, 1867-12-20

Indian ports, while our own naval or.,
Fwere necessarily carried on from ps'suoos
distant shores. There was then w.: O"n
feeling Of the want Of an advanced umslsal u.,:l
outpost between the Atlantic Coast .~s ua;'Teal pl
rope. The duty Of obtaining sucb S HuS
post peacefully and lawfully wb,ls >. D.;'a Tus
doing nor meuacing injury to olber s,a,f S,,.
earnestly engaged the attention of the st'' T
ecutive department before the close :, En- ~
war, aud has not been lost sight of ns
that time. since
A not entirely dissimilar naval wan
revealed itself during the same ns.;os fe'
the Pacific Coast. The required foO,,.1s 70
there was fortunately secured by onr u wv.
treaty with the Emperor of Russia. Il S'e
seems imperative that the more obvon. WV Wv
cessities OF the Atlantic Coast shopld /. u'
carefully provided for. A good and co.,.
lent port Of harbOr, capable Of easy d fG.O".
will supply that want. With the possss.;o5
ofsuch station by the United States ns;,n
er we nor any other American nstiop NJ
longer appreheud injury or offence from w Nv
transatlantic enemy
agree with our early statesman that IL.
West Indies naturally gravitste to and ,'u 'u'
be expected ultimately to be absorbed br ~
continental States, including our own
agree with them also, that il is wise to Is,,.
the question of such absortion to tb;, ~.
cess of natural political gravitation n
Islands of st. Thomas and St. Johns. vb;aI
constitute part Of the group called II.
Virgin Islands, seemed to offer us adv.n,.
ees immediately desirable, while their scori,
sition could be secured In harmony with ,bo ,
principles to which have alluded. A trs,,.
has therefore been concluded with the Kirs
OF Denmark for the session of those Islands
and will be submitted to the Senate for con'
sideration.
1t will hardly be necessary to call the Al.
tention OF Congress to the subject of provi.
ding for the payment to Russia Of the spm
stipulated in the treaty for the cessioD or
Alaska, The possession having been for.
mally delivered to our commissioper. III.
territory remains for the presen. in the cara
of military force, awaiting such civil or.
ganzaton as shall be directed by Congress,
The annexation of many small German
States 10 Prussia and the Reorganization Of
that country under a new aud liberal cous,i.
ton, have Induced me to renew the efor,,o
obtain just aLd prompt settlement of the
long vexed question concerning the claims Of
foreign States for military service Tor their
subjects naturaized in the Utited Stues
In connection with this subject, The attep-
ton of Congress is respectfully ca led tOa
Singular and embarrassing conflict Uf laws
The executive department OF this govern,
ment has hitherto uniformity held as it now
holds, that naturalization in conf, hi with
the Constitution and laws of tue United
S ates, abs Olives the recipient from allegiance
t. the British crown, which hod. th.t it's
lndefe rs BILE aud is not aosoved by our laws
of nlturd izatioD. Brit sh judges cite the
courts aud au horities OF the United States
in support OF that theory, against the posi.
tion held by the executive authority of tho
United States. This conflict perplexes the
public mind concerning the rights Of nalO
rallied citizens and inpsirs the national
authority abroad | called attention to this
subject in my last annual Message, and DOW
again respectfully appeal to Congress to de.
clare the national will unmistakably upon
this important question.
The abuse Of our laws by The clahdestDs
prosecution Of the African slave trade IRON
American ports, or by American citizens
has altogether cea'ed aud under existing CIR
cumstances, it becomes a question whether
We shall not propose to Her Majesly'S gov
ernment a suspension or dscouuteuauce Of
the stipulat oas for maintaining naval force
for the suppression of that trade
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washington, Dcce mber Sd, 1861