Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-12-10


passed in natural resources, but from which for
eign nations have hitherto been almost wholly
excluded.
The correspondence, of the late Secretary of
State with the Peruvian charge d'afaires relative
gress toward the close of the last session. Since
that time, on further investigation of the SUBJECT
the doubts which had been entertained of the IT,
tie of Peru to those islands have been removed {;
and l have deemed it just that the temporary
wrong which had been unintentionally done her,
from want of information, should be repaired by
: an unreserved acknowledgment. of her sover-
, eignty.
have the satisfaction to inform you that the
course pursued by Peru has been creditable to
| the Hbcrality of her government Before it was
known by her that her title would be acknowl-
edged at Washington her Minister of Foreign
Affairs had authorized our charge daffaires to
Lima to announce to the American vessels which
had gone to the Lobos for guano, that the Peru
vian government was willing to freight them on
its own account This intention has been carri-
ed into effect by the Peruvian Minister here by
all arrangement Which is believed to bs advanta-
gcous to the parties in interest.
OuI StlIielucHIo VII IuC SllOiCo vi GlC aS'uS
have already given a great extension, and in
some respects new direction, to our commerce
in that ocean. A direct and rapidly increasing
intercourse has sprung up with Eastern Asia
The waters of the 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 navigation is becoming daily
more common, and makes it desirable to obtain
fuel and other necessary supplies at convenient
points on the route between Asia and the Pacific
shores. Our unfortunate countrymcn who from
time to time suffer shipwreck on the coasts of
the eastern seas are entitled to protection. Be-
sides these specific objects, the general prosperity
of our States on the Pacific requires that an at
tempt should be made to open the opposite re-
gions of Asia to a mutually beneficial intercourse.
1t is obvious that this attempt could be made by
no power to so great advantage as by the Uni
ted States, whose constitutional system excludes
every idea of distant colonial dependencies.
have accordingly been led to order an ap
propriate naval force to Japan, under the COM
mand of discreet and intelligent officer of the
highest rank known to our service. He is in
structed to endcavor to obtain from the govern
ment of that country some relaxation of the in
husIitalIc and auii-Sncal .rl u A'-~
pursued for about two centuries. lie has been
directed particularly to demonstrate in the strong
est language against the cruel treatment to which
our shipwrcckcd mariners have often been sub
iected, and to insist that they shall be treated
with humanity. He is instructed however at
the same time to give that government the am
plest assurance that the objects of the United
States are such and such only as l have indica-
ted, and that the expedition is fIiendly and peace
full Notwithstanding the jealousy with which
the governments of Eastern Asia regarded all
ovcrturcs from foreigners, am not wthouthopes
of beneficial result of the expedition. Should
it be crowned with success, the advantages will
not he confined to the Untel States, but, as in
the case Of China, will be equally enjoyed by all
the other maritime powers. l have much salts
faction in stating that in all the steps preparato
ry 10 this expedition the Government of the Uni
ted States has been materially aided by the good
offices of the King of the Netherlands, the only
European power having any commercial relations
with Japan.
Iu passing from the survey of our foreign re-
lations invite the attention of Congress to the
condition of that department Of the Government
to which this branch of the public business is en-
trusted Our intercourse with foreign powers
has of late years greatly increased, both in con-
sequence of our own growth and the introduc-
ton of many new States into the family of ma
tions In this way the Department of State has
become ovcrburdencd. 1t has, by the recent es-
tablishment of the Department Of the Interior,
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 dstrbu-
ton of the laws of the United States, the execu-
ton of the copyright law, the subject of reprieves
and pardons, and some other subjects relating to
interior administration, should be transferred
from the Department of State, it would unques-
tionably be for the benefit of the public service.
1 would also suggest that the building approprl-
ated to the State Department is not fire proof !;
that there is reason to think there are defects in
its construction, and that the archives of the Go
vernment in charge of the Department. with the
precious collections of the manuscript papers OF
Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison, and
Monroe, are exposed to destruction by fire. A
similar remark may be made of the buildings aP-
propriated to the War and Navy Departments.
The condition of the Treasury is exhibited IN
the annual report from that Department.
The cash receipts into the Treasury for the