The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-12-10

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200, 1000. The secretary If the interi-
rior, in August last, invited my atten-
zion to the report Of . government
director of the Union Pacific Railroad
company, who had been specially in
structed to examine the location, con-
structicn, and equipment Of that road.
[ submitted, for the opinion Of the
attorney general, certain questions
IN regard to the authority OF the ex-
ecutive which arose upon this report,
and those which had, from time to
time, becn presented by the commits
sloners appointed to inspect each sue
cessive section Of the work. After
carefully considering the law Of the
case, he affirmed the right Of the ex.
ecutive to order, if necessary, q thor
ough revision Of the entire road
Commissioners were thereupon ap.
,,ointed to examine this and other
lines, and have recently submitted .
statement Of their Investigations, Of
which the report Of the secretary Of
the interior furnishes specific infor-
nation.
THE WAR, NAVY, AND posrorrrcE RE-
PORTS.
A resume of the war, navy, aud
postofice reports IL here given, which
nave already been published in the
papers.
FOREIGN RELATIONS. }Di
The President then proceeds to
speak of our, foreign affairs, and sing
alarly enough, does not say one word
about the settlement of the Alabama
claims. He alludes to other foreign
matters as follows:
No important question has occur.
red during the last year, in our &C.
;ustomed cordial aud friendly inter-
course with Costa RIGA, Guatemala,
Hon luras, San Salvador, France,
Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Por>
,ugal, the Netherlands, De mark,
Sweden and Norway, Rome. Greece,
turkey, Persis, Egypt. Liberia, No.
i.occo, Tripoli, Tunis, Muscat, Siam,
Borneo, and Madagascar.
Cordial relations have also been
maintained with the Argentine and
the Oriental republics. The express
ed wish of Congress-, that our good
Offices might be rendered to those re.
,.ublics, and also to Brazil and Para
quay, tor bringing to an end a calam.
,tous war, which has so long been
raging in the valley Of the La Platte,
has been assiduously complied with,
and kindly acknowledged by all the
belligerents. That important nego-
tiation has, thus far, been without
result
Charles A. Washburn, late United
States minister to Paraguay, having
resigned, and being DESTROYS to re.
turn to the United States, the rear
admiral commanding the south At.
Iantic squadron was early directed to
send a ship Of war to the capital Of
Paraguay, to receive Mr.. Washburn
and has family, ana remove them
from situation which was represen.
ted to be endangered by faction and
foreign war. The Brazilian com.
mander of the allied invading forces
refused permission to the wasp to
pass through the blockading forces,
and that vessel returned to its accus.
toned anchorage. Remonstrance
having been made against this refas-
al, it was promptly overruled, and
the Wasp thereupon resumed her err.
rand, received Mi. Washburn and his
ia lily, and conveyed them to q safe
and convenient seaport. In the
meantime, an excited controversy
had arisen between the president Of
Paraguay and the late United States
minister, which, it is understood,
grew out Of his proceedings in giving
asylum in the United States legation
to alleged enemies of the republic
The question of the right to give an
asylum is one always difficult to de.
termine, and often productive Of
great embarrassment. In states we'll
organized and established, foreign
powers refuse either to concede or
OK, rcise that right, except as to per.
sons actually belonging to the diplo..
matte service. On the other hand,
all such powers insist upon exercis.
ing the right Of asylum in states
where the law of nations is not fully
acknowledged, respected and obeyed.
The president OF Paraguay is under
stood to have opposed Mr.. WASH
burns proceedings in the injurious
and very improbable charge of per
sonal completely in insurrection and
treason. The correspondence, how
ever, has not yet reached the United
States. Mr.. Washburn, il oonnec-
ton with this controversy, repre-
SCENTS that two United States citizens,
attached to the legation, were arbi-
trarily seized, at his side, when leav-
ing the capi.alof Paraguay, commit
ted to prison, and there subjected to
tortu 9, for the purpose Of procuring
confessions of their own criminality,
and testimony to support the presi-
dents allegations against the United
States minister.
Mr.. McMahon, the newly appoints
cd minister to Paraguay, having
reached the In Plata, has been in-
structed TO proceed, without delay, to
Asuncion, there to investigate the
whole subject. The rear admiral
commanding the United States South
Atlantic squadron has teen directed
to attend the new minister, with q
proper naval force to sustain such
just demands as the occasion may
require, and to vindicate the rights
Of the United States citizens refer.
red TO, and Of any others who may
be exposed to danger in the the
atre of war.
With these exceptions, friendly re.
aiions have been maintained between
The United States and Brazil and
Paraguay.
Our relations during the last year
With Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and |
Chilli, have become especially friend>
v and cordial. Spain, and the re-
,ublics of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador,
rave expressed their willingness to
lccept the mediation of the United
states for terminating the war upon
he south Pacific coast. Chill has
rot finally declared upon the ques.
ion. In the meantime, the conflict
las practically exhausted itself, since
o belligerent or hostile movement
aa hoon unada hv aithor norfu d,,r