The Empire County argus., 1855-01-06

PRESIDENTS MEssAGE-This document has rea-
ched US, and we should lay it before our readers
entire had we room 1t is a straight forward pa
per and devoid of blood and thunder, not word
of fbusterism in it, It is more noticeable for what
it does not say than for what is expressed. Not
word about Cuba the Sandwich Islands, the
ministerial Congress at Ostend, the Nebraska Bill,
the Missouri Compromise line or the recent excite
ment of the country Foreign relations are dispo-
sed of in short hand and Soue with daah of the
pen. The destruction of Greytown is defended at
length, and the President thinks the heterogeneous
population of this Bamboo town received no more
not inclined to interfere in any of the contests
of other nations, but is disposed to let them
fight on their own hook. Of our foreign commerce
he says
''Our foreign commerce has reached magnitude
and extent nearly equal to that of the first mari
time power of the earth, and exceeding that of any
other. Over this great interest in which not only
our merchants but all classes of citizens. at least
indirectly are concerned, it is the duty of the Ex-
ecutivc and Legislative branches of the government
to exercise careful supervision and adopt proper
measures for its protection.
Long experience has shown, that in general when
the principal powers of Europe are engaged in war,
the rights of neutral nations are endangered. This
consideration led in the progress of the of our
independence to the formation of the celebrated
confederacy of armed neutrality, primary object
of which was to assert the doctrine that free ships
make free goods except in the of articles
traband of war; a doctrine which from the COM
mencement of our national being has been cher
ished idea of the statesmen of this country.
At one period or another every maritime power
has by some solemn treaty stipulation recognized
that principle, ard it might have been hoped that
it would come to be universally received and re-
spected as rule of international law. But the re-
fusal of one power prevented this, and in the next
great war which ensued, that of the French revo-
luton, it failed to be respected by the beligerent
States of Europe. Notwithstanding that, the prin-
cpe is generally admitted to be sound and sau-
tary one--so much so, that at the commencement
of the existing war in Europe, Great Britain and
France announced their purpose to observe it for
the present, not, however, az recognized interna
tiOnal right but mere concession for the time
being. The cooperation, however, OF these two
powerful maritime nations in the interests of neu-
tral rights appeared to me to afford an occasion
inviting and .justifyng on the part of the United
States, renewed effort to make the doctrine in
question principle of international law, by means
of special conventions between the several powers
of Europe and America. Accordingly proposition
embracing not only the rule that free ships make
free goods except contraband articles but also the
less contested one that neutral property other than
contraband, though on board enemys ships, shall
be exempt from confscation, has been submitted
by this government to those Of Europe and 'Amcri
ca. Russia acted promptly in this matter and
convention was concluded between that country and
the U. S. providing for the observance of the prin
ciples announced not only as between themselves
but also between them and all other latons
which shall enter like stpuatons'
About privateers the President says:
''The proposition to enter. into engagements to
forego resort to pryateers in case this country
should be forced into war with great naval pow
er is not entitled to favorable consideration
than would be proposition to agree not accept
the services of volunteers for operations on land
When the honor or the rights Of our country re-
qure it to assume hostile attitude, it confidently
relies upon the patriotism of its citizens not ordna-
rily devoted to the military profession to augment
the army and navy so as to make them fully ade-
quate to the emergency which calls them into
ton. The proposal to surrender the right to en-
poy pryatecrs, is prolessedly founded upon the
principle that private property of unotfending nom
combatants though enemies, should be exempt from
the ravages of war, but the proposed surrender
goes but little way i'll carrying out that principle,
which equally requires that such private property
should not be seized or molested by national ships
of war. Should the leading powers of Europe con.
cur in proposing as rule of international law to
exempt private property upon the ocean from sez-
ure by public armed cruisers as we'll as by priva-
tcers the United States will readily meet them upon
that broad ground
Our relations with France and Spain are discus
sed as follows:
France was the carly 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
have existed between the government and people
of the two countries The kindly sentiments cher
shed alike by both nations, have led to extensive
will not be interrupted or checked by any casual
event of an apparently unsatisfactory character
The French Consul at San Francisco was not
long since brought into the United States District
Court, at that place, by compulsory process as a
witness in favor of another foreign Consul in vio-
latlon as the French Government conceives, of his
privileges under our Consular Convention with
France.
There being nothing in the transaction which
could imply any disrespect to France or its Consul
such explanations have been made as hope will
be satisfactory. Subsequently, misunderstanding
arose on the subject of the French Government
haTing,as it appeared, abruptly excluded the Amer
lean Minister to Spain from passing through France,
from London to Madrid. But that Government
has unequivocally disavowed any design to deny
the right of transit to the Minister of the United
States and after explanations to this effect he has
resumed his journey and actually returned through
France to Spain. | herewith lay before Congress
the correspondence on this subject between our