Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-01-01

insC, uotons not 10 violate the municipal law
Of the United States
1t Is difficult to understand how it should
have been supposed that troops could be -aised
mere by Great Britain, without violation of the
municipal law. The unmistakable object of
the law was to prevent every such act, which,
If performed, 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 the United
States.
In the meantime, the matter acquired addi-
tional importance, by the recruitments in the
United States not being discontinued, and the
fact that they were prosecuted upon a syste-
matte plan devised by official authority that
recruiting rendezvous had been opened in our
principal cities, and depotS for the reception of
recruits established on our frontier and the
whole business conducted under the supervi-
sion 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
undertaking, which could only be accomplished
| by defying our laws, throwing suspicion over
| our attidude Of neutrality, and disregardin q
| our territorial rights, is cOncluSively proved
by the evidence elected on the trial of such of
| their agents as have been apprchendcd and
| convicted. Some of the officers thus implca-
| ted are of high official position, and many of
| them beyond our jurisdiction, so 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 oc-
| currence, but a deliberate design, entered
upon with full knowledge of our laws and ma
tonal policy, and conducted by responsible
| functiOnarics, impelled mo to present the case
to the British government, in order to secure
not only cessation Of the wrong, but its rep
aration. The sub iect is still under discussion,
the result OF which will be communicated to
| you in due time.
| repeat the recomme endation submitted to
| the last Congress, that provision be made for
the appointment of commissioner, in con-
| nexion with Great Britain, to survey and es-
| tablish the boundary line, which divides the
Territory of Washington from tho contiguous
| British possessions. By reason of the extent
and Importance of tho country in dispute,
| there has been imminent danger of collision
between the subjects Of Great Britain and the
| citizens OF the United States, including their
| respective authorities In that quarter. The
| prospect OF a speedy arrangement has contri-
| butedshlthertO tOinduce OH both sides fOrbear-
ance to assert by force what each claims as a
| right. Continuance Of delay on the part of the
two governments, to act in the matter will in
crease the dangers and difficulties Of the con-
| trOversy
Misunderstanding exists as to the extent,
character, and value of the posSessor rights Of
| the HudsOn'S Bay Company and the property
| Of the Puget's Sound Agricultural Company,
| reserved in our treaty with Great Britain rel
ative to the Territory of Oregon. have rea-
Son TO believe that a cessiOn Of the rights of
| both companies to the United States which
| would be the readiest means of terminating
all questions, can be obtained on reasonable
| terms; and with q view to this end L present
the subject to the consideration of Congress
The colony of Newfoundland having enac-
ted the laws required by the treaty of the 5th
OF June, 1854, is now placed On the same foot
| ing, IN respect to commercial intercourse with
the United States, as the other British North
American provinces.
The commission which that treaty contem-
plated, for determining the rights of fishery in
| rivers and mouths of rivers on the coasts of
| the United States and the British North Amer
lean 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 conferred by
a resolution Of the Senate of the United States.
| passed on the ID of March last notice was
given to Denmark on the l4th day of April,
Of the intention Of this government to avail
itself of the stipulation Of the subsisting con
vention of friendship, commerce, and naviga
tion between that Kingdom and the United
otates, whereby either party might after ten
| years, terminate the same at the expiration
Of one year from the date of notice for that
| purpose.
| Inc considerations which led mo to call the
attention of Congress to that convention. and
| induced the Senate to adopt the resolution re-
ferred to, still continue In full force. The
| c2nVt ntlon contains an article which, although
IL does not directly engage the United States
| TO submit to the IDositiOn of tolls on the yes
sells and cargoes 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 submission The ex
action OF those tolls not being justified by any
principle of International law, it became the
right and the duty of the United States TO re.
heve themselves from the implication of en-
| gagement on the subject, so as to be perfectly
tree to act in the premises in such way as
their public interests and honor shall demand.
remain OF the opinion that the United
states ought not TO submit to the payment of
the sound dues, not so much because of their
| amount, which is a secondary matter, but be-
cause 1t is in effect the recognition of the right
i 1i denmark 10 treat one Of the great maritime
| highways OF nations as n close sea, and the
| navigation of 1t as privilege for which tribute
may be imposed upon those who have occasion
| to use it.
This government, on a former occasion not
unlike the present, signalized its determine
| ton to maintain the freedom Of the seas, and
of the great natural channels of navigation.
The Barbary States had, for long tune, co.
creed the paymen. Of tribute from all nations,
| whose ships frequented the Mediterranean To
| the last 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 commerce of the
world from an ignominious tax, so long sub
mitted to by the more powerful nations of
Europe.
II the manner OF payment Of the Sound
| dues differ from that of the tribute formerly
conceded to tho Barbary States, still their ex-
| action by Denmark has no better foundation
| In right. Each was, in its origin, nothing but
| a tax on common natural right, extorted by
| those. who were at that time able to obstruct
the free and secure enjoyment of it, but who
| no longer possess that power.
Denmark, while resisting our assertion of
the freedom Of the Baltic Sound and Belts, has
indicated readiness to make some new ar
rangement on the subject, and has invited the
II