Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-12-10


of San Juan de Nicaragua, and of the controversy
between the republics of Costa RIGA and Nicaragua
in regard to their boundaries, considered indis
pensabie to the commencement of the ship canal be-
tween the two oceans which the sub ject of the
Convention between the United Stat IS and Great
Britain of the 10Th of April, 1850. Accordingly a
proposition for the purposes addressed to the
two governments in that quarter and to the Mosqui
to Indians, agreed to in April last by the Secre
tary of State and the Minister of her Britannia Ma
jesty. Besides the wish to aid in reconciling the
differences of the two republics, engaged in the ne
gotiation from desire to place the great work of
ship canal between the the two oceans under one u
risdicon, and establish the important port of San
Juan de Nicaragua under the government cf civil
lied power. The proposition in question was assent
ed TO by Costa RIGA and the Mosquito Indians. II
has not proved equally acceptable to Nicaragua, but
tis to be hoped that the further negotiations the
subject which in train will be carried in that
spirit of Cancellation and compromise which ought al
ways to prevail on such occasions, and that they
will lead to satisfactory result.
have the satisfaction to inform you that the ex
ecutive government of Venezuela has acknowledged
some claims of citizens of the United States, which
have for many years past been urged by our charge
dafaires at Caracas. 1t is hoped that the same
of justice will actuate the Congress of that Re-
public in providing the means for their payment.
The recent revolution in Buenos Ayres and the
confederated States having opened the prospect of
improved state of things in that quarter the gov
ernments of Great Britain and France determined to
negotiate with the chief of the Confederacy for
the free access of their commerce to the extensive
countries watered by the tributaries of the La Tlata
and they gave friendly notice of this purpose to
the United States, that mi if we thought prop
er pursue the same course. In compliance with this
invitation, minister at Rio Janeiro and
charge daffares at Buenos Ayres have been fully
authorized to conclude treaties with the newly-or-
| ganzedC Confederation the States composing it
The delays which have taken place in the formation
of the new government have as yet prevented the
| re fboca hnft horo
to hope that these vast countries will be eventu
/ ally opened to our commerce.
| A treaty of commerce has been concluded between
the United States and the Oriental Republic of Uru-
quay which will be laid before the Senate. Should
this Convention go into operation it will open to the
commercial enterprise of our citizens country of
great extent and unsurpassed in natural resources,
but from which foreign nations have hitherto been
almost wholly excluded.
The correspondence of the late Secretary Of State
with the Peruvian charge d'aaires relative to the
Lobos Islands communicated to Congress toward
the close of the last session Since that time on
further investigation of the subject the doubts which
had been entertained of the title of Peru to those is
lands have been removed and have deemed it just
that the temporary wrong which had been unnten-
onally done her. from want of information, should
| be repaired by unreserved acknowledgment of
her sovereignty
course pursued by Peru has been creditable TO the
! lberality of her government Before it was known
by her that her title would be acknowledged at
| Washington her Minister of Foreign Affairs had
thorized our charge d'afaires at Lima announce
to the American vessels which had gone to the Lo-
! Dos for guano, that the Peruvian Government was
willing to freig ht them on its own account, This in
tention has been carried into effect by the Peruvian
Minister here, by an arrangement which is believed
TO be advantageous to the parties in interest
Our settlements on the shores of the Pacific have
already given great extension, and in respects
a new direction, to our commerce in that ocean. A
direct and rapidly increasing intercourse has sprung
up with Eastern Asa. The warers 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 be
coming daily more common, and making it desirable
to obtain fuel and other necessary supplies at con-
venient points the route between Asia and Pa
cifc shores Our unfortunate countrymen who from
7 time to time suffer shipwreck the coasts of the
eastern entitled to protection. Besides these
specific objects, the general prosperity of our States
on the Pacific requires that an attempt should be
made tc open the opposite regions of Asia to mu
tuay beneficial intercourse. Its obvious that this
: attempt could be made by no power to so great ar
advantage by the U. s., whose constitutional sys
tenn excludes every idea of distant colonial dependen
: cies. | have accordingly been led to order APP
. propriate naval force to Japan, under the commanC
of discreet and intelligent officer of the highes
J. rank known to service He is instructed to en-
deavor to obtain from the government of that coun
# try some relaxation of the nhospitable and anti
centuries. He has been directed particularly to re
monstratc in the strongest language against the
s. ell treatment to which our shipwrecked mariner
; have often been subjected and to insist that the
it shall be treated with humanity. He is instructed
however at the time to give that government tn
amplest assurances that the objects of the u State
1t such and such only have indicated, and tina
the expedition is friendly and peaceful. Notwith
l. standing the jealousy with which the government
of Eastern Asia regard all ovcrtures from foreigners
in am not without hopes of beneficial result Of tn
o. expedition Should it be crowned with success, th
lie advantages will not be confined to the o. s., but
ID in the case of China will be equally enjoyed by a
,e the other maritime powers. | have much satisfac
to ton in stating that in all the steps preparatory
this expedition the government Of the United State
has been materially aided by the good Offices of tn
d, King of the Netherlands, the only European powe
to having any commercial relations with Japan.
tn In passing from this survey of our foreign rels
tn TONS invite the attention of Congress TO the cond
al ton of that department of the Government TO whic
IS this branch Of the public business is entrusted o.
nd intercourse with foreign powers has Of late years
ly increased, both in consequence of our own grow
" and the Introduction of many States into the fan
IL iy of nations In this way the Department of Sta
ne has become overburdened. 1t has, by the recent e
r. ablshment of the Department of the Interior, been
rs eved of portion of the domestic business If Il
nd residue of the business of that kind such the dstr
of button of Congressional documents, the keeping pu
to fishing and distribution of the laws of the U. State
rt the execution of the copyright law, The subject of
preves and pardons, and some other subjects reatlr
CHI to interior administration, should be transferred fro
%. the Department of State, it would unquestonably
at for the benefit of the public service. would also
gest that the building appropriated to the State DepaI
ment is not reproof that there is reason to thin
H. there are defects its construction, and that the
be chives OF the Government in charge of the Department