Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-12-18

-
ish government that we are ready to rcceiv
any proposals which they may feel dispose
to offer, having this object in view, and t
consider them IN an amicable spirit .AstrOn
opinion is, however, expressed, that the oc
cash nal abuse Of the flag Of any nation is a
| evil Isr less to be deprecated than would b
the establishment OF any regulations whicl
might be incompatible with the freedom Q
the seas. This government has yet receive,
no communication specifying the manner il
| which the British government would prOpOs
to carry ont their suggestion and am in
clined to believe that no plan which can b'
devised, will be free from grave emharass
ments. Still shall form no decided opinion
on the subject until shall have CAREFUL,
and in the best spirit examined any proposals
which they may think proper to make.
| am truly sorry cannot also inform 20.
that the complications between Great Britain
and the United States, arising vut Of the Clay
ton and Bulwer treaty of April, 1850, have
been finally adjusted. -..
At the commene ement of your last session
| had reason to hope that, emancipatine
themselves from further unavailng Discus
siors. the two governments would proceed to
settle the Central American question in q
practical manner, alike honorable and salts
factory to both and this hope have moi
vet abandoned. In my last annual message.
s.ahd that the overtures had been made
by the British Government for this purpose
in friendly spirit which cordially recip.
rocated. Their proposal was, to withdraw
these questions from direct negotiation be-
tween the two governments; but to accom-
plsh the same object, by negotiation be-
tween the British e vernment and each of
the Central American republics whose terri
torial interests are Immediately involved -
The settlement was to be made i.l accordance
with the general tenor Of the Interpretation
placed upon the Clayton and Bulwcr treaty
by the United States, with certain modifica.
tions. As negotiations are still pending
upon this basis it would not be proper for me
now to communicate ther present condition.
A final settlement OF these questions is great
ly to be desire, as this would wipe out the
the last remaining subject of dispute between
the two countries.
Our relations with the great empires OF
France and Russia, as well as with all other
governments on the continent of Europe,
except that of Spain, continue to be Of the
most friendly character.
SPAIN.
With Spain our relations remain in an un.
satisfactory condition. In nv message ol
Decent er last informed you that your En-
voy Extraordinary and Minister PienIpOten-
tiarv to Madrid had asked for his recall and
it was my purpose 70 send a new minister to
that court with special instructions pending
between the two governments, md with de
termination to have them speedily and ami
ably adjusted, if that were possible. This
purpose has hitherto been defeated by caus-
es which need not enumerate.
The mission to Spain has been entrusted to
a distinguished citizen of Kentucky, who will
another and final attempt to obtain justice
from that government
Spanish officials under the direct control
Of the Captain General of Cuba, have insult
ell our National Flag, and in repeated instan-
ces, 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 f,r series
OF years, by our successive diplomatic repre-
sentatives. Notwithstanding this, We have
not arrived at practical result in any single
Instance, unless we may except the case Of
the Black Warrior under the late administra-
ton; and that presented an outrage of such a
character as would have justified an inmedi-
ate resort to war. All our attempts TO OBJ
tain redress have been baffled and defeated.
The frequent and oft-recurring changes in the
Spanish ministry have been employed rs rea-
sons for delay. We have been compelled to
wait, again and again, until the new minister
shall have had time to investigate the justice
of our demands.
Even what have been dcnominated ''the
Cuban claims" in which more Than hundred
of our citizens are directly interested, have
furnished no exception These claims were
for the refunding of duties unjustly eXacted
houses in Cuba, so long ago as the year 1914.
The principles upon which they rest are SO
equitable and just, that after pc
riod of nearly ten years, in 1854, they were
recognized by the Spanish Government. Pro
ceedings were afterwards instituted to ascer-
tain their amount, and this was finally fixed
according to their own statement with which
we are satisied) at the sum of one hundred
and twenty eight thousand six hundred and
thirty-fivc dollars and fifty four cents. Just
at the moment, after delay of IA years,
when we had reason to expect that this sum
would be repaid with interest, we have receiv-
ed proposal Offering to refund o1e-third OF
that amount-$42 1878 4l-but without inter-
est if we would accept this in full satisfaction
The offer is, also, accompanied by a declara-
ton that this indemnifcation is not founded
on any reason of strict Justice but is made
as a special favor.
One alleged cease for procrastination in the
examination and adjustment of one claims,
arises from an obstacle which it is the duty
of The Spanish government to remove. Whilst
the Captain General of Cuba is invested with
general despotic authority in the government
of that island the power is withheld from him
to examine and redress wrongs committed by
officials under his control, on citizens of the
u S. Instead of making our complaints di-
rectly to him at Havana, we are obliged tC
present them through our Minister at Madrid
These are then referred back to the Captain.
General for information; and much time is
thus consumed in preliminary investigations
and correspondence between Madrid and Gu
ba, before the Spanish government will con-
sent to proceed to negotiation.
Many of the difficulties between the two
governments would be obviated, and long
train of negotiation avoided, if the Captain
General were invested with authority to set
tie questions of easy solution on the spot
where all the facts are fresh and could bs
promptly and satisfactorily ascertained. W.
have hitherto in vain urged upon the Spanish
government to confer this power upon the Cap
tain-General, and our Minister to Spain will
again be instructed to urge this subject OF
their notice. In this respect, we occupy {
different position from the Powers of Europe
Cuba is almost within sight of our shores
our commerce with it is far greater than tina
of any other nation, including Spain itself
and our citizens are in the habit of daily and
extended personal intercourse with every par
of the island. 1t is, therefore, great grie-
vance that when any difficulty occurs, NJ
matter how unimportant, which might be read
ily settled at the moment, we should be Obliget
to resort to Madrid, especially when the very
first step to be taken there is to refer it bacl
to Cuba. -..Al ..s 'a r--o
a --o CgBA.
The truth is, that Cuba, in its existing col
onial condition, is constant source OF lnJur,