Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1856-01-18
pRnNDRAT'S BlESSlGE.
feilo.o eifiS sas or he 4ena.c
dai OF lie House OF Rsgyessafafires

The constitution Of the United States pro-
,iie- that Congress shall assemble annually
N The frst Monday of Deeember,andit II has
been usual for the President to make no
nmupication Of public character 10 the
senate and House of Representatives until
advised Of their readiness TO receive it. /
have deferred TO this usage uatil the close
of the first month Of the session, but niy
convictions Of duty win rot permit me lon
ger TO postpone the discharge Of the obliga-
ton enjoiued by the constitution upon the
Prcsident''to give to the Congress infornla-
ton Of the state of the Union, AMI recon-
mend 10 their consideration such measures
as be shall judge peeessary and ezpedi-
enf'
1t is matter of cougratulation that tie
Ecpu5lic is tranquility advancing III a career
ofprosperity aud peace.
F3aEIGS RELATIONS: CENTRAL AMEGIcA.
Whilst relations of amity continue to ex-
ist between the United States aud all for
cjgu powers, with some of them grave ques-
tons are depending, which may require the
consideration OF Congress.
OF such questions, the most important is
that, which has arisen out of the negatia-
tons with great Britain in reference to Cen
trail America.
By the convention concluded between the
two governments on the 18th Of april, 1850
both parties coyeuanted, shat sneither will
ever occupy or fortify, or colouize, or assume
or exercise any dominion over, Nicaragua,
Costa Rioa, the Mosquito coast, or any part
Of Central America"
1t was the undoubted understanding of
the United States, in making this treaty,
that all the present States OF the former re-
puoiie OF Central America, and the entire
territory OF each, would tllcnceforth enjoy
complete independence, aud that both con
trlctiug parties engaged equally, and to the
same extent, for the present and for the fu-
,urs aud if either tacH had any claim Of
right ID Central America, such claim, and
;.l occupation or authority under it, we're
ulreseryedly reiinqu!shed by the stipulations
1t the convention; and that no dominion was
thereafter 10 be exercised o. assumed IN
any part Of Central America, by great Bit
ain OF the United States.
Tkis government consented to restrictions
ii1-eregalsl saasa--l,f aaliat-1, Wherein
gse had specific and peculiar interests, only
upon the conviction that the like restric-
lions we're IN the same sense, obligatory on
Great Britain Bat for this understanding
OF the force and effect Of the convention, it
would never have been concluded b} Us.
So clear WIS this understanding ON the
part of The Uuited States, that, in correipon-
dence coatemporaneous with the ratfca-
ton Of the convention, it was distinctly ex-
pressed, that the mutual covenants of nom
occupation were not attended to apply to
the British establishment at the Bazc.-
This qualification Is to be ascribed to the
fact; that, IN virtue of successive treaties
with previols sovereigus 0f the country.
G,eat Britain has obtained Il concessinn Of
The right to cnt mahogany or dye-woo1s at
size Balizc, but wish positive exclusion Of al
domain OF sovereignty: and thus it confirms
tie natural construction and understood
Import Of tie treaty rs TO all the rest Of
the region to which the s;ipulations ap-
Piled.
It however, became apparent, at an early
day after entering upon the discharge OF my
present functions, that Great Britain still
continued in the exercise or assertion Of
large authority in all ,Llt part OF Central
america commonly called tac Mosquito
coast, and covering tue entire length OF the
State of Nicaragua, and part Of Costa III
ca; Alat she regarded the ls1.ize as her all
sjlute domain, aud was gradually extend
ing It's limits at the expense Of the State of
Honduras; and that she had formally colon
lied considerable insnlar group known as
the Bay islands, and belonging, Of right, to
that State.
All these acts or pretcnsions Of Great
britain, being contrary to the rights of the
States uf Central America, aud to the man
itest tenor of her stipuations with the tni-
ted States, as understood by this govern
ihent, have been made the subject of nego-
tiation through the American Minister in
London. | transmit herewith the instruc-
tons to him on thesu1ject, aud the CORES
rondenee between him and the British Sec
retary for Foreign Affairs, by which you viii
perceive that the two governments differ
widely and irreconcileabiy as to the con-
s'ruction Of the convention, and us effect on
thoir respective relations to Central Amer
lea.
Great Britain so construes the co'.ven-
tion, as to maintain unchanged all h.rpre-
v'ous pretensions over the Mosquito coast.
and in different parts Of Central America.
These pre;eations, as to the Mosquito coast,
are founded on the assumption of political
relation between Great Britain and the rem
hant of a tribe of Indians on that coast, en-
tered into at time when tlc whole country
vas colonial possession of Spain. 1t eau
not be successfully eontroyeried, that, by
he public law Of Europe aud America, no
possible act Of such Indians or their prede-
ee3sors could confer on Great Britain any
POLITICAL rights.
Great Britain does not alIege the assent
:. eaan IS the origin of her claims Oh the
,aiA4nise coast. ,Sne has, on the contrary,
. repeated ami successive treaties, renoun-
90 and reiinquishsd All pretensioas Of her
o"a AMI recognized the fall aud sovereign
.'s"'s q Spain IN the most unequivoctI
~'ia'. let these preiensions, so without
,s..l l'4a iatlon in the heginaing, and thas
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