongest lungu9ge
against the cruel treatment to which our ship
wrecked mariners have often been subjected,
and to insist that they shall be treated W ith hu-
manity. He is instructed, however, al the same
time to give thai Government the afnpcst assu-
RANGES that the objects Of the United States are
such and such only as have indicated, and that
the expedition is friendly and peaceful Not
withstanding the jealousy with which the Gov
ernments of Asia regard all overtures from for
eigners, | am not without hopes of q beneficial
result of the expedition. Should it be crowned
with success, the advantages will not be con-
fined TO the United States, but, as in the case of
China, will be equally enjoyed by all the other
maritime pow ers. have much satisfaction in
stating that in all the steps preparatory to this
expedition the Government of the United States
has been materially aided by the good Offices of
the King of the Netherlands, the only Europe
an power having any commercial relations with
Japan
In passing from this survey of our foreign re-
lafions, invite the attention of Congress to the
condition of that department Of the Government
to which this branch of the public business is
entrusted. Our intercourse with foreign powers
has of late years greatly increased, both in con-
sequence of our own growth and the introduce
ton of many new States into the family of ma
tions. In this way the Department of State has
become oyerburdened. 1t has, by the recent es-
been relieved Of some portion Of the domestic
business. If the residue of the business of that
kind, such as the distribution of Congressional
documents, the keeping, publishing and distr-
button Of the laws of the United States, the ex-
ecution of the copyright law, the subject of re-
preves and pardons, and some other subjects
relating 10 interior administration, should be
transferred TO the Department Of State, would
unquestionably be for the benefit of the public
service. would also suggest that the build
ing appropriated to The State Department is not
firc-proof; that there is reason 10 think there are
defects in its construction, and that the archives
Of the Government in charge ofthe Department
with The precious collections of the manuscript
papers Of Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton,
Madison, and Monroe are exposed to destruc-
ton of fire. A similar remark may be made Of
The buildings appropriated to the War and Navy
Departments.
The condition of the Treasury is exhibited
in the annual report from tina. Department.
The cash receipts into the Treasury for the
fiscal year ending the 30th Of Juue last, excu-
sive of trust fluids, were forty nine millions
seven hundred and twenty eight thousand threo
hundred and twenty six dollars and eighty nine
cents, (S49,72S, ,326,S9D and tile expenditure
for the same period, likewise inclusive of trust
funds, were forty six millions seven thousand
eight hundred and ninety six dollars and twenty
four hundred and fifty five thousand eight hun
dred and fifteen dollars and eighty three cents
(S9,455,Sl5 33) was on account of the princi>
pal and interest of the public debt, including
the last nstalment of the idemnity to Mexico,
underline treaty Of Gnadaloupe Hdalno, leaving
a balance of 81 ,G32,1 BIG 81 in the Treasury on
the first day Of July last. Since this latter pc.
rod, further purchase of the principal Of the
pubiic debt have been made to the extent of
two millions four hundred and fifty six thou
sand five hundred and forty seven dollars and
forty nine cents, (2,456:547 49,) and the sur
plus in The Treasury will continueto be applied
to that object, whenever the stock can be pro,
cured within the limits, as to price, authorized
by law.
The value of foreign merchandise imported
during The last fiscal year was two hundred and
seven millions two hundred and forty thousand
one hundred and one dollars ($2O7, ,24O,lOD;
and the value of domestic productions exported
hundred and sixty one thousand nine hundred