Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1856-01-08

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s...~e.yy@ WAssiHoroH. Dec. 81.
TSE Prssident's message wAs read to.
day Sshe Senate. NYs Si
ftS ri PSsidsnt states thsG {hss dss
lays{ unM this time his annd0l CONS.
rnuniSa.isi 10 the two Houses in conn
Qsqueaes Of the non.organiAetjen Of ,hel
housC, bu, his convictions ofsduty WIN
not permit him 10 delay any longer Civ.
ing 10 Congress information Of the State
OF The Union, and recommending such
measures as he judges necessary of, ex'
He commences by giving a history Of
The Central American affairs in parlicu,
lar. He refers 10 the recent troubles
in Kansas, and says that her psoplc
must be protected in tho exercise Of
their rights without interference on the
part OF the people Of any other State.
He commends the subject TO the early
st.eniion VI Congress. s4
He eulogises populer sovereignty,
gives history Of the formation OF the
Union, and expatiates on State rights,
with particular reference 10 slavery and
the Fugitive Slave Law. He regards
sgitation as dangerous 10 the durability
OF the Union, regrets to see States dis.
regsrd Constitutional obligations and
refuse TO obey the law pf Congress de-
nies that the South has obtained ad.
vantages over the North in the Federal
Government ; and proceeds to refer TO
the ordinance Of ] 1877, and the aquisition
Of Louisiana to illustrate the balance
Of power between freedom and slavery.
He comes down to the annexation Of
Texas, The repeal Of the Missouri Com.
promise, etc., and argues that the South
has go. no more than belongs to her.-
He gives on elaborate defense Of the
principles Of the Nebraska bill, and in.
disnantly denies that it was a breach Of
faith.
Grave questions ore pending with
some foreign powers, tho most impor.
tant OF which is, that with Great Britain,
arising out Of the Nicaragua question.
1t was the understanding Of the U.
S. in making that treaty, that all the
present States Of the former Central
American Republic would thenceforth
enjoy complets independence, and that
both contracting powers engaged equal
ly and 10 the same extent for the present
and future; thatif either then had any
claim Of right in Central America, such
claim was unreservedly relinquished BY
the s,ipula,ions Of the Convention Of
the Governments, and no dominion was
thereafter 10 exist in any part Of Central
America by Great Britain or the United
States, and this Government consented
to restrictions in regard to region
wherein we had specific peculiar inter
ests, only upon the conviction that like
restrictions were in the same sense OBJ.
ligatory upon Great Britain but for this
understs nding it would never have been
concluded by Us. Great Britain so con-
strues the Convention as to maintain.
unchanged. al previous pretensions
over the Mosquito coast, etc.. These
prete nsions are founded on the assump.
lion Of political relations between Grea,
| Britain and the remnant of Indians ol
that coast entered into at q time when
the whole country wos in the colonial
possession Of Spain. Ii cannot be sue.
cessfuly controdicted that by the public
law, both OF Europe and America, no
possible act Of Indians or their prede.
cessors could confer on Great Britain
any political rights. 1t however be.
came apparent that Great Britain still
continued in the exercise Of large au.
,hority in all that part OF Central Ameri.
ca commonly called the Mosquito Coast
and covering the entire length Of Nicara.
qua and part Of Costa Rica f; this &C,
Of Great Britain being CONTRARY to the
rights Of the States Of Central America,
as understood by this Government. has
been made the subject Of negotiation
through the American Minister in Lon.
don. Great Britain has by repeated
and successive treaties renounced all
preiensions Of her own, and recogniz.
ed the full and sovereign rights Of Spain
in most unequivocal terms. Great
Britain now reasserts her right to this ex.
tent Of the Gulf Coast and the Eastern
S"dst vi ANiCdIdSud' Ahc IhtcIio'cHCo
Of Great Britain, though manifested once
in the form Of a military occupation Of
a part OF San Juan del Notte, now pre-.
sents claims Of a right Of protectorate
over the Mosquito Indians.
| The President adds, that this Govern.
ment steadily denies that at the date ol
the treaty Great Britain had any posses.
sion on that coast other than the limit.
ed establishment at BaIizc.
The President states that the British
Government sees no reason for the in.
terruption Of peaceful intercourse on &C.
count Of these differences Of opinion,
and hopes for an amicable settlement OIL
the controversy.
| The President adds: There is reason
to apprehend that with Great Britain in
actual occupation Of the disputed ter.
ri,ories, this International difficulty can.
not long remain undetermined without
involving in serous danger the friendly
relations which it is the interest as we'll
as duty Of both countries to cherish and
preserve.
! 1t will afford me sincere grati6ca
lion If future efforts shall result in the