Year: 1869

for survey by this government in order tC


determine the practicability of such an mn


dertaking, and charter for the right al


way to build by private enterprise such &


work, if the survey proves it to be pratic.


able. In order to comply with the agreement


of the United States as to mixed com


mission at Lima for the adjustment ri


claims, it became necessary to send a com


missioner and secretary to Lima in August


last No appropriation having been made


by Congress for this purpose, it is now
asked that one be made covering the mast
and future expenses of the commission.


The good offices Of the United States to
bring abouta peace between Spain and the
South American republics, with which she
IS at war, having been accepted by Spain,
Peru and Chill, a congress has been invi-
ted to be held ia Washington during the
! present winter


A grant has been given to Europeans Of
an exclusive right Of transit owe
the territory of Nicaragua to
which Costa Rica has given its assent.
which it Is alleged conflicts with vested
rights of citizens of the United States
| The department of state has now this sub
Ject under consideration. The minister of
Peru having made representations that
there was state of war between Peru and
Spain, and that Spain was constructing In
and near New York thirty gunboats, which
might be used by Spain in sucha way as to
relieve the naval force at Cuba, so as to op-
crate against Peru, orders were given to
prevent their departure. No further steps
having been taken by the representative of
the Peruvian government to prevent the
! departure Of these vessels, and not feeling
authorized to detain the property of q
/ yUb OF
mere Executive order, the matter has been
referred to the courts to decide.


The conduct of the war between the
allies and the republic of Paraguay has
made the intercourse with that country so
difficult that it has been advisable to with
| draw our representative from there.


! towards the close Of the last administra-
ton convention was signed at London for
the settlement Of all outstanding claims be-
tween Great Britain and the United States.
which failed to receive the advice and con
sent Of the Senate to its ratification. The
time and the circumstances attending
the negotiation of the treaty were
favorable to its acceptance by the
! people of the United States and its pro-
visions were wholly inadequate for the set
tlement Of the grave wrongs that had been
sustained by this government, as well as by
| It's citizens The injuries resulting to the
United States by reason of the course
adopted by Great Britain during our late
civil war; in increased rates of insurance. in
the dimlnUtion of exports and imports, and
other Instructions to domestic industry
and production, in its effect upon the for
eign commerce of the COUNTRY in the de-
crease and transfer to Great Britain of our
commercial marine, in the prolongation Of
the war and increased cost both in treasure
treasure, and in lives, Of It's suppression,
could not be adjusted and satisfied as ordi-
nary commercial claims, which continually
arise between commercial nations and vet
the convention treated them simply as such
ordinary claims, from which they differ
more widely in the gravity of their charac-
ter than In the magnitude of their amount.
Great, even, as ia that difference, not a word
was found in the treaty, and not an infer
ence could be drrwn from it, to remove the
sense of the unfrieudliness of the course Of
Great Britain In our struggle for existence,
which had universally impressed itself
upon the people of this country. Believing
that the convention thus misconceived in
It's scope and made quite liberal III its pro-
visions would not have produced the hear
ty and cordial settlement OF pending oues-
tlons which alone is consistent with the
relations which [ desire to have establish
ed between the United States and Great
Britain, L regarded the action of the Sen
ate IN the rejection of the treaty to have
been wisely taken in the interest of peace,
and necessary step in the direction
OF perfect and cordial friendship between
| the two countries A sensitive people. con-
scious of their power are more at ease un-
der great wrong wholly unatoned than
under restraint of a settlement which salts
fes neither their ideas Of justice nor their
grave sense of the grievance they have
sustained. The rejection of the treaty was
followed by state Of public feeling On
both sides, which l thought not
favorable to an immediate at
tempt at renewed negotiation.
I accordingly so instructed the Minister Of
the United States to Great Britain, and
found shat my views in this regard were
shared by Her NIajesty's ministers. hope
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 Law the
/ foundation Of broad principle 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 ma
ton.


The question of treaty for reciprocity
between the United States and the British
| provinces on this continent has not been
! tavorabIy considered by the administration.


Ihe advantage OF such treaty would be
wholly IN favor of the British producer. ex-
| apTNt lv
! between the two sections. No citizen of
the United States would be benefited bv
reciprocity. Our internal taxation would
| prove protection to the British produce,
almost equ Il to the protection which our
manufacturers now receive from the tariff.
Some arrangement, however, for the regu-
laion 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 its 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
.
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.


1t having come to my knowledge that q
corporate company, organized under Brit


ish laws, proposed to land upon the shores


of the United States, and to operate there
a submarine cable, under a concession
from His Majesty, the Emperor OF


the French, of an exclusive
right for twenty years of telegraphic


communication between the shores OF


France with the very Objectionable feature


of subiecting all messages conveyed there
bv to the SOyereipntv and G,+roI ~ ~