The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-12-18

Of Great Eitain, Francc, Spain, Uol
land, Sweden and Iussia. The poo
pie in the West Indies, with tho cx.
ccption OF those Of tho IslauL O.
llayti, have mother attained or aspiv.
cd 70 independence, nor have The,
become prepared Cor self defence
Although possessing considerable com.
mcrcial value, they have been held
by tho several European States whicl
coloni:cd or at some timo conquered
them, chiefly for purposes OF military
end naval strategy iii carrying ou;
LuropcAa policy anl design; id rc23a;I
% this continent. il our Rcvolr,.
iona y War, ports and !lurbors in the
Yves. India Islands acrc used Ly on;
enemy, 70 thc great Injury and en-.
ba.rasament Of the CAiicd Statcs.--
We he'd The same experience in oul
second war with Great Britain. The
same European policy Cor . long Time
excluded us even fro1' trade with ;ho
West lndic&, while NC were at pcacc
with all nations. In our .eccn; civil
war with rcbcls, and thcir piratical
Hnd Notwithstanding allies, found
facilities in the samo ports ror Tho
work, which they too succossr,lly VI
accomplished, of inju,lng and dcvas-
tating tho commerce which We arc
now engaged in rebuilding. We la
| bored especially under this disadvan-
Itacc-that l!uropcan steam vessels
cmploycd, by our enemies forn,i
friendly shelter, protection, and sun.
plies in West Indian oorts. wLilo orr
own naval operations wcro necessarily
carried on from our own distant shores.
There was then g universal Feline Of
The want of all advanced naval oul9osi
Lctwccn tho Atlanta coas. and In
ropc. The duty Of obtaining g,.h ~,
outpost peacefully and lawfully, wl,;;c
noijhcr doing nor mcnacinn iniury 10
| other States, earnestly ENGAGED Tho
attention Of Tho Executive Dcnarsmoni
before tho close Of tho war, and 4 Inns
not bccn lost sight of since that |; q,
! A not entirely fissi,ni!ar naval wuai
revealed itself during the same noyio,,
on the Pacific coast. The REQUIRE, !!
foothold there was 70 o,;ula,cly accur-
cd by our l1tc treaty with Tic Enlncy-
or of Russia, and now it sccms impcya
two that the more obvious rccesritics
OF tho Atlantic coast should not bo
less carefully provided Cor. A rood
and convenient port and harbor.
capable of easy dofcaco, will supDly
that want. Wish iSt possession Of
such 4 station by tho United States,
| mother wo nor any other American
nation need longer approllcnl ini,.ry
}: ofFonco ..om any T-ans-A;lantio
enemy fagrce with our carly states
mon that tho West Indies naturally
,,Erayitnte TO, and may be expected
ultimately TO be absorbed by the
Continental States, inclGding our own
agree VITA them also thai it is wise
to leave the question of such absorp
ton 10 this process Of natural politi-
cal gravitalion. Tho Islands of ST.
i Thomas and S.. Johns, which consti-
lutte pare Of the group called the
Virgin Islands, seemed to oGcr us
advantages Immediately desirable,
, while their. acquisition could he Sc
! cured in harmony with tho principles
TO which 4 have alluded. A treaty
has, therefore, been concluded with
the King of Denmark for tho cc;sion OF
those islands, and will be submitted
to the Senate for consideration.
1t Will kNrdly be necessary to call
tho attention Of Congress to tho sub-
ject of providing Tor the payment to
Eossia Of the sum stipulated in the
ecssion of Alaska. Possession having
been formally delivered 70 our com
mission, tho territory remains for the
present in care OF a military force,
awaiting such civil organizations as
, shall be directed by Congress.
The annexation Of many small Ger
man Statcs Of Prussia, and The roor-
ganization Of that country under a
new and liberal constitution, have in-
duccd me to renew tho effort 10 OBJ
Sain q j,'strnd prompt aettlcmont OF
The lols-vcxcd question concerning
the claims of foreign States for militia
! ry service from their subjects natural.
; lZcd IL tho Uuited States.