The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-12-17

ton of the disposition to bo made o
the bondssas purchased. The bondi
now held by the treasury amount *
about $75, 900, 900, including those be
longing to the sinking fund. ! re-
commend that the whole be placed tc
the credit of the sinking fund.
Your attention is respectfully invi
ted to the recommendations of the
Secretary of the Treasury for the Gre.
ating of the Office of Commissioner o.
the Custom Revenue, for the increase
of salary to certain class of officials
and the substitution Of increased na.
tional funds in circulation to replace
the outstanding 3 per cent. certificates
and most especially to his recommen.
dation for the repeal of the laws allow.
ing shares of fines, penalties, forfeit
ures, etc., to the officers of the Gov.
ernment or to informers. The Office
of Commissioner of Internal Revenue
is one of the most onerous and import
ant under the Government. It falls
but little il any short Of Cabinet po-
sition in its importance and reponsi-
bilities. It is therefore recommended
to such legislation as III your judg-
ment will place this Office on footing
of dignity commensurate with its inn
portance and character, and ability
and qualifications with the class ofmen
reduired to fill it properly.
AS the United States il the freest oi
all nations, so its people sympathize
with all people struggling for liberty
and self-government. But while 50
sympathizing, it is due to our honor
that we should abstain from enforcing
our views upon unwilling nations, from
taking an inter ested part in initiatory
quarrels between different nations or
between Governments and their sub
jects. Our course should always be in
conformity with strict justice and in
ternational law to all. Such has been
the policy of the Administration deal
ing with these questions. For more
than year q valuable province of
Spain, q near neighbor OF ours. in
whom all our people cannot but feel a
deep interest, has been struggling for
its independence and freedom. The
people and Government of the United
States entertains the same warm feel
ing and sympathies for the people OF
Cuba in their pending struggles be-
tween Spain and her colonies in be-
half of the latter. But the countries,
at no time, have assumed tho cond;-
iions which amount TO war IN the
sense OF international law or which
would show the Existence of poll ical
organization of insurgents sufficient to
justify recognition of their belliger-
ency. The principle is maintained,
however, that this nation will be lis
own Judge as 10 the rights Of beliger-
ency, either TO n people struggling TO
force themselves from government
they believe TO be oppressive, or 10 in
dependent nations ut war with each
other. The United States have no
disposition to interfere with existing
relations of Spain TO her colonial pos
sessions on this continent. They be-
lieve in due time Spain and other Eu-
ropean Towers will find their interes, in
terminating these relations and estab-
fishing their present dependencies rs
independent powers, as members of
the family of nations. These depen-
dencies are no longer regarded as sub
iecis TO transfer from one European
power 20 another. When the present
relations of the colonies cease they are
10 become independent powers; exer-
cising the right of choice and of self
control in the determination of their
future condition and relations with 9th
er powers. The United States, in or
der 10 put a stop to bloodshed in Cuba,
and in the interest of neighboring peo-
pie, proffered their good Offices to bring
the existing contest TO termination.
The offer not being accepted by Spain
on basis which was believed could be
received by Cuba, it was Withdrawn.
It is hoped that the good officers OF
the United States may yet prove nd
vantageous for the settlement of this
unhappy struggle. Meanwhile num-
Der of illegal expeditions against Cuba
have been broken up. II has been the
endeavor of the Administration to ex-
ecuie the neutrality laws in good faith,
no matter how unpleasantthe task may
be, so they may avoid the suffering we
have endured from lack of good faith
towards the United States by other ma
tions in regard TO us.
The schooner Lizzie Major was ar
rested on the high seas by Spanish
frigate and two passengers taken from
it and carried as prisoners to Cuba
Representations of these facts were
made to the Spanish Government as
soon as official information of them
reached Washington. The two pas
sengers were set at liberty and the
Spanish Government assured the Uni
ted States that the captain of the frig-
ate, in making the capture, had acted
without law, and that he had been
reprimanded for the irregularity OF
his conduct, and that the Spanish au-
thorities in Cuba would not sanction
any act that could violate the rights OF
treat with disrespect the sovereignty
of the nation. The question of the
seizure of the brig Mary Lowell at one
of the Bahama Islands by the Spanish
authorities is now the subject of o cor
respondence between this Government
and that of Spain and Great Britain.
The Captain General of Cuba, about
May last, issued proclamation au-
thorizing search to be made of ves-
sells on the high seas. Immediate re-
monstrance against this was made,
whereupon the Captain General Is
sued new proclamation, limiting the
right of search of vessels of the Uni
ted States so far as authorized under
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