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TUB BMFiBK STATE Its PUBLISHED WEEKLY, By” A. C3-aul<ains. YKItMS: TWO DOLLARS IX ADVANCE, OR TIIRKK DOL LARS AFTER SIX MONTHS, PER ANNUM. a®-office up-stairs over W. R. Phillips & Ca.^t Advertisements are inserted at One Dollar per square for the first insertion, aud Fifty Cents per square for each in sertion thereafter. A reasonable deduction will be made to those who adver tise by the year. All Advertisements not olhet'icise ordered null be continu ed till forbid . Sales of Lands by Administrated, Executors or Guar dians, arc required ny law to be held on the first Tuesday in the month, between the hours of 10 in the. forenoon and 3 in the afternoon, at the Court House, in the county in which the Land is situated. Notice of these sales must be given in a public Gazette forty days previous to flic day of sale. Sales of Negroes must lie made at public auction on the first Tuesday of the month, between the usual hours of sale, at the place of public sales in the county where the Letters Testamentary, or Administration, or Guardianship may have been granted—first giving forty days notice thereof in one of the public Gazettes of the State, and at the Court House where such sale is to be held. Notice for the sale of Personal Property must be given in like manner, forty days previous to the day of sale. Notice , to Debtors and Creditors of an Estate, must be published forty days. NotioC that application will be made to the Court of Or dinary'for leave to sell Laud, must be published lor two m>ntbs. ~ , , ✓ notice for leave to sell Negroes must be published two ’ onths before any order absolute shall be made thereon by be Court. . , .... Citations for Letters of Administration must be publish ed thirty days ; for Dismission from Administration, month ly six months ; for Dismission from Guardianship, forty d *Notice for the foreclosure of Mortgage must be publish ed monthly for four months ; for publishing Lost Pa pers, for tlie full spaeevof three months ; for compelling ti ties from Executors aim Administrators, where a bond lias been given by the-deceased, for the space ot three months HENRY HENDRICK, A T T O R NBY AT L A W , Jackson, Butts County, Georgia. May 3, 1555. ts RTwTsvrcuNE, Attorney at Law, fcrlffin, Geor&a- May 3,1855. ts H. &, G. J, GREEN & MARTIN, Attorneys at Law, (jiLBKN .i. fiKKKX, { Gl . i(rm Georgia, DAVID N. MARTIN, ) HARTFORD GREEN, Zchulon, GCO. May 3,1855. DANIEL. & DJSMUKE, Attn rn e y s at La w , Georgia. Rs DANIEL, F - 1 ’- IHSMI:KE - May 3, 18,55. L. \V. POPE JORDAN, Attorney at Law, JZcl.ulo,,, . . Georgia. WrLL practice in all the counties of the Flint Circuit. May 3, 1555. ts IIAYGOOD & WHITAKER, Attorneys at ‘Law, Atlanta, ..Georgia. OFFICE, over Gunby's Store, White Hall Street. It II tYftOOD L HIT AKi.lv, Formerhi of tVatkinsviUe, Fonnerh; of Fayetteville, Georgia. Georgia. May 3, 1855. Attorneys at Law, ALL business entrusted to their care, will receive prompt attention.. k. m. stele, r ” B ’,'p K- May 3, 1855. u Dll. 11. W. BROWN, Griffin, Georgia. OFFICE in the basement story, under the Store of Messrs. J. A. & J. C. Becks. May 3,1855. ts J. 11. MANGIIAM, /\ ttomey fn t; y GIi.IJ.CFI?!, GEORGIA. May 3, 1855-ly 1 ANDREW M. MOORE, attorney at law, Lagrange Georgia. TTTILL practice in the Courts of the Coweta Circuit. All W business entrusted to liis care will meet with prompt attention. July 4, 1855. 9-ts WM. 11. F. HALT,, ATTORNEY AT LAW, ZEBULON GEORGIA. July 4, 1855. Q ts A. D. NUNN ALIA', ATTORN E Y A T L A W , GRIFFIN, GEORGIA. June, 27,1855. • U GASKILL & WOOTTON, ATTORNEYS AT LA W , JONESBORO, GEORGIA. T. A. GASKILL Y - L. WOOTTON July 11th, 1855 11 ts UNDERWOOD, HAMMOND & SON, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, ATLANTA, GEORGIA. WILL give personal attention to all business entrusted to their management, and attend the Sixth Circuit Courtof the United States, at Marietta, the Supreme Court at Macon and Decatur, and the Superior Courts in Cobb, Morgan, Newton, DeKaJb, Fulton, Fayette, Spalding, Pike, - gjrr, Monroe, Upson, Bibb, Campbell, Coweta, Troup, ■\Yhitfield and* Gordon, in Georgia, and Hamilton county, (Chattanooga,) in Tennessee. May 3,1855. ts Q. C. GltlCE , B - FULLER. GRICE & FULLER, ATTORNEYS A T L Aw, FAYETTEVILLE, GEORGIA. December 10th, 1855. 33—ts W. L. GRICE, AVM> s ” WALLACE. GRICE & WALLACE, ATTORFEYS AT L AW, BUTLER, GEORGIA. PERSONS intrusting business to them may rely on their fidelity, promptness and care. Dec. 10, ’55-33-1 y. GAUTRELL & GLENN, ATTORNEYS A T LAW, ATLANTA, GEORGIA. WILL attend the Courts in the Counties of Fulton, De- Kalb. Fayette, Campbell, Meriwether, Coweta, Car *Jll, Henry, Troup, Heard, Cobb, and Spalding, i Lucies‘j.Gartrell, I Luther J. Glenn, I formerly of Washington, Ga. | Formerly of xMcDonough,Ga. \ May 16, 1855. _ __ 3tf MTDIIE subscriber respectfully announces to HI the public, and bis numerous friends, that he ■ill open a shop on Broadway, below New Orleans Street, H: B. W. Doe’s old Ware-House, where he will be prepared do all kinds of BLACKSMITH WORK, IN THE BEST STYLE AND AT THE SHORTEST NOTICE. He hopes by strict ATTENTION TO BUSINESS, to merit as well as receive a liberal patronage. A. A. PjRTER. Griffin, December 18th, -55. ,31. .ts ts ii $ (Flit tit xt Hrit t # xi. If. INfci-. Yol. 1. PROSPECTUS OF “Cjrc (Lnijitre .State.” THE undersigned having purchased the Press and mate rials of the “Georgia ’Jeffersonian,” and the ‘‘Job Of fice’’ of James 11. Logan, proposes at an early day, the Ist of May, to commence the publication of a weekly News paper, under the above title, devoted to Agriculture, the Arts and Sciences. Politics, and General Intelligence. The “Empire State” will advocate the principles of the present National Administration, so far as they may comport with the doctrines of our Republican Fathers, the Rights of the States, and flic preservation of the Union. In matters of State Policy, and of Local Interest in the present threaten ing aspect of Public Affairs, the “Empire State” will al ways lie found upon the side of Republican Principles and liberal sentiments—“independent in all things, neutral in Nothing.” ft shall be the vehicle for the dissemination of Liberal Principles,Conservative, Doctrines, and the best in terests of Georgia and the Union. £TTTerms: Two Dollars in advance, or Three Dollars af ter six months. A. A. GAULDING. Griffin, May 3, 1855. rates of advertising. The following are the Rates of Charges for Advertising, determined on between the undersigned, to take effect from the time of entering into any new contract:— jQSSrTransient Advertising, $1 00 per square, for the first nsertion, and 50 cents for every subsequent one. CONTRACT ADVEUTisING, 3 mos. 6 mos. 0 mos 12 ms. 1 square, without change $ 6 00 $ 8 00 $lO 00 sl2 00 Changed quarterly... 7 00 10 00 12 00 1(5 00 Changed at will, 8 00 12 00 14 00 18 00 2 squares, without change, 10 00 15 00 20 00 25 00 Changed quarterly,.. . 12 00 18 00 24 00 28 00 Changed at wi11,.".... 15 00 20 00 25 00 30 00 3 squares, without change 15 00 20 00 25 00 30 00 Changed quarterly.. . 18 00 22 00 26 00 34 00 Changed at wi11...... 20 00 26 00 32 00 40 00 Half column, without change.. 25 00 30 00 40 00 50 00 Changed quarterly,.. 28 00 32 00 45 00 55 00 Changed at wi11...... 35 CO 45 00 50 00 00 00 One column, without change,.. 60 00 70 00 SO 00 100 00 Changed quarterly,.. 65 00 75 00 90 00 110 00 Changed at will.. 1... 70 00 85 00 100 00 125 00 S“A1! transient advertisements will be inserted until or derca discontinued and charged for accordingly. A. A. G.UTLDING, “Empire State.” A. P BURR “American Union.” BOOK AND JOB OFFICE TIIE EMPIRE STATE, GRIFFIN, GEORGIA. THE PROPHIETOR OF TIIE Having recently received a large assortment of NEW AND BEAUTIFUL FANCY TYPE AND BORDERS, Are now prepared to execute, in the best style, and at short notice, all kinds of nnk (Dnininrntnl printing, SUCH AS ;E Jk. YJK IPI-1L1353 *3? J3& ’(Neat/ars, labels, Business Cards, Chlaldgne-s, Programmes, Address Cards, jffll Heads, Posters, Visiting Cards, Jte-nii Chirks, Hard Biffs, • Freight mils, , Blank Notes, J.egal Blanks, s>'C., <§"C., 4’- PBIT t iftt I H* G O LORS PROMPTLY ATTENDED TO. ‘ SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. “ A Monthly Journal, devoted to the interests of Southern A Agriculture, and designed to improve both the Soil and tlic Mind ; to elevate the character of the Tillers ot the soil, and to introduce a more enlightened system of Ag riculture, Horticulture, Stock Breeding, and General Farm Economy. Illustrated with Numerous Engravings. Daiel Lee, M. D.. and TANARUS). Redmond, Editors Volume 13. commenced Ist January, 1855 ; each number will contain 32 large octavo pages, 7| by 11 inches, of close ly printed matter, embracing the contributions of some ot the most intelligent and practicable planters in every sec tion of the Southern States. 1 copy 1 year, $1 00 6 copies 1 year, 5 00 12 “ “ 10 00 20 “ “ 20 00 150 ’ “ “ 75 00 JKg-Always in advance.sLSr The bills of all specie-paying Banks received at par. All money remitted by mail, postage paid, at the risk of the publisher. Address Yf. S. JONES, Augusta,Ga. May 3, 1855. CAR!HAGE, CAbTnET SASH nTa KING!!! rpilK subscriber takes pleasure in 3/ Icing to the citizens of Griffin and sur rounding country, that he still continues the Xlxr \}j business of CARRIAGE ami CABINET Making. CAKiiiA GES, BUGGIES, and WAGONS made to order at ‘.iort no tice. A few of the best made Buggies always on hand. He has recently added to his establishment the business of SASH MAKlNG—cheap, and good as the best. Meta 1 i e Burial ca ses, newstyle. He will be found at his old stand, always ready towait upon his customers. Give him a call. A. BELLAMY. Griffin, Aug. 29,1855... .18.,, ,ts J. E. WILLIAMS JXO. RHEA, WM. M. WILLIAMS. J. K WILLIAMS & CO., Successors to J. E. Williams, General Commission Merchants. AND DEALERS IN * GRAIN, BACON. EARI), FEATHERS, and TEN NESSEE PRODUCE , GENERALLY, Decatur Street, near the “Trout House,” Atlanta, Ga. Letters of inquiry, in relation to the Markets, Ac., promptly answered. May 16,1855.-3tf V. IL. WRIGHT, EXCHANGE BROKER , ATLANTA, GEO. WILT, attend to collections entrusted to him, and remit promptly, at current rates of Exchange: buy and sell uncurrent Bank Notes, Coin, Ac. The highest cash price paid for Bounty Land Warrants. Fir Apply to C. W. C. Wright. Griffin, Ga., for sale of Land Warrants. REFERENCES.—-John Tiiomuson, Banker, No. 2, Wall street, and Cahhakt, Buo. & Cos„ New York ; Converse & Cos., New Orleans. Atlanta, May 16, ’55 ts .J. M. DORSKY, J. .WIIRASHER & CO., WHOLESALE AND RETAIL Grocers and Commission Merchants, (At the Warehouse formerly occupied by J.E. Williams,) A TLANTA £ GEORGIA. H. JJ. GLENN, A. CIIAMBLESS May 10, 1855. 3-ts e. RL WJIXiAIVIS, RESIDENT PHYSICIAN, GRIFFIS, GEORGIA. Hill Street, over Banks’Boot & Slioe Store. May 3, 1855. ts Window Glass I FRENCH Window Glass, of all sizes, f. ■ sale by Sept 19, hill A. SMlTilti’ss-. “ fto qp Uiicq cosh)dg oqir Jfce Coqliirt b Oqls.” GRIFFIN, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 16, 1856. President’s Message. Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and of the House of Representatives: T he Constitution of the United States pro vides that Congress shall assemble annually on the first Monday of December, and it has been usual for the President to make no communi cation of a public character to the Senate and House of Representatives until advised of their readiness to receive it I have deferred to this usage until the close of the first month of the session, but my convictions of duty will not permit me longer to postpone the discharge of the obligation enjoined by the constitution upon the President, “to give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and re* commend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” It is a matter of congratulation that the Re public is tranquilly advancing in a career of prosperity and peace. CENTRAL AMERICA Whilst relations of amity continue to exist between the United Ssates and all foreign pow ers, with some of them grave questions are depending, which may require the considera tion of Congress. 01 such questions the most important is that which has arisen out of the negotiations with Great Britain in reference to Central Ammea. By the Convention concluded between the two Governments on the I9th of April, 1850, both parties covenanted that “neither will ever” “occupy, or fortify, or colonize, or as sume, or exercise any dominion over Nicara gua, Costa Rica, the Musquito Coast, or any part of Central America.” It was the undoubted understanding of the United States, in making this treaty that all the present States of the former Republic of Central America, and tire entire territory of each, would thenceforth enjoy complete in dependence ; and that both contracting par ties engaged equally and to the same extent, lor the present and for the future ; that if ei ther then had any claim of right in Central America, such claim, and 311 occupation of au thority under it, were unreservedly relinquish ed by the stipulations ot the Convention, and that no dominion was thereafter to be exercised or assumed in any part of Central America by Great, Britain or the United States. This Government consented to restrictions in regard to a region of country wherein wc had specific and peculiar interests, only upon the conviction that like restrictions were in the same sense obligatory on Great Britain But for this understanding of the force and ef fect of the ( ouveution, it would never have been concluded by us. So clear was this understanding on the part of the United States, that in correspondence cotemporaneous with the .ratification of the < ouvetstion, it was distinctly expressed that the mutual covenants of non-occupation were not intended to apply to the British establish ment at the Balize. This qualification is to be ascribed to the fact that, in virtue of snecssive treaties with previous sovereigns cf the coun try, Great Britain had obtained a concession of the right to cut mahogany or dye-woods at the Balize, but with positive exclusion of alt domain or sovereignty, and thus it confirms the natural construction and understood im- 1 port of the treaty as to all the rest of the re gion to which the stipulations applied. It, however, became apparent., at nn caily day after entering upon the discharge of my present functions, that great Britain still con tinued in the exercise or assertion of large au thority in nil that part of Central America, commonly called the Musquito const, and cov ering flic entire length of the State of ‘Nicara gua and a part of Costa Rica ; that she re garded the Balize as her absolute domain, and was gradually extending its limits at the ex pense of the State of Honduras; and that she had formerly colonized a considerable insular group, known as the Bay Islands, aud belong ing of right to that State. All these acts or pretensions of Great Brit ain, being contrary to the rights of the States of Ceutral America, and to the manifest tenor ot her stipulations with the United States, as understood by this Government, have been made the subject of negotiation through the Amer can Minister in London. I transmit herewith the instructions to him on the sub ject, and the correspondence between him and tljc British Secretary for Foreign Affairs, by tf’hich yon will perceive that the two Govern ments differ widely and irreconcilably as to the construction of the Convention and its ef fect on their respective relations to t’entral America. Great Britain so construes the Convention as to maintain unchanged all her previous pre tensions over the Musquito Coast, and in dif ferent parts of Centra! America. ‘1 hesc pre tensions as to the Mosquito Coast are founded on the assumption of political relation between Great Britain and the remnant of a tribe of Indians on that Const, entered into at a time when the whole country was a colonial posses sion of Spain. It cannot be successfully con troverted that, by the public law of Europe and America, no possible act of such Indians, or their predecessors could coufor on Great Britain any political rights Groat Britain does not allepc the assent of Spain as the origin of her claims on the Mus quito Const. She has, on the contrary, by re peated arid successive treaties, renounced arid relinquished all pretensions of her own, and re cognized the full and sovereign rights of Spain in the most unequivocal terms. Yet these pre tensions, so without solid foundation in the be ginning, and thus repeatedly abjured, were at a recent period, revived by Great Britain wgainst the Central American States, the lc gitimntc successors to all the ancient jurisdic- . tion of Spain in that region, ‘i hey were applied only to a defined part of the of! Nicaragua, afterwards to the whole of its At-1 laotic coast, aud lastly so a part of the cost of Costa Rica, and they are now re-asserted to this extent, notwithstanding engagements to tiie United States On the eastern coast of Nicaragua and Cos ta Rica, the interference of Great Britain though exerted at one time in the form of mil itary occupation of the port of San Juan del Norte, then in the peaceful possession of the appropriate authorities of the Central Amcri call States, is now presented by her as the 1 rightful exercise of a protectorship over the Musquito tribe ot Indians. But the the establishment at the Balize, now reaching far beyond its treaty limits into the State of Honduras, and that of the Bay Islands, appertaining of right to the same State, are as distinctly colonial Governments as tho>e of Jamaica or C'anada, and therefore contrary to the very letter as well as the spirit of the Convention with the United States, as it was at the time of ratification and now is understood by this Government. The interpretation which the British Gov ernment, thus in assertion and act, persists in ascribing to the Convention entirely changes its character. While it holds us to all our ob ligations, it iu a great measure releases Great Britain from those which constituted the con sideration of this Government for entering in to tiie jfertu (?ktion It is impossible, in my judgment, for the United States to acquiesce in such a construction of the respective rela lions of the two Governments 1 6 Central America. To a renewed call by this Government upon Great Britain to abide by and carry into effect the stipulations of the Convention according to its obvious import, by withdrawing from the possession or colonization of portions of the Central American States of Honduras, Nica ragua ande Costa Rica, the British Govern ment has at length replied, affirming that the operation ftf the treaty is prospective only and did not require Great Britain to abandon or contract any possessions held by her in Central America at the date of its conclusion. Tin? reply substitutes a partial issue, in the place of the general one presented by the Uni ted States. The British Government passes over the question of the rights of Great Brit ain, real or supposed, in Central America, and assumes ttmtabe h- and such rights at the date of the treaty, tif*i-that those rights comprehend the protectorship of the Musquito Indiana, the extended jurisdiction and limits of the b alize, and the colony of the Bay Islands, and there upon proceeds by implication to in r er, that if the stipulations of the treaty be merely futnre in effect, Great Britain may still continue to hold the contested portions of Central Amcri ca. The United Slates cannot admit either the inference or the premises. We steadily deny that at the date ot the tre-jty, Great Britain had any possessions there, other than a limited and peculiar establishment at the Ba lizt, and maintain that, if she had any, they were surrendered by the Convention. This Government, recognizing the obliga tions of has of course desired to see it executed in good faith by both parties, and in the therefore, has not looked to rights we might assert, independently of the consideration of our geograph ical po.5 1 “'djd of o.t.t er circumstances, which create relations to the Central American States different from those of any Government of Eu rope. The British Government, in its last commu nication, although well knowing the views of the United States, still declares that it sees no reason why a conciliatory spirit may not ena ble the two Governments to overcome all ob stacles to a satisfactory adjustment of the sub ject. Assured ol the correctness of the construc tion of the treaty constantly adhered to by this Government, and resolved to insist on the rights of the United States, yet actuated also by the same desire which is avowed by the British Government, to remove ail causes of serious misunderstanding between two nations associated by so many ties of interest and kin dred, it has appeared to me proper not to con side! an amicable solution of the controversy hopeless. There is, however, reason to apprehend that wit !j Gteat._Kritat;t in the actual occupation of the disputed territories, and the treaty therefore practically null, so far as regards our rights, this internal difficulty cannot long re main undetermined without involving in serious danger the friendly relations which it is the in terest as well as the duty of both countries to cherish and preserve. It will afford me sincere gratification if futnre efforts shall re<nlt in the success anticipated heretofore with more confi dence than the aspect of the case permits me now to entertain, RECRUITMENT. One other subject of discussion between the United States and Great Britain, has grown out of the attempt which the exigencies of the war in whirh she is engaged with Russia, in duced her to make, to draw recruits from the United .States. It is the traditional and settled policy of the United States to maintain impartial neutrality during tin* wars which from time to time occur among the jircnt powers of the world. Ber- duties of neutrality towards the respectivejbelligercnt States, we may reasona bly expects them not to interfere with our law fill enjoyment of its benefits. Notwithstanding the existence of such hostilities, our citizens retain theandividual right to continue nil their accustomed pursuits, by land or by sea, at home or abroad, subject only to such restric tions in tlbse relations as the laws of war, the usage of nations, or special treaties may im pose ; anti it. is our sovereign right that our territory tjnd jurisdiction shall not be invaded h 7 either/Of the beligerent parties, the transit of j their armies, the operations of their flee®', the levy of troops for their service, the fittingout of cruisers by or against cither, or any oilier act or incident of war. And these undeniable rights of neutrality, individu al and national, the United States will under no circumitnncca surrender. In pursuance of this policy, the laws of the Uni ted States lo not forhiu their citizens to sell to oi- Iheir of thqbeligerent powers articles contraband ‘m ‘iTtShions of War or soldiers on I board Illicitpri€ k< r mbnitx^ r transportation ; and although il so#“ e Bh ’l w . .v idual citizen expo- jseahis ‘"dlY. of the hazards of war l;isW f Pew?” to . 80n, \ .breach of na tional neutlf™ do not involve any ,j t the Governmeipty nor of themselves fth present wri- ihus ’ during the national r’ “ 1U b;uropc, our citizous nave, wiUMAm and therefore, sold gunpowder tion of (*> all buyers, rognrdlass of the destina bcen, arnlp ßo articles. Our merchantmen have tlreaf Hritai; f <' ontmue to bo > lar ß cl y employed by provisions 4 an( l France in transporting troops, Seat of miySiW!Kiona of to the principal iboir sick iftiu'v operations, and in bringing home <ur morcof 1,(1 wounded soldiers ; but such use ot Idle marine is not interdicted either by IrthwHS&OO, fa the international or by our municipal law, and therefore does not compromit our neutral relations with Russia. But our municipal law, in accordance with the law of nations, peremptoriully forbids not only for eigners, but our own citizens, to fit ont within the United States a vessel to commit hostilities against any State with which the United States are at peace, or to increase the force of any foreign armed vessel intended for such hostilities against a friendly State. Whatever concern may have been felt by either of the beligerent powers lest private armed cruis ers or other vessels in the service of one, might be fitted out in the ports of this country to depredate on the property of the other, all such fears have proved to be utterly groundless. Our citizens have been withheld from any such act or purpose by good faith and by respect for the law. While the laws of the Union are thus peremp tory in their prohibition of the equipment of arma ment of belrgencnt cruisers in our ports, tliey pro vide not less absolutely that no person shall, with in tbe territory or jurisdiction of the United States enlist or enter himself, or hire or retain another person to enlist or enter himself, or to go beyond tlie limits or jurisdiction of the United States, with intent to be enlisted or entered, in the service of any foreign State, either as a soldier or as ama rine or seaman on board of any vessel of war, let- ters of marque, or privateer. And these enact ments are also in strict conformity with the lay of nations, which declares that no State has the right! to raise troops for land or sea service in another State without it3 consent,and that,whether forbid den by the municipal law or not, the very attempt to do it, without such consent, is an attack on the national sovereignty. Such being the public rights and the municipal 1 law’ of the United States, no solicitude on the sub- i ject was entertained by this Government when a year since the British Parliament passed an act to provide for the enlistment of foreigners in the mil itary, service of Great Britain. Nothing on the .face of the act, or in its public history, indicated that the British Government proposed to attempt recruitment in the United States ; nor did it ever give intimation of such intention to this Govern ment. It w r as a matter, therefore, of surprise, to find, subsequently, that the engagement of persons within the United States to proceed to Halifax, in the British Province of Nova Scotia, and there enlist in the servi.ee of Great Britain, was going on extensively, with little or no disgu’se. Ordina ry legal steps were immediately taken to arrest and punish parties concerned, and so put an end to acts infringing the municipal law, and derogatory j to our sovereignty. Meanwhile suitable represent ations on the subject were addressed to the British Government. Thereupon it became known, by the admission of the British Government itself, that the attempt to draw recruits from this country originated with it, or at least had its approval and sunction ; but it also appeared that the public agents engaged in it had “stringent instructions” not to violate the municipal law of the United States. It is difficult to understand how it should have been supposed that troops could be raised here by Great Britain without violation of the municipal law. The nnmistakeable object of the law was to prevent every such act, which if performed, must be ‘either In violation of the law, or in studied eva sion of it, and in either alternative, the act done, would be alike injurious to the sovereignty of the : United States. Iu the meantime the matter acquired additional importance by the recruitments in the U. States not being discontinued, and the disclosure of the fact that they were prosecuted upon a systematic plan devised by official authority ; that recruiting rendezvous had been opened in our principal cit ies, and depots for the reception of recruits established ob our frontier ; and the whole business conducted under the supervision and by the regular co-opera tion of British Officers, civil and military, some in the North American Provinces, and some in the United States. The complicity of those officers in an undertaking which could only be accomplish ed by defying our laws, throw ing suspicion over our attitude of neutrality, and disregarding our territorial rights, is conclusively proved by the evidence elicited on the trial of such of their agents as have been apprehended and convicted. Some of the officers thus implicated are of high official position, and many of them beyond our jurisdic tion, so that legal proceeding could not reach the source of the mischief. These considerations, and the fact that the cause of complaint was not a mere casual occurrence,but a deliberate design, entered upon with full knowledge of our laws and national policy, and conducted by responsible public functionaries, impelled me to present the case to the British Government in or der to secure not only a cessation of the wrong:, but its reparation. The subject is still under discus sion. the residt of which will be communicate to you in due time. I repeat the recommendation submitted to the last Congress, that provision be made for the ap pointment, of a Commissioner, in connexion with ! Great Britain, to survey and establish the bennda ry line which divides the territory of Washington from the contiguous British Possessions. By rea son of the extent and importance of the country in dispute, there has been imminent danger of colission between the subjects of Great Britain nrd the citizens of the United States, including their respective authorities in that quarter The prospect of a speedy arrangement has contributed h'therto to induce on both sides forbearance to as sert by force what each claims as a right. Contin uance of delay on the part of the two Govern ments to act in the matter, will increase the dan gers and difficulties of the controversy. Misunderstanding exists as to the extent, char acter and value of thopossessory rights of the Hud son's Bay Company and the property of the Pu get's Sound Agricultural Company, reserved in j our treaty with Great Britain relative to the terri tory of Oregon. 1 have reason to believe that a | cession of the rights of both companies to the I United States, which would be the readiest moans j of terminating all questions, can be obtained on ■ reasonab.e terms ; and with a view to this end, I present the subject to the attention of Congress. The Colony of New’ Foundland, having enacted the laws required by the treaty of the sth day of June, 1854, is now placed on the same footing, in respect to commercial intercourse with the United States, as the other British North American pro vinces. The commission which that treaty contemplated for determining the rights of fishery in rivers and mouths of rivers on the coasts of the United States and the British North American Provinces Ims been organized and has commenced its labors ; to complete which there is needed further appro priations for the service of another season. SOUND DUES. In pursuance of the authority conferred by a re solution of the Senate of the United States, pass ed on the 3d of March last, notice was giver. A Hcmnark, on the 14th day of April, of the inten tion of this Government to avail itself of the stip ulation of the subsisting convention of friendship, commerce and navigation between that Kingdom andH! 10 States, whereby either party might ft r£! n YCars ’ terminate the same at the expira- U netp5SSCfWM?? f . •““ that purpose. The considerations which led ine teution of Congress to that Convention, and in duced the Senate to adopt the resolution” referred to. still continue in full-force. The Convention con tuius an article which’ although it docs not dircct- ly engage the United States to submit to the inv position of tolls on the vessels and cargoes of Americans passing into or from the Baltic Sea, di ring the continuance of the treaty, yet may, by possibility, be construed as implying such submit sion. The exaction of those tolls not being justi fied by any principle of international law,” it be came the right and the duty of the United States to relieve themselves from “the implication of en gagement on the subject, so as to be perfectly free to act in the premises in such way as their public interests and honor shall demand. I remain of the opinion that the United States ought not to submit to the payment of the Sound Dues, not so much because of tlie : r amount, which is a secondary matter, but became it is in effect, the recognition of the right of Denmark to treat one of the great maritime highways of nations as a close sea, and the navigation of‘it as a privilege for which tribute may be imposed upon those wild have occasion to nse it. No. 37 The Government on a former occasion not un like the present, signalized its determination to maintain the freedom of the seas and of the great natural channels of navigation. The Barbary States had fora long time coerced the payment of tribute from all nations whose ships frequented thd Mcditcranean. To the last demand of such pay ment made by them, the United States, although suffering less by their depredations than many oth* er nations, returned the explicit answer, that wo preferred war to tribute, and thus opened the way to the relief of the commerce of the world from an ignominious tax, so long submitted to by the more powerfal nations of Europe. Ts the manner of payment of the Sound Dues differs from that of the tribute formerly conceded to the Barbary States, still their exaction by Den mark has no better foundation in right. Each was in its origin, nothing but a tax on a common natu ral right extorted by those who were at that time able to ob-itrm-t tbetreo and secure enjoy meet ©C It, but who no longer possess that power. Denmark, while resisting our assertion of the freedom ot the Baltic Sound and Belts, lias indi cated a readiness to make some new arrangement on the subject, and has invited the governments in terested, including the United States, to be represented in a Convention to assemble for the purpose of receiving and considering a propo sition, which she intends to submit, for tlie Capital ization of the Sound Dues and the distribution of I the sum to be paid as commutation among the Go vernments, according to the respective proportions ! of their maritime commerce to and from the Bal tic. I have declined in behalf of the United States i to accept this invitation, for the most cogent rca j sons. One is, that Denmark does not offer to sub i mit to the Convention the question of her right to | levy the Sound Dues. A second is, that if the i Convention were allowed to take cognizance of that particular question, still it would not be com petent to deal with the great international princi j pie involved, which affects the right in other ca j ses of navigation and commercial freedom as well |as that of access to the Baltic. Above all, by the ! express terms of the proposition, it is contemplate j ed that the consideration of the Sound Dues shall be commingled jwlth utxl made, subordinate to a matter wholly extraneous, the balance of power among the Governments of Europe. While, however, rejecting this proposition, and insisting on the right of free transit into and front the Baltic, I have expressed to Denmark a willing ness. on the part of the United States, to share Ji ! berally with other Powers in compensating berfor any advantages which commerce shall hereafter derive from expenditures made by her for the inv provement and safety of the navigation of the Sound or Belts. I lay before you, herewith, sundry docu ments on the subject, in which my views ard more fully disclosed. Should no satisfactory arrangement be soon concluded 1 shall again call your attention to the subject, with fecom mendation of such measures as may appear to be required in order to assert and secure the rights of the United Stales, so far as they are affected by the pretentions of Denmark France. f announce with much gratification that, since the adjournment of the last Congress, the question then existing between this Govern ment and that of France, respecting the French Consul at San Francisco, has been satisfactorily determined, and that the relations of the two Governmests continue to be of the most friendly nature. GKEF.CE A question also, which has been pending for several years between the United States and the Kingdom of Greece, growing out of the sequestration, by public authorities of that country, of property belonging to the present American Consul at Athens, ard which had been the subject of very earnest discussion hero toforc, has recently been settled to the satisfac tion of the party interested and of both Gov ernments. SPAIN'. With Spain peaceful relations are stilt maintained, and some progress lias been mado in securing the redress of wrongs complained of by this Government. Spain lias not only disavowed and di?ft[ proved the conduct of the officers who illegally seized and detained the’ steamer Black Warib r at Havana, but has also paid the sum claimed as indemnity for the loss thereby inflicted on citizens of the United States. In consequence of a destructive hurricane which visited Cuba in 1844, the supreme au thority of that island issued a decree nermit ; ting the importation, for the period of six months, of certain buildingmatorials and provis ions, free of duty, but revoked it when about half the period only had elapsed, to the injury !of citizens of the United States, who had proceeded to act on the faith of that decree. 1 lie Spanish Government refused indemnifica tion to the parties aggrieved until recently,- when it was assented to, payment being promis ed to be made so soon as the amount due can be ascertained. Satisfaction claimed for the arrest and search of the steamer El Dorado has not yet been accorded, but there is reason to believe that it will be, and that case, with others, will ; continue to be urged on the attention of the Spanish Government. Ido not abandon the hope of concluding with Spain some general arrangement, which, if it do not wholly pre* vent the recurrence of difficulties in Cuba, will render them less frequent, and whenever they shall occur facilitate their more speedy settle- 1 ment. MEXICO. The interposition of this Government has been invoked by many of its citizens on account, of injuries done to their persons and property * for which the Mexican Republic is responsible; The unhappy situation of that country for some time past lias not allowed its Government to give due consideration to claims of private reparation, and has appeared to call for and justify some forbearance in such matters on the part of this Government. But, it the revolu tionary movements which have lately oecnred in that Hepubticcnd in the organization of a stable Government, urgent appeals to its justice will then be made, and, it may be hoped, wiJif.A.nceess.for the rcdiess of all complaints of our citizens. CENTRAL AMERICA. 11l regard to the American Republics, which, from their proximity and other consider-* ations, have peculiar relations to this Govern-* ment, while it has been my constant aim strictly to observe all the obligations of political friend ship and of good neighborhood, obstacles to this have arisen in some of them, from their own insufficient power to check lawless irrap-