Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-12-16
y. ~ i; tt,lantou1. i.
PRESIDENTS 1TESsAGE.

Feliotr Giti- rs Il t,f SeHete. ant # tae
Hoage d Re5fcschtaarc !.
Again the b.esrins> e, Leslth and an
abundant harvest calm cur proivuadest
gratitude 70 Almighty God. The eeall-
ton of cur foreign affairs Is reasonably
satisfactory. Mexico continues to he 4
theatre of civil war. " hiic Our political
relations with that country have under
gore no change, we have at the same
time maintained neutrality between the
bclliserents At the request Of the
State Of Costa Rica au2 N!carauea, a
competent engineer has been authorized
u make survey OF the river san Juan
aud the port of san Juan. Il is a source
of much satisfaction that the difficulties
which for moment excited some poiItt-
cal apprehensons, and caused a closing OF
the inter-oceanic transit route, have bedn
nnicabIy adjusted, ard that there IS =
good prospect that the route vii soon be
rc-opencd, with an increase OF capacity
aud adaptation. We could not cxagger-
ate either the commercial or the political
Importance Of that great Improvement.
The new liberal constitution OF Grana-
da having gone into effect with the uni
versal acquiescence Of the people, the
government under it has been recognized,
and diplomatic intercourse with 1t has
arisen in a cordial and friendly spirit
The long deferred Ares Island claim
has been satisfactorily paid and discharS-
cd. Mutual payments have been made
of payments awarded by the late JOINT
commission fer the settlement OF Claims
between the United States and Peru
An earnest and cordial friendship con-
tinue3 to exist between the two countries,
and such efforts as were in my power
have been used to remove miSuader-
standing and avert a threatened war be-
tween Peru and Spain.
Our relations are Of the most friendly y
nature with Chill, the Argeut!ne fepgb-
lie, Bolivar, Costa Rica, Paraguay, San
Salvador, and lIayti. Durins the past
year ne difference OF aay kind has arisen
with any of these Rcpublics-but, on the
other hand, they sympathlze with tue
United States, and .are constantly eX-
pressing vordiuity and earnestuess.
1t would be doing injustice to an I'M
portant State not to acknowledge the d.
rectncss, frankuess and cordalry with
which tho United States OF Columbia
have entered into intimate relations "i'a
this government.
A claims convention has been consti-
tuted to complete the unfinished work OF
the one which closed its session in lsol. -.
The claim arising from the seizure OF
the cargo of the big Macedonian, IN
1921, has been paid in full by the Coy
crnment OF Chill.
Civil war continues in the Spanish part
of San Domingo, apparently without
prospect of an early close 49,,
Official correspondence has been fully
opened with Liberia and it gives us
pleasing view of social and political pro-
gress in that republic. 1t may be ex-
pested to derive new vlgor from American
influence, improved by the rapid d'sap-
pearance of slavery in the United states
/ solicit your authority to turnl'h to the
Republic gunboat. at moderate cost, to
be Reimbursed to the United States by
instalments. Such a vessel is needed Tor
the safety of that State against the ma
tive African race, and in Liberian hands
it would be more effective III arresting the
African slave trade than a squadron III
our own hands. The possession OF the
least organized naval force would st,mu'
late o generous ambition in the hepubile;