The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-12-12


pehded balance in favor Of the Department OF
S743,2lo.
1he report of the Acting Commissioner of
agriculture conciseiy presents the con ndition,
wants, ard progress of an interest eminentIy
worthy the fostering care of Congress, and ex-
nloi'S large measure of useful result achiev-
ed during the year to which it refers.
The -establishme mt Of peace NJ boma end
the resumption of extended trade, travel and
commerce abroad, have served to increa Sc thc
number and variety ofquestions in the depart
ment tor foreign affairs. None of these oues.
llohs, however, have seriously disturbed our
relations with other States.
The Republic of Mexico, having been ra-
lieYed from foreign Intervention, is earnestly
engaged IN efforts to re-establish her consti-
tuhonal system of government. A good
understanding continues to exist be tween our
government and the Republic Of Havti and
San Domingo, and our cordial relations with
the Central and South American States re-
main unchanged. The tender, made in con-
formity with resolution of Congress, of the
good Offices of the Government, with view
10 an amicable adjustment OF peace between
brazil and her allies, on the one side and
Spain on the other, though kindly received.
has In neither case been fully accented by
the belllgerents. The war in the valley of
the Parana is still vigorously maintained On
the other hand, actual hostilties between the
Pacific States and Spain have been more than
year suspended. l shall, on any proper
occasion that may occur, renew the concilia-
tory recommendations which have been al
ready made Brazil, with enlightened sa-
gaclty and comprehensive statesmanship
mas opened the greit channels OF the Amazon
ana It's tributaries to universal commerce
One thing more seems neeGtuI to assure a ran
Id and cheering progress in Sou America
L refer to those peaceful habits without which
States and nations cannot, in this age, well
expect material prosperity or social advance
ment.
The Exposition of Universal Industry at
Paris has passed, and seems to have fully
realized the high expectations of the French
Government. If the allowance be made for
the recent political derangement of Industry
here, the part which the United States has
oorne In this exhibition of invention and art
may be regarded with very high satisfaction
During the Exposition, conference was held
of delegates from several nations, the United
States being one, in which the incouvenien-
ces OF commerce ana social intercourse re-
sultlng from the diverse standards of money
value werc fully discussed, and plans were
developed for establishing, by universal con-
sent, common principle for the coinage of
gold.
On the 25th of February, 1862, Congress
declared by law that Treasury notes without
interest, authorized by that act, should be
legal tender IN payment of all debts, public
and private, within the United States An
annual remittance of $50, eco, less stipulated
expenses, accrdes to claimants under the
Convention made with Spain in 1894. These
remlttances, since the passage of that act,
have been paid in such notes. The claim
ants insist that the Government ought to re-
qulre payment in coin. The subject may be
deemed worthy of your attention.
No arrangement has yet been reached
for the settlement of our claims for British
depre datlons upon the commerce OF the Uni
ted States. | have felt it my duty to decline
the proposition of arbitration made by Her
Majesty's Government, because IT has hith-
erto been accompanied by reservations and
limitations Incompatible with the rights
interests aud honor Of our country. 1t is not
to be apprehended that Great Britain will
persist in her refusal to satisfy these just and
reasonable claims, which involve the sacred
principle of non-interVentOn--n principle
hencetorth not more Important to the United
States than to all other commercial nations.
The West India Islands were settled and
cOloniZed by European States Simultaneou5
with settlement and colonization of the
American continent. Most OF the colonies
planted here became independeL 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
onies of Great Britain, France, Spain, Hol-
West Indies, with the exception OF those in
the island Of Havti. have never attained nor
aspired to independence, nor have they be-
come prepared for self-defense. Although
possessing considerable CONNIE ercial value,
they have been held by the several European
States which colonized or at some time con-
quered them chiefly for purposes OF military
and naval strategy in carrying out European
policy and designs in regard TO 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-
basement of 'he United States. We had the
same experience in our second war with
Great Britain. The same European policy
for a loEg time excluded US even from trade
with the West Indies, while we were 1T peace
with all nations. In o IT recent civil war, the
rebels and their piratical, blockade running
allies found facilities in the same ports for
the work, which they too successfully
compished, of injuring and devastating the
commerce which we are now engaged in re-
building. We labored especially under this
disadyantage-that European steam vessels.
employed by our enemies, found friendly
shelter, protection, and supplies IN West IN
dian ports, while our own naval operations
necessarily carried from our own
distant shores. There was then universal
feeling of the want of an advanced naval
outpost between the Atlantic coast and Eu-
rope. The duty of obtaining such out
post peacefully and lawfully, while neither
doing nor menacing injury to other States,
earnestly engaged the attention OF the Exec
utive Department before the close of the war,
and it has not been lost sight of since that
time. A not entirely dissimilar naval want
revealed itself during the same period on the
Pacific coast. The required foothold there
was fortunately secured by our late treaty
with the Emperor of Russia, and it now
seems imperative that the more oovious ne
cessities of the Atlantic coast should not be
LIZ. r,rn1.ilad