The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-12-05

The King Of the Two slcllies hes expressed 10 our
minister Il Naples hf readiness to concur In our
proposition relative 70 neutral rshta ana % enter
Into convention on that subject.
The King Of Prussia entirely approves OF the
proJect Of treaty to the same effect, submitted 70
him, but proposes IN additional article providing
for the Remuneration Of prfvaieering such ~ or
ticle for most obvious reasons, hi much desired ~
nations having naval establishments. largein pro.
norton TO their foreign commerce. II It were
adopted a. an International rule, the commerce OF
. nation having comparatively small naval force.
would be very much at the mercy OF II enemy. In
ease of war with power of decided naval supe-
riorifv. The bare statement OF the condition In
which the United States would be placed, aiter
having surrended the rightto resort to privateers
Ia the event of war with bellgerent OF naval
supremacy. will show that this government couia
never listen to such proposition. Inc navy OF
the. first maritime power In Europe - az esst Ten
times as large a. that of the United States Inc
foreign commerce of the two countries - nearly
equal and about equally exposed TO hostile depre
dations In war between thatpower ana the United
States without resort on our part TO our mercanhe
marine the means OF our enemy 10 ipnlct injury
upou our commerce would be teniold greater than
on n TO retsliae We could not extricate our coun
try from this unequal condition, with such an enc
nv unless we at once departed from our present
peaceful policy, and became great naval power.
Nor would this country be better situated In war
with one of the secondary naval powers. Though
the naval disparity would be less the greater ex.
tent and more exposed condition of our wide
spread commerce. wonld give any of them a like
advantage over US.
The proposition to enter into engagements to
foreao resort to prvateers, In case this country
should be forced into with great naval power,
10 not entitled to more favorable consideration than
would be proposition to agree not to accept the
SERVES OF volunteers for operations on land. When
the honor the rights of our country require 1t to
assume hostile attitude, 1t confidently relies upon
the patriotism of its citizens not ordinarily devoted
to the military profession to augment the army and
no ant m make them ftllly adpuuafa To
the emergency which calls them into action The
proposalto surrender the right employ privateers
| Is professediy founded upon the principle, that
private property of unotfending non-combatants,
though enemies, should be exempt from tho ravages
of war but the proposed surrender goes but little
way 10 carrying out that principle. which equally
requires that such private property should not be
| seized or nolested by national ships OF wall
Should the leading powers OF Europe concur in
proposing, rule OF international law to exempt
private property, upon the ocean, from seizure by
public armed cruisers well as by privateers, the
United States will readily meet them upon that
Since the adjournment of Congress the ratiica
tions of the treaty between the United States and
Great Britain, relative to coast fisheries and to reci
procal trade with the British North American pro.
vinces. have been exchanged, and some OF It's anti.
| cipated advantages are already enjoyed by us,
although its full execution was to abide certain acts
of legislation not yet fully performed. So soon as
il ratified, Great Britain opened TO our conn.,
and to our fishermen unmoested access to the
| shores and bays from which they had been previ-
ously excluded, on the coasts OF her North Ameri-
can provinces; in return for which, she asked for
the introduction free of duty, into the ports Of the
United States of the fish caught on the same coast
| by British fishermen. This being the compensa.
tiop stipulated In the treaty, for privileges Of the
highest Importance and value to the United States
which were thus voluntarily yielded before it be.
came effective, the request seemed to me to be a
reasonable one; but 1t could not be acceeded to.
| from want of authority to suspend our laws i'm.
posing duties upon all foreign fish. In the meantime,
the Treasury Department issued regulation for as,
certaining 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 bad been made fully acces
sible to the citizens of the United States. recon-
mend to your favorable consideration proposition
| which will be submitedlto you, for authority to
refund the duties g. cancel the bonds thus received
The provinces OF Canada and New Brunswick have
also anticipated the full operation Of the treaty, by
legislative arrangements, respectively, to admit,
tree of duty, the products the United States
toned in the reeli of the treaty. and arrange
ment, similar to that regarding British fish, has
been made Tor duties now chargeabe on the pro
1 ducts of those provinces enumerated in the same
free list, and introduced therefrom into the United
States; proposition for refunding which will, in
my judgment, be In like manner entitled to your
There is difference of opinion between the United
States and Great Britain to the boundary line Of
the Territory of Washington adjoining the British
possessions on the Pacific, which has already led
to difficulties on the part Of the citizens and local
| authorities OF the two governments. | recommend
that provision 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 by
the United States and Great Britain in 1896 regard
| ingpossessory rights of the Hudson's Bay Company
and property OF the PGgets Sound Agricultural
Il m civ riaf tbs
4 1t is important to all concerned, that summary
/ means OF settling them amcably should be devised
have reason to believe, that arrangement can be
made on just terms for the extinguishment of the
rights in question, embracing, ALSO the right of the
/ Hudsons Bay Company to the navigation of the
river Columbia; and l therefore suggest to your
consideration, the expediency of making contin
gent appropriation for that purpose.
France was the early and efficient ally of the
| United States In their struggle for independence
From that time to the present, with occasional
slight interruptions, cordial relations of friendship
4 nave existed between the government and people
OF the two countries. The kindly sentiments, che.
r1shed alike by both nations have led 10 extensive
social and commercial intercourse, which, trust,
will not be interrupted or checked by any casual
i event OF an apparently unsatisfactory haracter-
I The French consul at San Francisco was not long
since, brought into the United States district court
/ at that place BY compulsory process, as witness
In iavor OF another foreign consul in violation, as
the French government conceives of his privileges
under GU. consular convention with France
There being nothing in the transaction which could
i imply any dsrespect to France or its consul such
explanation has been made; as hope will be salts.
| factory. Subsequently, misunderstanding arose on
the subject of the French government having az it
appeared, abruptly excluded the American minis
| ter to Spain from passing through France, on his
way from London to Madrid But that govern
ment has unequivocally disavowed any design to
deny the right of transit to the minister of the
United States; and. after explanations to this effect
be has resumed his journey. and actually returned
through France to Spain. | herewith lay before
Congress the correspondence on this subject be-
tween our envoy at Paris and the minister OF for
eign relations OF the French government
The position of our affairs with Spain remains as
at the close of your last session. Internal acitation
| assuming very nearly the character of political
revolution, has recently convulsed that Country
| Inc late ministers were violently expelled from
power, and men, of very different views 10 relation
70 Its internal affairs, have succeeded. Since tbis
change. there has been propitious Opportunity to
resume and press on, negotiations for the adjust
ment OF serious questions OF difficulty between the
Spanish government and the United States. There
10 reason 70 believe that minister will find the
present government more favorably inclined than
the preceding to comply with our just demands, and
TO make suitable arrangements for restoring har-
mony, and preserving peace, between the two
countries.
Negotiations are pending with Denmark to dis
continue the practice of levying tolls our ves-