Washington telegraph., 1856-01-23

of the extent and i'm mpor tance of the countr-
in dispute, there has been imminent DANCE,
of q collision between the subjects of Grea
Britain and the citizens Of the United Sta tes
including their respective authorities il
that quarter. The prospect of speedy ar
rangement has contributed hitherto to In
duce on both sides forbearance to assert b,
force what each claims as right. Contin
suanee of delay on the part of the two Gov
ernments to act in the matter will increas,
the dangers and difficulties of the contro
yersy.
Misunderstanding exists as to the extent
character and value of the possessory right.
of the Hudson's Bay Company, and the
property of Pugent's Sound Agricultural
Company. reserved in our treaty with Grea
Britain relative to the Territory of Oregon.
l have reason to believe that cession oi
the rights of both companies to the Unit
States, which would be the readiest means
Of terminating all questions, can be obtain.
ed on reasonable terms and, with view
to this end, present the subject to the at
tention of Congress.
The commission, which that treaty con.
tenn plated. for determining the rights OF
fishery in rivers and mouths of rivers on the
coasts of the United States and the British
North American provinces, has been organ
complete which there is needed further ap-
preparations for the service of another sea-
son.
SOUND DUES. q,
In pursuance Of the authority conferred
by a resolut ton of the Senate of the United
States, passed on the Sd of March last, no.
tice was given to Denmark. on the l4th day
of April, of the intention of this govern
to IF ~, 10 <>F 81,
subsisting convention of friendship, COM
merce, and navigation between that King
dom and the U. States. whereby either par
ty might, after ten years, terminate the
same at the expiration of one year from the
date of notice for that purpose.
The considerations which led me to call
the attention of Congress TO that convention
and induced the Senate to adopt the resolu-
tion refer red to, still continue in full force
The convention contains an article, which,
although it does not directly engage the U.
States to submit to the imposition Of tolls
on the vessels and cargoes of Americans
passing into or from the Baltic sea, during
the continuance of the treaty, yet may, by
possibility, be construed as Implying such
submission. The e1action of those tolls not
being justified by any principle of interna-
tional law, it became the right and the duty
the Implication of engagement on the sub
ject, 50 as to be perfectly free to act in the
premises in such way as their public in
terest and honor shall demand.
l remain of the opinion that the U. States
ought not to bmit to the payment of the
Sound dues, not SO much because of their
amount. which is a secondary matter, but
because it is In effect the recogn ton of the
right of Denmark to treat one of the great
maritime highways of nations as a close sea,
and the navi ation of it as a privilege for
which tribute may be imposed upon those
no have occasion to use it.
This Government, on a former occasion
not unlike the present, sIgnalized it's deter
mination to maintain the freedom of the
seas, and of the great natural channels of
navigation. Tie Barbary States had, for q
long time, coerced the payment of tribute
from all nations whose ships frequented the
Mediterranean. To the last demand of such
payment made by them, the United States,
although suffering less by their dcpredations
than many other nations, returned the ex-
plicit answer that we preferred war to tri-
butte, and thus opened the way to the relief
of the commerce of the world from an igno-
minious tax, So long submitted to by the
more powerful nations OF Europe.
If the manner OF payment of the Sound
dues differ from that Of the tribute former
ly conceded to the Barbary States. still their
exaction by Denmark has no better founda-
ton In right. Each was, in Its origin f,
nothing bat tax on common natural
right, extorted by those who were at that
time able to obstruct the free and secure
enjoy ment of it, but Tho no longer posses.
that power.
Denmark, while resisting our assertion o!
2 10 nf = b, R,it al
has indicated a readiness to make some new
arrangements on the subject, and has invited
the governments interested, including tbs
U. States, to be represented in convention
to assemble for the purpose of receiving and
considering proposition. which she intends
to submit, for the capital iZation of tho
Sound Dues, and the distribu ton of tbs
sum to be paid as Communication among th'
( Governments, according to the respective
! proportion of their maritime commerce Il
and from the Baltic. l have declined in be
half of the Z. States to accept this invita-
/ tIon, for the most cogent reasons. One is
| that Denmark does not offer to submit Il
4 the Convention the right to levy the Soun'
( dues A second is, that if the convention
were allowed to take cognizance of that par
/ ticular question. still it would not be com
petent to deal with the great internationa
principle involved, which affect the right il
other cases of navigation and commercial
| freedom, as well as that of access to tn
Baltic Above all, by the express terms o
the proposition it is contemplated that tn
consideration of the Sound dues shall b
cornmingled with. and made subordinate to
1 a matter wholly extraneous, the balance o
power among the governments of Europe
While, however, REJECTING the PROPOSE
ton, and insisting on the right of free tran
sit into and from the Baltic, have express
ed to Denmark "a willingness on the part G
the United States to share literally Wit
other Powers in compensating for any aC
vantages which commerce shall hereaite
derive from expenditures made by her fc
the improvement and safety of the navisa
ton of the Sound or Belts. 4
i lay before you. herewith. sundry doe'
, men.s on the subject, ID which my view