Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-12-19

confscation, has been submitted BY this govern
ment 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 obser-
vance Of the principles announced, not only as be-
all other nations, which shall enter into like stip-
ulation. None Of the other powers have a. yet Ia
ken final action on the subject.
l am not aware, however, that any objection to
the proposed stipulations has been made; but on,
the contrary, they are acknowledged to be essen
tial to the security Of neutral commerce, and the
only apparent obstacle to their general adoption
is in the possibility, that it may be encumbered
by inadmissible conditions. "i-' ~ ''T
The King of the Two Sicilies has expressed to
our Minister at Naples, his readiness to concur in
our proposition relative to neutral rights, and to
enter into convention on that subject.
The King of Prussia entirely approves Of the
project Of treaty to the same effect, submitted to
him, but proposes an additional article providing
for the remuneration of privateering. Such an ar
ticle, for the most obvious reasons, is much de-
sired by nations having naval establishments large
in proportion to their foreign commerce. If it
were adopted as an international rule, the COM
merce of nation having comparatively small
naval force, would be very much at the mercy of
its enemy, in case of war with power Of decided
naval superiority. The bare statement of the
condition in which the United States would be
placed, after having surrendered the right to re-
sort to priyateers, in the event of war with bel
lgerant OF naval supremacy, will show that this
government could never listen to such PROPOSE
ton.
The navy of the first maritime power in Eu-
rope is at least ten times large as that of the
United States. The foreign commerce of thetw
countries is nearly equal, and about equally ex-
posed to hostile depfcdations. In war between
that power and the United States without resort
on our part to our mercantile marine, the means
of our enemy to in6lct injury upon our commerce
would be ten-fold greater than ours to retaliate.
We could not extricate our country from this un-
equal condition with such an enemy, unless we at
once depart from our present peaceful policy,
and become great naval power. Nor would this
country be better situated in war with one of the
secondary naval powers. Though the naval dis
parity would be less, the greater extent and more
exposed condition of our wide spread commerce,
would give any of them like advantage over
The proposition to enter into arrangements to
foreeo resort to privateers, in case this country
should be forced into war with great naval
power, is not entitled to favorable consider
alton than would be proposition to agree not to
accept the services of volunteers for operations
on land. When the honor or the rights of our
country require it to resume hostile attitude it
lSs
not ordinarily devoted to the military profession,
to augment the army and navy, SO as to make
them fully adequate to the emergency which calls
them into action.
The proposal to surrender the right to employ
privateers, is professedly founded upon the prn-
ciple, that private property of unofending nom
combatants, though enemies, should be EXEMPT
from the ravages of war but the proposed sur
render goes but little way in carrying out that
principle, which equally requires that such private
property should not be seized or molested by ma
tional ships-of-war. Should the leading powers
OF Europe concur in proposing, as rule Of inter-
national law, to exempt private property, upon
the ocean, from seizure by public armed cruisers,
as we'll as by privateers, the United States will
readily meet them upon that broad ground.
Since the adjournment of Congress, the ratif-
cations of the treaty between the United States
and Great Britain, relative to coast fisheries and
to reciprocal trade with the British
Provinces, have been exchanged, and some of it's
anticipated advantages are already enjoyed by us,
although its full execution was to abide certain
acts of legislation not yet performed. So soon
as it was ratified Great Britain opened to our
commerce the free navigation of the river Saint
Lawrence, and to our fishermen unmolested ac-
cess 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 duty into
the ports of the United States, of the fish caught
on the same coast by British 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 before it became effective, the
request seemed to me reasonable one but It
could not be acceded to from want of authority
to suspend our laws imposing duties upon all for
eign fish. In the meantime, the Treasury De-
partment issued regulation, for asccrtaining 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 FISH,
ing grounds had been made fully accessible to the
citizens Of the United States.
recommend to your favorable consideration q
proposition, which will be submitted to you, for
authority to refund the duties and cancel the
bonds thus received. The Provinces of Canada
and New Brunwick have also anticipated the full
operation of the treaty, by legislative arrange
products of the United States mentioned in the
free list treaty, and an arrangement similar to
that regarding British fish, has been made for
duties now chargeable on the products of those
provinces enumerated in the same free list, and
introduced therefrom into the United States q
proposition for refunding which will, in nv judg-
ment, be in like manner entitled to your fayora-
BILE consideration.
There is difference of opinion between the
dary 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 Britanic Majesty for the purpose
of running and establishing the line in question.
Certain stipulations of the third and fourth
articles of the treaty concluded by the U. States
and Great Britain in ls46, regarding possessary
rights of the Hudson Bay Company, and proper
ty of the Puget's Sound Agricultural Company
has given rise to serious disputes, and it is i'm
portant to all concerned, that summary means of
settling them amicably should be devised. have
reason to belive that an arrangement can be made
on just terms for the extinguishment of the
rights in question, embracing, also, the right of
the Hudson Bay Company to the navigation of
the river Columbia; and therefore suggest to
your consideration, the expediency of making a
contingent appropriation for that purpose.
France was the early and eficent ally of the
United States in their struggle for independence.
From that time to the present, with occasional
slight Interruptions, cordial relations Of friendship
have existed between the governments and the
people OF the two countries. The kindly senti.
ments cherished alike by both nations, have led
to extensive social and commercial intercourse,
which, trust, will not be interrupted or checked
BY any casual event Of an apparently unsatisfac-
tory character. The French consul 1t San Fran
cisco was, not long since, brought into the United
States District Court at that place, by compulso-
y process, a. . witness in favor Of another for
egn counsel, in violation, - the Freuch govern
ment conceives, of his privileges under our con-