The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-12-16
THE PRESIDENTS -uESS4GE
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, ,
December 6. 1861. I


gratitude to Almighty God
The condition OF our foreign affairs is
reasonably satisfactory. Mexico contin-
ur- to be a theatrr of civil war. While
our political relations with that country
have undergone no change. we have at
the same time strictly maintained neutral
lty between the beliyerents. At the re-
quest OF the states of Costa Rica and Nj
caragua. Il competent engineer has been
authorized To make a survey of the river
San Juan and the port OF San Juan 1t
Is source OF much satisfaction that the
difficulties which for a moment excited
some political apprhcn>ionS and caused a
closing OF the intcr-oceanic tr,nsic route.
have been amicablv adj ,lsted, and that
there Is Il good prospect that the route
will be re-opencd and with an increase
OF capacity and adaptation. We could
not cXaggcraic either the commercial or
the political Importance of thai great I'M
proIcmcnt. 1t would be doing injustice
! TO an important South American state n,t
/ to acknowledge the d!rrctneSS. tianknvSS
and cordlallty with which the United
States OF Columbia have entered into III
innate relations with thi, government
\ claims convention has been constituted
! to complete the unfinished work OF thc one
which closed ii, session IL 1861.
/ The new liberal constitution OF Nencz-
uea having cone into effect, with the uni
vcr-al acqnle,cencc OF the people, the GOV
ernmcnt under it has been recognised and
diplomatic intercourse with it has opened
with cordial and friendly spirit The
long deferred Ares Island claim ha~ been
satisfactorily pail and discharged.
Mutual payments have been made OF
the claims awarded by the late Joint com
mission ior thc settlement OF claims be
tween tn" United States and Peru. an
earnest and cordial friendship continues
to exist between the Two countries, ;;nd
such efforts as We're i'll my power have
been used to remove misunderstanding
ami avert :; threatened war b"twcen Peru
and Spain Our relations are OF 4 most
friendly nature "'ith Chill. ihe Argentine
Republic. Bolivia, Costa hica. Paraguay,
san Salvador and Hnyti. During the
past wear no difference OF any kind has
arisen with amy OF these republics, and,
on The other hand. their svmp;itAr> with
the | nlted States are constantly expressed
!, with cordlaiitv AMI clrnt>lnesS. The
claim arising from thy i zIr1 OF the brio
Alaceoni.tn in I52 has been paid in tut.
by the government OF Chill. Civil wal
continues i'll the Spanish part OF san Do
mingo. apparently without a prospect OF
an early close.
Official correspondence has been freely
opened with Liberia. aud II gives us 4
pleasing view OF >ocal and political pro
4rt>- III that republic. Ii may be expect
ed to derive new NIgor from AMERICAN III
Ilurncc, improved by the rapid disappear
ncc OF slavery in the United States.
solicit your authority to furnish to the re-
pubic Il Yunboal 1T moderate cost. 10 h'
reimbursed to the nitpd >,atC> by install
mcntS Such Il Vessel /, needed tor th>
safety OF that state against the native NJ
lican races and iii lIh;rlan hands l
would he more effective iii arry>tlng th,
African slave crate than Il squadron II
our own hands. The possession OF th'
least organized naval force would silmu
late Il generous ambition IL tie republic
and the confidence which We should mann
. fest by furnishing ii, would win iorbeAf
ancc and foster friendship towards III
colony rom ali civilized nations.
The proposed overland telegraph be
tween America and Europe. by tie wa
of Behring's Straits and A>iatic ku>si;
winch was sanctioned by Congress at tn
last session. has been undertaken undo
very favorable circumstances by az asst
citation OF American citizens with the con
dial good will and support as we'll OF TN
government a. we'll IT. oi those oI Gre;
britain and Russia. Assurances ha>
been received from most oi the Solli
American states OF their high regard.
nus IL - iioi'tiI tii'tt. WIZ 'ii> i,'''
OF domestic peace, the country VIII
able to resume with energy anl advantae
its former high career oi comercc and q
llizatlon.
Our very popular and c>tiInablc repr
sentative in Egypt died i'll April last, y
unpleasant a.tcrcation winch arose b
tween the temporary incumbent OF the o
lice and the government OF the pa>ha I
suited in Il temporary suspension OF lntc
course Tbs evil was promptly corIect'
Oh the arrival ct the >ucce>>orln the co
sulate, and our relation, with EgypI.
we'll as our relations with the Bdrba
powers, are entirely satisfactory.
The rebellion winch has so long be
tiagrant in CHINA has al la>t been III
pressed with The cooperating @ool oiIlt
H. OF this government and OF the other We
tern commercial states. lie jude
consular establishment there has betol
the Very dlillcuit ana erroneous. and Ii W
tns need Legislative regulation to 2tapt Ii
the cXtcntlon ot our commerce AMI -
more intimate lntcrcourct which Ia, be
eS- instituted with 'he government ani p,
lio. pie OF that vas; empire. CHINA seems
we be accepting with hearty good will
i conventional laws which ryguiate CO
mercia! AMI social iniereourc. among
" western nations. Owing to the pccul
mo- situation oi Japan and tne anomalous 10
has Of its government. the action OF that e
Le. plI,. In nnl.inrlninM trratN stlpuLatlOns