Year: 1869

tempt at renewed negotiation.
l accordingly 80 instructed the Minister Of
the United States to Great Britain, and
found that my views in this regard were
shared by Her Majesty's ministers. IAope
that the time may soon arrive when the
two governments can approach the solu-
ton Of this momentous question with an
assurance Of what is due to the rights, dig
nifty and honor Of each, and with the de-
termination not only to remove the causes
of complaint in the past, but to lay the
foundation of . broad principle Of public
law which will prevent future differences,
and tend to a. firm and
continued peace and friendship.
This is now the only grave question which
the United States have with any foreign ma
tion.


The question of q treaty for reciprocity
between the United States and the British
provinces on this continent has not been
favorably considered by the administration
The advantage of such . treaty would be
wholly in favor of the British producer, ex-
cept possibly 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 protection to the British produce,
almost equ to the. protection which our
manufacturers now receive from the tariff.
Some arrangement however, for the regu-
lation of commercial intercourse between
the United States and the Dominion of
Canada may be desirable.


The commission for adjusting the claims
for the Hudson Bay and Puget's Sound
Agricultural Company upon the United
States has terminated it's labors. The award
of six hundred and fifty thousand dollars
has been made, and all rights and titles of
the company on the territory of the United
States have been extinguished. The deeds
for the property of the company have been
received and an appropriation by Congress
to meet this SUM is asked. The commits
sioners for determining the northwestern
land boundary between the United States
and the British possessions under the
treaty of 1856 have completed their labors,
and the commission dissolved in conformity
with the recommendation of Congress-.


A proposition was early made TO the
British Government to abolish the mixed
courts created under the treaty of April 2,
1862, for the suppression of the slave trade.
The subject is still under negotiation.


It having come to my knowledge that
corporate company, organized under Brit
ish laws, proposed to land upon the shores
of the United States, and to operate there
submarine cable, under concession
from His Majesty, the Emperor of
the French, of an exclusive
right for twenty years of telegraphic
communication between the shores of
of subjecting all messages conveyed there
French Government, caused the French
and British Legations at Washington to be
made acquainted with the probable policy
of Congress on the subject as foreshadowed
by the bill which passed the Senate in
March last This drew from the represen-
tatives of the Company an agreement to
accept a. the basis Of their operations
the provisions of the bill or of such other
enactment of the subject as might be pass
ed during the approaching session of Con-
gress; also, to use their influence to secure
from the French government q modification
of their concessions, SO as to permit the
landing upon French soil of any cable be-
longing to any company incorporated by
the authority of the United States, or of
any State in the Union, and
on their part not oppose tho estab-
lishment of any such cable. In considera-
ton Of this agreement, /. directed the
withdrawal of all oppositionsby the United
States authorities to the landing OF the ca
tle, and to the working of it until the
meeting of Congress. I regret to say that
there has been no notifications made in
the company's concession, nor, so far az I
can Learn; have they attempted TO secure
onstheir concession the exclusion Of the
capital and citizens Of the United States
from competition upon the shores of france.


recommend legislation to protect the
rights of citizens Of the United States, as
we'll as the dignity and sovereignty of the
nation, against such: assumption. shall
also endsavor to secure, by negotiation, an
abandonment Of the, principle of monopo-
lies in ocean telegraphing cables. Copies
of this correspondence are herewith fur
nished. -.


The unsettled political condition
of other countries, less fortunate
their citizens to como to the United States
for tho sole purpose of becoming natural
lied. Having secured this they return to
their native country and reside there with.
out disclosing their change of allegiance.
They accept official positions of trust or
honor which can only be held by citizens
of their native land; they journey under
passports describing them as such citizens,
and it is only when civil discord, ,::atter, per-
haps, years of quiet, threatens them or
threatens their persons or their property, Or
when their native states draft into its
military service That the fact of their
change Of allegiance Is made known; that
they reside permanently from the United
States; that they contribute nothing to its
resources; that they avoid duties of its cit
izenship, and they only make themselves
known BY claim Of protection. I have
directed diplomatic and consular officers of
tho United States to scrutinize carefully all
such claims of protection of the citizens of
the United States, whether native or adopt
ed, who discharges his duty to his country
is entitled to its complete protection. While
l have voice in the direction of affairs
shall not consent to imprint
the sacred right by conferring it upon
upon fictitious and fraudulent claimants.
On the accession Of the present admins
tration it was found that the Minister for
North Germany had made propositions for
negotiations for convention for the pro-
lection Of emigrant passengers, to which
no response had been given. 1t was con-
cluded that to be effectual, all the mari.
time powers engaged in the trade should
Join in such q measure Invitations have
been extended to the cabinets of London,
Paris, Florence, Berlin, Brus-
sells, Tho Hague, Copengagen,
and Stockholm to order their representa-
tives at Washington to simultaneously en-
ter into negotiations and coincide with the
United States conventions, identical in
form, making uniform regulations as to the
construction of the parts of vessels to 10
devoted to the use of emigrant passengers
as to quality and quantity of food, US to
the medical treatment of the sick, and rs
TO the rules to be observed during the voy.
age in order to secure ventilation, to pro-
mote health, to prevent intrusion and to
protect 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 regarding the tariff on Prussian
hemp, and to the question whether to tix
the charges on Russian hemp higher than
they arc fixed upon Manila is not viola
ton of our treaty with Russia placing her
products upon the same footing with those
of the most favored nations. Our manu-
factures are increasing with wonderful
rapidity under the encouragement which
they now receive. With the improvements
in machinery already effected and still