Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-01-08

: full knowledge of our laws and national policy
and conducted by public functionaries, i1npelled
me to present the to the British Govern
ment, in order to have wrong meet its repara-
!, ton. The subject is still under discussion the
result of which viii be communicated to you in
due time.
The Northwestern Boundary.
/ repeat the recommendation submitted to the
last Congress, that provision be made for the
appointment Of Commission in connection
with Great Britain to survey and establish the
boundary line which divides the Territory of
! Washington from the contiguous British posses
sion BY reason of the extent and importance
!. Of the country in dispute, there has been i'm
minent danger between the subjects of Great
Britain and the citizens OF the United States,
respecting their respective authorities in that
: quarter. The prospect of speedy arrange
ment has been such hitherto as to induce on
both sides forbearance TO assent by force what
each claims is right. The continuance of delay
on the part of the two governments to act in the
matter will add to the danger and difficulties
1 of the controversy.
misunderstanding exists as to the extent char
acter, de-, of the possessive rights of the Hudson
Bay Company, and the property Of the Puget
| Sound Agricultural Society received in our tre-
ty with Great Britain, relative to the Territory
OF Oregon. / have reason to believe that
union OF the rights OF both companies to the l.
/ 5. wonld be the readiest means Of settling all
! questions, which can be obtained on reasonable
terms, ana Win a view 10 TINS enQ present the
subject to the consideration of Congress.
The colony of Newfoundland having enacted
the laws required by the treaty of June, 1854, is
now placed on the footing with respect to the
commercial intercourse with the United States
as the other British North American Proyin-
| ceS.
The commission which that treaty contem-
plated for determining the right Of fishing in the
1 rivers and mouths of rivers the coast of the
United States and the British North American
Provinces, has been organized and has commen-
ced its labors to complete which there is need
ed an appropriation for the service of another
season.
In pursuance of the authority conferred by
the resolution of the Senate of the United States
! passed on the Sd of March last, notice vas Civ
en- to Denmark on the llth day of April, of the
! intention of this government to avail itself of
! the stipulation of the subsisting convention of
/ friendship, commerce and navigation between
/ that kingdom and the United States, whereby
| either party might terminate the same, at the
i! expiration of one year from the date Of notice
/ for that purpose
/ The consideration which led me to call the
1 attention of Congress to that convention, and
induced the Senate to adopt the resolution re-
/ terred to, shall continue III fun force. The
/ yentlon contains an article, which, although 1t
/ does not directly engage the United States and
/ England to the imposition Of tells the vessels
and cargoes of the Americans passing into
/ from the Baltic Sea- during the continuation of
/ treaty, may possibly be construed as implying
such submission.
The exaction of tie tolls not being justified
/ by any principle Of international law, it be-
comes the right and duty Of the {. S. to relieve
themselves from the Implication of engagements
on the subject, to be perfectly free to act
I in the premises IN such way, as their public
interest and honor shall demand.
remain of the opinion that the United States
4 ought not to submit TO the payment Of the
/ Sound Dues, not so much because OF their
amount which Is Il secondary matter, blt be-
it Is in effect, recognition of the right of
( Denmark to treat enc of the great maratime
! highways of nations a close sea, and the navl
gaton Of it privilege for which tribute may
4 be imposed upon those who Lave occasion to
use it.
This government, on n forrer occasion. not
unlike the present, signalzed It's determination
/ to maintain tie freedom of the seas and of the
! great national channels of navigation. The Bar
/ barry States had for 4 long time coerced the pay
ment Of tribute from all nations whose ships
frequented the Mediterranean. On the last de-
mand of such payment made by them, the Uni
/ ted States, although suffering less by their
depredations, returned the explicit answer that
we preferred war to tribute, and thus opened
the way to the relief of the commerce OF the
world from the ignomnioUs attacks so long sub
mitted to, by the more powerful nations of
/ Europe. Is the matter of the payment OF the
4 Sound Dues different from that Of the tribute
formerly conceded to the Barbary States SuiI
TINS eXactlon by denmark has no Detiel louiltld-
+ tion in right Each was In Us orlg1n notfIng
/ but a tax on a common national right, eXtorted
by those who were at that time about TO OBJ
struct the free and secure enjoyment of Ii, but
who no longer possessed that power
Denmark, while resisting our assertion of the
freedom of the Baltic Sound and Belts, has IN
dicaed readiness to make some new arrange
ment on the subject, and has invited the govern
ments interested, including the United States,
to be represented in a Convention to assemble
for the purpose Of receiving and considering the
proposition which she intends 10 submit, VIZ /:
The Capitalization Of the Sound Dues, and the
distribution of the 10 be paid by com
mutation among the governments, according to
the respective proportion OF their maratlme con-
merce, TO and from the Baltic.
/ have declined in behalf Of the L. States
to accept this invitation for the most cogent
reasons. One is, that Denmark does not offer
to submit 10 the Convention the question Of her
right to levy the Sound Dues secondly, that II
the Convention We're allowed to take cognlzance
of that particular question, still 1t would not be
competent to deal with the great international
principle involved, which affects the right III
other cases Of navigation and commercial iree-
dom, as we'll that of access TO the Baltic
Above all, by the express terms OF the PROPOSE
ton it is contempla ed that the commutatlon OF
Sound Dues shall be considered with and made
subordinate TO n matter wholly extraneous-the
balance of power among the governments OF
Europe.
While, however, rejecting TINS proposition ana
insisting on the right tI free transmit into and
from the Baltic, have expressed to Denmark a
willingness, on the part of the Z. s to share
equally with other advantages which commerce
shall hereafter derive from expenditures made
bv her. for the improvements and safety of the
navigation of the Sound and Belts
Law before YOU sundry documents on the sob
iect in which nv views are more fully disclosed.
? Should no satisfactory arrangement be soon con-
: clrded I shall again call your attention TO the
t subject, with recommendation of such meas
assert and secnre the rights Of the United States
so far as they are affected by the pretensions Of
e Denmark.
: France.
/ announce with much qualification that since
the adjournment of the last Congress the ques-
! ton existing between this government and that
of France respecting the French Consul at San
Francisco, has been satisfactorily determined
and that the relations of the two governments
continue to be of the most friendly nature
- Greece