Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-12-05
BRITISH CLAIMS.

BRITISH CLAIMS.
No arrangements have IS Ye5 been reached
for the settlement Of gtu claims lor British
deQredatior,s upon the commerce Of the United
states ] hAVe felt it nv duty 70 iecllus the
proposition for arbitration made by Her Ma
jestys government, because 10 has hitherto
bseu accom- panied by reservations and hWmit-
iatiOus Incompatible with the rights in seFeSt
and honor Of our country. Il Il ntt 70 be ap-
pretended that Great HritGiH vi perS ist IN her
refusal TO satisfy the tse just and reasonable
clsiIns which Involve the sacred principle OF
nQn- -iptcryenti0a-a principle hencrfOrth n OF
more Important 70 the United states than 10 AL
other commercial nations The Wsst India
Isiands were settled anu colon Zei by European
states simultan eOuSiy with the s. tteneut Rud
colonization Of the American coGtiaent. Mos
OF The colonies planted here beaaine tudspens-
ent nations In the eose Of the last and begin
embraced comfnuuities which at one period
were colonies OF Great Britain, France, Spaia,
Holland, sweden anu Russia. The PeOp in
the West indies, with the exception Of the
Island OF Hay u, hsve neither atta ned nor as
pired to indepe dence, nor have they become
prepared iOr self-defense, although pOsSeasiug
considerable commercial value. TAey hAYS
been held by several EurnDssn States Which
coi0nizsd and az the same tttoe' conquered
them, chiefly for the pprppAes OF military and
naval strate ~ 10 cS5Tyihg aut EugoEssn policy
aud designs N regard TO this cQutinQnt. in our
reSoi iutlonary war she ports and haFbars IN the
West inuia ISlanus we've Ussd by our enemy 70
the great iuiHry apa pEu utrr ssiuent OF US. We
had the same experience in our second war
with Great Britain.
iFhe same European policy for a long time
excluded as, even from trade with the West
Indies, while We were at reace with all nstious
In our recent civil war, the rCbels and th.if bi-
raticd and blockade break inE ,tte- ioGnd IA
CITIES in the same p0I = fof he work which
they 100 success 70 ~ eoOomi llshed Of injuting
and deyal' -tink tie commerce which We are
.sLu eMgHgod in rebuilding. We lab8Ted eSpe-
clally under this disGdy aniage that EurOpeau
steam vessels, employed by our enemtRs, SOUND
a fri nd shelter, protection an. ,upplies in
West Indian ports while oar own naval 0peru-
tions were neeesgI 4 v carried on from our own
feeling OF want % an advanced naval oulp u
between the Atlantic C ast ana Europe. The
duty Of obtaining sucn an outpOst peacefQlY
and lawiuay, While neither doing uSf laenae-
ing Injury 70 other States, QR4nf SLY engaged
the attention OF the kZoSgliYs bepartment uu=
I'll the close of fe gar, and II has rot Reen lest
sight OF gince That time. A not entirely dsslIa-
liar naval went rev alsd itself during the same
period, Ou th= Phcine coast. a faOihol1 there
was fortunately secured by oar late treaty with
the Emperor OF Russia, and " now seems I'M.
persl,ye that the more obvious necessities OF
the Atlantic coast should not be less carefully
provided for. A good and convenient port and
bartor. ca pabie Of easy defense will supply that
want. With possession OF such station Dy uS,
neither we nor any other American nation
longer anprehend injury or onense from any
trans-A tIantic enemy. / agree with oqr carry
statesmen thai the West lpuies BstoraIiy gray
itate 70, and gHeF as ssSpejlSa v l5s
CHfr own. fagIes With them also that IL Is wise
to1eaYe the Question OF absorption 70 the pro-
cess OF natural Ralitiuai gravitauon. The
Islands OF ST. rhomas and st Johns which con-
ssifuts a pa-t OF the Eronp called the Virgin
Islands, seemed 70 oner US Advantages imme
dintely desirable, while their acquisition could
be secured IN harmony with the pr noipAss 70
which have alluded A treaty l,.,s therefore
been concluded with the X ing or lisnmark Tor
the cessiOn OF thqEe francs, and will be submit
ted TO the SanRts for consideration
It win llhsrdly Be necessary 70 call the atten-
ton OF Congress to the subject OF providing foE
the payment TO Russia of the sum Stipufa led
in the treaty for the session Of AlAskA. Pos
se sion having been formally delVered to our
commissioner, the territory rsfhains Tor me
present in care ot z military force awaitips
Congress.
The annexation of many 80 ALI tserusn States
TO Prussia, and tps geoTgsniEatiUn OF that
country pppef 4 new and liberal conStitution
have ipo A&ed me to renew the effort to obtain
q Just and prompt settlement Of the long veIed
question concerning The claims % forelgn
states for military service rom their subjects
naturalized in the United States. In canus -
tion with this subject, the attention Of gon-
gress Is respectfully called to singular and
embarrassing conflict pf laws Ibe Executive
Department 81 b Soystp nent has hitherto
zati0n, in Conformity WITH the ConStitution
ana laws Of the United states, aFsolves the re-
ciplent rom is native allegiance, The courts
of gseat Bfitaln hold that allegiance TO the
British crown Is indefeasible, and is not ah-
sesqsd by our laws Of naturalization. Bri.lah
iudges 0te sha Supreme Courts ard laws and
authorities OF the United scAtss in support
BY the ExseastiyS abtnorIty 81 t6e Val.
ted states. Tins oonfict psTplexes the public
mind conoerniEg the rights OF mai pra.lfssd eiti-
lens, and impairs our ma ioAal authority
abroad. Iealled atte nilOa 70 this suplsct In
my last annual message, aud now again re-
sDectfulY aptleaAl 70 Congress TO declare the ma
tioE.sl' WIN unm istakacly upon this important
question.
me abuse OF our laws by the elandeytine
prosecution. OF the African slave trade from
American ports, or by Ameriesn cfizeqs, has
altogether ceased, and andef eNisling crcum-
mari 0f tuS World are ent rtained. Under the
circtIl 7tBnees, II becQnes question whether
We shall not propose TO her Majesty's Govern
ment q sus nension 0r discontinuance OF stipu-
lations for InRintaninga naval force for the
ANDREW JOHNSON.
WAsHINGTOT, December 4, 1857.