Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-01-05

the last Congress, that provisions be made for
the appointment of u commissioner, in connex-
ioREwith Gfeat Britain, to|sursey and estab-
Iish the ou4aatNy Line With diaides tie terri1
toy of Fashnigt9n from Pc dohtiguSaF Brit
isl possssiohS. By reason of kAe ex tentA and
Iirnportance dffthe icoahtrNln d#Bute, there has
been imninctt DANCE of couisNh betweenHhe.
subjects OF Great Britain and the citizens of
the United States, including their respective
il tlantr saaEten~aIEbenpGasPaa
a speedy arrangement has contributed hitherto
to induce on both sides fOrbearance to assert by
force what each claim as a right. Continu-
ance of delay on the part of the two govern
ments to act i'm the matteg will increases the
dangers and difficulties Of the controversy! =
character aud 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 rela-
tive to the Territory of Oregon have rea-
son to believe that a eession 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 a view to this end, / present the sub
ject to the consideration of Congress. .r-Iss1
The colony of Newfoundland, having enact
ed the laws required by fine treaty of the 9Th
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. lied. .,o~ ..at 5rsr.~-~
The commission, which that treaty contem-
plated for the purpose of determining the rights
of fishery in, rivers and mouths of rivers on the
coasts of the United States and the British
North American provinces, has been organized
and has commenced its labors to complete
which there is need further appropriations for
the service Of another season. ----
SCUM. DUES. --..
In pursuance of the authority, conferred by
q resolution of the Senate of the United States,
passed on the Sd day of March last, notice was
given to Denmark, on the 18th day of April,
of the intention of this government to avail it.
self of the stipulation of the subsisting conyen-
ton of friendship, commerce and navigation be-
tween 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 ,pIirpose.
The considerations which led me 10 call the
attention of Congress to that cunyention, and
induced the Senate to adopt the resolution re-
ferred to, still continue in full force, The CON
vention contains an article, which, although it
does not directly engage the Cnited States to
submit to the imposition Of tolls on the vessels
and cargOcS of Americans passing into, or from
the Baltic sea, during the continuance of the
treaty, yet may, by possil i.ity, be construed as
implying such submission. The exaction of
those tolls not being justified by any principle
of International law, it became the right and
the duty of the United States to relieve them
selves from the implication of engagement Oh
the subject, so us to be perfectly free to act in
the premises in such way as their public inter
ests and honor demand. , 5000 IS.
/ 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 it is in effect the recognition of the right
of Denmark to treat one of the great maritime
highways of nations as u close sea, and the ma
yigation of it as privilege for which tribute may
be imposed upon those who have occasion to
use it. . "A. ...-a. ..t ..rs y. --.F
This government, on q former occasion not
unlike the present, signaliZed its determination
to maintain the freedom Of the seas, and of the
great natural channels of navigation. The
Barbary States had, for a long time, coerced
the payment 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 of the world from an
ignOminouS tax, so long submitted to by the
more powerful nations of Europe.
If the manner of payment of the Sound dues
differ from that of the tribute formerly conced-
ell to the Barbary States, still their exaction
by Denmark has no better foundation in right.
Each was, in its origin, nothing but a tax on a
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 DOS
sess that power. sr -.-.E
Denmark, while resisting our assertions of
the freedom of the Baltic Sound and Belts, has
indicated q readiness to make some new ar
arrangement on the subject, and has invited the
governments interested, including the United
States, to be represented i'm @ convention to
assemble for the purpose of receiving and con-
sldering u proposition, which she intends to
submit, for the capitalization of the Sound dues.
and the distribution of the sum to be paid as
communication among the governments, accord
ing to the respective proportions of their mari
time commerce to and from the Baltic. | have
declined ia behalf of the United States to ac-
ccpt this invitation, for the most cogent rea-
sonS. One is, that Denmark does not offer to
submit to the convention the question of her
right to levy the Sound dues. A second is,
that, If the convention were allowed to take
cognizance OF that particular question, still it
would not be competent to deal with the great
international principle involved which affects
the right to other cases of navigation and COM
mcrcial freedom, as well as that of access to
the Baltic. Above all, by the express terms
of the proposition it is contemplated, that the
consideration of the Sound Dues shall be COM
minnlnd with nnl mnln c,,hnrl;nntn IL 49,