The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1868-01-04

ject, and be ready to adopt any meas
ure which may tend to facilitate its
ultimate accomplishment.
On the 25th of February, 1862, Con-
gress declared by law the treasury
that act should be legal tender in pay
ment of all debts, public and private,
within the United States. An annual
remittance of $4,000, less stipulated
expenses, accrues to claimants under
the convention with Spain, in 1894
These remittances, since the passage
of that act, have been paid In such
notes. The claimants insist that the
Government ought to require payment
in coin. The subject may be deemed
worthy of your attention.
No arrangement has yet been reached
for the settlement of our claims for
British dcpredations upon the com.
mcrce Of the United States. / have
felt it my duty TO decline the PROPOSE.
ton of arbitration made by Her Maj
esty's Government, because it has Ell.
ther been accompanied by reservations
or limitations incompatible with the
rights, interests and honor of the coun.
try. 1t is not to be apprehended that
Great Britain will persist in her refu-
sal to satisfy these just and reasonable
claims, which involve the sacred prin.
ciple Of non-interyention-a principle
hcnceforth not more important to the
United States than to other CONNER.
cial nations.
Steps have been taken toward the
acquisition of foreign territory in
Alaska, and the Danish West Indies.
The West India Islands were settled
and colonized by European States sim.
ultaneously with the settlement ofthe
American continent. Most of the col.
onies planted here became independ-
ent nations at the close of the last and
beginning of the present century. Our
own country embraced communities
which at one period were colonies of
Great Britain, France, Spain, Holland,
Sweden and Russia. The people of the
| West Indies, with the exception of the
Island of Hayti, have neither obtained
nor aspired TO independence, nor have
they become prepared for sclf-defence.
Although possessing considerable com.
mercial value, they have been held by
the several European States which
colonized or at some time conquered
them, chiefly for purposes of military
and naval strategy in carrying out
European policy and designs in regard
TO this continent. In our Revolution.
airy War, ports and harbors in the
West India Islands were used by our
enemy to the great injury and embar-
rassment of the United States. We
had the same experience In our second
war with Great Britain. The same Eu-
ropean policy for a long time excluded
US even from trade with the West In.
dies, while we were at peace with all
nations. In our recent civil war the
rebels and their misunderstanding al
lies found facilities in the same ports
for the work, which they too success
fully accomplished, in injuring and de-
vastating the commerce which we are
, now engaged in rebuilding. Welabor-
: ed especially under this disadvantage,
that European steam vessels employed
by our enemies found friendly shelter,
protection and supplies in West Indian
ports, while our own naval operations
were necessarily carried on from our
own distant shores. There was then
an universal feeling of the want ofan
advanced naval outpost between the
Atlantic coast and Europe. The duty
ofobtaining such an outpost peacefully
and lawfully, while neither doing nor
meaning injury to other States, earn
estly engaged the attention of the Ex-
ecutive Department before the close
of the war; and it has not been lost
sight ofsince that time. A not entirely
dissimilar naval want revealed itself
during the same period on the Pacific
coast. The required foothold there
was fortunately secured by our late
treaty with the Emperor of Russia !;
and it now seems imperative that the
more obvious necessities of the Attain
tic coast should be as carefully provi-
ded for. A good and convenient har-
Dor, capable of easy defense, will sup-
ply that want. With the possession
of such station by the United States,
neither we nor any other American ma
tion need longer apprehend injury or
offense from any transatlantic enemy.
| agree with our early statesmen that
the West Indies gravitate to, and may
be expected ultimately to be absorbed
by the continental States, including
our own. / agree with them, also, that
it is wise to leave the question ofsuch
absorption to this process of national
political gravitation. The islands Of
st. Thomas and ST. Johns, which con-
stitute part of the group called the
Virgin Islands, seem to offer us advan-
tages Immediately desirable, while
their acquisition could be secured in
harmony with the principles TO which
Ihave alluded. A treaty has therefore
been concluded with the King ofDen-
mark for the cession of these Islands
; and will be submitted to the Senate
for consideration.
| 1t will hardly be necessary to call
the attention of Congress to the sub
ject of providing for the payment to
Russia of the sum stipulated in the
treaty for the cession of Alaska, pos-
session having been formally delivered
to our Commissioner, The territory
remains for the present in care of q
military force awaiting such civil or
ganization as shall be directed by Cons
gress,
THE RIGHTS OF NATURALIzED CITIzENs,
The annexation of many small German
States to Prussia, and the reorganization
of that country under new and liberal