I * !
KEOWEE COURIER.
f t ' * [ ' ' %
-- 10 T,IlNli ?WN nK C,tUli' ANU vr MU8t prOLLOW, AS TIIB KIUJIT THE DAY, THOU CAN'BT SOT THltN BR t'ALSB TO ANV MAX." jj
VOL. 1. I'ICKISNS COURT HOUSE, 8. C., SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1850. NO 33
TIIE
KCOWKi: 4!OiruIl!K,
PRtNTKD AND PlWLlSIIED WEEKLY BY
W. II. TUIMMIEH.
J. W. NORMS, Jn? ( v ... ru
E. M. KKIT1I, j EdltorflTERMS*
Ono l)oll>ir nn?l Fifty Cent* for one yoar'n
subscription when paid within throe months, I
Two dollars if payment is delayed to the close
of the subscript ion year.
All subscription* not qlenrly limited, will bo
considered as inndo for an indefinite time, nnd
continued till a dwedntirtnartee is ordered and
all arrearages paid.
A<tccrtix'')ncnts inserted at 75 centd p^?
square for the first insertion, and 37 12 ct.-*. for ;
each continued insertion. Liberal deductions ;
made to those advertisinuf bv the vear.
All Communications''should be addre.ss- :
ed to the Publishe r post paid.
?? 'i-'
Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and
House of Representatives:
Sixty years have elapsed since the es- j
tablislimcnt of this government, and the
Cbngress of the United States again as- I
sembles to legislate for an empire of freemon.
Tho predictions of evil prophets, I
who formerly pretended to foretell the
downfall of our institutions, are now remembered
only tobe doVid"'' and the
United States of Ameiioaat i?.s moment I
presents to the world the most stable and (
pormanont government upon earth.
Such is the result of tho labors of I
those who have gone before us. IpBpon
Congress will eminently depend the future
maintainanco of our system of free
government, and the transmission of it,
unimpaired to posterity.
We areatpeaca with all the nations of
the world, and seek to maintain our cherished
relations of amity with them! l)uringthe
past year we have been blessbtl,
by a kind Providence, with an abuti*
dance of the fruits of the earth; and, tdthough
the destroying angel, for a time j
visited extensive portions our territory I
with the ravages of a dreadful postilence, !
yet tho Almighty litis at length -deigned j
to stay hi* hand, and to. restore the inesti- j
nmble blessing of general health to a
people who have acknowledged his pow- :
or, doprecatcd his wrath, and implored
his moroiful protection.
While enjoying tho benefits of amicable
intercourse with . foreign nation*; we
have, pot been i^sensiPl'' to tho distrnetionsand
\yars which havo prevailed in
other quarters of the woi id. 11 is a prop
er theme of thanksgiving to him who i
rules tlio destinies of nations, that we
have bca^fibio to i^piutfthi, .amidst nil
those contests, an independent and nwutral
position towards all belligerent pour*
ers.
Our relations with Great Britain are
of tho most friendly character.
In consequence of the recont alteration
of the British navigation acts, British vessels
from British and oilier foreign ports,
M ill, under existing laws, after the first,
clay of January next, be admitted to cntrv
in our ports, with cargoes of the growth, J
manufactures, or productions of any part
of the world, on t'?? tcnjis, aatoi
duties, imposts, and charges, an vessels
of the UhUcd States wij.li their cargoes; !
and our vessels will be admitted to the
same advantages in British ports, catering
t herein on the same terms as British vps- j
sclftj Should no order in council disturb i
this legislative arrangement, tho late act
of the British Parliament, by which
Great Britain is brought within tho terms
proposed by the act of Congress of tho
1st of March, ]1817, it is hoped will be j
productive of benefit to both countries. !
A slight interruption of diplomatic in- j
tercoyrse, which occurred between this j
itovernmeni anu prance, L am happy to
sav, has been terminated, and ouruVin- j
ister there has been received. It is, j
thorefpro, unnecessary to refer now Ao j
the circumstances wnion Icu to tlifit interruption.
I need not express to you
the sincere satisfaction with which >vc
shall welcome th^> arrival of OuOtliej-Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plcuipo,
tentiary Jdttttn u lister Republic, to which
we have^blorigf been. and btili remain,
bound by the strongest, ties of amity.
Shortly after f hfid entered upon the
:di8char$cOT th<$ Executive duties, I was
apprised that a war summer belonging to
the German Empire was being fiugd out
in tho harbor of New York, with thenjd
of some of our naval officers, rendered under
tho permission of tho ]at<> .Secretary
of tho Navy. This permission was gran
ted during an nrmist ice between that Em
pirc and the Kingdom pf Denmark, winch
hud been engaged in the ?S>chleswig Holstein
war. Apprehensive that this act of in
tervention, on our part, might be viewed
as u violation of our neutral obligations,
incurred by the treaty with Denmark, and
* 1. -V.-.
of the provisions of the act of Congress, 1
of the 20th of April, 1818. I directed |
tlmt no further Old should be rendered
by any agent or oilicer of the Navy; and
L instructed the Secretary of #SYtate to ftp- j
prize the Minister of the Q or man Empire ;
accredited to this Government, of my
determination to execute the law of the !
United States, and to maintain the faith!
of treaties with all nations. The corres-j
pondtjjice which ensued between the De- !
partmcnt of State and the Minister of the !
German Empire is lu owith laid before I
you. Y'he execution ot the law and the '
observance of the treaty were deemed by 1
me to be due to the honor of the country, ;
as well as to the sacred obligations of the !
constitution. I shall not fail to pursue {
the same course, should a similar case
luitll otll' * 1 ' 1
M.wv, nil) UVUVI II.IJUIVllljr |
avowed the opinion, on taking the oath of |
orticc, that, in disputes between conflic- 1
ting foreign Governments, it is our inter- .
est, not lcs^i than our duty, t . rdnnuu :
strictly neutral, I shall not abandon it.
You will perceive, from tho correspondence
submitted to you, in connexion
with this subject, that the? co.urse aar pled
in this case lias been properly regarded ;
by the belligerent Powers interested ih j
tho matter.
IL.. - < ?? T-r . t
r>iiuuu"iiJi minister 01 mc united ;
States to tlie German Empire \vns np:
pointfcd bv rtty predecessor in August,
1848, antt has for a long time been, in attendance
at Frankfort-on-the-Maine, and
altbongb a Minister lippointed to represent
tjiat. Empire was received and accredited
here, Vet, no such Government
as tlmi of the derman Empire has been i
definitely constituted. Mr. Donolson,
our representative at Frankfort, remained
there seVeiral months, in expectation that
a union of thcGermiin States, under one J
constitution or form of Government, i
might at length be org tin i zed] ft is be-;
lieVcd by those well acquainted with the J
existing relations botwp<5n Prussia and j
the States of Germany)' that no such !
union can bo permanently established '
without her co-operation. In the event)
of the formation of ?ucW a union, and the
organizationof:a central power in Ger- i
many, of which she should form a part, [
it would bfcco\Vie licctfssary to withdraw ;
our minister ttfc Berlin; but while Prussia I
exists as ftn inilcpmulont Kingdom, ..nd
diplomatic rtmtidrift al;C maintained with j
her, there can be no necessity for the con- i
tiuuan<^e of thtf'ihission to Frankfort. I j
haS'o, therefore, recalled Mr. T)onelson, I
and directed theWchWe's1 of the'legation
atFranktort.'lo he transferred to the
American legation nt)I3e>lin. '
Having-been apprized that a consider- j
able number of adventurers were en-i
gaged in fitting out a military expedition 1
within the'XJnited States against a for- !
eign country,' and believing from the host;
information I could obtain, tluit it was
destined to invade the Island of Cuba, I
; deemed it due to tho friendly relations
; existing between tho United States and
: Spain, to the treaty existing between the
I two nations, to the laws of tho UhUfcd !
states, and above all, to the Amorioun
j honor, to exei i, the '.awful authority of;
j this government; in suppressing tho expo- ;
dition and preventing the invasion. To
i his end 1 issued a proclamation, enjoin*
it:? it upon the officers of tho TTnitcd 1
I .S'tates, civil nnd military, to use all law- j
ful means within their pbwer. A copy1
1 of that proclamation i? horewith submitted.
The expedition has boon suppressed.
So long as the act of Congress of
tho 20th ot April, 1618, which owes its ;
existence to the law of nations nnd to the j
policy of Washington himself, shallf re 1
1 main on our statute- book, I hold; it to be \
the duty of the ^xeeutivo* faithfully to
obey its injunctions.
Wbilo this expedition was in progress,
i was iniormed that a foreigner, who
claimed our protection, had been clandes- I
I tinely, and, as was supposed, forcibly i
j carried off in a vessel from New Orleans i
to tho Iuluud of Cuba 1 immediately i
caused such steps to be taken as I thought |
necessary, in case the information I had j
received should provo oorrect> to vindie:Wo
the honor of tho country, mid the
right of cvory person seeking an asylum
on our soil to tho protection .of our laws.
The person alleged to have been abducted
was promptly restored, and the circumstances
of the.cn^e are now about to
undergo investigation before .a legal IVibunal.
1 would respectfully suggest
that, although the tr. i
- ? ---- - fv"
been committed In this case is held odious,
an being ir* conflict with otfi'opinionfi on
the subjeot of national sovereignty and
personal freedom, there is no prohibition
of it, or punishment for it, provided in any
act of Congress. The expediency of sup
plying this defect in our criminal code is
therefore recommended to your consideration.
I have scrupulously avoided any interference
in tho wars and contentions |
which have recently distracted Europe.
During tho InU: conflict between Austria
ami //nngnry, thero seemed (o ho n
prospect that tho latter might Uccome an
independent nation. 7/owever faint that
prospect at <he time appeared, I thought
it my duty,.in accordance with thogonernl
sentiment of the American people,
who doeply sympathised with theJ/hgyar
patriots, to stand prepared, upon the
contingency of the establishment by bet
ui u pHriiiinu iii, government, 10 ue uic
lirst to welcome independent Hungary
into the family of nations. For this purpose
1 invested an agent, then in Europe,
with power to declare our willing"
noss promptly to recognise her independent
in the event of her ability to sustain
it. The powerful intervention ol
Russia in the contest extinguished the
hopes of the struggling Magyars. The
United States did not at any time, interfere
in the co" but the feelings of the
nation wevr ly enlisted in the cause,
and by tb ouliorings of a bravo people
who lmd made a gallant, though unsuc
cessful cft'ort to 1x3 free.
Our claims upon Portugal have bcei
during tho past year prosecuted with re
newed vigor, and it has been my objee
to employ every effort of honorable di
plomacy to procure their adjustment
Our late Charge d'Affaires at Lisbon, tin
//on. Geo. W. Hopkins, made able anc
energetic, but unsuccessful eflbrts to set
tie these unpleasant matters of controvcr
sy, and to obtain indemnity for tb<
wrongs which jveic the subjects of com
plaint. Our present Charge d'Affaire
at that Court will also bring to the pros
ceulion of these claims ability and zeal
The revolutionary and distracted condi
tion of Po\ tugal in past times has bee:
renresented as one of tha 1i?nninor f:uiKr>? r
her delay in indemnifying our suffering c
ti/ons; but I must now say it is a matter c
p. O our.d regret that these claims have nc
yet been settled, y'ho omission of Pot
tugal to do justice to tl?o American claim
ants has now assumed a character s
grave and serious that I shall phortl
mako it the subject of a special messag
to Congress, with a view to such ultima I
action as its wisdom and patriotism ma
suggest. _ ; '
Willi Jllu^ia, Austria, Prusria, S\vc
den, tyoumar.k, Belgium, the jSTethcrland
and the Italian States, we still maintm
our accustomed ainicabip relations.
During the rocent revolutions in th
7\ipalStales our Chargo d'Afloircs n
Homehi\s been unable to present his'lot
ter of credence, which indeed, lie whs di
reeled by.tmY,pr(,deces&or to withold un
til ho should rcceive further order;
Such was the unsettled condition of thing
in those States that it was not decnie
expedient to give him any instruction5, o
the subject of presenting bis eredentii
letter different from (hose with which h
had been furnished by the lute admjnif
I tration until the 25th of Juno last; wliQi
in consequence of the want of accurate i
formation of the exact state of things *
that distance from us,-ho was instructor
to exorcise his own discretion in presenl
ing himself to the existing Governmeu
if in his judgement sufficiently stable; 01
I ~ C 1. cjr: ?
It IIVl. III il\> <110 IUIIIIVI Ulll ?. OlIIC
that pcrjod Rome Uijis undergone anothc
revolution, and lie abides the establish
lishment of a Government sufficient!
permanent to justify him in opening di
plomatic.intercourse with, it. .
AVitJj the republic of Mexico it is ou
ti'uo policy to cultivate the most fiiendl
relations., Since tho ratification(of Gun
dahipe Ilidnlgo, nothing J>as occurred c
a soriou*;. character to disturb tljorti. 7
faithful observance,of the treaty, and )
sincere respect for her rights, cannot fai
to secure the lasting confidence and fciom
Rhlp 6t that 'republic. The m&snge o
my preuecessor to me House 01 itcpvcaoi
tallves, of the 8th of February last, cdm
municatiug, in compliance with a re'sbltl
.tiort of that body, a copy of a paper call
ed a Protocol, signed at Queretaro on tlx
3<jlTv of iVay, 1.84,8, by the comnn*sibi
era of the United States and the Miuistp
of Foreign Affairs of the J/cxiean g<?vcri
ment, ha.ing been a subject of corresnon
deuce between the Department of ?Vtat<
nnd the envoy extraordinary and .hemi;
i f i plenipotentiary of that rep'.hlic ac
credited to this govevprneat, a iranscrjp
ot tnat cow?r>pondepce is hdrcwitn lub
hi i tied, '
The commissioner on the part of tli;
United States for marking the fibtindAr)
between the two republics, though dc
luycd in reaching San tJiego by unfore
seen obstacles, arrived at that place with
in a short period afler the limo required
by the treaty, and was there joined bj
(he Commissioner on the part of jVexico
TlVCy entered upon their duties: and
at the date of iho latest intelligence iron'
that quarter, some progress had beer
made in the survey. The expenses incident
to tho organisation of (he commit
Jin rni11 mmmm
| sion, .uul to its conveyance to to tlu>. 1
! point where its operations wore to begin, i
I have so much rcduccd the fund appro- ]
i printed by Congress, that a further sum, ;
; to cover the charges whi'* *npst be incur :1
red during the present fiscal year, ill be t
' necossnrv. The great length along <
j which the frontier extends, the nature of '
i the ad jacent territory, and the difficulty
u of obtaining supplies, except at or near i
" the extremes of the line, render it almost 1
>! indispensable that a liberal provision
j should be made to meet the necessary
charges during the fiscal year ending on .
tho 80th of Jane, 1851. I accordingly
recommend this subject to your attention.
In the adjustment of the claims of
l American citizens on .l/exico, provided for i
' by the late treaty, tho employment of
! counsel, on the part of Government, j
1 may become important for the purpose of
jiRfcwt.innr thn oA^iiticoiMUAf"
U, v..^.WIIMIilO>7IU|IUIO III |J1VIVV/UI1|J j
> the interests of ilic U. States. I reconi- .
> mend ill is subject to the early and favor*
able consideration of Congress.
COmplmnts have been made in regard
1 to tho inefficiency of the means provided
by the Government of New Grenada for
t transporting'thc U. S. mail across the Isth
mns of Panama, pursuant to our Postal
Convention with that Republic, of the
1 Oth of March, 1844. Our Charge d'Af1
faires at Bogota lias been directed to
- make such representations to the Govern*
meat of New Granada as will, it is hoped,
c lead to a prompt removal of this cause
- of complaint. ^
s The sangv >.ary civil war with which
' the Republic of Venezula has for some
' time past been ravaged, has been brought
l* to a close. In its progress the rights of
11 st>me of our citizens, resident or trading
'[ there, have been violated. The restora-1
lion of order will afford to the Venezuelan
'' Government an opportunity to examine
' and redress these grievances, and others
of long standing, which our representa "
at Caraccas have hitherto inclYeetu0
ally urged uj on the attention of that
>' Government.
c r The extension of, the coast of the UniC
I (f'll nn /lin Pnnilin nr.?l (!./> . ???
^ ~ v?.v .a. >?VI?IVV, -UIU V1IVJ II Illy A >'
amplcd rapidity with which tho inhabitants
of California especially arc increasing
in numbers, hayo imparted new con*
sequence to our relations with the other
n countries whose territories border upon
tjlieocennj It is probable that tho intere
course- between those countries nnd our
1 possessions in that quarter, particular!/
" with the Republic of Chili, will become
* j extensive und nmtunlly advantageous in
" proportion as California, and Oregon shall
! Increase in population and wealth. It is
s i .1 ~ i ii c. -1 - * ^
- | uisunoii!, mcnnorc,mat uus uovernment
J should do ovrry thing in its posver to fosn
tor and strengthen its relations with those
'1 ! States, and (hat the spirit of amity be0
j tween us shoidd bp mutual and cordial.
?" i I recommend the observance of the
same course towards all other American
11 tftyites. The United StaU-s sUmdastho!
a groat American Power, to which, as their j
natural ally and fiiond, they will always
k i be disposed to look for mediation and
assistance, in the event of any collision
'> between them find any European nation.
e As such, we may ol ten kindly mediate in
r their behalf, without entangling ourselves
in foreign wars or unnecessary controyer
y sics. Whenever the faith of our treaties
with any of them shall veuwiio oui inter i
l'crence, we muit necessarily interpo.se,
r A convention has been negotiated with |
)' Brazil providing for the satisfaction of
* American claims on Jiat Government, |
i and it will be submitted to the Semite.?- ;
^ . Since the last sesj-ion of Congress, w e J
11 :< have received an L'lnvoy Extraordinary!
and Minister Plenipotentiar" from that ]
^ j empire, nnd our relation* with it are
'' founded up#n the most amicable under11
| standing.
j Your attention is earnestly invited to
nr) amendment of our existing laws rela
, ting to the African slave trade, with a
0 i view to the effectual suppression of that
- barbarous tifiQic. It-is not to be denied j
1* ! i 1 *fIrnrffl ia ciill I ? *%?* #
^ .j VI>MV vu>Y 9VIII) III |/l?l V| Villi I irtj 1.141
11 ' by moans of vessels built. in the United :
' , Mutes, and owned or navigated by some ,
k of our citizens. The correspondence be
1 iwe?*n the department of 6'tate and the ;
- minister and consul of the United States
t at Rio de .lanciro, which has from timo,tp,
- time boon tyid before Congress, represents
j that i( is customary devico to evade tab !
penalties of our laws by means of sea- :
* tetters. Vessels Bold in Brazil, when 11
provided with such papers by the consul, j I
instead of returning to the Unito<l States ( i
for a new register, pre cowl til onco ta tho j I
I coast of Africa, for the purpose of ob- (t
' tnining cargoes of slaves, J/uch addi-, <
tional information, of the same.character, ! <
? baa recently been transmitted to the De- j,
i partmont of State. It Iins not been con- . 1
i .i ?? -
| muuicu mo |H)uuy "? "Hi" lO HUUjeCl : I
I (lie A r.ierican (htizon, who, in a foreign ! i
I country, purchases a vessel built in the I
J*
United States, to the inconvenience of
send her home for a new register, before
permitting her to proceed on a voyage.
Any alteration of the 'laws which might
lave a tendency to impede the free transfer
of property in vessels between our
citizens, or the free navigation of thoie
vessels between dilTerent pnrts of the
world, when employed in lawful commerce,
should be well and cautiously
considered; but I trust that,your wisdom
will devise a method by which our general
policy, in this respect, may bo proserved,
and at the same time the abuse of
our Hag, by means of sea-letters, in tho
m..iner indicated, may be prevented.
1 laving ascertained that there is no
mi iu? reunion 01 ine nvc states
of Central America, which formerly compose
i the republic of that name, wo
have seperately negotiated with some
nf thnm treaties of amity and commerce,
which will be laid before the Senate
A contract having been concluded with
the Slnte of Nicaragua, by a company
c.onmnsrwl nf A m/iv!no? f -
?. oinviivnii Vlll/.IIIC, ivr IIIU
purpose of constructing a ship canal thro*
the territory of that State, to connect the
Atlantic and Pacific, oceans, I have directed
the negotiation of ? treaty with Nicaragua,
pledging both Governments to
protect those who shall engage in.and
perfecttho work. All other natiQaSiari
invited by the State of Nicaragua to enter
into the 6ame treaty stipulations with
her; and the benefit to be derived by
each from such an arrangement will be
the protection of this great inter-occanic
communication against any Power which
might seek to obstruct it, or to monopolize
its advantages. All States entering
into such a treaty will enjoy the light of
passage through the canal on payment of
the same tolls.
The work, if constructed under these
giuimnucs, win Docome a bond of pence
instead of a subject of contention and
strife botween the nations of tlic earth.
Should the great maritime States of
Europe consent to this arrangement, (and
wr have no reason to suppose that a proposition
so fair and honorable will be opposed
by any>) the energies of their peapie
and ours will co-operate in promoting
the success of the enterprise. I do not
recommend any appropriation from tho
National JPrcraury for this purposo, nor do
I believe that such an appropriation is
necessary. 'Private enterprise, if proper*
IV protected, will complete the workj
should it prove, to be feasible. Tho parties
who have procured the charter from
Nicaragua, for its construction, desire no
assistance from this Government beyond
its protection; and they piofe>s that, having
examined the piopasod lino of communication,
they will be ready to commence
the undertaking whenever that
protection shall be extended to them.-Should
there appear to be reason, on examining
the whole evidence, to entertain
a scjcious doubt of practicability of constructing
such a canal, that doubt could
be speedily solved by on actual exploration
/of the route.
Should such a work be constructed,
under the common protection of all na*
tions, for equal benefits to all, it would be
neither just nor expedient that any great
maritime State should command the com
munioation. The territory thro' which
tho canal may be opened ought to bo
freed from tho claims of any foreign
Power. No such Power should occupy
;i position thut would enabled it hereafter
to exercise so controlling nn influence
overt the commerce of the world, or to
obstruct a highway whioh ought to bo
dedicated to the common use of mankind.
Tho routes across tho Isthmus, at 2V
hunntepec nnd- Panama, are also worthy
of your serious consideration. They did>
not fail to engngo the attention of my
predecessor. The negotiator of the treaty
of Gaudalupc //idalgo was instructed
to offer n large sum of money for tho
right of transit Across tho isthmufe Tthu?n
tepee. The .Mexican government did
not accede to the proposition for the purchase
of the right of way, probably because
it had already oontniofed with private
individuals (oBthe construction |of n
passage from the Guasacualo river toTchunntepec.
I sfcajl pot renew any plot
position to purclmse, for monev, a right
which ought to be secured to all nations,
o,n payment of a reasonable tu]l,JU>tho
owners of the improvement, who would,
doubtless, be contented with tha^jjpiu^^n
Ration and the guaranties of the mavuiuno
Stutcs of the world, in sfpnvajte trQfttifa
negotiated with Mexico, binding her and,
them (o protect thoso who should construct
the work. Sueh guurantiea woiihl
la anoro to securo the completion of (ho
'.omniunicntion through the torritory of
Afo^ico than other iea$onablo considevalion
that could be offered; and as Mexico
herself would oe the greateej gainer by
the opening of the communication between
the Gulf and tlia Paollio ocean.
?