Year: 1869

OF the senate IN It's rejection or the
treaty to have been wisely taken in
the interests of peace, and as a neees
sary step in the direction of perfect
and cordial friendship between the
two countries.


Sensitive people conscious of theil
power, are more at ease under a great
wrong wholly unatOned than the re.
straint of settlement which satisfies
neither their ideas of Justice nor theil
grave senses of the grieviences they
have sustained. The rejection of the
treaty was followed by state of pub
lie feeling on both sides which ]
thought not favorable to an Immedi-
ate attempt at renewed negotiations.
l, accordingly, so instructed the Min
lister of the United States to Great
Britain, and found that my views in
this regard was shared by her Maiesty's
Minister. / hope that the time may
soon arrive when the two Govern
ments can approach the solution OF
this moment' us question with an as
surance of what, is due to the rights,
dignity and honor of each, and with
the determination not only to remove
the causes of cOmplaintin the past, but
lay the foundation of broad princi-
pal of public law, which will prevent
future differences and tend to firm
and continued peace and friendship.
This is now the only grave question
which the United States have with
any foreign nation. The question of
a treaty for reciprocity the between u.
S. 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 pro-
ducer.; except, possibly, few engag-
ed in the trade, between the two sec
tiOns, no citizens of the United States
would be benefited by reciprocity ;
our internal taxation would prove a
protection to the British producer,
almost equal to the prOtec. ion which
our manufacturers now receive from
the tariff. The same arrangement,
however, for the regulation of COM
mercial intercourse between the
United States and the Dominion of
Canada may be desirable. The COM
mission for adjusting the claims Ofthe
Hudson Bay and Puget's Sound Ag-
ricultural Company upon tee United
States has terminated its labOrs. The
award of six hundred and fifty thous-
and dollars has been made, and all
rights and titles of the company on
the Territory of the United States
have been extinguished. Deeds for
the property of the Company have
been received, An appropriation by
Congress to meet this sum is asked.


The Commissioners for determining
the Northwestern land boundary be-
tween the United States and the Brit
ish Possessions, under the treaty 1856
have completed their labOTs, and the
Commission has been dissolved.


In conformity with the recOnmen-
dation of Congress a proposition was
early made to the British Govern.
ment to abolish the mixed courts
created uI der the treaty of April 7th
1862, for the suppression of the slave
trade. The subject is still under ne
go. iation.


It having come to my knowledge
that corporate company organized
under British laws proposed to land
upon the shores of the United States
and to operate here a submarine cable
under a concession from his Majesty
the Emperor of the French, of an eX.
elusive right for 20 years of telegraph.
ic communication between the shores
of France and the United States, with
the very objectional feature of sub
iecting all the messages conveyed
thereby to the sovereignty and the
control of the French Government,
caused the French and the British
Legations at Washington to be made
acquainted with the probable policy
of Congress on the subject as fOreshad-
owed by the bill which passed the
Senate in March last. This drew
from the representatives of the Com
pany an agreement to accept, as the
basis of their operations, the prOvis-
ions of the bill, or of such other en-
actment on the subject as might be
passed during the approaching session
of Congress also, to use their inf1u-
ence to secure from the French Gov
ernment modification of their con-
cession, so as to permit the landing
upon French soil of any cable belong
ing to any company Incorporated by
the authority Of the United States or
of any State in the Union, and on their
coast not to oppose the establishment
of any such cable. In consideration
of this agreement / directed the with
drawal of all opposition by the Uni
ted States authorities to the landing
of the cable and to the working of it
until the meeting of Congress. /
regret to say that there has been no
modification made in the cOmpany's
concession, nor, so far as l can learn,
have they attempted to secure one.
Their concession excludes the capital
and the citizens of the United States
from competition upon the shores OF
France.


l recommend legislation to protect
the rights Of the citizens of the Uni
ted States, as well as the dignity and
sovereignty of the nation against such
an assumption. / shall also endeavoT
to secure by negotiation an abandon
ment of the principle Of mOnOpOlies
in ocean telegraphic cables; copies OF
this correspondence is herewith fur
nished. The unsettled political con-
dition of other countries, less fOrtu-
nate than our own, sometimes in
duces their citizens to come to the
United States for the sole purpose OF
becoming naturaliZed. Having Sc
cured this they return to their native
country, and reside there without dis
closing their change of allegiance.
They occupy official positions or posi-
tiOns of trust or honor, which can
only be held by citizens of their ma
tive land; they journey under pass
ports describing them as such citizens,
and it is only when civil discord,
after perhaps years of quiet, threatens
them or threatens their person or their
property, or when their native State
draft into its military service, that the
fact of their change of allegiance is
made known. They reside perma-
nently from the United States they
contribute nothing to its revenues
they claim the duties of its citizenship,
and they only make themselves


known by an action of protection.


l have directed diplomatic and con
sular officers of the United States tC
scrutinize carefully all such claims Of


protection from the United States.


Only citizen, native or adopted who
discharges his duty to his country is