Rocky Mountains.

I regret to say that no conclusion has been reached for the adjustment
of the claims against Great Britain growing out of the course adopted
by that Government during the rebellion. The cabinet of London, so far
as its views have been expressed, does not appear to be willing to
concede that Her Majesty's Government was guilty of any negligence,
or did or permitted any act during the war by which the United States
has just cause of complaint. Our firm and unalterable convictions are
directly the reverse. I therefore recommend to Congress to authorize
the appointment of a commission to take proof of the amount and the
ownership of these several claims, on notice to the representative
of Her Majesty at Washington, and that authority be given for the
settlement of these claims by the United States, so that the Government
shall have the ownership of the private claims, as well as the
responsible control of all the demands against Great Britain. It can
not be necessary to add that whenever Her Majesty's Government shall
entertain a desire for a full and friendly adjustment of these claims
the United States will enter upon their consideration with an earnest
desire for a conclusion consistent with the honor and dignity of both
nations.

The course pursued by the Canadian authorities toward the fishermen
of the United States during the past season has not been marked by a
friendly feeling. By the first article of the convention of 1818 between
Great Britain and the United States it was agreed that the inhabitants
of the United States should have forever, in common with British
subjects, the right of taking fish in certain waters therein defined.
In the waters not included in the limits named in the convention (within
3 miles of parts of the British coast) it has been the custom for many
years to give to intruding fishermen of the United States a reasonable
warning of their violation of the technical rights of Great Britain.
The Imperial Government is understood to have delegated the whole or a
share of its jurisdiction or control of these inshore fishing grounds
to the colonial authority known as the Dominion of Canada, and this
semi-independent but irresponsible agent has exercised its delegated
powers in an unfriendly way. Vessels have been seized without notice or
warning, in violation of the custom previously prevailing, and have been
taken into the colonial ports, their voyages broken up, and the vessel