The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-12-13

rance7 since the passage of that act have
been paid in such notes; the claimants insist
that the Government ought to require pay
ment 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 arbitration by
her Majesty 5 Government, because 1t has
hitherto been accompanied by reservations
and limitations Incompatible with the rights.
interest and honor of our country. Itis 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 on-intervention, prn-
ciple henceforth not more important to the
| United States than to all other commercial
nations.
! Territorial ErteRtion-the West India IS
lands
The West India Islands were settled and
colonized by European States Simultaneous
! ly with the settlement and colonization OF
! the American continent. Most of the colo
| nies planted here became independent ma
! tons in the close of the last and the begin
ming of the present century. Oar own
! country embraces communities which at one
period were colonies of Great Britain, Franc,
! Spain, Holland. Sweden, and Russia The
! people in the West Indies, with the excep-
! ton of those of the Island of Hayti, have
neither attained nor asplred to Independ-
ence; nor have they become prepared for
selfdefence Although possessing consid
cradle commercial value they have been
| held by the several European States which
colnnized, 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
orr Revolutionary war ports and harbors In
West India Islands, were used by our enc
my 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 excluded Us even from trade with
the West Indies. While we were at peace
with all nations in our recent civil war, the
Rebels and their pIratica and blockade
breaking allies found facilities in the same
ports for the work, which they too success
fully accomplished, of iniuring and devasta
ting the commerce which we are now en-
gagged in rebuilding We labored especially
under this disadvantage, that European
steam vessels, employed by our enemies,
found friendly shelter, protection and sup
plies in West Indian ports, while our own
naval operations were necessarily carried on
from our own distant shore.
A NaUdl Outpost.
There was then universal feeling of the
want of an advanced naval outpost between
the Atlantic coast and Emope. The duty of
obtaining such an outpost peacefully ana
lawfully, while neither doing no nleaacing
injury to other States earnestly engaged
the attention of the Executive 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 obvious necessities Of the Atlantic
coast should not be less carefully provided
for A good and convenient port and har-
bor, capable of easy defence, will supply
that want With the possession Of such
station by the United States neither we nor
any other American nation need longer ap
prehend injury or offence from any trans
Atlantic enemy. | agree with early
statesmen that the West Indies naturally
to be absorbed by the Continental States,
including our own agree with them also
hat it is wise to leave the question Of such
absorption to this process Of natural political
gravitation The islands of St. Thomas, st.
Johns, which constitute a part of the group
called the Virgin Islands, seemed to offer us
advantages Immediately desirable, while
their acquisition could be secured in harmony
with the principles to which | have alluded.
A treaty has, therefore, been concluded with
the King of Denmark for the eessions Of
those Islands, and will be submitted to the
Senate for consideration.
1t will hardly be necessary to call the at
tention of Congress to the subject OF provl-
ding for the payment to Russia of the sum
stipulated in the treaty for the ceSsion of
Alaska, possession having been formally
delivered to our Commissioner. The Ter
ritoIy remains for the resent In care OF
military force, awaiting such civil OrganizA-
tion as shall be directed by Congress.
Npturalized Citizens.
The annexation of many small German
States to Prussia, and the reorganization of
that country under new and liberal ConSti
tuition, have induced me to renew the effort
to obtain a lust and prompt settlement of the
long vexed question concerning the claims of
foreign States for military service from their
subjects naturalized in the United States. ln
connection with this subject the attention of
Congress is respectfully called to a singular
and embarrassing conflict Of laws The Ex
ecutive Department o. this Government has
hitherto uniformly held, as it now holds that
naturalization, in conformity with the Con
stitutiDn and laws of the United States, alb
solves the recipient from his native allegi
ance The Courts Of Great Britain bold that
allegiance to the British Crown is indefeasi
BILE, and is not ab>olved bv our laws Of natur-
alizafion British Judges cite courts and
law authorities Of the United States in sup
port Of that theory against the post on held
by the executive authority Of the United
States. This conflict perplexes the public
mind concerning the rights of naturalized
citizens and impars the national Authority
abroad called attention to this subject
in my last annual mes sage, and nov again
respectfully appeal to Congress to declare
the national will unmStakably upon this I'M
portant question. The abuse Of our laws by
the claudestine pros socution Of the African
slave trade from the American ports by
American citizens, has altogether ceased |
and under existing circumstances 40 ap-
prehensionS ofits renewal in this part of the
world are entertained. Under these circurs,
stances it becomes IA question whether We
shall not propose to her Maestys Govern
ment suspension or diSc0ntinuanca of the
stipulatiOns for maintaining naval force for
ha Of thart