The Portsmouth Inquirer, 1850-12-09

: . Fresh instructions have recently been giv given - en given the Minister of , the . United States ' in Mexico, who is prosecuting the subject with promptitude and ability. i'- ' f i Although the negotiations with Portugal for the payment of Claims of ctiiseiis of the United. States' against that Government bav not yet resulted in formal treaty, yet proposition made by the Government of Portugal for the final adjustment eridlpay mmt of ihose cUima, m recently teen ai1 cepu-d On the part of tha United States. ? H gives me pleasure to say that 1 M ti Clay,: to whom ihe negotiation on the pn of 'the U. States, hadj been entrusted,! discharge the duties of his pointment w ith ability ! dig. cretion ucting alsreys ttithia the iiutruc iiutruc-Upns - Upns iiutruc-Upns ol.bigoVerntaeHti Ivi t .t m.u i; -It is expected that a regular Cooveritlori ' will be immediately negotiated for carrying the agreements between tbe Governments into effect. :"v,,l -y-"y ;x f; ,' The cbmrnissioner appointed under' the ac( of Congress for carrying into effect the convention with Brazil, of the 27th of Janu January, - ary, January, J 849, has entered upon the performance of the duties imposed upon nimby that act. It is hoped that these duties may be comple completed - ted completed within the time which it prescribes. The documents, however, which the impri impri-al - al impri-al government, by the third article of the convention, stipulates to furnish to the gov government - ernment government of the United States, have not yet been received.' As it is presumed that these documents will be essential for. the .correct disposition of the claims, .it; may . become necessary for Congress to extend the period limi.ed for the duration of the commission. The turn stipulated by the 4ih article of the convention to be paid to this Government, has been received. " '. , '., ,! ,: ! The collection in the ports of the United States of discriminating duties upon the ves vessels - sels vessels of Chili and lehir cargoes has been sus suspended, - pended, suspended, pursuant to the provisions of the act of Congress ol the 24lh.of May, 1828. It is to be hoped that this measure, will impart a fresh impulse to the commerce between

that form of eiovernmeht whicn it may deem ; most conducive to the happiness and prosper prosper-ity - ity prosper-ity of its. own citizens: ofchanging that form, as'circumsta'nces may require: end of mana managing - ging managing its internal affairs according to its own will. - . The people of the United States claim this right for themselves; and they readily concede it to others. Hence ithecomes an imperative duty not to interfere in the Governmentor internal policy of other nations: and although we may sympathize with the unfortunate or the oppressed everywhere In their struggles for freedom, Our principles forbid us from ta taking - king taking any part in such foreign contests. W make no wars to promote or to prevent suc successions - cessions successions to thrones: to maintain, any theory of the balance of power: or to suppress the actual Government which any country choo chooses - ses chooses to establish for itself. " We instigate no revolutions, nor suffer any ' hostile military expeditions to be fitted out in the United States to invade the Territory or provinces of a friendly nation." The great law of .mortality ought to have a National as well as a personal and individual applica applica-tiori.' - tiori.' applica-tiori.' : We should act towards other nations as we wish them to act towards us: and justice and conscience should fonri the rule of conduct between GovernmentSt'instead of mere pow power, - er, power, self interest:, or the desire of aggrandise aggrandisement. - ment. aggrandisement. To maintain a strict neutrality in For For-i - i For-i jim Wars, cultivate friendly relations, to re

uon oi .uu.uuu tonne irannca matter oi the departments, and excluding the foreign postages v collected for and payable to the British govern ment, The expenditures fot the same period' were. 95,212,953,43 leaving a balance of revenue : over expenditures of 8340,018,05. I em happy to find that the fiscal condition of the Department is such as to justify the Post. ' master General in recommending the reduction of our inland letter postage to three cents the ' ' single letter, when prepaid, and five cents when not prepaid. He also recommends that the pre ' paid rate shall be reduced to two cents whene whenever - ver whenever the revenues of the Department, after the reduction, shall exceed its expenditures by more than five per cent for two consecutive years; that the postage upon California and ' other letters sent by our ocean steamers, shall ' be reduced; and that the rates of postage on newspapers, pamphlets, periodicals and other ' printed matter shall be modified end tome ... ... auction thereon made. - - - , i It cannot be doubted that the proptued re 1 ductions will, for the present, diminish the re- -

;Thela,w is the only sure protecrjonof the weak and the only efficient restraint upon the strong. When . impartially! and faithfully faithfully-administered, - administered, faithfully-administered, none is beneati its protection and none above its control. You, gentlemen, and the country may be assured, that to the utmost of my ability, and to the extent of the power vested in me, I shall at all times, and in all places, take care that the laws are faith faithfully - fully faithfully executed. 1 In the discharge of this duty, solemnly imposed upon me by the Constitu Constitution - tion Constitution and by my oath of oflice, 1 shall shrink front no responsibility, and shall endeavor to meet events as they may arise, with firmness, as wellaawith prudence an discretion.,' - .... The appointing power is one of the most delicate, with which the Executive is vested. I regard it as a sacred' trust, to be exercised with the sole view of advancing the prosper prosperity - ity prosperity and happiness of the people. It shall be rny effort to elevate the standard of official employment, by selecting for places of im

form no obstacle to the proposca reductions. I entertain no doubt of the authority of Con Congress - gress Congress to make appropriations for leading objects .'. . , in that class of public works comprising whst .' , we usually called works of internal improve- , meat This authority I suppose to be derived, " chiefly fromthe power of regulating commerce with foreign nations, and among the States, snd ' , the power of laying and collecting imposts. , Where commerce is to be carried on and im- . . posts collected, there must be ports and harbors , ' as well as whsrves and custom houses. If ships . laden with valuable cargoes approach the shdje, or sail along the coast, lighthouses arc necessary ' at suitable points for the protection of life snd ', property. Other facilities and securities for .'1 commerce snd navigation are hardly less impor

Nicaragua, .tne privilege oi consuu.mnj oi me treasury iui ttcumcu.uwuKM ui 6hip canal.between the two oceans, through the Finances, ., i the territory of that State, have made progress . Tbe; total receipts into the Treasury, for in their , preliminary arrangements. ' The, the year ending 30th June last, were 47,- treaty between the United States and Great 421,748 90 cents.' ,,,N ,,, : , i. i :t Britain, of the 19th of April last, above re- The total expenditures during the same ferred to, being now in operation, it is to be period, wet 43,200,I68 90." i "" u ' ' hoped that the guarantees which itoflers.will The publie debt has been reduced, 'since be sufficient to secure the completion of the the last annual report troni the Treasury De-

ernment to uf all its constitutional power to improve the'means of intercourse with them". The importance of opening "a line of com communication, - munication, communication, the hat and most expeditious of of which the nature of the country will ad admit." - mit." admit." between the valley of the Mississippi and the Paoifia, was brougot to your notice by ray predecessor, in bis annual message: and as the reasons which he presented in fa fa-vorofthe - vorofthe fa-vorofthe msasure still exists in full force, I. beg leave to call your attention to them, and to repeat the recommendation then made b. .MX. UfM ,-i;-l.r.: . ,lM. H. - n: 1 The uncertainly which exists In rerrard to