The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-12-18
The Presidents Message.

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Fellow- Citizens ofihe Senate and Hous
Of Rcpf SentaticeS:
Another year of health and of suf
flciently abundant harvests has past
For these, and especially " for the i'm
proved condition Of our national af
fairs, our renewed and profound graf
itude to God is due.
FOREIGN NEUTRALITY pREsnRFEp.
We remain in peace and friendshi,
with foreign powers. The efforts o
disloyal citizens of the United State
to Involve us in foreign wars, to al,
in ineXcusable insurrection have beei
unavailing. Her Britannia Majesty
Government, as was justly expected
have exercised their authority to pre-
vent the departure Of new hostile ex
peditions from British ports. Th,
Emperor of France has, by like pro
ceeding, promptly indicated the ncu
trality which he proclaimed at tn,
beginning of the contest.
THE BLOCKADE.
Questions of great intricacy ant
importance have arisen out of thC
blockade and other belligerant opera
tons between the Government anc
several Of the maritime powers, hut
they have been discussed, and. so fai
as was possible, accommodated in ;
spirit of frankness, justice, and mutu
al good will. 1t is especially crafty
ing that our prize courts, by the i'm
Partially Of their adjudication, have
commanded the respect and conf.
dence Of the maritime powers.
SLAVE TRADE TREATY.
The supplemental treaty between
the United States and Great Britain
for the suppression of the African
slave trade, made on the 18th day oI
February last, has been duly ratified
and carried into execution. 1t is be
lleycd that so far rs American port,
and American citizens are concerned
that inhuman and barbarous traffic
has been brought to an end. I shall
submit for the consideration of the
Senate, convention for the adjust.
ment Of possessory claims in Wash
lngton Territory. arising ont Of the
treaty Of the 10Th of June, 1916. be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain, and which have been the
source of some disquict among the
citizens of that now rapidly improy.
ing part of the country
SPANISH CLAIM OF MARITIME Jt-RIsDGC-
TlON.
a novel and important question.
involving 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 it is proposed in an
,amicablc spirit, to refer it to the ar
hitrament of friendly power \
convention for that purpose will be
submitted to the Senate.
THE sCHELpT DUTIES.
have thought it II proner subject
for the approval of the Senate, to con
cur with the interested commercial
powers, in an arrangement for the
liquidation of the Scheldt dues upon
the principles which have been here
totorc adopted in regard to the i'm
posts upon navigation in the waters of
! Denmark
Orr SOUTH AMERICAN RELATIONS.
The long pending controversy be
tween this Government and that OF
Chill, touching the seizure ut Silana,
by Chilian officers, Of a large amount
in treasure belonging to citizens OF
the United States, has been brought
to close by the award of His Majes-
ty, the King of the Belgians, to whose
arbitration the question was referred
by the parties. The subject was pa
tiently and thoroughly examined by
that justly respected Magistrate, and
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 Males
|ty's decision. That decision was
promptly complied with by Chill,
when intelligence in regard to il
reached that country. The joint com.
mission under the act Of the last ses.
sion for carrying into effect the con.
vention with Peru, on the subject OF
claims, has been organized at Lima
and is engaged in the business en-.
trusted TO it. The difficulties con.
ccrning inter oceanic transit through
Nicaragua, are in course of amicablC
adjustment, in conformity with tho
principles set forth in my last annua
message. | have received repre-
sentative from the L. s. of Columbia
and have accredited a Minister TO tha
Republic
ALIFN RIGHTS.
Incidents occurring in the progres
of cur civil war, have forced upon IN
attention the uncertain state Of inter
national questions touching the right
of foreigners in this country, and O
United States citizens abroad. Ii
regard to some Governments, thes
rights are at least partially defined b,
treaties. In no instance, however, i
it expressly stipulated that on the in
stance of civil war, foreigner resid
ing in this country, within the line
= of insurgents, is to be exempted from
II th a rnla ,u IA ob .Ioaaas hin, on . In: =