Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-12-10
FOREIGN ATrA,as.

resumption Of extended trade, travel nd commerce
variety of questions in the department Of foreign
aaiTs. None Of these questions, however, have Sc
rlousIy disturbed our relations with other States
The Republic Of Mexico, having been relieved from
Foreign intervention s earnestly engaged effort e
to establish her constitutional system Of govern
| ment. good understanding continues to exist
between our Government and the Republic Of Iayti
and San Domingo. aud our cordial relations with
the Central and South American States remain uui-
J changed. The tender made in conformity with n
| resolution Of Congress Of the good Offices Of the
Government, with a view 70 amicable adjust.
ment OF peace between Brazil aud her allies one
sIds. and Paraguay on the other; and between
the other, though kindly received, has in neither
case been fully accepted. The war in tho Valley
the other hand actual hosIilities between tho Pa
| citc States and Spain have been more than a wear
| may occur renew the conciIfatory Tecommendations
| which have been already made. Brazil, with en-.
ship. has opened the great channels Of the Amazon
and its tributaries to universal commerce. One
cheering progress in South Amsrica. refer to
tnose peaceful habits without which States and
tions cannot IN this age, well expect material pros
| The Exposition of UniverEAl Industry at Paris
has passed, aud SCENE TO have fully realized the
| high expectations Of the French Government. II
due allowance be made for the recent POLITICAL de-
rHbgement OF industry hero, the part which the
United States has borne in this exhibition of inVen
ton and art. may be regarded with very high Batis
| faction. During the Exposition n conference was
held Of delegates from several nations the United
States being one, in which the inconveniences Of
commerce and social intercourse, resulting from the
diverse standard Of money value were very fully
discussed, aud plans were developed for establish
ing ny universal consent, a common principle for
ed to be renewed with the attendance of many for
eign Sta ties not hitherto represented A report Of
these interesting proceedings will be submitted to
Congress, which will doubt Justly appreciate the
| great object, and he ready TO adopt any measure
which may tend to facilitate its ultimate accom-
| Plishment. On the 2Sth of February, 1852, Con-
gress declared by law that treasury notes without
interest, authorized by that act, should be legal
Tor in TNnT ant -
within the United States. An annual remittance
OF S3,UOOOOO less stipulated expenses accrues to
in 1881. The remitances since the passage of that
act have we, been paid in such notes; the claimants
insist that the Government ought II require pay
| Of your attention.
No arrangement has yet been reached for the
setIeinent OF our claims for British dcyrcdatiOns
upon the commerce of the United States. have
tct It my duty to decline the proposition of arbi-
trntiOn by her Maiesty's Government because it has
hitherto been accompanied by reservations and
limitations incompatible with the rights, interests
and honor OF our country. 1t is not to be appre-
hended that Great Britain will persist in her re-
fusai to satisfy these just and reasonable claims,
NhIch involve me sacred principle OF nOn-inerven
ton principle henccforth not more important TO
the United States than to all other commercial ma
tions.
TERRITORIAL ExTESsToS-THE WEST ISpIA IsLAEps,
The West India Isands were settled and colon
ICED by European States simultaneously with the
settlement and colonization of the'AmeTican CONT
nent. Most of the colonies planted here became in
dependent nations in the close Of the last and the
try embraces communities which at one period were
cUlGnic of Great Britain, France, Spain, Holland
dies, with tho exception of those of the Island of
Hayti, have neither attained nor aspired to indie
Pendehcc; nor have they become prepared for self
defence. Although possessing considerable COM
mercial value they have been held by the several
European States which Colonzed, or at some time
conquered them, chiefly for purposes of military
and naval strategy in carrying out European policy
and Gesigns in regard to this continent In our
ReNointionary war ports and haTbOrs in West In
Ola Is!ands, were used by our enemy to the great
injury and embarrassment Of the United States.-
W. nadine same experience ia our scSOnd war with
Great Britain. The Famc European policy for a
long time excluded even from trade with the
West Indies. While we yerc al peace with all ma
tioGs IN our recent civil the Rebels and their
PiEatcal and blockade breaking allies found facil-
tics in the ports for the work. which they too
successfully accomplished, Of iniuTing and devas-
tatlng the commerce which we are now engaged in
rebuilding. We labored especially under this dis
advantage, that Eur opean steam vessels employed
by our enemies found friendly shelter, protection
and supplies in West India porte, while our own
naval operations were necessarily carried on from
our own distant shores.
NAVAL c-.?-sT.
There was then universal feeling OF lhs " ant
OF advanced naval outpo5ts between the Atlantic
coast and Europe. The duty of obtaining such an
outpost peacefully and lawfully, while neither do
engaged the attention OF the Executive Department
before the ciosc OF the war and it has not been lost
sight of since thst time. A not entirely dissInilar
naval want revealed i:csE during the same period
on the Pacific coast. The required foothoId there
fortunately secured by our late treaty with Inc
Emperor of RUSSIA, and Il now seems Imperative
that the more obvious necessities of the Atlantic
should not be Icss carefully provided for A Tood
and convenient port and harbor, capable Of easy
defence, will supply that want. With tho possess
sion Of such station by the United States neither
We nor any other American nation need longer np-
PreheEd injury or offence from any trans- Atlantic
enemy. agree with our early Statesmen that the
West Indics naturally grayitatc, and may DC cx-
pectcd ultimately to be Absorb by the Continental
States, inc luding our own. agree with them also
that II ia wise to leave the question OF such absorp-
tion to this process Of natural grayitation. The
islands Of st. Thomas and st. Johns, which cousti-
tuto part Of the group called the Virgin Islands,
seemed to offer us advantages Immediately desira-
bic, while their acquisition could be secured in hnr-
a treaty has, therefore, been concluded With the
King Of Denmark for the cesson of those Islands,
and will be submitted to the Senate for consideration
y VIII hardly be necessary to call the attent ton
OF Congress to the subject OF providing for the pay
for the cession Of Alaska, Possession having been
"Irmaly delivered to our Commissioner. The Ter.
ritory remains for the present in care Of military
force, awaiting such civil organization as shall
directed by Congress.
SATuRALTZED cIrIZESs.
The annexation ofmany email German States TO
Prussia, and the reorganization of that country un
me to renew the effort TO obtain just and prompt
settlement Of the long.vexcd question concerning
the Claims OF foreign States for military service
from their subjects nRturazcd in the United States
In connection with this subject the attention of
Congress is respectfully called to n singular and
embarrassing conflict of laws The Executive De
Partment Of this Government has hit to uniformly
held, as it now holds that Naturalization. in CON-
formity with the Constitution and laws of The Uni
ted States, a6solvcs the recipient from his native
allegiance. The Courts of Great Britain hold that
allegiance to the British Crown is indefeasible and
| is not absoived by our laws of Naturalization
British Judges cite courts and law authorities of
the United Statcs in support of that theory against
the position held by the executive authority of the
United states. This conflict pcrplcxes tho public
mind concerning the rights of naturalized citizens
and impairs the national authority abroad icail.
ed attention to this subject in my last annual mes
sage, and now again respectfully appeal TO Con-
gross TO declare the national will unmistakaSiv
upon this important question. The abuse of our
lava by the clandCsinc prosecution of the frican
slave trade from the American ports, or by Ameri-
can citizens, has altogether ceased and under ex.
istinG circumstances no apprehensiOn5 of Its re-
ncwal in this part of the world nre entertained =