The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-12-14

llPr MaleStY ministers. / nope that
the time NAV soon arrive when the two
governments can approach the solution
of this most momentous question with
an assurance OF what is due 10 the rights
and dignity Of each; and with the dc
termination not only to remove the
causes Of complaint in tie past, but to
lay the foundation Of broad principle
Of public law which will prevent future
differences, aud tend to firm and con-
tinued peace and friendship. This is now
the only grave question which the Uni
ted States has with any foreign nation.
/ The question Of . treaty of recipro
/ city between the United States and the
British provinces on this continent, has
not been favorably considered by the
/ Administration. The advantages Of such
a treaty would be wholly in favor Cf the
/ British provinces, except, p0Ssibly,a few
! engaged in the trade between the two
sections. No citizen Of the United States
would be benefited by reciprocity. Our
internal taxation would prove a protec-
ton to the British producer, almost equal
to The protection which our manufactures
I now receive from the tariff. Some ar
rangement, however, for the regulation
, of commercial intercourse between the
/ United States and the Dominion Of Can
ada may be desirable.
| 1t having come to my knowledge that
4 cooperative company, organized under
British laws, proposed to land upon the
United States and to operate there sub
marine cable under q concession from
his Majesty, the Emperor of the French,
Of an exclusive right for twenty years
Of telegraphic communication between
the shores Of France and the United
States, with the very objectional feature
Of suhjecting all messages conveyed
thereby to the sovereign and the control
of the French Government, l caused
the French and British legations at Wash
ington to be made acquainted with the
probable policy of Congress on the sub
ject, as foreshadowed by the bill which
passed the Senate in March last. This
drew from the representatives of the
I Company an agreement to accept, as the
basis Of their operations, the provisions
of the bill or of such other enactment
on this subject as might be passed du
ring the approaching session Of Con-
gresS also use their influence, and Sc
cure from the French government mod
ifCatiOn of their concession so as to
permit the landing upon French soil of
any cable belonging to any company in
corporated by the authority Of the Uni
: ted Statos, or of any State in the Union !;
and on their part not to oppose the es-
tablishmcnt Of any such cable. In con-
sideration of the agreement | directed
the with drawal of all opposition by this,
; the United States authorities, to the
working Of it until the meeting of Con
gress. regret to say that there has been
no modification made i'll the Company ;
concession, nor so far as | can learn,
have they attempted to secure one
Their concession excludes the capital
and the citizens Of The. United States
from competition upon the shore OF
France. recommend legislation to
protect the rights of citizeus of the
United States, as well as the dignity and
sovereignty Of the nation, against such
an assumption.
I shall also endeavor to secure by ne
gotiation IN abandonment Of the mon
opoliesin ocean telegraph cables. Cop
les of this correspondence is herewith
submitted,
The unsettled political condition OF
other countries. less fortunate than our
own, sometimes induces their citizens to
come to the United States for the sole
purpose of becoming naturalized, Hav.
ing secured this, they return to their ma
tive country and reside there without de
clsring their change of allegiance. They
accept official positions Of trust and
honor which can only be held by citizens
of their native land They journey un-
der passports describing them as such
citizens, and it is only when civil dis
cord, after years, perhaps, Of quie',
threatens them, or threatens their posi-
tons, or their property, or when their
native States, drafts into its military ser
vice, that the fact Of their change of al
legiance is made known They reside
permanently from the United States, they
contribute nothing to its resources, they
avoid the duties of It's citizenship, and
they only make themselves ours by a
claim of protection. ] have directed
/ diplomatic and consular officers of the
United States to scrutenize carefully all
such claims to protection. A citizen Of
the United States, whether native or
adopted, who discharges his duty to his
country, is entitled to its complete pro
lection. While have voice in the di-
rection 0: affairs | shall not consent to
impair the sacred right by confering it
upon fictitious or fraudulent claimants
On the accession of the present Ad-
minislration, it was found that the Minis
ter for North Germany had made prop
csitions for negotiations of convention
for the protection Of emigrant passen-
gers, to which no response has been Civ.
en-. 1t was concluded that 20 be effect
ual, all the maratime powers engaged in
trade should JON in such a measure. In
vitations have been extendedto the cab
inets Of London, Paris, Florence, Ber-
lin, Brussels. The Hague, Copenhagen
and Stockholm, to empower their repre-
sentatiyes at Washington, to simultane-
ously enter into negotiations, and to con-
clude with the United States conventions,
identical in form, making uniform regu-
I lations as to the reconstruction Of the
parts Of vessels to be devoted to the use
Of emigrant passengers Jas to the quality
and quantity of food; as to the medical
treatment of the sick, and as to the rules
TO be observed during the voyage; in or
der to secure ventilation, to promote
health, to prevent intrusion, and to pro
tcct the females, and providing for the
establishment Of tribunals in. the several
countries for enforcing such regulations
by summary process. Your attention
is respectfully called to the law regula-
ting the tariff on Russian hemp, and to
the question whether to fin the charges
on Russian hemp higher than they are
fixed upon MANILA is not a violation of
our treaty with Russia, placing her pro