The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-12-19
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FeLlow Citizens Of tie Senate and House Of
REPRESENTATIVES: as-fz

hepreSeRtotlOeS: H
Another year of health and of sufficien lly
abundant harvests has passed. For these,
and especially for the improved condition
of our national affairs, our renewed and
profound gratitude to God is due. We re
main in peace aud friendship with foreign
powers, The efforts Of disloyal citizens Oh
the United States to involve US in foreign
wars, to aid inexcusabIe insurrection. have
been unavaiing. Her Britanic Majesty s
Government, was justly expected, have
exercised their authority to prevent the de-
parture Of new hostile expeditions from
British ports. The Emperor Of France, by
a like proceeding, promptly indicated the
neutrality which he proclaimed at the be-
ginning of the contest, Questions of great
intricacy and importance have arisen out of
the blockade and other bslEgerent opera
tions between the Government and several
of the maratime powers, but they have bean
discussed, and, so far as possible, accom-
modated in a spirit of lrankness, justice,
and mutual good will. Itis especially graf
flying that our Prize Courts, by the impair
TALLY of their adjudications have com
manded the respect andconfidence Of mara
time powers. ssl sn.
The supplemental treaty between the
United States and Great Britain for thesup-
preston Of the African slave trade. made
on the 18th day of February last, has been
duly ratified and carried into execution. Il
is believed that so far as American ports
and American citizens are concerned, that
inhuman and barbarous traffic has been
brought to an end.
shall submit. for The consideration Of
the Senate, a convention for the adjustment
of possessory claims in Washington Terri
tory, arising out of the treaty of the / 5th
of June 1916, between the United States
and Great Britain, and which have been the
source Of some disquiet among the citizens
of that now rapidly improving part Of the
country. a ~ -
A novel and important question, inVoiv
ing the maratime jurisdiction of Spain in
the waters which surround the Island Of
Cuba, has been debated, without reaching
an agreement, and it is proposed, in an ann
icabe spirit to referitt to the arbitrament
of friendly power. A convention for that
purpose will be submitted to the Senate /
have thought it proper, subject to the APP
proval Of the Senate, to concur, with the in
interested commercial powers, in an ar
rangement for the liquidation of the Sch aldt
been heretofore adopted in regard to the i'm
ports on navigation in the waters Of Den
mark.
The long pending controversy between
this Government and that of Chill, touch
ing the seizure of Litana. in Peru, by Gil
ian officers, of large amount in treasure
belonging to citizens of the United States
has been brought to a close by the award Of
His Majesty. the King OF tie Belgiahs, to
whose arbitration the question was referred
by the parties. The subject was thorough
ly and patiently examined by that Justly re-
spected Majestrate, and although the sum
awarded to the claimants may not have been
as large as they expected, there is no rea-
son to distrust the wisdom Of His Maiesty's
decision. That decision was promptly com
piled with by Chill, when intelligence in
regard to it reached that country z
The Joint commission, under the act of
the last session, for carrying into efect the
convention with Peru, on the subject of
claims, has been organized at Lima, and is
engaged in the business entrusted Ia it. p
The difficulties concerning iuter-eceanic
transit through Nicaragua are in course of
amicable adjustment, in conformity with
the principles set forth in my last annual
message. -
I.have received Representatives from the
United States Of Columbia, and have ac-i
credited a Minister to that Rpublic.
Incidents occurring in the progress of
our civil war have forced upon my attention
the uncertain state Of international ques-
tons. touching the rights of foreigners in
this country and OF United States citizens
abroad. In regard to some governments
these rights are at length partially defined
by treaties. In no instance, however, is II
expressly stipulated, that on the instance of
civil war. foreigner residingiu this coun
try, within the lines Of the insurgents, is to
be exempted from the rule whiehgclasses
him as belligersnt, in whose behalf The
Government Of this country caunqtexpress
any privileges or immuaites from that
character. 1 regret to say, however, that
such claims have been put forward. and In
some instances in behalf of foreigners who
have lived IN the United States the greater
part of their lives. There is reason to be
lieve that many persons born in, foreign
countries, who have 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. l. has been found iffi-
cult or impracticable to obtain this proof
from the want Of guides and The proper
sources of information These. might be-
supplied by requiring the clerks of courts
where declarations Of intentions may be
made, or naturalization effected, to send,
periodically, lists Of the names Of tie per,
sons natuIaIized, OF declaring their inten
ton "a. become citizens, 10 The 'SecretSfy Of