Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-12-10

ccS the Secretary CT the treasury ara myself
heartily concur ed in the prOpriety OF using all
surplus currency in the Treasury in the purchase
of government bonds, thus reducing the interest
bearing Indebtedness of the country and OF sub
hitting to Congress the question OF the dlSposl-
ton to be made of bonds SO purchased. Bonds
now held by the Treasury amount to SO, OOO,oo0'
including these belonging to the Sinking Fund.
| | recommend that the whole be placed 10 the
credit of the Sinking Fund.
! Your attention is respectfully invited to the
Recommendations OF the Secretary of the Treasu-
~ for the creation Of the Office Of Commissioner
of Customs, revenue for increase CT salary OF
certain class and officials and substitution OF
increased Nstionsl Banks, circulation to replace
outstanding three per cent. certlticates, and
mos especially to EIs reconm endatlon Tor the
repeal of laws allowing shares of fnes penalties,
forfeitures, &C., to officers OF the government
or to informers.
| The Office of Commissioner of Internal Reven-
ne is one of the most arduOus and responsible
under the government. Il falls little short OF a
Cabinet position in its Importance and RESPONSE
bities. would ask for il, therefore, such ieSls-
lation as in your judgment will place the office
upon the footing of dignity commensurate WITH
it's Importance, and with a character and quallh-
cations of the class of men required to HI IL
properly.
as the United States is the freest OF all nations,
81 too it's peOp.e sympathlZe with ali people
struggling for liberty aud seif-goVernmeot. but
while so sYmpathizing it is due to our honor
that we should abstain from enforcing our views
upon unwilling nations and from taxing an IN
terested part without invitation in quarres be-
tween different nations or between governments
and their sub ects. Our course should always
be in conformity with strict justice and law, in
ternational and local. Such has been the policy
Of the Administration in dealing with these
questions. For more than year valuable
province of Spain and near neighbor OF ours,
in whom all our people cannoS out Ieel a eeep
aud freedom. Tbs people and government OF
the United States entertain the same warm feel
ings and sympathies for the people OF Cuba. in
their pending struggle, thai they manifested
Throughout. the previous etruggles between
Spain and her former colonies III behalf OF the
latter, but the contest has al 20 time assumed
conditions which amount to in the senee OF
international law, which would show the eX-
stenco Of 8, DC JGct0 political organization OF in
sutgents sufficient to justify recognition OF
beIigerency.
| The principle Is maintained, however, thaS
| this nation is its judge when tc accord
rights of belligeroscY eisnsr 10 people strug-
Cling to free themselves from 6 government they
believe to be oppressive, or to independsnt nSs-
lions at wsr with each other. The United States
has disposition to interfere with the Sung
relations Of Spain TO her colonial possessions or
this continent. They believe that in due time
Spain and other European powers will find 1t to
| their interest in terminating those relations and
establishing their present dependencies as indie
pendent powers. These dependencies are no
longer regarded subj CT to tranefer frota one
European power to another When the present
relation Of colonies coases they are TO become
| independent powers, exercising the right OF
choice and of sef-control in the deteria!naF !GA
of their future condition and eatl0ns win o. her
| powers. The UnlteQ STATES, II OruGT u q
stoc to blo0Gshed in CUBA, and IN the interest
of neighborlng people. Droffered It's gooi offices
to bring the existing contest to terlnlnatson -
The offer not belug accepted ny SPAN on The
basis which believe could be received by Cuba,
was withdrawn. i5 is hoped tn2t the coed Of
fees Of the nnire<: States may Je5 prove adVGn-
tageous FOR the settlement Of this unhappy strife.
| In the meanwhile Il number OF illegal cXpedi-
! tons against Cube have been broken up. Ii has
| been the endeavor Of the Administration to exc
cute the neutrality laws 10 matter how Qppieas-
ant the task made so by the suffering we have en-
dured from the lack of like good faith towards
| us by other nations. On the 10Th OF March last,
the u s. schooner Lizzie Major Was arrested
on the high seas by g Spanish frigate and two
pas sengers taken and carried prisoners 10 Cuha
Representations Of these facts were m&:lo 20 the
spanish government as soon as Official lnioIma-
ton reached Washington. The two passengers
| were get at liberty and the SPANS goveE1sEh ~
assured the United states that the captain Ct !e
trigste in making the capture, had acte witct.t
law; that he had been reprinsnded silti thai The
Spanish authorities in Cuba would not sanction
any act that could olate the tights or t.o&t
with disrespect the sovereignty 4 th.s n2f7on.
The question OF the seizure OF the big. Nary
Lowell. at Bah anna, by the spanish authorities is
now IL. su: ject Of corr espo1dencC bct" ga this
government and Spain, and Great 3rithl4. Ihe
Captain General of Cuba, about ,f&T laet, ssuo3
his proclamation authorizing the search Of vessels
on the high lmmediaG~ rGnOnStranc9 was
MADE against this WhereHpon he captain general
issued q new proclamation limiting the search TO
vessels of the United Statca authorized under the
treaty Of 1895. This proclamation, however, WAS
mme diatel7 withdrawn
have always felt that til" most intimate rela-
ton should be cultivated between the United
States and independent nations on this continent.
Il mfy be wei! worth considering whether new
treaties between aAd thsm may not be profit
ably entered into to = cure more lnumate rela-
tiOns, friendly, Commercial and otherwise.
1nter-Oceanic canal to connect the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans through the Isthmus OF Da-
rien is one in which commerce is greatly inter-
ested. Instructions have been given to the min
ictp of NIT tn n
or to obtain authority for survey to determine
the practicablity of the undertaking.
In order to comply with the agreement of the
United States as to a mixed commission at Lima
for the adjustment of claims it became necessary
to send Com missioner and Secretary to Lima.
The good offices of the United States to bring
about peace between Spain and South American
Republics having been accepted by SPAIN Peru
and Chill, Congress has been invited to be held
in Washington during the present Winter.
grant mas been given to Europeans of an
exclusive right of transit over the territory of
Nicaragua, to which Costa RIGA has given it's
assent, which it is alleged conflicts with the yes
ted rights OF citizens OF the United Statee. The
Department of State has now this subject under
consideration
The Minister OF Peru having made representa-
mon that there was state Of war between Peru
and Spain, and that Spain constructing 10
and near New York thirty gunboats which might
be used By Spain to relieve her naval force
at Cuba to operate against Perm. Orders were
given to prevent their Departure No further steps
having been taken by the representatives of
tbs Peruvian government to prevent the depart
ure of these vessels and rot feeling authorized to
detan property OF nation, with which we are at
peace. on mere executive orders. the m2tter ha g
been referred to the courts.
The conduct of Paraguay has made intercourse
with thst country difficult, IL has been deemed
advisable to withdraw our representatives from
there.
Towards the close OF the last administration
contention was signed at London tor the set |
tlement of outstanding CLAIMS between Great |
Britain and the United states, which failed to re- |
ceive advice and consent of the senate. Time |
and circumstances attending the negotiation OF |
that treaty unfavorable to its acceptance by
the people of the United States and its provisions
were wholly inadequate for the settlement OF the
grave wrongs sustained by this government. In. |
jurles resulting to this govnrnmenj By reason of
the course adopted by Great Britain during the |
war i'll increased rates Of insurance in diminu-
Zion Of exports and imports, and other obstruc-
tons to domestic industry and production n it's
effect upon the foreign commerce Of the country (;
in decrease and transfer to Great Britain of our
commercial marine in the proloneation of the
war and increased cost, both in treasure and in
lives; Of its suppression. could not be ad-
justed and satisfied as ordinary CONNER
cial claims which continually arise be-
tween commercial nations. And yet the Con-
vention treated them simply as such ordinary
oil i,,+