Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-01-02

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ereignty Of tho United States.
In the meantime the matter acquired addition
nj Importance. by the recruitmeut- in the United
States not being discontinued, and the di.clos.
IRE Of the fact that they were prosecoted upon n
systematic plan devised by official authority;
TINT recruiting rendezvous had been opened in
our principal cities. and depois for the reeep-
iion If 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 oyer oni
attitude Of neutrality, and Designating our ter
ritorial rights. il conclusively proved by the
evidence elected on the trial Of snch of their
agents as have been unprecedented and convicted.
Some of tho officers thus implicated are of high
oiiicial position. and many of them beyond our
Jurisdiction, SO that legal proceedings could not
each the source of this mischie t.
These considerations and the fact. that the
cause of complaint was not n mere casual occur
renee. but a deliberate design entered upon with
full knowledge of our laws and national policy,
and conducted by responsible public fnnctionaries
~impelled me to present the case 10 the British
government. in order TO secure, not only II cessa-
ton of the wrong. but its reparation. The sub
ject is still under discussion, the result of which
will be communicated to you ia due time.
repeat the recommendation submitted to the
last Congress, that provision he made for the APP
poiniment of n commissioner, in connection with
Great Britain, to survey and establish the boun-
dairy line which divides the Territory of Washing
ton from the contiguous British possessions. BY
reason nf the extent and Importance of the conn
try in dispute, there has been imminent danger
of collision between the subjects of Great Britain
ard the citizens of the United States. including
their respective authorities IN that quarter. The
prospect of n speedy arrangement has contribu.
ted hitherto to induce on both sides forbearance
10 assert by force what each claims rs a right.
Continuance of delay on the part Of the two Gov
ernmen's To act in the matter will increase the
dangers and difficulties Of the controversy.
misunderstanding exists as 10 the extent char
acier md value Of the possrssory rights of the
Hudson's Bay Company, and the property If the
Poget's Sound Agricultural Company, reserved
in our treaty with Great Britain relative Ia the
Territory of Oregon. | have reason to believe
that a cession of the rights of both companies to
the United States, which would be the readiest
means of terminating all qlestions,can be obtain
ed on reasonable terms; aud. with a view 10 this
end, present the subject 20 the attention of
Congress.
The colony Of Newfoundland. having enacted
the laws required by The treaty of the 9Th of June,
le5l. Is now plnced on the same footing. i'll res
poet 10 commercial iuiorcUur - with the United
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provinces. '
The commission. which that treaty conteIn-
plated, for determining abe rights of fishery in
rivers and mouths Of rivers ON the consts III the
United States aud the Brili-h North American
provinces, has been organized. and has eommen-
ced its lnbors to complete which there is needed
further appropriations for the service Of another
season.
SOUND DOES.
In pursuance OF the authority, conferred by a
resolution of the Senate of the United States pas
sed ON the Sd of March last, notice was given to
Denmark, ON the l4th day of April, of the iu,en-
lion of this government to avail itself of the slip
ulatlon of the subsisting convention of friendship.
commerce, and navigation between that Kingdom
and the United States, whereby either party
might. utter 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 call the at
tention of Congress 10 that convention, and in
doeed the Senate to adopt the resolution referred
To, still continue 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 aud car
goes of Americans passing into or from the Bel
tic sea, during the continuance If the treaty, yet
may, by possibility. be- construed rs implying
suoh submission. The e~xaction of those tolls
not being justified by any principle of interna-
,ional law. it became the right and the duty of
the United States to relieve themselves from the
implication of engagement on the subject. so as
to be perfectly free to act in the premises in
such "A way as their public interest and honor
shall demand.
remain of tho opinion that he United States
ought not to submit to the payment of the Sound
dues. not so much because of their amount,
which Is n secondary matter, but because it is
IN elect the recognition of the right of Denmark
10 trent one OF the great maritime highways of
nations as n close sea, and the navigation OF il
as n privilege Tor which tribute may be imposed
upon those who have occasion to use it.
! his Government, on n 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 Bar
barry States had, for a long time. ceerced the
payment of tribute from all nations. who's 50 ships
frequented the Mediterranean. To the last de-
mand of such payment made by them. the Uni
ted States. although suffering less by their de-
precautions than many other nations, returned
the explicit answer, that we preferred war TO tri-
bite, and thus opened the way to the relief of the
IN of the world from an ignominlous tax,
SO long submitted to by the more powerful ma
tons of Europe.
IT the manner of payment Of the Sound dues
aiter from that OF the tribute formerly conceded
10 the Barbary States. still their e@xaction 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 pcs
sess that power.
Denmark, while resisting our assertion of the
freedom of the Baltic Sound and Belts, has in.
dloated a readiness to make some new arrange
mcnt on the subject. and has invited the govern
ments Interested D.. including the United States.
to be represented in a convention Ia assemble
for the purpose of receiving and considering a
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