But we have left to every nation the exclusive conduct and management of its own affairs.  Our struggle has been, of course, contemplated by foreign nations with reference less to its own merits than to its supposed and often exaggerated effects and consequences resulting to those nations themselves.  Nevertheless, complaint on the part of this Government, even if it were just, would certainly be unwise.  The treaty with Great Britain for the suppression of the slave trade has been put into operation with a good prospect of complete success.  It is an occasion of special pleasure to acknowledge that the execution of it on the part of Her Majesty’s Government has been marked with a jealous respect for the authority of the United States and the rights of their moral and loyal citizens.

The convention with Hanover for the abolition of the Stade dues has been carried into full effect under the act of Congress for that purpose.  A blockade of 3,000 miles of seacoast could not be established and vigorously enforced in a season of great commercial activity like the present without committing occasional mistakes and inflicting unintentional injuries upon foreign nations and their subjects.  A civil war occurring in a country, where foreigners reside and carry on trade under treaty stipulations is necessarily fruitful of complaints of the violation of neutral rights.  All such collisions tend to excite misapprehensions, and possibly to produce mutual reclamations between nations which have a common interest in preserving peace and friendship.  In clear cases of these kinds I have so far as possible heard and redressed complaints which have been presented by friendly powers.  There is still, however, a large and an augmenting number of doubtful cases upon which the Government is unable to agree with the governments whose protection is demanded by the claimants.  There are, moreover, many cases in which the United States or their citizens suffer wrongs from the naval or military authorities of foreign nations which the governments of those states are not at once prepared to redress.  I have proposed to some of the foreign states thus interested mutual conventions to examine and adjust such complaints.  This proposition has been made especially to Great Britain, to France, to Spain, and to Prussia.  In each case it has been kindly received, but has not yet been formally adopted.

I deem it my duty to recommend an appropriation in behalf of the owners of the Norwegian bark Admiral P. Tordenskiold, which vessel was in May, 1861, prevented by the commander of the blockading force off Charleston from leaving that port with cargo, notwithstanding a similar privilege had shortly before been granted to an English vessel.  I have directed the Secretary of State to cause the papers in the case to be communicated to the proper committees.