The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1863-12-17
Presidents Message.
Fellou-citizens of the Senate
and House Of Representatives:

and House Of Representatives:
.1 Another year of health and of suffic-
iently abundant harvest has passed.
For these, and especially for the i'm
proved condition of our national aft
airs, our renewed and profound graf
itude to God is due.
Sc We remain in peace and friendship
with foreign powers, The efforts of
disloyal citizens of the United States
to involve us in foreign vars, to aid an
inexcusable insurrection, have been
unavaiIing, Her Brittanic Majestys
Government as was justly expected,
have exercised their authority to pre-
vent the departure OF new hostile ex-
pcditions from British ports. The En-
peroEof France has, by a like proceed
ing, promptly indicated the neutrality
which he proclaimed at the beginning
of the contest.
Questions Of great intricacy and i'm
portance have arisen out Of the block
AIDE and other belligerent operations
between the Government and several
of the maritime powers, bnt they have
been discussed, and, so far as was pos
sible accommodated in aspirit of frank =,
ness, justice and mutual good will. 1t
is especially gratifying that our Prize
I Courts, by the impartiaity Of their ad-
Indications, have commanded the res
;.pect and confidence of maritime pow
srers. The supplemental treaty between
h4be United States and Great Britain,
f4er the suppression of African slave
utrade, made5on the 18th day Of Febru-
ANY last, has been duly ratified al d
:. carried into execution. 1t is believed
that, so far as American ports and
American citizens are concerned, that
inhnman and barbarous traffic has been
sbronght to an end.
.Ishall submit, for the consideration
.of the Senate, a convention for the ad-
,justnant ofpossessory claims in Wash
rington Territory, arising out OF the
ttreatyof the 10Th of June, 1916, be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain, and which have been the
ssourco of some disquet among the cit
xiHensof that now rapidly improving
lpart-of the country.
"A novel and important question, in
~v0fving the extent ofthe maritime ju-
lrisdiction ofSpain in the waters which
surround the Island of Cuba, has been
debated without reaching an agree
ment, and it is proposed in an amicable
spirit to refer it to the arbitramcnt OF
"a friendly power. A convention for
that purpose will be submitted to the
Senate.
Ihave thought it proper subject
for the approval ofthe Senate, to con,
cur with the interested commercial
powers in an arrangement for the liq
Iuidation of the Scheldt dues, upon the
principles which have been heretofore
adopted in regard to the imposts upon
navigation in the waters of Denmark
The long pending controversy be,
tween this Government and that OF
Chill, touching the seizure at Silana
in Peru, by Chiian officers, Of larg {
amount in treasure belonging to citi
xens of the United States. has been
brought to close by the award of his
Majesty the King of the Belgians, tc
whose arbitration the question was re
ferred by the parties. The subject
was thoroughly and patiently exam
ined by that Justly respected Magis
trate, and although the sum awarded
to the claimants may not have been al
large as they expected, there is no reason
to distrust the wisdom of his Majesty
decision. That decision was prompt
ly complied with by Chill, when intel
ligence in regard TO it reached tha
country. The joint commission, und
or the act of the last session for carry
ing into effect the convention with Pc
I'll, on the subject of claims, has beer
organized at Lima, and is engaged IL
the business intrusted to it..
The difficulties concerning inter-oc
eanic transit through Nicaragua, ar
in course of amicable adjustment. Ii
conformity with the principles Sc
forth in my last annual message, l hav'
received a representative from tn,
United States of Columbia snd hav,
credited minister to that Republic.
Incidents occurring IN the progress
of our civil war have forced upon my
attention the uncertain state of inter
national questions, touching the rig ght'
of foreigners in this country and o
citizens abroad. In regard to some
Governments, these rights are at leas
partially defined by treaties. In M
instance, however, is it expressly stip
ulated that, on the instance Of civi
war, foreigner, residing in thiI
country, within the lines of the insur
% gents, is to be exempted from the rule
which classes him as belligerent, IL
whose behalf the Government of hi
country cannot express any privileges
or immunities from that character.
regret to say, however, that such claim