Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-12-18

] oi Englind ind France. hut this was sus
/ p 'ndei by the occurrence Of hUstlities in
! the anton river between Great Britain
and Z Chinese empire. These hostlitirS
have necessarily interrupted the trade Of all
! n'tions with tinton, w1ich is now in II
state of hlockiia, and I'VE occ tslonei se-
rious loss OF lite and prop 'rty. Meanwhile
the ,nsurrectipn within the empire az inst
the existing imperiL Il dynasty still emit
nues, and it is diff suit to antici pate wat
| will he the r ,sult
Under thesA circumstances, have
deemed it advisable to appoint II distin.
| guished citiL m of Pennsylvlnia envoy ex-
trloriintry and minister plenip ,tentiarv
| to prbceel 10 China, and to av ill him self
Of any opportunities which mty Offer 10
Il ct changes in the existing treaty favor
! able to American commerce. ii left the
United States for the place OF his destnl.
tlon in July last, in the war ste lmer Min
nesota. SPECIAL ministers to China have
nlsD been appointed by the governments Of
Great Britain and France.
Whilst our minister has been instruct.
ed to occupy u neutral position in reference
to the existing hostlities at Canton he
will cordially coop rae with the British
nnd French ministers in all peaceful meas.
ures to secure, by treaty supulatlons,
those just concessions to cOmnerc1 which
the nations Ot the world have right to px-
pect, and which China cannot long he par.
nitted to Withhold. From assuranc IS re-
ceived, [ entertain no 4lubt that the three
ministers will act in harmonious concert to
obtain similar commerci II treaties for each
OF the powers they represent.
We cannot fail to feel deep interest in
all that concerns the welfare . the inde.
pendent republics On our own continent, US
vel as the empire of Brazil.
Our difficulties with New GRANADA, which
short time since bore so threatening an
aspect, are, 1t is to be- hoped, IN fair train
Ot settlement in M inner jIst and honOra-
be to both parties.
The isthmus of Central America including
that Ot Panama, is the great highway be.
tween the Atlantic and PIclfc, over which
n l'rg5 portion of the commerce. Of the
worlI is destined 10 pass The United
st tes are more deeply interested than any
other nation in preserving the freedom and
security Of ali the commune ltions across
this isthmus. 1t is our duty, therefore to
take care that they shall not be interrupted
either by invasUns from our own country
or by wars between the indepeu lent States
OF Central America. Under our treaty with
New Grtnidt Of the l2tn December lS46,
we are bound TO gutrInt e the neutrality
vi the isthmus OF Panama, through when
the Panama railroad passes. ''.s we'll rs the
rights of sovereignty and property which
New Granada has and Possesses over the
sad TrrrItory.' This obligation is found
sd upou equivalents granted by til" treaty
u the government AMI people ol the United
States
Under these circumstances | recommend
tD Congress the passage OF IA act authOri.
sing the President. in case OF n cessity, 10
employ tho Land and naval forces ul the
UMted States, to carry intut II ct this pui'-
intee OF neutrality AMI prutec.iII. also
rrcOmin end sinll tr Iegl 'lItiyn for the .l,-
ty OF any other route across the Is;h,nus in
which we may acquire an interest by
treaty
With the independent republics on tbs
continent, ii is both our duty ami our in
terest to Gu tivate the INST friendly reli-
tions We can meyer feel indlf rent 10
thelr fate, and must always reiIcG in their
prosperity Unfortunately, both for them
ind tor us our example and advice have
lost most OF their luhuence in cons .auence
ot the ltwlesS executions which have been
fitted out against some Of them wthin thE
limits of our country. Nothing is better
cLculat to retard our steady
Material progress. or impair
our laracter as a nation, than the toleri-
ZION of such enterprises, in violation Of the
! law ot nations.
1t is one OF the first and highest duties OF
any Independent State, in its relations with
the members Of the great family of nations,
to restrain It's people from acts of hostile
aggression u & INST th-ir citiz.ns or subjects.
Inc most eminent writers on public liw d.
hesitate, u lanu1nra hnstila npts
as ROBBERY and murder
Weak nnd feeble States, like those Of
Central America, may not tee Themselves
able to assert and vinicate their rights
rne case would he far diff rent il expeditions
were set on foot within our own territories
To IN tk- privtt war against n powerful ma
ton. If such Spe iitlon1 were titte out ron
ibroi I'd against anv portion of our own cOun-
try, to burn down our cities, murder AMI
plumber our people, and usurp our govern
tnent, we should call any power on earth to
the strctest account for not preventing
snch enOrmities.
Ever since the administration OF General
Washington, acts Of Congress have been in
ioroe to punish severely the crime Of setting
IN foot military expedition within the
limits of the Cnltei States to proceed from
tnencs against u nation or State sith whom
We are at peace The present neutrality
act Of April -, ISIS, is hut little more than
collection OF pre-e1lsting laws. Uuler
this act the President is empowered to EN-
ploy the land naval forces and the militia
"tOr the purpose OF preventing the carrying
on Of any sucn exp 'dition or enterprise from
the territories AMI Jurisdiction OF the United
States, and the Collectors of Custom are
authorized and required TO detain any vcsse
IN port when thure Is reason to believe sht
Is about to take part in such lawless enter
pri1es.
When it was first rendered probable that
an attempt would be made to get up another
uni ,wful expedition against Me tragua, the
Secretary OF State issued instructions to tn,
marsh ss and district attorneys, which wer,
directed by The Secretaries Of War and II,
Navy, to the appropriate army and navy
utf 'ers, reqlring them u he vigilant, AN
To use their best eSrrtiOns in c,rryinS idt,
effect the provisions Of the act OF 1918. Not
withstunilng thest precautions, the expeIi
= ton has escdp d from our shores Sucn on
terprlses can do 10 possible good to tn
county, hut have already Indicted mucl
injury both on IT'S interests and it, ch rae 'er
, They hayn prevented peaceful emigration
, from the United States u the stat Of Cen
; rial America. winch could not fail To prov
hlSnly orneHcldl 10 All the parties cpuCtTH
ed. In pecuniiry point Of view, alone
our citizens have sustained heavy lOsse
from the seizure and closing of the transi
: route by the San Juan between the tvs
! oceans.
9 The leader Of the recent expedition wa
{ arrested at New Orleans, but was disuharg
h ed on giving bail for his nppasranc, in III
4 insufficient sum of two thousand dollars,
=. commend the whole subj set to the seri
= GUS attention of Congress, believing tina
5 our duty and our interest, as well as ou
i n tional character, require that we shoul
= adopt such measures as will be eff .ctu Il i
e restraining our citil9ns from committin
l. such outrHges.
d regre. to inform you that the Presiien
= of Paraguay has refused to ratiiy the treat
between the United States and that STATE
n as amended by the Senate, the signature
y which was mentioned III the message OF L.