Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-12-04
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

not pleased the Almighty to bless us with a
return of peace, we can but press on, guided
by the best light He gives US, trusting that,
in His own good time and wise way, all will
! be WELL
The correspondence touching foreign affairs
which hes taken place during the last year is
herewith submitted, in virtual compliance with
a request to that effect made by the House
of Representatives near the close Of the last
session Of Congress, If the condition of our
relation with other nations is less gratifying
than it has usually been at former periods, it
is certainly more satisfactory tha1 nation so
unhr ppily distracted as re are might reason.
bly, have apprehended. In the month of June
last there were some grounds to expect that
the maratime Powers, which, at the begin
ming of domestic difficulties, so unwseIy and
unnecessarily, we think, recognize the in
surgents as belligerent, would soon recede
| from the position, which has proved only less
! injurious to themselves than to our own coun.
! try But the temporary reVerSes which after
ward befel the National arms, and which were
! exaggerated by our disloyal citizens abroad,
| have hitherto delayed that act of simple JUS
tice.
The civil war which has so radically chang.
ed for the moment the oc 'upations and habits
of the American people, has necessarily dis
turbed the social conditions and affected very
deeply the prosperity of the nations with which
we have carried on commerce that has been
steadily increasing thonghout a period OF half
a century. 1t has at the same time excited
political ambition and apprehensions, which
have produced profound agitation through
oct the civilized world In this unusual ag-
itation we have foreborLe taking part in any
/ controversy between foreign States and be-
tween parties or factions 10 such States. We
have attempted no propagandlSm, and ac-
knOwledged no revolution. But we have left
to every nation the exclusive conduct and man,
agement OF its own affairs. Our struggle has
been, of course, contemplated by foreign Ma
tions, with reference less to its own merits
than to its supposed and often exaggerated
effects, ana the consequence resulting to those
nations themselves. Nevertheless, complaint
on the part of this Government, even if it
were just, would certainly be unwlSe.
The treaty with Great Britain for the sup
! preston Of the A African Slave trade has been
put into operation with a good prospect Of
complete success 1t is an occasion of spec
al pleasure to acknowledge that the exc
cuton of it on the part of Her Majesty's Gov
ernment has been marked with a jealOns re
Spect for the authority of the United States
aud the right of their moral aud loyal citi
Zens.
The Convention with Hanover for the abo
lition of the Stade dues has been carried into
full effect under the act OF Congress for that
purpose A blockade of 5000 miles of sea
coast could not be established and vigorously
enforced. in a season Of great commercial ac
| vit ilya ha uyitb oo
casional mistakes, and unntentionaI injuries
upon foreign nations ard their Subjects A
civil war occurring in a country where foreign
crs reside and carry on trade under treaty
stipuiations is necessarily fruitfn of complaints
of the violation of neutral rights All such
collisions tend to excite misapprehensions and
possibly to produce mutual reclamation between
nations which have a common interest in pre-
se,v wing peace and friendship In clear eases
of these kinds | have so far as possible, beard
and rcdressed complaints which have been pre-,
sented by friendly Powers There is, how
ever, large and augmeDting number of doubt
ful cases upon which the Government is una
BILE to agree with the Government whose pro
lection is demanded by the claimants There
are, moreover, masy cases in which the Uni
ted States or their citizens suffer wrongs from
|
tions which the Government of those States
are not at once prepared to redress. | have
proposed to some of the foreign States thus
interested, mutual Conventions, to examine
and adjust such complaints. Tns proposition
has been made especially to Great Britain, to
France. to SPAIN and to Prussia Iu each
case it has been kindly received, but has not
vet been formally adopted | deem it my du
o,,l ri CbolF &c
the owner of the Norwegian bark admiral r.
IordsnskioLa, which vessel was, ill May, 1861
prevented by the Commander OF the bIockad-
ing force off Charleston from leaving that port
with cargo, notwithsta ndng a similar priv
eye had shortly before been granted to all
English vessel have directed the Secretary
of State to cause the papers in the case to be
communicated to the proper committees. Ap
plications have been made to me BY many free
Americans of African decent, to favor their
emigration, with view to such colonization
as we contemplated, in recent acts OF Congress-
Other parties at home and abroad some from
interested motives, Others upon patriotic con
sideratonS, and still others, Influenced by
philan;hropic sentiments have suggested simi.
lar measures while, on the Others hand sew
eral of the Spanish American Republics have
protested against the sending of such colonies
to their respective territories. Under these
circumstances, | have declined to move any
such colony to any State, without first OBJ
tanning the consent of its Government, with
an agreement on its part to receive and pro-
tect such emgrants in all their rights OF free
men, and | have at the same time offered to
the several States situated in the tropics, of
having colonies there, to negotiate with them
subject to the advice and consent of the Sen.
ate to favor the voluntary emigration of per
sons of that class to their respective terrific
ries, upon conditions which shall be equal, just
and humane. Liberia and Hayti are, as yet,
the only countries 10 which cOloniSts of A fri.