Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-12-08

emn treaty or stipulation recognised that
It would come TO be universally received
and respected rs . rule Of international
law. But the refusal Of one power pre-.
vented this, and in the next great wal
which ensued, that Of the French rsyolu.
ton. it failed to be respected among The
belligerents States Of Europe.
Notwithstanding this, the principle is
generally admitted to be sound and Salu'
tary one;-so much so, that at the com
rhencement Of the existing war in Europe
England and France announced their pur.
pose to observe it for the present-nOt,
however, as a recognised international
right, but as mere concession for the
time being. The cooperation, however,
of these two powerful nations in the inter.
est of neutral rights, appeared to me to af.
ford an occasion meriting and iustifying
on the part Of the United States of Amer
lea renewed effort to make the doctrine
in question a principle of international
law, by means of special conventions be.
tween the several powers Of Europe and
America.
Accordingly, proposition embracing
not only the rule that free ships make free
goods, except eontraband articles, but al
so the no less contested one, that neutral
property other than contraband, though on
board ofan enemy's ships, shall be exempt
from confscation, has been submitted by
this Government to those of Europe and
America. Russia acted promptly in this
matter, and convention was concluded
between that country and the United States,
providing for the observance of the prin.
ciples announced, not only as between
themselves, but also as between them and
all other nations which shall enter into like
stipuIations. None of the other powers
have as yet taken final action on the sub
Ject. l am not aware, however, that any
objection to the proposed stipulations has
been made, but on the contrary they have
acknowledged them to be essential to the
security OF neutral commerce. and the on
ly obstacle to their general adoption is the
possibility that they may be encountered
by inadmissible conditions.
The king of the two Sicilies has ex-
pressed to our minister at Naples his read
mess to concur in ourpropositions relative
to neutral rights and to enter into a con-
vention on the subject. The king of Prus-
sia entirely approves of the project of a
treaty to the same effect submitted to him,
but proposes an additional article, provid-
ing for the renunciation Of privateering-
Such an article for the most obvious rcaS-
ons is much desired by nations having ma
val establishments large in proportion to
their foreign commerce. If it were alop-
ted as an International rule, the commerce
of nation having comparatively small
naval force, would be very much at the
mercy of its enemy in case Of a war with
power of decided naval superiority.
The President is opposed to surrender
ing the right to resort to privateering, in
the event of war with q nation whose
navy is superior to ours.
The propositionto enter into engagements
to torego resort to privatcerism, in case
this country should be forced into war with
great naval power, is not entitled to more
favorable consideration than would be a
proposition to agree not to accept the SER
vices of volunteers for operations on land.
THE RECIPROCITY TREATY.
Since the adjournment of Congress,
the ratitications of the treaty between the
United States and Great Britain, in refer
ence to the coast fisheries and to recpro-
cal trade with the British North Ameri-
can Provinces, have been interchangcd,
and some of its antici pated advantages al
ready enjoyed by the United States, al
though its full execution was to abide cer-
tain acts Of legislation not yet fully per-
tected. AS soon as it was ratified, Great
Britain opened to our commercs the free
navigation Of the river St. Lawrence, and
to our fishermen 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 introduction free of du-
ty into tho ports of the United States, of
the fish caught on tho same coasts by Brit
ish fishermen.
This being the compensation stipulated
in the treaty for privileges of the highest
Importance and value to the United States,
which were thus voluntarily yielded be-
fore it become effective, the request seemed
to me a reasonable one, but it could not
be ceded from want of authority to sus-
pend our laws imposing duties Oh all for
eign fish. In the meantime the Treasury
Department issued regulation for ascer-
tanning 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 citizens
of the United States.
OUR DIFFICULTIES WITH FRANCE.
France was the early efficient ally of
tho United States in the struggle for indie
pendence. From that time to the present,
with occasional Interruptions, cordial re-
lations of friendship have existed between
the Government and the people of the two
countries. The kindly sentiments cher
ished alike by both nations, have led to
extensive social and commercial inter
course, which trust will not be interrupt
ed or checked by any casual event of an
apparently unsatisfactory character. The
French Consul at San Franaisco was not
long since brought into the U. S. District
Court at that place, by compulsory pro-
cess, as awitness in favor of another Con-
sui, in violation as the French Govern