Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-12-14

little way in carrying out that principle, which
equally requires that such private property
should not be eeized or molested by national
ships of war. Should the leading powers of
Europe concur in proposing, as a rule of in
ternational law, to exempt private property,
upon the ocean, from seizure by public armed
cruisers, as well as by privateers, the United
| States viii readily meet them upon that broad
ground
Since the adjournment of Congress, the
ratifcations of the treaty between the United
States and Great Britain, relative to coast
fisheries. and to reciprocal trade with the
| British North American provinces, have been
exchanged, and some of its anticipated adj
vantages are already enjoyed by us, although
its full execution was to abide certain acts of
legislation not yet fully performed. So soon
as it was ratified, Great Britain opened to
our commerce the free navigation of the river
St. Lawrence, and to our fishermen unmolest-
| ed access to the shores and bays, from which
they had been previously excluded, on the
coasts of her North American provinces in
return for which, she asked for the introduce
ton. free of duty. into the ports of the United
| States, of the fish caught on the same coast
| by British fishermen This being the COM.
pensation, stipulated in the treaty, for privil-
| eges of the highest Importance and value to
| the United States, which were thus volunta-
rily yielded before it became effective, the
request seemed to me to be reasonable one
| but it could not be acceded to- from want of
authority to suspend our laws imposing duties
upon all foreign fish, In the meantime, the
Treasury Department issued regulation, for
| ascertaining the duties paid or secured by
bonds on fish caught on the coasts of the
British provinces, and brought to our markets
by British subjects after the fishing grounds
had been made fully accessible to the citizens
| of the United States. / recommend to your
| favorable consideration proposition, which
will be submitted to you, for authority to re-
| fund the duties and. cancel the bonds thus re-
ceived. The provinces of Canada and New
Brunswick have also anticipated the full OPP
Grafton of the treaty, by legislative arrange
ments, respectfully to admit. free of duty,
| the products of the United States mentioned
in the free list of the treaty; and an arrange
ment, similar to that regarding British fish,
has been made for duties now chargeable ON
the products of those provinces enumera-
ted in the same free list and introduced
therefrom into the United States; PROPOSE
ton for refunding which will, in my judge
ment be in like manner entitled to your fa-
vorable consideration.
There is a difference of opinion between the
United States and Great Britain, as to the
boundary line of the Territory of Washington
adjoining the British possessions on the Pa
cifc, which has already led to difficulties on
the part of the citizens and local authorities of
the two governments. l recommend that pro-
vision be made for commission, to be joined
by one on the part of her Britannia Majesty,
| for the purpose of running and establishing
the line in controversy. Certain stipulations
of the third and fourth articles of the treaty
concluded between the United States and
Great Britain in 1916, regarding possessory
rights of the Hudson's Bay Company, and
property ofthe Puget's Sound Agricultural
| Company, have given rise to serious disputes,
and it is important to all concerned, that sum-
mary means of settling them amicably should
| be devised. / have reason to believe, that
| an arrangement can be made on Just terms,
for the extinguishment of the rights in ques-
| ton, embracing, also, the rights of the Hud-
sons Bay Company to the navigation of the
river Columbia and I therefore suggest to
your consideration, the expediency of making
a contingent appropriation for the purpose.
France was the early and efficient ally of
the United States in their struggle for indie
pendence From that time to the present,
with occasional slight interruptions, cordial
relations of friendship have existed between
the governments and people of the two coun-
tries The kindly sentiments cherished alike
| by both nations, have led to extensive social
and commercial intercourse, which, [ trust,
! will not be interrupted or checked by any cas-
ual event of an apparently unsatisfactory char
acter The French Consul at San Francisco
was, not long since. brought into the United
States District Court at that place by COM
pulsory process, as a witness in favor. of an
| other foreign consul, in violation, as the
| French government conceives, of his priyi-
| leges under our consular conventions with
France. There being nothing in the trans
action which could imply any disrespect to
France or its consul, such explanation has
been made, as I hope Sill be satisfactory.
Subsequently, misunderstanding arose on the
subject of the French government having,
as it appeared abruptly excluded the Amer
Jean minister to Spain from passing through
France on his way from London to Madrid
But that government has unequivocally dis
avowed any design to deny the right of tran
sit to<the minister of the United States, and
after explanations to this effect, he has resum-
ed his journey, and actually returned through
France to Spain. fherewith lay before Con-
/ gress the correspondence on this subject be-
tween our envoy at Paris and the minister OF
foreign relations of the French Govern.
4 ment.
i The position of our affairs with Spain re-
mains as at the close of your last session.
Internal agitation. assuming very nearly tho
character of political revolution, has recently
convulsed that country. The late minister.
were violently expelled from power, and men,
of very different views in relation to its inter