The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-12-12
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fellow CITIZENS THIS SENATE AND House OF
REPRESENTATIVES,:

tlSSS, anu e. DcCIdliS IlG pTONtu con
.iition OF our national aifiirs, our renewed
and profound gratitude to God is due.
We remain iii peace and friendship with
foreign powers The efforts of disleyal
citizens Of the United States to involve us
in foreign wars, to aid an inexcusable ia
surrect;or. have been unavailiny i1ef
R:it,nnic Majesty government, aswssia
J, expected, have exercised their ay.thori
~ to prevent the departure Of new hostile
expeditions from British ports The Ems
per0r Of France has. by like proceeding,
promptly Indicated the neutrality which
he proclaimed at the beginning OF the con
test Questions of great intricacy anu
importance have arisen out of the block de
and other belligerent operations between
this government and several of the mari
time powers, but they have been discussed,
and, SO far as was possible, accommodated
in a spirit of frankness, justice and mutual
good Will 1t is especially gratifying that
our prize courts, by the impartiality of
their adjudication, have commanded the
respect and confidence OF maritime powers
The supplemental treaty between the
United States and Great Britain for the
suppression of the African slave trade
made on the 18th day of February last
has been duly ratified and carried into exc
cutien. 1t is believed that So far as Ame,i-
can ports and American citizens are con-
.erued, that inhuman and barbarous traffic
has been brought to an end
shall submit, for the consideration of
the Senate, the convention for the adjusts
ucnt of possessory claims in Washington
Territory, arising out of the treaty of the
18th of juno, 1916, between the United
States and Greet Britain, and which have
been the source of some disquiet among
.ta cit of hat ra,,i,ji,
part OF the country.
\ novel and important question invo.v-
inr the extent of the maritime jurisdiction
OF Spain in the waters which surround the
island Of Cuba, has been debated without
reaching an agreement, and II is proposed
in an amIcable spirit, to refer it TO the ar
bitrament of a friendly power A conven-
ton for that purpose will be submitted to
the Senate.
have thought it proper, subject 10 the
approval of the Serate, to concur with the
interested commercial powers in an ar
rangement for the liquidation of the
Scheldt dues, upon the principles which
have been heretofore adopted in regard to
the imposts upon uayi CATION in the waters
OF Denmark.
The long pending controversy between
this Government and that OF Chilli touch
Ing the SEIZURE dt t,IIiiid. III Nv tDl-
linn officers, of large amount in treasure
belonging to citizens of the United States,
ha. ben brought 10 close sy the award of
His Majesty, the King of the Belgians, to
whose arbtation the ,estiou was referred
by the parties. The subject was thorough
~ and patti emily examined by that justly
respected magistrate. Although the sum
awarded TO the claimants may not have
been As large as they expected, there is no
reason TO distrust the wisdom of his Ma
.iesty's decision That decision was prompt
Iy complied with by Chill, when intelli-
geace in re:.rl % 1t reached that coun>
try.
The joint CON n.ssion, under the last
session, for carrying into effect the conven-
ton with Peru, on the subject of claims,
has been organized at Lima, and is enga>
sed in the business entrusted to 1t.
s..DifficultIes concerning ter oceanic tram
sit through Nicaragua are in course Of am
icable adjustment.
In conformity with principles set forth
in my last Annual Message, have received
4 representative from the United States of
Columbia and have credited a Minister to
that Republic
Incidents occurring in the progress of
our civil war have forced upon my atten-
ton the uncertain state Of the internatIon-
nj question touch:ny-the T:Ehts OF foreign
ers in this country and of United States
citizens abroad. In regard to some Gov
crnmen;s, these rights are at least parts
ally defined BY treaties. In no instance,
however, is it expressly stipulated that on
The instant of civil war, a foreigner, re-
siding in this country within the lines Of
the insurgents, is to be exempted from
the rule which classes him as a belligerent,
IN whose behalf the Government of his
country cannot express any privileges CT
innunities distinct from that character
| regret to say, however, that such claims
nave baea pu; forward, and in some in
stances in behalf of foreigners who have
lived in the United States the greater part
OF their lives. There is reason to believe
that many persons born in foreign coun-
tries, who nave declared their intention to
become citizens, or who have been fully
naturalized, have evaded the military duty
required of them by denying the fact, and
thereby throwing upon the Government
the burden of proof 1t has been found
difficult, or inipractlcable, to obtain this
proof from the want of guides TO the prop
er sources oi information. These might
be 30 supplied by requiring the clerks of
courts where declarations Of intentions
may he made, or naturalization effected,
persons naturallzcd Or declaring their in
tention 10 become citizens, to the Secre-
tary of the Interior, III whose department
these names must DC arranged and printed
for general Information. There Is also
reason to believe that foreigners frequent
" become citizens Of the United States
for the sole purpose of evadIng the duties
imposed by the laws of their country, to
whirh, in becoming naturaiized here, they
~ once repair, and though never retui ming
70 the United States they still claim the
interposition o! the Government rs cItI- |
z'as. Many alterations and great preiu-
81 - have heretofore grown out OF this !
abuse. 1t is therefore submitted to your
serious consideration 1t might be ad-
visable 10 fix a limit beg ond which, TO
citizen of the United States residing
abroad may Claim the intc.position OF this
Government. Tne right OF suffrage has
often been assumed and exercised nv aliens.
N Ter pceteuse of naturalization, which
they have dlsavowed wien drafted into
the military service. ! submit the expe-
diency OF such an amendment of the laws
will make the fact OF voting an estoppel
AGAINST any plea of exemption frCm mills
tary service or other civil obligation on the
ground of alienage.
In common with other Western Pow
ers, our relations with Japan have been
brough into serious jeopardy through the
perverse opposition OF the hereditary arts
t'cracy of the empire to the enlightened
and liberal policy of the Tycoon, designed
t. bring the country into the society of
nations. 1t Is to be hoped, although not
with entire confidence. that these dif;icu-
ties may be peacefully overcome. ask
Your attention to the Minister residing
there, for the damages he sustained in the
destruction by fire o, the residence of the
Legation at Eeddo.
Satisfactory arrangements have been
male with the Emperor of Russia which