The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1854-12-13


. ton, adjoining the British possessions on the
Pacific, which has already led to difficut-
ties on the part of the citigcns and local au-
thorities Of the governments. recommend
Il that provision be made for commission, to
be joined BY one on the part of Her Britain
mic Majesty, for the purpose Of running and
establishing the line in controversy. Ger
tain stipulations of the Sd and 4th articles
Of the treaty concluded by the United States
and Great Britain in 1876, regarding the
possessory rights Of the Hudson Bay Compa-
|, nv and property of the Pagets Sound Agri.
cultural Company, have given rise TO seri-
; GUS disputes and it is important to all con.
4 cerned that summary means Of settling them
amcabiy should be devised. have reason
10 believe that an arrangement can be made
on just terms for the. extnguishment of the
] rights in questions, embracing also the right
of the Hudson Bay Company to the naviga.
ton of the river Columbia and / therefore
suggest to your consideration the expedien-
~ Of making contingent appropriation fol
that purpose. - -... ,... ...
France was the early and efficient ally oil
the United States In their struggle for in.
dependence. From that time 10 the pres.
ent, with occasional slight Interruptions, COR
dial relations Of friendship have existed be-
tween the governments and people Of the
two countries. The kindly sentiments cher.
ished alike by both nations, have led to ex.
tensive local and commercial intercourse
which | trust will not be interrupted or
checked by any casual event OF an appa-
reDtIy unsatisfactory character. The French
Consul at San Francisco was, not long since,
( brought into the U. s. District Court at that
place, by compulsory process, as a witness
in favor of another Consul, in violation, as
! the French government concciyes, of his
/ privilege under. our Consular Convention
with France. There being nothing in The
, transaction which could imply any disre-
Spect to France or its consul, such explana-
ton has been made as hope will be sat-
i5iactory. Subsequently, miSunderstand-
ing arose on the subject Of the French gov
ernment having, as it appeared, ABRUPTLY ex-
ciuded the American minister to Spain from
passing through France, on his way from
London to Madrid. But that government
has cquivocally disavoWed any design to de
ny the right of transit 10 the Minister of
the United Slates, and after explanation to
this effect, he has resumed his journey, and
actually returned through France to Spain.
| herewith lay before Congress the cores.
pondcnce on this subject between our envoy
at Paris and the minister Of foreign relations
Of the French government. - r..
The position of our affairs with Spain
remains as at the close OF your last session.
Internal agitation, assuming very nearly
the character Of political revolution, has
recently Couvulspd that country. The late
ministers were violently expelled from pow
er, and men Of very different views in rela
ton to its iutcrnal affairs have succeeded
Since this change, there has been no propi-
tous opportunity to resume and press on
negotiations for the djuStmeut OF serious
questions Of difficulty between the Spanish
governments and the United States. There
is reason to believe that our minister will
find the present government more favorably
inclined than the preceding to comply with
our just demands, and to makr suitable ar
rangcnents for restoring harmony and pre-
serving peace between the two countries
p Negotutions are pending with Denmark
to discontinue the practice of Ievyng tolls
en- our vessels and their Cargocs passing
through the sound. do not doubt that WE
can claim exemption therclrom, as Il mutter
of right. 1t is admitted on all hands that !
this cXaction is sanctionud not by tho GEN
eral principles of the law Of nations, but on
ly by special conventions, whirh most o f
the commercial nations have entered into
with Denmark. The fifth articles Of our
treaty Of 1926, with Denmark, provides
that there shall not be paid OH the vessels OF
the United. States and their cargoes, when
passing through the Sound, higher duties
than those of the most favored nations. -
This may be regarded as an implied agree
ment TO submit to the tolls during the con-
treaty, and consequently may
cmbarrsss the assertion Of our right to be
released therefrom. There are also other
provisions in the treaty which ought to be
modified. 1t was to remain in force ten
years, and until one year after either party
should give notice to the other of intention
to terminate it, | deem it exRedicnt that
the contemplated notice should be given to
the government of Denmark.
The Naval expedition despatched about
Two years since for the purpose of establish
ing relations with the Empire Of Japan, has I
seen ably and skillfulIy conducted to sue
,essful termination by the Office to whom I
twas entrusted. A treaty, opening certain
IF the ports of that populous country has {
)oen negotiated, and in order to give full ei-
ect thereto it only remains to exchange rat
iications, and adopt requisite commercial {
'egHlatioIs - srN 'T. .. n-a ~. i
The treaty lately concluded between the
D. S. and Mexico settled some of our most \
embarrassing difficulties with that country, i
,ut numerous claims on it for wrongs and
INJURIES toour citizens remained unadiusted, (
md many new cases have been recently ad. {
led to the former list Of grievances. Our i
egation has been earnest in its endeavors to '
'btain from the, Mexican govcrnmcnt a "a. {
'orable consideration Of these claims. But q
hitherto without success. This failure is pos. {
IDLY in some measure TO be ascrbed to the {
strustlul condition Of that country. It. has |
een my anxious desire to maintain friendly /
elations with the Mexican Republic, and to {
ause its rights and territories to be respect /
d, not only by our citizens but by foreign
RS who have resorted to the United States c
or the purpose of organizing hostile cxpe- ?
itions against some of the States Of the Re- S
ubiic. .'a0i s2T''. nA ~ e2o'2 7Ga' ~ a
The .delenceless condition in which its
rontiers have been left, has stimulated law C
ess adventures to embark in those enter a
rises and greatly increase the difficulty OF b
n forcihgo our obligation Of neutrality. Re- C
arding It as my solemn duty to fulfill eff q
iently those obligations, not only toward lie
Iexico, but other foreign nations, | have .ex-4 4
rted all the power with which | am invest /
Irls ~ =