

PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



PUBLIC DOCUMElsTTS. Message of Presi- 

 dent LINCOLN, at the First Session of the 

 Thirty-eighth United States Congress, Decem- 

 ber Sth, 1863 : 

 fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives : 



Another year of health, and of sufficiently abundant 

 harvests, has passed. For these, and especially for the 

 improved condition of our national affairs, our renewed 

 and profoundest gratitude to God is due. 



We remain in peace and friendship with foreign 

 Powers. The efforts of dis_loyal citizens of the United 

 States to involve us in foreign wars, to aid an inexcus- 

 able insurrection, have been unavailing. Her Britannic 

 Majesty's Government, as was justly expected, have ex- 

 ercised theirauthority to prevent the departure of new 

 hostile expeditions from British ports. The Emperor 

 of France has, by a like proceeding, promptly vindicat- 

 ed the neutrality which he proclaimed at the beginning 

 of the contest. Questions of great intricacy and im- 

 portance have arisen out of the blockade, and other 

 belligerent operations, between the Government and 

 several of the maritime Powers, but they have been 

 discussed, and, as far as was possible, accommodated 

 in a spirit of frankness, justice, and mutual good will. 

 It is especially gratifying that our prize courts, by the 

 impartiality of their adjudications, have commanded 

 the respect and confidence of maritime Powers. 



The supplementary treaty between the United States 

 and Great Britain for the suppression of the African 

 slave trade, made on the 17th day of February last, has 

 been duly ratified, and carried into execution. It is 

 believed that, so far as American ports and American 

 citizens are concerned, that inhuman and odious traffic 

 has been brought to an end. 



I shall submit for the consideration of the Senate a 

 convention for the adjustment of possessory claims in 

 Washington Territory, arising out of the treaty of the 

 15th of June, 1846, between the United States and 

 Great Britain, and which have been the source of some 

 disquiet among the citizens of that now rapidly im- 

 proving part of the country. 



A novel and important question, involving the ex- 

 tent of the maritime jurisdiction of Spain in the waters 

 which surround the island of Cuba, has been debated 

 without reaching an agreement, and it is proposed, in 

 an amicable spirit, to refer it to the arbitrament of a 

 friendly Power. A convention for that purpose will 

 be submitted to the Senate. 



I have thought it proper, subject to the approval 

 of the Senate, to concur with the interested commercial 

 Powers in an arrangement for the liquidation of the 

 Scheldt dues upon the principles which have been 

 heretofore adopted in regard to the imposts upon navi- 

 gation in the waters of Denmark. 



The long-pending controversy between this Govern- 

 ment and that of Chili, touching the seizure at Sitania, 

 in Peru, by Chilian officers, of a large amount of treas- 

 ure belonging to citizens of the United States, has been 

 brought to a close by the award of his Majesty the King 

 of the Belgians, to whose arbitration the question was 

 referred_ by the parties. The subject was thoroughly 

 and patiently examined by that justly respected magis- 

 trate, and, although the sum awarded to the claimants 

 may not have been as large as was expected, there is 

 no reason to distrust the wisdom of his Majesty's decis- 

 ion. That decision was promptly complied with by 

 Chili, when the intelligence in regard to it reached that 

 country. 



The joint commission, under the act of the last 

 session, for carrying into effect the convention with 

 Peru on tJie subject of claims, has been organized at 

 Lima, and is engaged in the business intrusted to it. 



Difficulties concerning interoceanic transit through 

 Nicaragua are in course of amicable adjustment. 



In conformity with principles set forth in my last 

 annual message, I have received a representative from 

 the United States of Colombia, and have accredited a 

 minister to that republic. 



Incidents occurring in the progress of our civil war 

 nave forced upon my attention the uncertain state of 



international questions touching the rights of foreign- 

 ers in this country and of United States citizens abroad. 

 In regard to some Governments these rights are at 

 least partially defined by treaties. In no instance, 

 however, is it expressly stipulated that, in the event 

 of a civil war, a foreigner residing in this country, 

 within the lines of the insurgents, is to be exempted 

 from the rule which classes him as a belligerent, in 

 whose behalf the Government of his country cannot 

 expect any privileges or immunities distinct from that 

 character. I regret to say, however, that such claims 

 have been put forward, and, in some instances, in be- 

 half of foreigners who have lived in the United States 

 for the greater part of their lives. 



There is reason to believe that many persons born 

 in foreign countries, who have declared their intention 

 to become citizens, or who have been fully naturalized, 

 have evaded the military duty required of them by de- 

 nying the fact, and thereby throwing upon the Govern- 

 ment the burden of proof. It has Been found difficult 

 or impracticable to obtain this proof, from the want of 

 guides to the proper sources of information. These 

 might be supplied by requiring clerks of courts, where 

 declarations of intention may be made or naturaliza- 

 tions effected, to send periodically lists of the names of 

 the persons naturalized or declaring their intention to 

 become citizens, to the Secretary of the Interior, in 

 whose department those names might be arranged and 

 printed for general information. 



There is also reason to believe that foreigners fre- 

 quently become citizens of the United States for the 

 sole purpose of evading duties imposed by the laws of 

 their native countries, to which, on becoming natural- 

 ized here, they at once repair, and, though never re- 

 turning to the United States, they still claim the inter- 

 position of this Government as citizens. Many alter- 

 cations and great prejudices have heretofore arisen out 

 of this abuse. It is, therefore, submitted.to your serious 

 consideration. It might be advisable to fix a limit 

 beyond which no citizen of the United States resid- 

 ing abroad may claim the interposition of the Govern- 

 ment. 



The right of suffrage has often been assumed and 

 exercised by aliens, under pretences of naturalization, 

 which they have disavowed when drafted into the mil- 

 itary service. I submit the expediency of snch an 

 amendment of the law as will make the 'fact of voting 

 an estoppel against any plea of exemption from mili- 

 tary service, or other civil obligation, on the ground of 

 alienage. 



In common with other Western Powers, our relations 

 with Japan have been brought into serious jeopardy, 

 through the perverse opposition of the hereditary aris- 

 tocracy of the empire to the enlightened and liberal 

 policy'of the Tycoon, designed to bring the country into 

 the society of nations. It is hoped, although not with 

 entire confidence, that these difficulties may be peace- 

 fully overcome. I ask your attention to the claim of 

 the minister residing there for the damages he sustained 

 in the destruction by fire of the residence of the lega- 

 tion at Yedo. 



Satisfactory arrangements have been made with the 

 Emperor of Russia, which it is believed will result in 

 effecting a continuous line of telegraph through that 

 empire from our Pacific coast. 



I recommend to your favorable consideration the 

 subject of an international telegraph across the Atlan- 

 tic ocean ; and also of a telegraph between this capital 

 and the national forts along the Atlantic seaboard and 

 the Gulf of Mexico. Such communications, established 

 with any reasonable outlay, would be economical as 

 well as effective aids to the diplomatic, military, and 

 naval service. 



The consular system of the United States, under the 

 enactments of the last Congress, begins to be self-sus- 

 taining ; and there is reason to hope that it may become 

 entirely so, with the increase of trade which will ensue 

 whenever peace is restored. Our ministers abroad have 

 been faithful in defending American rights. In pro- 

 tecting commercial interests, our consuls have neces- 

 sarily nad to encounter increased labors and responsi- 



