The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-12-13


have made direct representation to Con-
gress with view to obtain resembling of
the two offensive acts, or they might have
represented to their respective Senator's in
Congress their wish that two-thirds thereof
would propose an explanatory amendment
to the Constitution /; or two. thirds Of them.
selves, if such had beer, their option, might
by an application to Congress have obtained
a convention for the same object. Thi.
is the very course which I earnestly recon-
mend, in order to obtain an explanatory
amendment of the Constitution on the sub
ject of slavery. This might originate with
Congress or the State Legislatures, as may
be deemed most advisable to attain the OBJ
ject. The explanatory amendment nigh,
be confined to the final settlement of the
construction of the constitution ON three spe.
cial points:-First, an express recognition Of
the right Of property IN slaves in the States
where it now exists. or may hereafter exist
Second, the duty Of protecting this right in
all the common territories throughout thei,
| Territorial existence, and until they shall be
admitted as States into Ito Union. with OF
without slavery, as their constitution NAV
prescribe Third, Ike recognition Of the
right of the master to his slave, who has es.
capped from one State TO another, to be re.
stored and d livered up to him; and the va
ldity OF the Fugitive Slave Law. enacted foI
ispurpoSe; together with declaration rat
all State laws impairing or defeating this
right are violations of the Constitution, and
consequently null and void.
1t NAV be objected, that this construction
Of the Constitution has already been settled
by the Supreme Court of the Untel States
and what more ought to Je required? The
answer is that very large proportion of the
people of the United States still controvert
the correctness Of this decision. and neve,
will cease from agitation and admit its bind
ing force until clearly established by the peo
| pie cf the several States in their sovereign
character. Such an explanation would, IT is
! believed, forever terminate the existing dis
sensions, and restore peace and harmony
among the States. 1t ought not to be doubt.
ed that such an appeal to the arbitrament
established by the Constitution itself would
/ be received with favor by all the States Of
the Confederacy. In any event it ought to
be tried in spirit of conciliation before any
Of these States shall separate themSelv, s
| from tie Union. a1as
When entered upon the duties of the
Presidential Office. neither our foreign nor
domestic affairs were at all satsfac. ory
We were involved in dangerous complica.
| tions with several nations, and two Of cur
territories were in state of revolution
against our Government; a restoration oI
the African slave trade had numerous and
powerful advocates; unlawful military ex.
| petitions were countenanced by MANY OF
| our citizens, and were suffered, in defiance
of the efforts Of our Government, to escape
! from our shores for the purpose Of making
war upon the uncffending people Of the
neighboring Republics, with whom we were
at peace. r.......
| In addition to these and other difficulties
we experienced revulsion in monetary af-
fairs, soon after my advent. proving of un
exampled severity and ruinous consequen.
ces to the country. When we take retro
spect of what was then our condition. and
contrast this with our material prosperity at
the time of the late Presidential election, we
have abundant reason to return our grateful
thanks to that merciful Providence which
has never forsaken us, as nation, in all oul
trials.
| OUR FOREIGN RELATICNs--GREAT BRITAIN
| Our relations with Great Britain are o.
the most friendly character Since the com
mencement of my administration. the :wc
dangerous questions arising from the Clayton
and Bulwer treaty, and from the right OF
search claimed bv tha British Government
I have been amicably and honorably adjusted
| The discordant constructions of the CLAYTON
and Bulwer treaty between III. two Govern.
ments, which at different periods of the dis.
cussion bore threatening aspect. have re.
suited in a final settlement, entirely satisfac.
! tory to this Government. Inmy last annual
message informed Congress that the Brit.
ish Government had not then completed ar
rangements with the Republics of Honduras
and Nicaragua in pursuance of the under.
standing between the two Governments
1t was nevertheless confidently expected
that the good work would ere long be ac
! comph>hed. This confidence has since beer
! fulfilled. Her Britanir Miesty concluded
a treaty with Honduras on the 2Srh of No
vember. 1859, and with Nicaragua on the
2Sth of August, 1860, relinquishing the
Mosquito Protectorate. Besides, by the for
mer, the Bay Islands are recognized as part
the Republic Of Honduras.
/ II may be observed that the stipulations
Of these treaties conform in every importan,
particular to the amendments adopted
! by the Senate ofthe u S.to the treaty G nclu'd
at London on the 18th October, SO, between
tire two Governments. 1t will be recolec,ed
that this treaty was rejected by the British
4 Government because ofits objection to the
4 Just and important amendment Of the Senate
to the article relating to Ruatan and the 9th
er islands in the Bay of Honduras 1t is a
source Of sincere satisfaction to all classes OF
our fellow citizens, and especially to those
engaged in foreign commerce that the claim
on the part Of Great Britain forcibly to visi,
and search American merchant vessels on
the high seas, in time of peace, has been
abandoned. This was by far the most dan
gerous question to the peace of the two coun
tries, which has existed since the war oil
1872. While it remained OPP n, they might
! at any moment have been precipitated into a
war. This was rendered manifest BY the ex.
asperated state Of public feeling throughou,
our entire country, produced by the forcihle
search of American merchant vessels by
! British cruisers on the coast Of Cuba in the
spring Of 1858. The American people hail
ed with general acclaim the orders of the
Secretary ofthe Navy to our naval force In
THE Gulf of Mexico, to protect Ill vessels o
| the United States on the high seas fror
search or detention by the vessels of war oi
any other nation. These orders might have
produced an immediate collision between
the naval forces of the two countries This
was most fortunately prevented by an appea
to the justice of Great Britain, and to The
I laws Of nations, as expounded by her owr
most eminent jurists.' The only question
OF any importance which still remains oper
/ is the disputed title between the two Govern