Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-01-10

now IL snoulu nave Deen supposed tnat troops |
could be raised here by Great Britian 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
disclosure OF the fact that they were prosecuted
upon systematic plan, devised by official au-
thority; 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 un-
der the 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 and disreg riding territorial rights,
is conclusively proved by the evidence elected
on the trial of such of their agents as have been
apprehendcd and convicted.
Some Of the officers thus implicated ore OF
high official position, and many of them be-
yond 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 nota mere casual oc-
cnrrence, but deliberate design entered upon
with full knowledge Of our laws and national
policy, and conducted by responsible functiona-
ries impellcd me to present the case to the
British Government in order to secure not only
a cessation of the wrong, but its reparation
The subject is still under discussion, the resul
of which will be communicated to you in due
time.
I repeat the recommendations submitted to
the last Congress, that provision be made for
the appointment of commissioner in connec-
ton with Great Britain to survey and establish
the boundary line which divides the Territory
of Washington from the contiguous British
possessions. BY reason of the extent and i'm
portance Of the country in dispute, there has
been imminent danger of collision between the
subjects of Great Britain and the citizens Of tho
United States, concerning their respective au
thorities in that quarter. The prospect of
speedy arrangement has contributed hitherto
to induce on both sides lorboarance to assert by
force what each claim as q right. Continuance
of delay on the part Of the two Governments
to act in the matter will increase the danger
and difficulty of the controversy.
Misunderstanding exists rs to the extent.
character. and value Of the possessory rights of
the Hudson Bay Company, and the property OF
the Puget Sound Agricultural Company, reserv-
ed in our treaty with Great Britain, relative to
the territory Of Oregon. have reason to be-
lieve that cessation Of the rights of both
Companies to the United States, which would
be the readiest means of terminating all ques-
tions, can be obtained on reasonable terms and
with view to this end present the subject to
the attention of Congress.
lhe colony of Newfoundland having enacted
the laws required by the treaty Of the 5th of
June, 1854, is now placed on the same footing
in respect to commercial interests with the
United States us the other British North Amer
lean Provinces The commission which that
treaty contemplated for 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 abors, to continue
which there is need of further appropriation
for the service Of another season.
SOUND DUES.
In pursuance of the authority conferred by Q
resolution of the Senate of the United States
passed on the third of March last, notice was
given to Denmark, on the 18th day of April
of the intention of this government to avail
itself of the stipulation of the subsisting con
vention of friendship, commerce and navigation
between 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 the notice for that pur
J pose. The considerations which led me to cal
the attention of Congress to that convention
and induced the Senate to adopt the resolution
referred to, still continue in full force. Tht
, convention contains an article which, although
it does not directly engage the United States t
7 submit to the imposition Of tolls on the vesse
and cargoes of Americans passing into or from
the Baltic Sea during the continuance of tn
treaty, yet it may, by possibility, be construed
as implying such submission.
, The exaction of those tolls not being justi
fed by any principle of International law i
became the right AMI the duty Of the Unite
: States to relieve themselves from the implica
tion of the engagement Of the subject so as t
. be perfectly free to act in the premises in sue
way as their public interest and honor shall de
:, mand
] remain of the opinion that the Unite
States ought not to submit to the payment Q
the Sound dues, not so much because of thei
F, amount, which is secondary matter, but be
: cause it is in effect the recognition Of the righ
of Denmark to treat one of the great martin
: highways of nations as closed sea, and til
navigation of it rs IL privilege for which tribut
: may be imposed upon those who may have oc
+ caslon to use 1T.
!, This government on a former occasion no
unlike the present, signifed its determinatio
o to maintain the freedom of the seas and of tn
o great natural channels of navigation. Th
u Barbary States had for long time coerced th
o payment of tribute from all nations whose ship
8 frequented the Mediterranean. TO the last de
II mand of such payment made by them, tn
e United States, although suffering loss by thei
. depredations than many other nations return
o ed the explicit answer that we preferred wa
II to tribute, and thus opened the way to the re
: lief of the commerce of the world from an ig
v nominious tax 50 long submitted to by the NOR
k powerful nations OF Europe. If the manner {
payment of Sound dues differs from that of tn
: tribute formerly conceded to the Barbary Sat,i
# still their exaction by Denmark has no bette
!, foundation 10 right. Each was in its origi
i nothing but tax on common natural righ
:. extorted by those who were at that time er
, abled to obstruct the free and secure snoymer
c of it, but who no longer possessed that power
t Denmark, while resisting our assertion of tn
1 freedom of the Baltic Sound and Belts, has il
b dicated readiness to make some new arrang
r ment on the subject, and has invited the Go'
t ernments Interested, including the United STATE
d to be represented in convention to assembl
h Tor the purpose of receiving and considering
n proposition which she intends to submit ft
n the capitalization Of the Sound Dues, and th
l. distribution of the Sound Dues to be paid
: c'mmutation among the Governments accort
o ing to the respective proportion of their mar
v time commerce to and from the Baltic. hay
declined in behalf of the United States to AZ
o cept this for the most potent reasons. One i
L that Denmark does not offer to submit to I'll
2 2 convention the question of her right to levy ii
y sound Dues A second is. that If the oonyel
Y noa were allowed to take cognizancs of thi