Empire of Brazil.  The distinguished party of men of science who have recently left our country to make a scientific exploration of the natural history and rivers and mountain ranges of that region have received from the Emperor that generous welcome which was to have been expected from his constant friendship for the United States and his well-known zeal in promoting the advancement of knowledge.  A hope is entertained that our commerce with the rich and populous countries that border the Mediterranean Sea may be largely increased.  Nothing will be wanting on the part of this Government to extend the protection of our flag over the enterprise of our fellow-citizens.  We receive from the powers in that region assurances of good will; and it is worthy of note that a special envoy has brought us messages of condolence on the death of our late Chief Magistrate from the Bey of Tunis, whose rule includes the old dominions of Carthage, on the African coast.

Our domestic contest, now happily ended, has left some traces in our relations with one at least of the great maritime powers.  The formal accordance of belligerent rights to the insurgent States was unprecedented, and has not been justified by the issue.  But in the systems of neutrality pursued by the powers which made that concession there was a marked difference.  The materials of war for the insurgent States were furnished, in a great measure, from the workshops of Great Britain, and British ships, manned by British subjects and prepared for receiving British armaments, sallied from the ports of Great Britain to make war on American commerce under the shelter of a commission from the insurgent States.  These ships, having once escaped from British ports, ever afterwards entered them in every part of the world to refit, and so to renew their depredations.  The consequences of this conduct were most disastrous to the States then in rebellion, increasing their desolation and misery by the prolongation of our civil contest.  It had, moreover, the effect, to a great extent, to drive the American flag from the sea, and to transfer much of our shipping and our commerce to the very power whose subjects had created the necessity for such a change.  These events took place before I was called to the administration of the Government.  The sincere desire for peace by which I am animated led me to approve the proposal, already made, to submit the question which had thus arisen between the countries to arbitration.  These questions are of such moment that they must have commanded the attention of the great powers, and are so interwoven with the peace and interests of every one of them as to have insured an impartial decision.  I regret to inform you that Great Britain declined the arbitrament, but, on the other hand, invited us to the formation of a joint commission to settle mutual claims between the two countries, from which those for the depredations before mentioned should be excluded.  The proposition, in that very unsatisfactory form, has been declined.