The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-01-05

did Il ever give intmation Of such intention
to thif Government. ltwas matter OF sur
prise, therefore, 70 find snosequently, that the
engagement Of persons within the United
States to proceed to Halifax, In the British
Province OF Nova Scotia. and there enlist in
the service Of Great Britain, was going on ex-
tensively, with little or no disguise. Ordina.
~ legal steps were Immediately taken TO ar
rest and punish the parties concerned, and SO
put an end to acts infringing the municipal
law and derogatory to uor sovereignty
Meanwhile suitable representations Of the
subject were addressed to the British Gov
ernment.
Thereupon 1t became known, by the ad-
mission OF the British Government itself,
that the attempt to draw recruits from this
country originated with il, or at least had
its approval and sanction; but it also ap-
pears that the public agents engaged in IL,
had stringent instructions" not to violate
the municipals laws OF the United States.
Il is difficult to understand how it should
have been supposed that troops could be
raised here by Great Britain without viola
tiun OF the municipal law. The unmistaka-
BILE object OF the law was to prevent every
such act, which, if performed, must be eth
er in violation Of the law, or in studied eva
sio OF it; and in either alternative, the act
done would be alike injurious to the sover-
eighty Of the United States.
Meantime, the matter acquired additional
importance by the recruitments in the Uni
ted States not being discontinued, and the
disclosure of the fact that they were prose-
cuted upon systematic plan devised by Of
fetal authority; that recruiting rendezvous
had been opened in the principal cities, and
depots for the reception Of recruits establish.
ed on our frontier; 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 under.
taking which could only be accomplished by
defying our laws, throwing suspicion over
our attitude Of neutrality, and disregarGing
our territorial rights, is conclusively proved
BY the evidence ELECTED on the trial OF such
Of their agents os have been apprehended
and convicted. Some of the officers thus
implicated are of high official po ition, and
many Of them beyond our jurisdiction, SO
that legal proceedings could not reach the
source of the mischief. a.
These considerations, and the fact that the
cause of complaint was not u mere casual
occurrence, but deliberate design, entered
upon with full knowledge of cur laws and
national policy ,and conducted by responsible
public functionaries. impelled me TO present
the case to the British Government, in order
to secure not only q ces sation OF the wrong,
bnt its reparation. The subject is still un.
der discussion, the result of which will be
communicated to you in due time.
repeat the recommendation submitted to
the last Congress, that provision be made
for the appointment Of Commissioner in
connection with Great Britain, to survey and
establish the boundary line, which dYides
the Territory of Washington from the con-
tiguous British possessions. By reason o.
the extent and importance of the country in
dispute, there has been imminent danger o.
collision between the subjects of Great Bri
tain and the citizens Of the United States
including their respective authorities in thai
quarter. The prospect Of speedy arrange
ment has contributed hitherto to induce OF
both sides forbearance to assert bv force
what each claims as right. Continuance
OF delay on the part of the two Governments
TO act in the matter will increase the dan
gers and difficulties of the controversy.
misunderstanding exists as to the extent
character and value Of possessory OF right.
Of Hudson's Bay Company and the property
Of the Pugets Sound Agricultural Comp
reserved in our treaty with Great Britain re
lative to the Territory OF Oregon have
reason to believe that cession of the right
Of both companies to the United States
which would be the readiest means Of ter
minatng oil questions, can be obtained oil
reasonable terms; and, with n view to thi
end. present the subject to the attention
Of Congress.
The Colony Of Newfoundland, having EN-
acted the laws required by the treaty Of tn
9Th OF June, 1854, is now placed on the SAM
footing, in respect to commercial intercours
with the United States, as the other Britis
North American provinces.
The commission which that treaty con
TEN mplated, for determining the rights Of fish
cry in rivers and mouths of rivers on tn
coasts of the United States and the Britisl
| North American provinces, has been organ
lied and has commenced its )abors: to com
plete which there is needed further apprC
priations for the service of another season.
SQUAD DUES.
| In pursuance of the authority, conferre
by resolution Of the Senate OF the Unite
States passed on the Sd of March last. nc
lice was given to Denmark on the l4th do
Of April, Of the intention Of this Govern
ment to avail itself of the stipulation Of tn
subsisting convention OF friendship, com
merce, and navigation between that king
dom and the United States, whereby eithe
party might, after ten years, terminate tn
same at the expiration of one year from th
date of notice for that purpose.
The considerations which led me to CO
the attention of Congress to that convention
and induced the Senate to adopt tiie resolt
ton referred to, still continue in full force
The convention contains an article, whic
although it does not directly engage tn
United States to submit to the imposition {
tolls on the vessels and cargoes of Amer
cans passing into or from the Baltic Sci
during the continuance of the treaty,yet mo,
by possibility, be construed as implying sue
submission. The exaction of those tolls N
being justified by any principle Of intern'
tional law, it became the right and the duI
Of the United States to relieve themselvt
from the implication Of engagement on tt
subject, SO as to be perfectly free to act
the premises in such way as their public il
terests and honor shall demand.
| remain of the opinion that the Unit
States ought not to submit to the pa
ment of the Sound Dues, not so much b