The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-04-05

measures which may tend to facilitate its uti-
mate accomplishment On the 25th Of February,
1867, Congress declared by law that Treasury
notes without interest authorized by the act,
should be legal tender in payment Of al debts,
public and private within the United States. An
annual remittance Of $4,000, less stipulated
expenses, accrucs to claimants under the conyen-
ton made with Spain in 1864 These remittances
since the passage Of that act have been paid in
such notes. The claimants insist that Govern
ment ought TO require payment In coin. The
subject may be deemed worthy Of your attention.
No arrangement has as yet been reached for the
settlement of our claims for British depredations
upon the commerce Of the United States. have
felt it my duty to decline the proposition Of ar
bitration made by Her Majesty's Government,
because it has hitherto been accompanied with
reservations and limitations incompatible with
the rights, interest, and honor Of our country.
Ii is not TO be apprehended that Great Britain
will persist in her refusal to satisfy these just
and reasonable claims which involves the sacred
principle Of non-intervention-a principle hence
forth not more important to the United States
than to all other commercial nations The West
India Islands were settled and colonized by Euro
pean States simultaneously with the settlement
and colonization Of the American continent most
OF the colonies planted here, became independent
nations at the close Of the last and the beginning
Of the present century. Our own country en-
braces communities which at one period were
colonies Of Great Britain, France, Spain, liol-
| land Sweden and Russia. The people in the
West Indies, with the exception Of those in the
island Of Hayt have neither attained nor aspiTed
/ TO independence, nor have they become prepared
for selfdefence. Although possessing consider
/ able commercial value, they have been held by
the several European States which colonized or
at some time conquered them, chiefly for purposes
Of military and naval strategy in carrying out
! European policy and designs in regard to this
continent In our Revolutionary war ports and
harbors in the West India Islands used by our
enemy to the great injury and embarrassment of
| the United States. We had the same experience
in our second war with great Britain
The same European policy for a long time ex
cludcd MS even from trade with the West Indies
while we were at peace with all nations In our
receut civil war the rebels and their piratical
aud Misunderstanding allies found facilities in
the same ports for the work which they too sue
| cessfuly accomplished, of injuring and devasta-
ting the commerce which we are now engaged in
rebuilding We labored specifically under this
disadvantage, that European steam vessels,
employed by our enemies, found friendly shelter,
protection and supplies in West India ports,
while our own naval operations were necessarily
carried on from our own distant shores There
was then a universal feeling Of the want Of an
advanced naval outpost between the Atlantic
coast and Europe. The duty Of obtaining such
outpost peacefully ind lawfully while neither do
ing nor menacing injury to other States, earnest
! y engaged the attention of the Executive De-
partment before the close Of the war, and il has
not been lost sight Of since that time. A not en-
tirely dissimilar naval want revealed itself du-
ring the same period on the Pacific coast. The
required foothold there was fortunately secured
by our late treaty with the Emperor of Russia,
and il now seems imperative that the more OBJ
yious necessities Of the Atlantic coast should not
: be less carefully provided for. good and con-
yenent port and harbor, capable of easy defence,
= will supply that want With the possession Of
such a station by the United States neither we
nor any other American nation need longer ap-
prehcnd injury or offence from any trans-Atlan-
, | tic enemies. ! agree with our early statesmen,
that tho West Indies naturally gravitate to, and
may be expected ultimately to be absorbed by
y the Continental States, including our own.
agree with them also that it is wise TO leave the
question Of such absorption to this process of ma
tural political grayitation. The islands Of St
Thomus and ST. Johns, which constitute part
Of the group called the Virgin Islands, seumed tC
, offer us advantages Immediately desirable, whilS
, their acquisition could be secured in harmony
y with the principles to which have alluded. A
= treaty has, therefore, been concluded with th'
Il King of Denmark for the cession Of those islands
and will be submitted co the Senate for consider
= tentiou Of Congress to the subject of providing
for the payment to Russia Of the sum stipulate,
{ in the treaty for the cession of Alaska Posses
> sion having been formally delivered to our Com
II missioner there the Territory remains for tn
present in care Of military force, awaiting sucl
u civil organization as shall be directed by Con
VI gross.
re The annexation of many small Germa
~ States to Prussia and the reorganization of tina
: country under a new and liberal constitution
a. have induced me 10 renew the effort to obtain
u Just and prompt settlement Of the long vexe
g question concerning the claims Of foreign State
u for military service from their subjects natura
y lied in the United States. In connection wit
y this subject the attention of Congress is respect
- fully called to a singular and embarrassing col
Us hict of laws. The Executive Department Of tn
vi Government has hitherto uniformly held, as
. now holds, that naturalization in conformity wit
'n the Constitution and laws Of the United Stat,
IL absolycs the recipient from his native alleganc
an The Courts Of Great Britain hold that allegs n,
,u TO the British Crown is indefeasible, and is N
~ absolyed by our laws Of naturalization. BIRTHS
ue Judges cite Courts and law authorities of Il
~ United States in support of that theol
81 against the position held by the Executive aut
c or.ty of the United States. This conflict pc
~ plexes the public mind concerning the rights
naturalized citizens, and impairs the nation
u authority abroad | called attention to the sui
y jet in my last annual Message, and now aga
- respectfully appeal to Congress TO declare the
vi tional will Enthusiastically upon this importal
NJ question.
~ The abuse of our laws by the olandestine prC
Is secution of the African slave-trade from Amer
.e can ports, or by American citizens, has altog
i,s Their ceased, and, under existing circumstance
ID no apprehensions Of its renewals in this part
an the world, are entertained. Under these circun
'or stances, it becomes a question whether we sha
III not propose to Her Majesty Government a SUI
u pension or discontinuanee Of the stipulation Il
* maintaining a naval force for the suppression
ue that trade
II (Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON
-aa Washington. Dec s. 1857.