Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-12-14


ur claims, which had been long urged in val
m O ,mmissioners. l submit copy of the Co
Ar vention to Congress, and recommend II
g legislation necessary to carry it into effect.
N COSTA RIoA AND NIeARAUaUA. -
70 Persevering efforts have bsen made 4
= the adjustment of the claims Of Americ,
= citizens against the Government Of Cos
. Rioa, and am happy to inform you th
these have finally prevailed. A conventie
!. was signed at the City of San Jose, on Il
!. I'd of July last, between the Minister res
= dent of the United States il Costa Riea an
!. the Plenipotentiaries of that Republic, refer
- ing these claims to board of commission
ers, and providing for the payment of the
awards. This convention will be submitte
immediately to the Senate for their oonstitr
tional action. lie
f| The claims OF our citizens upoD the Repub
|. lie OF Nicaragua gave not yet been provide
for by treaty, although diligent efforts 70
this purpose have been made by our Minis
ter resident to that Republic. These ar
still continued, with fair prospect of sue
, cess.
!, The friendly and peaceful policy pursued
{ by the Government Of the United State.
towards the Empire of China, has produced
the most satisfactory results. The treaty oi
Tientsin of the 18th of Jnne, 1858, has been
faithfully observed by the. Chinese autbori-
ties. The convention of the 9th of ofNovenber,
1893, supplementary to this treaty, for the
adjustment and satisfaction of the claims of
our citizens on China, referred to in my last
annual Message, has been already carried
into effect, so far as this was practicable.
Under this convention the sum of O,OOO
taels, equal to about $500, 900, was stipulated
to be paid in satisfaction of the claims of
American citizens, out OF the one-fitth of the
receipts for tunnage, import and export
duties ON American vessels at the port of
Canton, Shanghae and Fuchau; and it was
s'agreed that this amount shall be in full
liquidation of all claims of American citizens
4 at the various ports to this date" Deben-
lures for this amount-to. wit: 800, 900 taels
| for Canton, 100 900 for Shanghae and 1OO,-
900 for Fuchau-were delivered according
to the terms ofthe convention by the respect
i've Chinese collectors of the customs of these
ports to the agent selected by our Minister
to receive the same.
Since that time the claims of our citizens
AA"'S oe0u ooJuotou Wy tuo DOdEu Vi COIQ.
missioners appointed for that purpose under
the act OF March 3, 1859, and their awards,
which proved satisfactory to the claimants,
have been approved by our Minister. In the
aggregate they amount to the sum of $685.
694 78. The claimants have already receiv-
ed large proportion of the sums awarded
to them out OF the fund provided, and it is
confidently expected that the remainder will
or lnpo ha IL, I
shall have been satisfied, there will remain
surplus of more than $780, at the dispo-
sitiOn of Congress. AS this will, in equity, |
belong to the Chinese Government, would |
not Justice require its appropriation to some
benevolent object in which the Chinese may
be specially interested =?
Oar Minister to China, in obedience to his |
instructions, has remained perfectly neutral |
in tbe war between Great Britain and France |
and the Chinese Empire; although in con-
junction with the Russian Minister, he was
ever ready and willing, ha6 tho opportunity
offered, to employ his good offices in restor |
ing peace between the parties. 1t is hut an |
act of simple justice, both to our present |
Minister and his predecessor, to state, that |
they have proved fully equal to the delicate,
trying, and responsible positions, in which !
they have on different occasions been placed. |
JAPAN.
The ratifcations of the treaty with Japan |
concluded at Yeddo on the 29th July, 1853, |
were exchanged at Washington on the 22d !
May last, and the treaty itse.t was proclaim |
ed on the succeeding day. There is good |
reason to exr ect that, under its protection !
and influence, our trade apd Intercourse with !
that distant and interesting people will rap
idly increase.
The ratifcations of the treaty were ex. !
changed with unusual solemnity. For this |
purpose the Tycoon had accredited three of |
his most distinguished subjects as ENJOYS |
Extraordinary and Ministers PlenipoteHtiary, |
who were received and treated with marked |
distinction and kindness both by the Gov
ernment and people of the United States
There is every reason to believe that they |
have returned to their native land entirely |
satisfied with their visit, and inspired by the |
most friendly feelings for our country.
Let us ardently hope, in the language of |
the treaty itself, that ''there shall hencefor-
wardobe perpetual peace and friendship be- |
tween the United States of America and his |
Majesty the Tycoon of Japan aud his sue
cessOrs.' !
Our relations with Spain are now of a more COM !
plicated though less dangerous character than |
they have been for many years. Our citizens have |
long held, and continue to hold numerous claims |
ably urged for series of years by our successive
diplomatic representatives at Madrid, but without
obtaining redress The Spanish Government
finally agreed to institute joint commission for
the adjustment of these claims and on the 5th day
of March, 1860, concluded convention for this
purpose with our present Minister at Madrid.
Under this convention, what have been denomi- |
mated "the Cuban claims" amounting to $l2S,-
635.H, in which more than one hundred of our
ellowcitizens interested were recognized, and
the Spanish Government agreed to pay $10O, 600
of this amount ''within three months following the
exchange of ratifcations" The payment of the
remaining $2S, ,635. 81 to await the decision of
the commissioners for or against the "Amistad
claim" But in any event the balance was to be
paid to the claimants either by Spain or the United
States. These terms have every reason to know
are highly satisfactory to the holders Of the Cuban
claims. Indeed, they have made formal offer
claims, and to deduct the amount of the Amistad
claim from the sums which they are entitled to
receive from spain. This offer, of course, cannot
be accepted.
All other claims of citizens of the United States
against Spain, of subjects of the Queen of Spain
agains, the United States, including the "Amistad
claim" were by this convention referred to
Board of Commissioners in the usual form. Ne-
| ther the validity of the Amistad claim nor any
other claim against either party, with the single
| exception of the Cuban claims, was recognized by
the convention. Indeed, the Spanish Government
did not insist that the validity of the Amistad claim
should be thus recognized, notwithstanding its
payment had been recommended to Congress by
two of my predecessors as well as by myself and
! an appropriation for that purpose had passed the
| Senate of the United States. They were content
that it should be submitted to the Board for exam
ination and decision, like the other claims.
| Both Governments bound respectively to pay the
amounts awarded the several claimants sat such times
and places may be fixed by and according to the ten
or of said awards"
transmitted this convention to the Senate for their
constitutional action the 81 of May, 1850, and
the 9th of the succeeding June they determined that
they would snot advise and consent to it's ratification.
These proceedings place relations with Spain in
an awkward and embarrassing position. 1t is more
than probable that the final adjustment OF these claims
| will devolve upon my successor.
| 7 reiterate the recommendation contained in my
1873 and reieated in