Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-01-03


in our treaty with Great Britain relative to thes
Territory of Oregon. Ihaye reason TO believe
thata cession of the rights ofsboth companies
to the united States, which would be the readi-
est means of terminating all questions, can be
obtained on reasonable terms; and with aSiew
to this end, present them to the attention Of
Congress
Thecolony of Newfoundland, having enacted
the laws required by the treaty Of the 5th1o of.
June, 1854, is now placed on the same footing, in
respect to commercial intercourse with the U.
=, rs the other British North American PROV
inces.
The commission which that treaty contem-
plated for determining the rights of fishery in
rivers and mouths of rivers on the coasts ofsthei
United States and the British North American
provinces, has been organized and has COM
menced its labors; to complete which there is
needed further appropriations for the service Of
another season.
SOUND DUES
In pursuance of the authority, conferred by n
resolution of the Senate of the United States
passed on the Sd of March last, notice was Civ
en- to Denmark, on the 14th day of April, of the
stipulation of the subsisting convention offriend
ship, commerce, and navigation between that
Kingdom and the United States, whereby either.
party 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 cali the
attention of Congress to that convention, andin-
duced the Senate to adopt the resolution referred
to, still continues in full force, The convention
contains an article, which, although it does not
directly engage the United States to submit to
the imposition of tolls on the vessels and cargoes
of Americans passing into or from the Balticsea,
during the continuance of the treaty, yet may,
by possibility, be construed as Implying such
submission. The exaction of those tolls not be-
ing justified by any principle of international
law, it became the right. and the duty of the
United States to relieve themselves from the i'm
plicatton of engagement ON the subject, SO as to
be perfectly free to actin the premises in such a
way as their public interests and honor shall
demand
remain of the opinion that the United States
ought not to submit to tbs payment of the Sound
dues, not so much because of their amount
which lisa secondary matter, but because it is in
effect the recognition of the right of Denmark
to treat one of the great maritime highways of
nations close sea, and the navigation of it as
privilege for which tribute may be imposed
upon those who have occasion to use it.
This government, on former occasion not I'M
like the present, signalized its determination to
maintain the freedom of the seas, and of thegreat
natural channels of navigation. The Barbary7
of tribute from all nations, whose ships fire.
quented the Mediterranean. To the demand of
such payment made by them, the United States,
although suffering less by their depredations
than many other nations, returned the explicit
answer, that we preferred war to tribute, and thus
opened the way to the relief of the commerceof
the world from an ignoninious tax, so long
submitted to by the more powerful nations of
Europe
If the manner of the payment of the Sound
dues differ from that of the tribute formerly con-
coded to the Barbary States, still their exaction
by Denmark has no better foundation in right.
Each was, in its origin, nothing buta tax on
common right, extorted by those who were at
that time able to obstruct the free and secure en-
Ejoymcnt of it, but who no longer possess that
power.
Denmark, while resisting our assertion of the.
freedom of the Baltic Sound and Belts, has indi-
Gated 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 convention to assemble
for the purpose ofreceiying and considering
proposition, which she intends to submit for
the capitalization of the Sound dues, and the
distribution of the sums to be paid as commul-
tatlon among the governments, according to the
respective proportions of their maratime com
merce to and from the Baltic. Ihaye declined
in behalf of the United States to accept this in
vitation, for the most cogent reasons. One is,
that Denmark does not offer TO submit to the
convention question of her right to levy the
Sound dues. second is, that, if the conyen-
ton were allowed to take cognizance of that par
ticular question, still it would not be competent
to deal with the great international principle in
voived which affects the right. in other cases of
navigation and commercial freedom, as well as
that of access to the Baltic. Aboveall, by the
express terms of the proposition it is conten-
plated, that the consideration of the Sound dues
shall be cOmmiuglcd with, and made subor1i-
nate to-a matter wholly eXtraneous to the bal
ance of power among the governments of Eu-
rope.
While, however, rejecting this proposition,
and insisting on the free transmit into and from
the Baltic, l have expressed to Denmark a viii
lingness, on the part of the United States, to
share literally with other powers in compensa-
ting her for any advantages, which commerce
shall hereafter derive from expenditures made
by her for the improvement and safety of the
Sound or Belts
Hay before you, herewith, sundry documents
on the subject, in which my views are more full
ly disclosed. Should no satisfactory arrange
ment be soon concluded, l shall again call your
attention to the subject with Recommendation
of such measures as may appear to be required
in order to assert and secure the rights of the
United States, so far as they are affected by the
prctensions of Denmark.
FRANCE.
IS. I announce with much qualification, that,
since the adjournment Of the last Congress, the
question, then existing, between this govern
ment 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 tho most friendly
nature.
GREECE.
a question, also, which has been pending for
several years between the United States and the
Kingdom of Greece, growing out of the seques-
trdtion, by public authorities of that country, of
property belonging to the present American
consul at Athens, and which had been the SUBJ
ject of very earnest discussion heretofore, has
recently been settled to the satisfaction of the
party interested and of both governments.
SPACS.
With Spain, peaceful relations are still main
tanned, and some progress has been made in Sc
curing the,redress ofwrongs complained of bv