The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-12-12

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ment.
The Exposition of Universal Industry at
Farle has passed, aud seems to have fully
realized the high expectations of the French
Government. If the allowance be ms sde for
the Eccens political derAngenent OF Industry
here, the part which the United States has
borne in this exhibition of Invention and art
may be regarded with very high salts action.
During the Exposition, conference was held
OF delegates from several nations, the United
States being one, in which the inconvenien-
ces of commerce and social intercourse re-
sultng rom the diverse standards of money
value were fully discussed, and plans were
developed for establishing, by universal con
sent, common principle for the Coinage OF
gold.
On the 25th of February, 1864, Congress
declared by law that Treasury notes without
interest, authorized by that act, should be
| legal tender IN paysneat of all debts, public
and private, within the United States. An
annual remittance of 0,eo0, less stipulated
expenses, accrues TO claimants under the
Convention made with Spain in 1874. These
remittances, since the passage of hat act,
have been paid in such notes. The claim
ants insist that the Government ought to re
qu!Ce payment III coin. The lbject may be
deemed worthy of your attention.
No Arrangement has as yet been reached
for the settlement of our claims for British
| depre daiions upon the commerce Of the Uni
ted States. l have felt il my duty to decline
the proposition of arbitration made by Her
Majcstys Government, because it has hith-
erto been accompanied by reservations and
limitations Incompatible with the rights,
interests and honor of our country. 1t is not
TO be apprehended that Great Britain will
persist iii her refusal 20 satisfy these just and
reasonable claims, which involve the sacred
! principle of non-interyention-a principle
| henceforth not more important to the United
States than to all other commercial nations.
The West India Islands settled and
colonized by European States simultaneou,
with p settlement and colonization Of the
| American continent. Most Of the colonies
planted here became Independent nations in
the close of the last and the beginning Of the
! present century. Our own country embraces
communities which, at one period, were COL
oaes of Great Britain, France, Spain, Hol-
/ land Sweden, and Russia. The people OF the
West Indies, with the exception OF those in
tie island of Hayti have never attained nor
as pired to independence, nor have they be-
come prepared for sei-detease. Although
possessing considerable merciAl value,
they have been held by the several European
States which coloniZed or at some time
Guered them chiefly for purposes OF military
and naval strategy II carrying out European
| policy and designs in regard 10 this CONT
nent. In our revolutionary war, Ports and
| harbors in the West india Islands were used
by our enemy TO the great injury and embAr-
rascment Of :he United States. We had the
same experience in our second war with
Great Britain. The same European policy
for a ioEg time excluded Us even from trade
with the West Indies, while were at peace
with all nations. In recent civil war, the
rebels and their piratical, blockade running
allies found facilities in the same ports for
the work, which they too successfully ac-
comPli5hel, OF injuring and devastating the
| commerce which we are now engaged in re-
/ building We labored especially under this
tage-that European steam vessels.
/ employed by our enemies, found friendly
shelter, protection, md supplies N West In
dian ports, while cur 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 Eu-
gOPe. The duty OF obttining Snch an out
post pcacefuuy ana lawfully, WnIe neither
doing Eor meaacing injury ~ other States,
earnestly engaged the attention OF the Exec-
utive Department before the close OF the war,
sad il has not been lost sight of since that
time. not entirely dissimi lar naval want
revealed itself during the same period On the
Pacific coast The required foOthnld there
was fortunately occurred by late treaty
with ne Emperor of Russia and IL nov
seems Imperative tnat the more OBVIOUS ne
cess. ties of the Atlantic coast should not bs
less carefully provided tor. 4 good and con-
venieAt port ana hdrboT, capable of easy de-
Tense wili supply that want. With the pas
session OF suct a station by the United
States, neither nor any other American
nation need longer AppreheId injury OF Of
tense f4om any Transatlantic enemy.
agree with early statesmen that the West
Indies naturally grdvitate 10 and may be ex-
pected ultimately to be absorbed by the
Continental States, including our own.
agree with them, also that il is wise to leaV
the question of such absorption TO this pro-
cess of natural political graYitation. The
islands of st. Thomas and ST Johns which
constitute part of the group called the Vir-
gin stands, seemed to offer US advantages
Immediately desirable while their acquis-
ton could be secured in haruony with the
principles TO which / have alluded. A treaty
has, therefore, been concluded with the King
of Denmark, for the cesston of those islands
and will be submitted to the Senate for con-
sideTaton.
1t will hardly be necessary o cali the a.ten-
Uon OF Congress to the subject OF providing
for the payment 20 Russia OF the sunl stipu-
listed in the treaty for the cession of Alaska.
Possession having been formally delivered to
our Commissioner, the territory remains for
the present in care Of military force, avail
ting such civil organization as shall be direct
ed by Congress.
The annexation OF many small German
States to Prussia, and the reorganization of
that country under ii new and liberal cousti- |
tuition, have induced to renew the effort
to obtain just and prompt settlement of the |
long vexed question concerning the claims of /
foreign States for military service from their |
subjects naturaized in the United States
In CONNECTION with this subject, the atten- |
ton of Congress is respectfully called to |
singular and embarrassing conflict of laws !
The Executive Department of this Govern |
ment has hitherto uniformly held, as it now
holds, that naturally cation, ia conformity with
the Constitution aud laws of the United /
States, ebsolves the recipient from his native /
allegiance. The Courts of Great Britain hold
that alleg ance &c the British Grown is inde-