The President to the Governor of New York.
Sir: I transmit herewith a copy of a treaty concluded in this city on the 8th day of May last, between the United States and Great Britain.
By the 27th article the government of Her Britannic Majesty engages to urge upon the government of the Dominion of Canada to secure to the citizens of the United States the use of the Welland, St. Lawrence, and other Canals in the Dominion, on terms of equality with the inhabitants of the Dominion, and the Government of the United States engages to urge upon the State governments to secure to the subjects of Her Britannic Majesty the use of the several State canals connected with the navigation of the lakes or rivers traversed by or contiguous to the boundary line between the possessions of the high contracting parties, on terms of equality with the inhabitants of the United States.
The wisdom and the importance of these reciprocal concessions of the use of the artificial channels of water communication contemplated by [Page 532] the treaty on terms of equality to the citizens or subjects of either power are apparent. The rapid increase of population and of production of the vast territory on either side of the boundary line and on the upper lakes demands ail the channels of communication with the tide waters, which either nature or the enterprise of man has made available. It is confidently believed that the use of the artificial water communications which the treaty contemplates will contribute to a rapid increase of trade through those several channels, and will tend to a consequent increase in the tolls and returns of profits, both direct and indirect, to each, and all of the canals thus opened to the use of a larger extent of country.
As the period is approaching when the legislature of your State is about to convene, I desire to bring the provisions of this article of the treaty to its notice, and to urge upon your State government to secure to the subjects of her Britannic Majesty the use of the several State canals within the State of New York, connected with the navigation of the lakes or rivers traversed by or contiguous to the boundary line between the possessions of the United States and those of her Britannic Majesty in North America, on terms of equality with the inhabitants of the United States.
I address a similar request to other States through which are constructed canals connected with the navigation of the lakes.
I have the honor to be, &c., &c.,
His Excellency John T. Hoffman, Governor of the State of New York.
Same, mutatis mutandis, to the governors of the States of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.