, 1863-12-10
Ql)ifago Qrib11ne.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1868.
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1868.
TIE: PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FELLOW CITIZENS OF TIE SENATE AND
HousE or REPRESENTATIVES:
Another year Of health and Of sufficiently
abundant harrcsts has passed. For these,
our national affairs, our renewed and pro-
found gratitude to God is due
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
We remain In peace md friendship with
foreign powers: The efforts Of dfsloy2l citi-
zens Of the United States to involve us In
foreign wars, to MD An inexcusable insurrec-
ton, hare been unavailing. Her Britanic
Majcsty's Government, as was Justly expect
cd, have exercised their authority to prevent
from British ports. The Emperor Of France
has, by like proceeding, promptly indicated
the neutrality which he proclaimed ut the be-
ginning Of the contest Questions Of great
tntricacy and importance hare arisen ont Of
the blockade and other belligercnt opera
Of tho maritime powers, but they have been
discussed, md, SO far as was possible, &C.
commodsted in spirit Of frankness, justice,
md mutual good will 1t is especially grati-
Tying that our prize conrts, By the Impair
tiality Of their adjudication, have commanded
the respect and confidence Of maritime
powers,
TIE SLAVE. Trade.
The supplemental treaty between the
United States and Great Britain for the sup-
preston Of the African slave trade, made on
the 18th day Of February Inst, has been duly
ratif1ed and carried into execution. It Is
believed that SO far as American ports and
American citizens are concerned, that fnhu-
man and barbarous traffic hasIbeen brought to
IN end.
TERRITORIAL CLAIMS.
I shall submit for the consideration Of the
Senate. the convention for the adjustment Of
poescssory claimg In Washington Territory,
arising out Of the treaty Of the 18th 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
rapfd1y improving part Of the country.
seAm's MARITIME Jun1sp1cT1ox.
4 novel aud important question, involving
the extent of the maritime Jurisdiction. Of
sJ1ain In the waters which surround the
island Of Cuba, las been debated without
reaching an agreement, and 1t is proposed, in
m amicable spirit, to refer it to the arbitra-
mcnt Of friendly power. A convention for
that purpose wflfhc submitted to the Senate.
+. TIE soHMDr DUES.
I hare thought 1t proper, subject to the ap-
proval Of the Senate, to concur with the In
tercstcd commercial powers In M arrange
lnent for the liquidation Of the Scheldt dues,
upon the principles which have been hereto
fore adopted in regard TO the imposts upon
navigation, in the waters Of Denmark.
FOREIGN cLA1Ia
The long pending controversy between
this Government and that Of Chill, touching
the seizure at Silina, In Peru, By Gillian off
rarE nf 1nrrrn nsnnuu{ f.% 4Yanaura 1a1ar~
ing TO citizens Of the United States, has been
brought TO q close by the award Of His Mai
esty; the King Of the Belgians, to whose ar-
bitration the question was referred By the
partiea- The subject Was thoroughly and
patiently examined BY that justly-respected
TIE claimants may not hare been us large as
they expected, there Is no reason to distrust
the wisdom Of his Mnjcsty's aa::77;;sson. That
decision was promptly compiled with by
Chili, when Intelligence In regard to It
reached that country.
The joint commission, under the last scs-
sion, for carrying into effect the convention
organized at Lima, and is engaged IN the bust
ness entrusted to it.
Difficulties concerning inter-oeeanlc tram
sit through Nicaragua arc In course Of ami
cable adjustment.
In conformity with principles set forth in
l.
representative from the United States, of
Columbia, and have credited Minister to
TINT Republic
RIGHTS OF FonE1GSERs IN THE UNITED
STATES.
Incidents occurring In the progress of our
civil war have forced upon my attention the
uncertain state Of the international question
touching the rights Of foreigners in this
country md Of United States citizens abroad.
Tu1 fn %a
nre at least partially defined by treaties, In
no instance, however, tss It expressly slim.
lated that os = .,ic Instance q ciyii war p
foreigner, residing II this country
to be exempted from the rule which
classes him as belligerent in
whose behalf the Government Of his
country y;.,sa cannot CYPRESS any privileges q
reprrt r. 1., however, that such claims
hase been ' pat' forwaij, asiss IN some Instances
II behalf Of foreigners who hare Tired in the
There Is reason to believe that many persons,
born In foreign countries, who have declared
their Intentions to become citizens, or who
havs been fully naturalized. hare GRADED the
military duty required Of them by denying
Government the burden Of proof It has been
found difficult, OF unpracticab1e, to obtain
this proof, from tho want Of guides to the
proper sources Of information. These might
be supplied by requiring the clerks Of courts
where declarations Of intention may be
made, or naturalization effected, 10 send,
periodically, lists Of the names Of persons
naturalized or declaring their intention to
become citizens, to the Secretary Of the In
teHof, IN whose department these names
must be arranged and printed for general in
formation. There Is also reason to telrvo that
foreigners frequently become citizens OF the
Dnted states Tor THO sole purpose Of evading
the dntics imposed By the laws Of their M.
tive country, to which, on becoming natural
lied here, they ut once repair, and though
neyer returning to the United States, they
stu claim the interpretation Of the Govern
ment 1s! as citizens; Many alterations and great
prcjudiccs have heretofore grown out of this
abuEe- 1t is therefore submitted to yunr
serious consideration. It might be advisable
to fl limit beyond which no citizen Of the
United States, residing abroad, uay claim
the intespoEition Of this Government. The
Eght Of suffrage has often been assumed aud
cxe1ctscd by aliens, under prctense of natp-
ralizalion, which they hnvc disayowed when
drafted into the military service. l submit
the e1pediency Of such an amendment of the
laws rs Will make the fact Of voting an estop-
pei against any plea Of exemption from miil-
taIy service Or other civil obligation, on the
ground of aliennge.
In common with other Western Powers.
our relations with Japan have been brought
into serious Jeopardy through the pcrTerse
oppoRition Of the hereditary arfstocracv If |
the empire to- the enlightened and li6erai !
policy OF the Tycoon, designed to bring the I
country into the society OF nations. It is to
be hoped, although not with entire conf |
dence, that these difficulties may be pcacc-
fully overcome ask your attention to the /
Minister residing there, for the damages he |
in the destruction by Arc Of the !
Of the Legation at Ycddo.
TIE NTERsAT1oNAL TELEGRAPH.
Satisfactory arrangements have been made
With the Emperor OF Russia, which, 1t is be-
lfeyed, will result In etlectinE continuous |
Inc Of telegraph through that empire, from |
our Pacific coast
I recommend to your favorable considcra.
ion the subject Of IN international telegraph I
,croEs the Atlantic Ocean, and also of tele-
graph between this Capital and the national
Forts nlong the Atlantic seaboard and the Gulf
d Mexico. Some connections, established
With any reasonable out1ay, would be eco
nomieal us well MS effective aids to the diplo-
nalc, military, and naval service.
oCn REPRESENTATIVES ABROAD.
The consular system Of the United States,
lnder the enactmcnts Of the last Congress- i
'tgins TO be seEsustaining, and there Is
cason to hope that it may become entirely
% with the Increase OF trade which viii
:nsne whenever peace Is restored.
Our ministers abroad have been faithful In
American rights, and In protecting
'ur commercial interests, Our consuls have
necessarily had 10 encounter increased laborB
nd responslnilities, growing ont Of the
nd discharged with zeal and efficiency, This
Justly includes those con-
ulS who residing in Morocco EtrEnt chfnn Il