Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-08

most ever since the period OF the revolution, to
have been annoyed by succession of irritating
and dangerous questions, threatening their
| friendly relations. This has partially prevented
the full development of those feelings of mutual
| friendship between the people of the two cOun-
| tries, so natural in themselves aud so conducive
/ to their common interest. Any serious inter
I ruption of the commerce between the United
/ States and Great Britain would be equally in
/ furious to both In fact, no two nations have
ever existed on the face of the earth which could
do each other SO much good or so mnch harm.
/ Entertaining these sentiments, an gratihed
| to inform you that the long pending contro-
versv between the two governments, in relation
/ to the question of visitation and search, has
been amicably adjusted. The claim on the part
of Great Britain, fOrcibly to visit American YES
sells on the HIGH seas in time of peace, could
| not Le sustained under the law of nations and
| it has been overruled by her own most eminent
| jurists This question was recently brought
to an issue by the repeated acts OF British erdls-
ers in boarding and searching our merchant
vessels in the Gulf of Mexico and the adjacent
seas. These acts were the more injurious and
auuoying as these waters are trayersed by
| large portion of the commerce and Navigation
of the United States, and Their tree and unre-
stricted use is essential to the security Of the
Union. Such vexatious interruptions could not
fail to excite the feelings of the country and to
require the interposition Of the goyernment::-
circumstances were addressed to the British
Government AGAINST these violations OF our
rights of sovereignty, and naval force was at
the same tine ordered to the Cuban waters,
with directions s'to protect all vessels OF the
United States on the high seas from search or
detention by the vessels ofwar OF any other ma
ton" These measures received the uhquall-
6od and even enthusiastic appreciation Of the
American reople. Most fortunately, however,
no collision took place, and the British govern
ment promptly ayOwed It's recognition OF tne
principIes of international law upon tins suo-
iect. as laid down by the government Oh Ine
United States, in the note OF the secretary Vi
State to the British Minister at W ashlngVon, ol
! ApriI 10, 1858, which secure the vessels oi the
| United States upon the high seas from vista
/ tion or search in time of peace, under any clr-
cnn,st,nces whatever. The claim has been
Abandoned in a manner rejecting honor on the
British government, and evinclng just REGARD
for the law of rations, and cannot ial 10
strengthen the amicable relations between the
| two countries. A.,
The British Government at the same time
pronosed to the United States that some mode
should be adopted, by mutual arrangement pc
twaan the two countries, of a character winch
NAV be found effective without beng oIiehsNG'
for VERIFYING the national character OF vessels
suspeeted on good grounds of carrying ialSe
coIdrs They have also invited the Onlted
states to take the initiative, and propose meas
ures for this purpose. Whilst declining 10 as
sume so grave responsibility, the Secre'diJ u
State has informed the British GoVernuleH' Ind' d
we are ready to receive any proposals "IiiGn
they NAV feel disposed to offer, having TINS sun
iect in view, and to consider them III al dliioa
ole spirit. A strong opinion IS hoWe'eG' OK
pressed. that the occasional abuse OF the nag OF
Inv nation Is an evil far less to be deprecated
than would be the establishment ofany regria-
tionq which might be incompatible with the
freedom of the seas This government has yet
received no communication specifying the man,
nar in which the British Government would
carry out their suggestion; and l am lhcillleI
70 believe that no plan which can be devised,
will be free from grave embarras'nenIS' gum
I shall form no decided opinion on the suoJec'
until sb MI have carefully and in the best spirit
examined any proposals which they may 'hlnA
r'-'s am trulv sorry that 1 cannot also InIUIn
von tLat the complications between Great Br1t
ain and the United States, arising out oil the
CLAYTON and Bulwei treaty OF April, ls5O, nave
been finally adjusted.
At the commencement of your last session
had reason to hope that, emanclpatlng them
| selves from further unayaIllng dlscusslohs' Ih'
) two Governments would proceed to settle th'
Central American question In practical man
nor alike honorable and satisfactory to both
and this hope have not yet abandoned. II
: nv last annual message. stated that over
5 tnres had been made by the British govenmen
for this purpose, in a friendly spirit, which
cordially reciprocated- Their proposal was, Il
withdraw these questl9ns from direct negotlatioI
j. between the two governments; out 70 accohPllsi
the same object, by a negotiation between III
British government and each the Central amer
: ;c.r rn9ublics whose territorial interests ar
/ Immediately involved The settlement was
q be made in accordance with the general teno
!: of the Interpretation placed upon the Claytol
/. and Bulwer treaty by the United States, wit
e certain notifications. AS negotiations are stu
I pendiuG upon this basis, it would not be prope
! for me now to communicate their present con
, dition final settlement of these question
/ Is greatly to be desired, as this wou wipe ou
4 The last remaining subject of dispute betwee
9 the two countries.
. Onr relations with the great empires {
IS France and Russia, as well as with all othe
1t Governments on the continent OF Europe, e'
cept that of SPAN, continue to be ot the mos
= friendly character.
With Spain our relations remain IN an VI
satisfactory condition. In my message OF d
o. bember last l informed you that cur Envoy II
N traordinary and Minister PlenlPotentary
d Madrid had asked for his recall and 1t was m
E purpose to send out : new minister 70 IN;
ST ronrt with special instructions all question
&c &c pending between the two governments, and wit
e determination to have them speedily and am
ID cably adjusted, if that were possible. This Pu
of nose has been hitherto defeated by causes whIe
at / need not enumerate
The mission to Spain has been entrusted TO dl
ne tinguished citizen of Kentucky, VINO Will ' '9cet
TO Madrid without delay. and make another and
e, final attempt to obtain justice from that COVER
meut ...., "a,
Y Captain. General of Cuba, have insulted our n
r. tional flag and, in repeated instances, nave iro
ll time TO time inflicted injuries on the persons al
st uropertv -four citizens. These have gwen DIT
rs to numerous claims against the Spanish COVER
IS ment the merits ofwhich have been ably DISCUSS
IN for series of years, by our successive diplomat
er representatives Notwithstanding this, We hal
ly not arrived at practical result in any single
stance, unless we may except the case Of the Bla
be Warrior under the late administration anu IN
OF prcsented an outrage of such character a. Wou
a have justified an immediate resort to war. All o
n ATTEMPTS to obtain redress have been battied al
: defeated The freuuent and Ott-recurrIng chang
u !. in the Spanish ministry, have been employed,
81 reasons for delay. We have been compelled
- wait again and again, until the new minister sh
have had time to investigate the justice of our
ut mands. = :.
or Even what have been denominated the Cub
he claims" in which more than hundred Of our cI
M, zens are directly interested have furnished no
ception. These claims were for the reiunding
dnties uuiustly exacted from American vessels
u different custom houses in Cuba, so long ago
Ie- the wear 1914. The principles upon which tn
lc rest are so manifestly equitable and just that at
las period of nearly ten years, in 1854, they were
he cognized by the Spanish government Proce'
- ms were afterwards instituted to ascertain tn
- amount, and this was finally fixed according
their own statement, with which We are sat
ID fed at the sum of one hundred and twenty-e -eig