Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-12-08

| ceived no Communication specifying tho manner
| in which the British government would propose
10 carry out their suggestion; and am inclined "a
believe, that no plan which can DO devised, will
| b ffss ffom grave embaTassments. Stall, Ishsil
| farm no decided opinion on the subject shall
have carefully and In the best spirit examined any
| proposals which they think proper to make.
| I am truly sorry Tcannot also inform you that
| the complications between Great Britain and tho
| United States arising out Of the Clayton and jnl-
wer treaty of April, 1850, have boon finally adJus-
| ted.
| At the commencement Of your last session,
| had reason to hope that. emancpahng themselves
from further unavailng discussions. III" two gov
| ernments would proceed to settle the Central A
merican questions in practical manner. ALL ho-
norable and satisfactory to both and this hope
have not yet abandoned In my last annual mes
sage. stated that oyertures hal been male oy
the British government for thus purpose IN
friendly spirit, which cordial = recprocated.-
Their proposal was. to Withdraw these questions
from direct negotiation between the two govern
ments: but To accomplish the same object. by "a
negotiation between the British z .yernment and
each Of the Central American republics whose ter
ritorial interests are Immediately involved. The
settlement was to be made in accordance with the
general tenor OF the Interpretation placed upon
the Clayton and Bulwcr treaty by the United
States, with certain notifications. As negotia-
tons are still pending upon this basis. 1t would
hot be proper for me now t0 communicate their
present condition. A final settlement of These
questions is greatly to be desired as this would
wipe out the last remaining subject OF dispute be-
tween the two countries.
Our relations with the great empires Of France
and Russn AZ we'll as with nil other governments
on the continents of Europe except that oi Spain,
continue to be Of the mest friendly character.
With Spain our relations remain in nm nnsatis-
factory condition. In my message I" December
last | informed YOU that our envoy extraordinary
and minister pIenipo,cntiary TO Madrid had asked
for his recall: and It was nay purpose to send cut
a new minister Ia that court W it'll special insruc-
lions on all questions pending between the two
governments aud with "A determination Ia have
them speedily and amicabv adjusted il that w"te
possible. THIS purpose has been hitherto defeated
by causes which need not enumerate
The mission to Spain has been entrusted to II
distinguished citizen oi Kentucky, who will pro-
coed to Madrid without delay. aud make another
and final attempt 10 obtain Justice from that
government.
Spanish officials, under the direct control of tho
CAPTAIN general of Cuba lave insuleh our nation
nj flag, and in repeated instances have from time
to time infctc1 injuries on the persons and prop
cr,y of our citizens. These have given birth TO
numerous claims upon the Spanish government,
the merits OF which have been ably discussed for
scrie, Of years hy our successive diplomatic rep
rcsentatiye. Notwithstanding this we haze not
arrived MT IA practical result in any single instance
unless we NAV exeect the case Of the Black War
ror under the late administration; and that pre-
scnted an outrage of such n character ~ would
hive justified an immediate resort Ia war All
our ni,empts to obtain redress have been ha.ilci
and defeated. The frequent md oft-recurrns
changes in the Spauish ministry have been en-,
nl,yei as reasons for DELAY. We have been COM
nelicd 10 wait AMIN an, a,niu until the new min
lister slal hive had time to investigate the Justice
of our demands.
Even what have been ,cnomina.ci the "Cu'nn
clnms" in which NOR, than "A hundred Of our
citizen. are directly Interested have furnished no
cxccuiun. These clnius were for tho refnn1ur
of duties uniu,tly exuct,l from American vessels
at different cns,om.houscs in Cuba so lon.- back a4
the wear lSlo The mincinles upon which they
res, are SO manifestly equitable and iust, that at
ter n period of nearly tea wears. in 1854. they
were recognized by the Spanish government Pr
ceedinps were afterwards instituted Ia ascertain
their amnunt and his was fnulIv fixed ncrorliu.
+, thcir own statement tv I'M which ~, urc salts
Hed) at the sum of one hundred and twenty. cl.ht
thousand ak hundred and thirty.6,c dollars and
ffty-four cents. jus, at til, moment, after n de-
Law ofrourtecn Years. when W, hid reason f., eA-
pc.t that thi. sum would he rcuail with iutcge-,,
we have received n prono,,l ulr,rinr I, refund
oue-thir,l o that amount itor,y-,vo thousand
eight hundred and seventy eight dollars and for
ty-ono cents hat without interest five woaIl
accent this IN full substitution The offer is ais,
nccompnncl hy a declaration that this in,lenni!,.
cation is not founded ON any reason Of strict Is-
lce ; but is made rs "A special favor
One ALLEGED ea,,se for ,tiuntiou IN tie cy.
animation and adjustment Of our claims, arises
from an obstacle which il is the duty Of the span.
ish government to remove. Whilst the captain
general of Cuba is invested with general ue,r,t,.
authority in tho government Of that i>luud. the
power is withhold from him to examine AID re-,
dress wronrs commit,el Inv officials unJ.r his ,,,,