Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-01-04


garding our territorial rights, IL conclusive
" proved by the evidence elected on the
trial of such OF their agents as have been
opprchended and convicted. Some OF the
officers thus implicated are Of high official
position, and many Of them beyond our
jurisdiction, 30 that legal proceedings could
not reach the source Of the mischief.
These considerations, and the fact, that
the cause of complaint was not mere
casual occurrence, bur deliberate design.
entered upon with full knowledge Of our
laws and national policy aud conducted
by responsible public funclionares, i'm
PEELED me to present the subject to the
British government, in order to secure,
not only cessation of the wrong, but its
reparaton. The subject 10 still under dis
cusson, the result Of which will be com.
muncated to you Ia due time.
BRITfsH RELATIONS
repeat the recommendation submitted
to The last Congress, that provision be
made for the appointment of a commission.
er, in connection with Great Britain, to
survey aud establish the boundary line,
which divides ;he Territory Of Washing-
WI iA'Ai AiiV NfhAtIhNh' hllAt7i 'a''97
sOns. 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 Britaln and
the citizens Of the United States, includ.
ing their respective authorities IN that
quarter The prospect Of a speedy mr.
rangement has contributed hitherto TO in
duce on both sides f1rbearance to assert
by force what ench claims as n right. -
Continuance OF delay on the part Of the
two governments 10 act 10 the matter, will
increase the dangers and difficulties Of the
controversy.
Misunderstanding exists as 10 the ex-
tent, character and value of the possesso-
~ rights of the Hubs MS Bay Company
aud the property OF the pugct's Sound
Agricultural Company, reserved in our
treaty with Great Britain relative ia the
Territory Of Oregon have reason to be-
icve thut ccssiun OF the rights of both
companies 10 the United States. which
would be the readiost means Of terminal
ing all questions. eau be obtnlued on red-
sonable terms and, with view to this
end, present the subject to the attention
Of Congress.
The colony Of Newfoundland, having
enacted the laws required by the treaty u
the 9th OF June, 1854, Is now placed on
the same footing, in respect to commercial
intercourse with the United States, as the
other British North American provinces,
The commission which that treaty con-
templated, for determining the rights of
fishery 10 rivers and mouths Of rivers on
the coasts OF the United States aud the
British American PROVINCES, has been or
gained and has commenced iis labors, 10
complete which there is needed further
appropriations for the service OF another
season.
Sound DuEs.
lnpursuance OF the authority conferred /
by a resolution of the Senate Of the Uni .
ted States, passed on the Bird of March /
last, rotlce was given TO Denmark on the
ilih day of Apul. Of the intention OF this
government TO avail itself OF the supula .
ton OF The subsisung convention of
friendship, commerce, and navigation be- .
tween that Kingdom aud The United
States, whereby either party might, after
ten years, terminate the same at the oxpi.
ration OF one year from tine date OF notice /
for that purpose.
The considerations which led me 90 call
the attention OF Congress 10 that conyeu
ton, and induced the Senate to adom thee
resolution referred to, still continue in full /.
force. The convention contains an arti- .
Gle, which, although @ does not directly .
engaco The United States To submit 10 the
imposition Of tolls On the vessels and car
goes OF Americans passing into or from .
the Baltic Sea, during the continuance Of +
the treaty, yet may, by possibility, be CON
strued as implying such submissmp The .
exacilun Of these tolls not beng justified /
by 8ny principle of iniernatipnil law, II /
became the night and duy OF the United .
States To relieve themselves from imphca- I
ton OF engagement on the subject, so as
TO be perfectly free to act in the promises
IN such way rs their public interest and .
honor shall demand
| remain Of the opinion that the United
States ought not TO submit to the payment
OF the Sound Dues, not 50 much because
of their amount, which IS a secondary mat
ter but because Il Is IN effect the recopnl.
ton Of the right Of Denmark to treat one
Of the great nariIne highways Of nations
ls close sea, aud the navigation Of IL as
a privilege for which tribute may be i'm
posed upon those who mny have occasion
to use 1t.
TINS government, on a former occasion.
not unlike The present, signalIzed It's de-
termination TO malnian the freedom Of the
seas, and of the great natural channels of
navigation. The Bafbty States had, for
D long Time. coerced the payment Of tfib-
iie from all nations whose ships frequent.
I'd the Mediterranean. To the last de.
nand of such payment made by them, the
United States although suffering less by
heir depredauons than many other nations.
'cluned the explicit answer, we preferred
var 10 tribute, and thus opened the way 10
he relief of the commerce OF the world
rom an ignonlnious tax. 80 long submitted
% by The more powerful nations of Eu.
ope.
II the manner Of payment of the Sound
Dues differs from lha, Of the tribute former.
y conceded To the Barbary States, still
heir exactlon by Denmark has NJ better
oundaton IN right Each was, in ITS or
GIN, nothing but "A tax on common nat
lral right, extorted by those, who were at
hat time able to obsiruct the free and Sc.
cure enjoyment of 1t, but who no longer
possess that power.
Denmark, While resisting our assertion
If the freedom of the Baltic Sound and
Belts, has indicated a readiness To make
Iome new arrangement on the subject.
md has invited the governments interest
I'd, including the United States to be rep I
'esented IN convention to assemble for
he purpose of receiving and considering
proposition which she intends to submit.
or the capitalization Of the Sound Dues {
md the distribution of the sum to be paid
Is Communication among the governments. ,
Iccording to the respective proportions OF
heir maritime commerce to aud from the
Baltic. have declined, in behalf Of the I
United States, to accept this invitation, 4
or the most cogent reasons. One is, tina; {
Denmark does not offer to submit to the /
the question OF her right 10 I
evy the Sound Dues. A second IS, that I
{ the convention were allowed n take
'ogniznnce of that particular question. A.,
itill It would not be competent to deal with
he great international principle involved,
which atiects the rights IN other Cases of {
NAVIGATION and commercial freedom as !
veil as that Of access to the Baltic. {
Above ALL by The express terms of the I
Proposition, 1t is contemplated that the