Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-01-09

to prevent every such act, which If per-
formed, must be either in violation of the
law, or in studied evasion of it and, in
either alternative, the act done would be
alike injurious to the sovereignty of tho
United States.
In the meantime. the matter acquired
additional Importance, by the recruitments
in the United States not being discontin-
ued, and the disclosure of the fact. thu
they were prosecuted upon Systematic
plan devised by official authority that
recruiting rendezvous had been opened in
our principal cities, and depots for the re-
ception of recruits established on our from
tier and the whole business conducted
under the supervision and by the regular
cooperation of British officers, civil and
military, some in the North American
provinces, and some in the United States
The completely of those officers in an un~
dertaking, which could only be accom>
plished by defying our laws. throwing
suspicion over our attitude of neutrality,
and disregarding our territorial rights, is
conclusively proved by the evidence elici-
ted on the trial of such of their agents as
have been apprehended and convicted
Some of the officers thus implicated are
of high official position, and many Of them
beyond our jurisdiction, so that legal pro-
ceedings could not reach the source Of the
mischief.
These considerations, and the fact. that
the cause of complaint was not mere
casual occurrence, but deliberate design,
entered upon with full knowledge Of our
laws and national policy, and conducted
by responsible public functionaries, i'm
PEELED me to present the case to the Brit>
| ish government, in order TO secure, not
only cessation OF the wrong, but its re-
paration. The subject is still under dis
cussion. the result of which will be COM
municated to you in due time.
repeat the recommendation submitted
| to tho last Congress, that provision be
made for the appointment of q commits
! sioner, in connexion with Great Britain,
| to survey and establish the boundary line,
which divides the Territory of Washing
ton from the contiguous British possess
sions. By reason of the extent and i'm
portance of the country in dispute, there
has been imminent danger Of collision be-
tween the subjects of Great Britain and
the citizens of the United States, inclu-
ding their respective authorities in that
quarter. The prospect of a speedy ar
rangement has contributed hitherto to in
duce on both sides forbearance to assert
by force what each claims as a right
Continuance Of delay on the part Of the
increase the dangers and difficulties Of
the controversy.
misunderstanding exists as to the cx-
tent, character, and value Of the possesso.
ry rights Of the Hudson's Bay Company
and the property of the Puget's Sound
Agriculture Company, reserved in our
treaty with Great Britain relative to the
Territory of Oregon. have reason to
believe that cession Of the rights of both
companies to the United States, which
would be the readiest means of termna-
ting all questions, can be obtained on rea-
sonable terms and, with view to this
end, present tho subject to tho atten-
ton of Congress. !
The colony of Newfoundland, having
enacted the laws required by the treaty
of the 5th of June, 1854, is now placed
on the same footing, in respect to cons
mercial intercourse with the United States,
as the other British North American pro-
vinces.
The commission, which that treaty con-
tempIated, 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 organized and has commenced its
labors to complete which there is needed
further appropriations for the service of
another season.
| SOUND DUES.
In pursuance of the authority, confcrr-
ed by resolution of the Senate of the
United States passed on the third of
March last, notice was given TO Denmark,
on the 18th day of April, Of the intention
of this government to avail itself Of the
stipuIations Of the subsisting convention
of friendship, commerce and navigation
between that Kingdom and the United
States, whereby either party might, after
ten years, terminate the same at the ex-
pirstion of one year from the date of no.
tice for that purpose.
The considerations, which led me to
call the attention of Congress to that con-
vention, aud induced the Senate 70 adopt
the resolution referred to, still continue
in full force. The convention contains
an article, which, although it does not
directly engage the United States to sub
nit to the imposition of tolls on vessels
and cargoes of Americans passing into or
from the Baltic sea, during the continu-
anee ofthe treaty, yet may, by possibility,
be construed as implying such submission.
The exaction of those tolls not being JUS
tilted by any principle ofinterna:iOnal law,
it becomes tho right and duty of the
United States to relieve themselves from
the implication OF engagement on the sub
ject, so as to be perfectly free to act in
ihe premises in such way as their public