Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-12-09
The Presidents Message.

The Presid dent's Message.
Felo,o Citizens Of the Senate
aud House OF Representatives:
Again the blessings of health and abundant
harvests claim our profoundest gratitude to AL
mighty God. So
foEEIGs AftAIRs. M M
The condition Of OR Foreign affairs is reason
ably satisfactory. Mexico continues 10 he a
theatre of civil war. While our political rela-
tions with that country have undergone no
| change, We have at the same time strictly main
tained neutrality between the belligerents. At
| the request of the States of Costa Rica and Mic
arauga, competent engineer has been author
ized to make survey Of the River San Juan
and the Port of San Juan. II is source of
much satisfaction that the difficulties which for
a moment excited some political apprehensions
and caused a closing Of the Inter- Oceanic Trans
il Route, have been amicably adjusted and that
there is good prospect that the route will soon
be re-opened, with an Increase Of capacity and
adaptation. We could not exaggerate either
the commercial or political importance of that
great improvement. 80 = -F,-e-
II would be doing injustice TO an important
South American State not to acknowledge the
directness, frankness and cordiality with which
the United States of Columbia have entered in
10 intimate relations with this Government. A
claim Convention has been constituted to COM
plete the unfinished work of the one which
closed its session in 1861. The new Liberal
Constitution of Venezuela having gone into eff
feet with the universal acquescence of the peo-
pie, the Government under it has been recog-
nized and diplomatic intercourse with it has
been opened in a cordial and friendly spirit
The long deferred Avis Island claim has been
satisfactorily paid and discharged. Mutual pay
ments have been made of the claims awarded
by the late joint commission for the settlement
of claims between the United States and Peru.
An earnest an cordial friendship continues to
exist between the two countries, and such efforts
as were in my power TO remove misunderstand-
ing and avert a threatened war between Peru
and Spain. Our relations are of the most
friendly nature with Chill, the Argeiine Re-
public, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Paraguay, San Sal
vador and Hayti. .iaa-
During the past year no differences of any
kind have arisen with any of these Republics,
and on the other hand their sympathies with
the United States are constantly expressed.
The claim arising from the seizure of the car
go of the brig Macedonian, in 1921, has been
paid in full by the Government of Chill.
Civil war continues in the Spanish part of
San Domingo, apparently without prospect of
an early close. -
Official correspondence has been freely opened
with Liberia, and it gives us pleasing view of
the social and political progress in that Repub-
lie. 1t may be expected 10 derive new vigor
from American influence, improved by the rapid
disappearance of slavery in the. United States
l solicit your authority to furnish the Republic
a gunboat, at a moderate cost, to be reimbursed
to the United States by installments. Such a
vessel is needed for the safety of that State
against the native African races, and in Liberian
hands it would be more effective in arresting
the African slave trade than sqadrOn in our
hands. ,sa .5,.,.,.;o
The possession of the least organized naval
force would stimulate a generous ambition in
the Republic, and the confidence which we
should manifest by furnishing it would win for
bearance and favor toward the colony from all
civilized nations. n. .,,..rl., .Tsirstt
The proposed overland telegraph between
America and Europe by way of Behring's Straits
and Asatic Russia, which was sanctioned by
Congress at its last session, has been undertak-
en- under very favorable circumstances, by an
association of Americen citizens, with the cord
ial good will and support as well Of this gov
ernmeut as those of Great Britain and Russia.
Assurances have been received from the west
of the South American States of their high ap-
probation ofthe enterprise and their readiness
to cooperate in constructing lines tributary to
that world eBcircling communication. '
| learn with much satisfaction that the noble
design of telegraphic communication between
the Eastern Coast of America and Great Britain
has been renewed with full expectations of its
early accomplishment Thus it is hoped that
with the return of domestic peace the country
will be able to resume with energy and advant-
age her former high career of commerce and
civilizations. 1 @sE . ifa'i fafs
Our very popular and estimable representa-
tive in Egypt, died in April last An unpleas-
ant alteration which arose between the tempo
rary incumbent of the Office and the government
of the Pacha resulted in suspension of inter-
course. The evil was promptly corrected on
the arrival of the successor in the Consulate
and our relations with Egypt as well as our re-
lations with the Barbary Powers are entirely
satisfactory. sSi
The rebellion which has SO long been fragrant
in China, has at last been suppressed with the
cooperating good offices of this Government.
and of the other Western commercial States
The judicial consular establishment has become
very difficult and onerous, and it will need leg
slative intervention to adapt it to the extension
of our commerce and to the more intimate in
tercourse which has been instituted with Coy
ernment and people of that vast empire. Chi
ma seems to be accepting with hearty good will
the conventional laws, which regulate commerce
and social intercourse among the Western ma
tions r,t....-f --I si-.
Owing to the peculish situation of Japan and
the anomalous form of its Government, the ac-
ton OF that Empire in performing treaty stipu-
latiOns is inconstant and capricious., Neverthe-
less, good progress has been effected by the
Western Powers moving with enlightened con-
cert. Our own pecuniary claims have been al
lowed Ofput in course of settlement, and the in
land sea has been reopened to commerce.
There is reason also to believe that these pro-
ceedings have increased rather than diminished
the friendship of Japan towards the United
States. ..-,5..i......g
The ports of Norfolk, Fernandinia and Pens
acola have been opened by Proclamation. 1t is
hoped that foreign merchants will now consider
whether it is not safer and more profitable TO
themselves, as well as Just to the United States
to resort to those and other open ports than il
is to pursue, through many hazards and at
vast cost, contraband trade with other ports
which are closed, if not by actual military ope-
rations, at least by lawful and effective block
ade. .,,5.,f ;
For myself haave no doubt of the power
and duty of the Executive under the law of na-
tiOns to exclude enemies of the human race from
an asylum in the United States. If Congress
should think that proceedings in such cases lack
the authority of law, or ought to be furtherre-
pudiated by it, l recommend that provisions be
made effectually preventing foreign slave trad
their criminal occupations in this country. 1t
is possible that if it were a new and open ques-
ton the maritime powers, with the light they
now enjoy, would not concede the privilege of a
naval belligerent to theinsurgents of the United
States, destitute as they are, and always have
been, equally of ships and of ports and harbors
Disloyal emissaries have been neither less as
sidious or more successful during the last year
than they were before that time in their efforts,
under favor of that privilege, to embroil our
country in foreign wars. -
The desire and determination of the maritime
States to defeat that design are believed to be
as sincere, and cannot be moreearnest than Eu-
rope. Nevertheless unforeseen political diff
culties have arisen, and partially in Brazilian
and British ports and on the northern bounda-l
ary of the United States, which have required,
and are likely to continue to require, the prac-
tice of constant vigilance and just and concil-
iatory spirit on the part of the United States as
well as the nations concerned and their govern-
ments
Commissioners have been appointed under
the treaty with great Britain on the adjustment
of the claims of the Hudson Bay and Puget's
Sound Agricultural Companies in Oregon, and
are now proceeding to the execution of The trust