vil cases, where the cause of action shall not "exceed in value or sum of two hundred pounds." it to the date of this act of Parliament, a grant was made from crown" to the Hudson's Bay Company, of the exclusive he Indian tribes in the Oregon territory, subject to a reservahall not operate to the exclusion "of the subjects of any forwho, under or by force of any convention for the time being, and such foreign States respectively, may be entitled to, and aged in, the said trade." h to be regretted, that while under this act British subjects d the protection of British laws and British judicial tribunals the whole of Oregon, American citizens in the same territory ed no such protection from their government. At the same sult illustrates the character of our people and their institutions. his neglect they have multiplied, and their number is rapidly n that territory. They have made no appeal to arms, but have ortified themselves in their new homes, by the adoption of restitutions for themselves; furnishing another example of the self-government is inherent in the American breast, and must is due to them that they should be embraced and protected by med important that our laws regulating trade and intercourse dian tribes east of the Rocky mountains, should be extended es as dwell beyond them. easing emigration to Oregon, and the care and protection which the government to its citizens in that distant region, make it is it is our interest, to cultivate amicable relations with the Inof that territory. For this purpose, I recommend that provision r establishing an Indian agency, and such sub-agencies as may necessary, beyond the Rocky mountains. protection of emigrants, whilst on their way to Oregon, against of the Indian tribes occupying the country through which they ommend that a suitable number of stockades and block-house ected along the usual route between our frontier settlements on ri and the Rocky mountains; and that an adequate force of iflemen be raised, to guard and protect them on their journey. ediate adoption of these recommendations by Congress will not provisions of the existing treaty. It will be doing nothing more an citizens than British laws have long since done for British the same territory'. res several months to perform the voyage by sea from the Atlano Oregon; and although we have a large number of whale ships ific, but few of them afford an opportunity of interchanging inwithout great delay, between our settlements in that distant I the United States. An overland mail is believed to be entirely , and the importance of establishing such a mail, at least once a submitted to the favorable consideration of Congress. omitted to the wisdom of Congress to determine whether, at their ssion, and until after the expiration of the year's notice, any other may be adopted consistently with the convention of 1827, for the our rights and the government and protection of our citizens in That it will ultimately be wise and proper to make liberal grants 2 yes the same ts, in lep n atriotic pioneers, who, amidst privations and dangers, lead endations which I have made, as to the best manner of 'the year's notice, should Congress think it proper to make ing that notice, we shall have reached a period when the in Öregon must either be abandoned or firmly maintained. ot be abandoned without a sacrifice of both national honor too clear to admit of doubt. art of the North American continent, to which, it is confi, the title of the United States is the best now in existence. s on which that title rests, I refer you to the correspondand present Secretary of State with the British plenipothe negotiation. The British proposition of compromise, ake the Columbia the line south of forty-nine degrees, with on of detached territory to the United States, north of that d leave on the British side two-thirds of the whole Oregon Ling the free navigation of the Columbia and all the valuathe Pacific, can never, for a moment, be entertained by the without an abandonment of their just and clear territorial n self-respect, and the national honor. For the informas, I communicate herewith the correspondence which took he two governments during the late negotiation. anxiously to desire the est.. tension of our settlements over our territories heretofore unddition of new States to our confederacy; the expansion of and our rising greatness as a nation, are attracting the attenvers of Europe; and lately the doctrine has been broached , of a "balance of power" on this continent to check our The United States, sincerely desirous of preserving reladerstanding with all nations, cannot in silence permit any ference on the North American continent; and should any ce be attempted, will be ready to resist it at any and all the principle avowed by Vi e in its wisdom and sound p seal in reference to North A fa policy which no Euro; resist. Existing rights of it is due alike to our sil that no future Europen s has recently arisen unde een the United States and two countries have the n ferences as may arise be ning to the nation whe at the interference of t crews or of the captain sh try; or the said consuls sh us to be carried into effec Prassian consul at New Be or to carry into effect a de of the Prussian ship E raud that, without previo * possess the power to g. on of the treaty, and Lient, through own to the American people and to all nations, that this s never interfered with the relations subsisting between nts. We have never made ourselves parties to their wars es; we have not sought their territories by conquest; we led with parties in their domestic struggles; and, believing of government to be the best, we have never attempted to intrigues, by diplomacy, or by force. We may claim on like exemption from European interference. The nations equally sovereign and independent with those of Europe. ess the same rights, independent of all foreign interposition, to to conclude peace, and to regulate their internal affairs. The the United States cannot, therefore, view with indifference atEuropean Powers to interfere with the independent action of the this continent. The American system of government is entirely om that of Europe. Jealousy among the different sovereigns of st any one of them might become too powerful for the rest, has em anxiously to desire the establishment of what they term the of power." It cannot be permitted to have any application on American continent, and especially to the United States. We maintain the principle, that the people of this continent alone ight to decide their own destiny. Should any portion of them, g an independent state, propose to unite themselves with our ey, this will be a question for them and us to determine, without n interposition. We can never consent that European Powers fere to prevent such a union, because it might disturb the "balower" which they may desire to maintain upon this continent. arter of a century ago, the principle was distinctly announced to , in the annual message of one of my predecessors, that "the continents, by the free and independent condition which they med and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subfuture colonization by any European Power." This principle with greatly increased force, should any European Power attempt sh any new colony in North America. In the existing circumI the world, the present is deemed a proper occasion to reiterate rm the principle avowed by Mr. Monroe, and to state my cordial ace in its wisdom and sound policy. The reassertion of this prinecially in reference to North America, is, at this day, but the proof a policy which no European Power should cherish the disto resist. Existing rights of every European nation should be ; but it is due alike to our safety and our interests, that the effiection of our laws should be extended over our whole territorial d that it should be distinctly announced to the world as our sety, that no future European colony or dominion shall, with our be planted or established on any part of the North American con tion has recently arisen under the tenth article of the subsisting tween the United States and Prussia. By this article, the conhe two countries have the right to sit as judges and arbitrators differences as may arise between the captains and crews of the belonging to the nation whose interests are committed to their vithout the interference of the local authorities, unless the conhe crews or of the captain should disturb the order or tranquillity untry; or the said consuls should require their assistance to cause isions to be carried into effect or supported." Prussian consul at New Bedford, in June, 1844, applied to Mr. Story to carry into effect a decision made by him between the capcrew of the Prussian ship Borussia; but the request was refused ground that, without previous legislation by Congress, the judinot possess the power to give effect to this article of the treaty. ssian government, through their minister here, have complained violation of the treaty, and have asked the government of the dopt the necessary measures to prevent similar violations faith to Prussia, as well as to other nations with whom eaty stipulations, requires that these should be faithfully deemed it proper, therefore, to lay the subject before recommend such legislation as may be necessary to give ty obligations. The placed upon the same fo and other countries where it eighth section of the tar:ti ty of fifteen cents per gallon on the red wines of sever ty of only six cents per ga r as regarded the Port wine zreaty with that Power, whic shad be imposed on the up y article the growth, prod ossessions of Portugal, than being the growth, proit P." Accordingly, to give tent of Congress, expressed in therein contained should b tes with foreign nations, of July, 1844, which, am arrangement made between the Spanish government nited States, in December, 1831, American vessels, since of April, 1832, have been admitted to entry in the ports g those of the Balearic and Canary islands, on payment ige duty of five cents per ton, as though they had been and this, whether our vessels arrive in Spain directly states, or indirectly from any other country. When Conof the thirteenth of July, 1832, gave effect to this arrangee two governments, they confined the reduction of tonto Spanish vessels "coming from a port in Spain," er discriminating duty to remain against such vessels ort in any other country. It is manifestly unjust that, vessels arriving in the ports of Spain from other counduty than Spanish vessels, Spanish vessels arriving in United States from other countries should be subjected to ting tonnage duties. This is neither equality nor recia violation of the arrangement concluded in December, e two countries. The Spanish government have made nest remonstrances against this inequality, and the favorCongress has been several times invoked to the subject ɔrs. I recommend, as an act of justice to Spain, that this noved by Congress, and that the discriminating duties levied under the act of the thirteenth of July, 1832, on coming to the United States from any other foreign counThis recommendation does not embrace Spanish veshe United States from Cuba and Porto Rico, which will ect to the provisions of the act of June thirtieth, 1834, age-duty on such vessels. e of Portugal, in casks, * per gallon, and directed eted on such wine should he same section of the act, it ther wines, "shall be sui " Imitations of Port w me extent into the Unite ow claims that, under a c ht not to pay a higher ne of Portugal. It app tations of Port wine sho the more valuable article fi per gallon. I therefore be necessary to correct th ** President, in his annual r the fourteenth of July, 1832, coffee was exempted from This exemption was universal, without reference to the was produced, or the national character of the vessel in ported. By the tariff act of the thirtieth of August, 1842, rom duty was restricted to coffee imported in American place of its production; whilst coffee imported under all ces was subjected to a duty of twenty per cent. ad valos act, and our existing treaty with the King of the Nethffee imported from the European ports of that kingdom States, whether in Dutch or American vessels, now pays The government of the Netherlands complains that ating duty should have been imposed on coffee, the prof its colonies, and which is chiefly brought from Java to kingdom, and exported from thence to foreign countries. he Netherlands is highly beneficial to both countries, and h them have ever been of the most friendly character. cumstances of the case, I recommend that this discrimiabolished, and that the coffee of Java, imported from the opriation to satisfy the ted States, which had the Executive extend. g a body of Texan troop an officer in the service of overnment; and the fore ding, on Red river, by ce ay therefrom the goods under the laws of Te o be due to Texas when t the terms of annexation prop invalidate the claim. I 1 ent. ssioner appointed to Chi March last, shortly afterwa We ship Columbus. On the state of his health had be attendants, he returne Weber last. Commodore ceeded on his voyage 3, be placed upon the same footing with that imported directly and other countries where it is produced. e eighth section of the tariff act of the thirtieth of August, ty of fifteen cents per gallon was imposed on Port wine in le, on the red wines of several other countries, when imported duty of only six cents per gallon was imposed. This discrimfar as regarded the Port wine of Portugal, was deemed a violatreaty with that Power, which provides, that "No higher or s shall be imposed on the importation into the United States of any article the growth, produce, or manufacture of the kingossessions of Portugal, than such as are or shall be payable on icle being the growth, produce, or manufacture of any other ntry." Accordingly, to give effect to the treaty, as well as to on of Congress, expressed in a proviso to the tariff act itself, g therein contained should be so construed as to interfere with treaties with foreign nations, a treasury circular was issued on th of July, 1844, which, among other things, declared the duty t wine of Portugal, in casks, under the existing laws and treaty, ents per gallon, and directed that the excess of duties which ollected on such wine should be refunded. By virtue of another he same section of the act, it is provided that all imitations of y other wines, "shall be subject to the duty provided for the ticle." Imitations of Port wine, the production of France, are o some extent into the United States; and the government of ry now claims that, under a correct construction of the act, these ought not to pay a higher duty than that imposed upon the ort wine of Portugal. It appears to me to be unequal and unjust, h imitations of Port wine should be subjected to a duty of fifteen le the more valuable article from Portugal should pay a duty of only per gallon. I therefore recommend to Congress such legisay be necessary to correct the inequality. e President, in his annual message of December last, recomappropriation to satisfy the claims of the Texan government e United States, which had been previously adjusted, so far as s of the Executive extend. These claims arose out of the act ng a body of Texan troops under the command of Major by an officer in the service of the United States, acting under the our government; and the forcible entry into the custom-house at landing, on Red river, by certain citizens of the United States, g away therefrom the goods seized by the collector of the cusrfeited under the laws of Texas. This was a liquidated debt, d to be due to Texas when an independent State. Her accepte terms of annexation proposed by the United States does not or invalidate the claim. I recommend that provision be made ment. mmissioner appointed to China during the special session of the March last, shortly afterwards set out on his mission in the tates ship Columbus. On arriving at Rio de Janeiro on his he state of his health had become so critical, that, by the advice edical attendants, he returned to the United States early in the October last. Commodore Biddle, commanding the East India |