The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1867-12-12

oSoeOS anu hetlOuS Chn nOJ, III JllS HBe,
well expect material prosperity or So
cial advancement.
The exposition of universal industry
held ut Paris has passed, and seems to
have fully realized the full expccta-
tons of the French Government. If
due allowance DO made for recent po-
htical arrangement of industry here,
the part which the United States has
borne in this exhibition of invention
and art may be regarded with worry
high satisfaction.
During the Exhibition q conference
was held Of delegates from several ma.
tons, the United States being one, in
which the Inconvenience to commerce
and social Intercourse, resulting from
divers standards Of money value, wore
fully discussed, and plans were devcl-
oped for establishing, by universal con.
pcnt, . common principle for coinage
"f gold. These conferences arc expcc.
led to be renewed with the attendance
of many foreign States MT hitherto
represented. A report ofthcse ip.or
csting proceedings viii be submitted
70 Congress, which will, no doubt, Just
ly appreciate the great object, and be
ready 10 adopt any measure which may
teud to facilitate its ultimats accom-
plishment.
On the 18th OF February, 1862, Con.
gress declared by law that the ircasu-
ry notes without interest authorized
10y that act should be legal tender in
payment Of all debts. public and pri
waite, within the United States. An
annual remittance of thirty thousand
dollars, less the stipulated expenses,
accrues TO the claimants under the
convention with Spain in 1884. The
remittancce since the passage Of the
act, have boon pad in sunh notes. The
claimants insist tnnt Government
ought TO require their payment IN
gold. The subject may bo deemed
worthy your attention.
No arrangement has as yet boun
reached For tho settlement of or clnums
for British d%opredntions upon the
commerce Of tho Unlted States. |
have felt It my duty 10 decline tho
proposition by Her Majssry's Govern .
ment, because IL has hitherto been
accompanied with reservations aud
limitations incompatible with the
rights, Interest and honor Of our coun.
Try. II is not to be approhcndcd that
Great Britain will persist in herrofusal
10 satisfy these just and reasonable
claims, which involve the sacred prin.
ciple OF non intervention, u principle
henceforth not more important to the
United States than 10 any conmcrciai
nation.
The West lndia Islands were settled
and coluni2ed by European States
simultaneously with the settlement
and colonization Ofthc American Con.
tunent. Most colonies planted there
became indepcnde nt nations in the
close Of the last and the beginning OF
the present century. Ourown country
embraces communities, which, Mt one
period, wore colonies Of Great Britain.
France, Spain, Holland, Sweden ana
Russia. The people Of the West
Indies, with Il exception Of those of
the Island Of lIavti, have neither
attained o Nspurcd TO, independence;
nor have they become prepared tor
seif-doirHse. Although possessing
considerable commercial value, they
haze beer held by the several Euro
pcnn States which colonized or nj some
lime conquered them, chiefly for the
purpose Of military and naval strategy
~ carrying out European policy and
designs N regard to this cuntjnent.-
In our Revolutionary War, ports and
harbors in the West India Island,
were used b. om enemy to the great
injury and embarrassment of the colo
mics. We had the s0ln experience IN
our setond war with Great Britain
The same European policy for n long
timc excluded us even from trade with
tho West lndies, whilo We wero at
peace with all nations.
Ia our recent civil war, the rebels
% md their plraLical blockade breaking
allies found facilities in the same ports
for the work which thoy TOO success
fully accomplished Of lnjuring and de
Vastating the commerce which we are
now engaged in rebuilding. We In
bored especially under this disadvan-
tagc, that tho European steam vessels
employed BY our enemies found friend
ly shelter, protection and supplies il
west lnulNh ports, Whlle our ONT
naval operations were necessarily car
ried on from our own distant shores.
There was then n universal feeling
Dfa want of an advanced naval outpost
between the Atlantic coast and Europe
The duty Of obtaining such an outpos.
peacefully and lawfully, whilo neither
doing nor ~menacing injury to othnl
States, engaged the attention of tn,
Executive Department at tho close o
the war, and it has not been lost sigh
Ofsince that time. A not entirely DIS
similar naval want revealed itsel
during the same period ON Tho Pacif!