Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-11

prevented the full Development of those feel
ings of mutual friendship between the people
of the two countries so natural in themselves
and so conducive to their common interest.
Any serious interruption of the of the COM
merce between the United States and Great
Britain would be equally injurious to both.
In fact no two nations have ever existed on
the face Of the earth which could do each 9th
err so much good or so much harm.
Entertaining these sentiments, / am graft
fed to inform you that the longspending
controversy between the two governments in
relation TO the question of visitation and
search has been amieably adjusted. The
claim on the part of Great Britain forcibly to
visit American vessels on the high seas III
time of peace could not be sust ined under
the law OF nations. and it bad been overruled
by her most eminent urists.
This quest on was recently brought to an
issue by the repeated acts of British cruisers
in oarding and scare ing our merchant yes
sells in the Gulf Of Mexico and the adjacent
seas. These acts were the more injurious
and annoying as these waters are travers" d
| by large portion of the commerce AMI ma
vigatiOn of the United States and their free
! and unrestricted use is ess initial TO the secu-
| rity of the coastwise trade between differ Mt
states of the Union.
| Such vexatious Interruptions could not fail
10 excite the feelings of the country, and to
require the intprpOsition of the Government
| Remonstrances were addressed to the British
! Government against these violations OF our
| rights of sovereignty. and a naval force was
at the same time ordered to the Cuban waters
with directions '.to protect all vessels of the
| United States on the high seas from search or
detention by vessels of war of any other ma
| ton"
These measures received the unqualified
and even enthusiastic app. citation OF the
American people, Most fortunately, how
ever. no collision took piece, and the frit-
! ish Government promptly avOw d its recog-
milton of the principles of international law
upon this subject. as laid down by the Gov
| eminent OF the United States in the note of
| the Secretary of State to the British Minis
! ter at Washin gtOn, of April 10. 1858, which
secure the vessels of the United States upon
the high seas from visitation or search in
! time of peace under any circumstances
| whatever. The claim has been abandoned
| in manner rejecting honor on the British
Government, and evincing just regard
! for the law of nations. and cannot tail to
strengthen the amicable relations between
! the two countries.
The British Government, at the same time,
proposed to the United Suites that some
mode should be adopted. by mutual arrange
ment between the two countries, OF charac-
! ter which may he found effective without
being offensive. for verifying the nationality
| of vessels suspected on good grounds OF
carrying false colors. They have also invi-
| ted the United States to take the Initiative.
and propose measures for this purpose.
! Whilst clining to assume so grave a res
| possibility, the Secretary of State informed
| the British Government that we are ready to
! receive anv proposals which they may feel
disposed to offer having this Object III view
and to consider them in an amicable spirit.
ic nN
that the occasional abuse of the flag OF any
nation is an evil far less to be deprecated
! than would be the establishment of any regu-
! lati0ns which might be Incompatible with the
| freedom of the seas. This Government has
! vet received no communication specifying the
| manner in which the British Government
would propose to carry out their suggestion:
and | am inclined to believe that no plan
! which can be devised will be free from grave
| embarrassments. Still | shall form no deci-
! drd opinion on the subject until | SHALL have
curefulIy, and in the best spirit, examined
any proposals which they may think proper
! to make.
am truly sorry cannot also inform you thlt the
compile .tions between Great Britain and the United
states arising Outn the Clayton an" Bdiwcr treaty Vi
| April $50, have been finally adjusted.
| At the commencement Of your last session had
reason hope that emlncipatng themselves from
further unavailng discussions the TWO Governments
would proceed to settle the Central American qHes
| "A practical manner, alke hohordDe ana stts-
factory 10 both; and this hope nave NOT YET ao'h
duned In my last annual message stated that over
! lures had been made by the British Government tor
| this purpose in friendly spirit which coTdiaiIy
reciprocated.
Their proposal was, to withdraw these
questions from direct negotiation between
the two Governments but to accomplish
| the same object by negotiation between
| the British Governments and each OF the
! Central American Republics whose terrific
rial interests are Immediately involved. The
! settlement was to he made in accordance
| with the general tenor of the Interpretation
placed upon the Clayton and Bulwer treaty
| by the United States, with certain modihca-
| tons. AS negotiations are still pending
! upon this basis. it would not be proper for
| me now to communicate their present con-
! diton. A final settlement of those ques-
tons is greatly to be desired, as this would
wipe out the last remaining subject of dis
| Dute between the two countries.
Our relations with the great, Empires OF
| France and Russia. wrll as with all other
Governments on the continent of Europe, eX-
| cept that of Spain. continue TO be OF the most
| fri ndv character.
With Spain our relations remain In an
unsatisfactory condition. In my message
of December last | informed you that our
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni-
potentiary to Madrid had asked for his
recall and it was my purpose TO send out
a new Minister to that Court, with special
instructions on all questions pending be-
tween the two Governments, and with
determination to have them speedily and
amicably adjusted, if that were possible.
This purpose has been hitherto defeated by
causes which need not enumerate.
The mission to Spain has been entrusted
! to a distinguished citizen of Kentucky,
who will proceed to Madrid without de-
! lay, and make another and final attempt
to obtain justice from that Government.
Spanish officials, under the direct control OF
| the Captain General of Cuba, have inSulted
! our national flag. and, in repeated instances,
have from time to time inflicted injuries on
the persons and property of our citizens.
| These have given birth to numerous claims
| against the Spanish Government, the merits OF
which have been ably discussed for series OF
| year, by our successive diplomatic representa-
| tives. Notwithstanding this we have not at
| rived at a practical result in any single in-
| stance. unless we may except the case of the
Black Warrior under the late Administration;
and that presented an outrage OF sI,ch Il har-
acter would have justified an immediate re-
| sort to war. All our attempts to obtain Ie-
| Dir - have been baffied and defeated. The
frequent and ort-recurring changes in the
! Spanish Ministry have been employed a.
reasons for delay. We have been COMPEL d
to vast again and again until the new Minis
ter shat have had time to investigate the
justice of our demnds.
Even what have been denominated "the
Cuban claims" in which more than humid
red of our citizens are directly interested.
have furnished no exception. These claims
were for the refuuding of duties unjdstly ex-
ted from American vessels al different
Gu tom houses in Cuba so long ago as the
year 1874. The principles upon which they
rest are 80 ma ,ifestls equitable aud just that
after a period OF nearly ten years in 1854,
they were recognised by the Spanish Gov
erumenf.
Proceedings were afterwards instituted to
ascertain their amount, and this was finally
fixed according to their own statement (with
which We were satistied) at the sum of one
hundred aud twenty-eight thousand six hnn-