Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-12-10

persons actually belonging to the diplo-
matte service. On the other hand all such
powers insist upon exercising the right OF
asylum In States where the law of nations
Is not fully acknowl lodged, respected and
obeyed. The President of Paraguay is un-
derstood to have been opposed to Mr. |
Washburne's proceedings, and makes the /
injurious and very improbable charge OF /
personal completely in insurrection and |
treason. The correspondence, however, |
has not yet reached the United States.
Mr. Washburne, in connection with this !
controversy, represents that two United |
States citizens attached to the legation |
were arbitrarily seized at his side, when |
leaving the capital of Paraguay, commit |
ted to prison, aud there subjected to torture
tor the purpose of procuring confessions of
their own criminalitv. and testimony to
support the Presidents allegations against
the United States Minister.
Mr.. McMahon, the newly appointed
Minister to Paraguay, having reached the
La Plata, has been instructed to proceed
without delay to Ascunsrion, the re to in
vestigate the whole subject. The Rear Ad-
miral commanding the United States South
Atlantic squrdron has been directed to at
tend the new Minister with a proper naval
force to sustain such just demands as the
occasion may require and to vindicate the
rights of the United States citizens referred
to, and OF any others who may be exposed
to danger in the theater of war.
With these exceptions, friendly relations
have been maintained between the United
States and Brazil and Paraguay.---------
Our relations during the past year with
Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Chilli have be-
come especially friendly and cordial
Spain and the republics of Peru, Bolivia
and Ecuador have expressed their willing
ness to accept the mediation of the United
States for terminating the war upon the
South Pacific Coast. Chilli has not finally
declared % In tho
time the conflict has practically exhausted
itself, since no belligerant or hostile move
NEST has been made by either party dur
ing the last two years, and there are no in
dicatlons of present purpose to resume
hostilities on either side. Great Britain
and France have cordially seconded our
proposition OF mediation and do not forego
the hope that reason will be accepted by
all the belligerants and lead to the sure es-
tablishment of peace aud friendly relations
between the Spanish American republics
of the Pacific and Spain, result which
would be attended with common benefits to
the belligerants and much advantage to
all commercial nations.
4 communicate for the consideration of
; Congress a correspondence which shows
that the Bolivian republic has established
/ the extremely liberal principle of receiv-
ing into its citizenship any citizen of the
United States, or OF any other of the Amer
of voluntary registry. sfA "a
The correspondence herewith submitted
will be found painfully replete with ac-
counts of the ruin and wretchedness pro-
duced by recent earthquakes of unparal-
leled severity in the republics OF Peru and
Bolivia. The Diplomatic agency and naval
officers of the United States who were
present in these countries at the time OF
these disasters furnished all the relief in
their power to the sufferers, and were
promptly rewarded with grateful and
touching acknowledgements by the Com
gress of Peru. An appeal to the charity
of our fellow citizens has been answered
by mu III liberality.
:, Iu- this, connection submit an appeal
which has been made by the Swiss Repub-
lie. whose Government and institutions are
kindred to our own, in behalf of its inhab-
itants, who are suffering extreme destitu-
tion produced by recent inuniations.
Our relations, with Mexico during the
year have been marked by an increasing
growth of mutual confidence. The Mexi-
can Government has not yet acted upon
the treaties celebrated here last summer
for establishing the rights of naturalized
citizens upon liberal and just basis, for
regulating consular powers and for the ad-
justmeut of mutual claims. .I gsss 81
Allcommercial nations, as well as all
friends OF Republican Institutions, have
occasion to regret the frequent local dis
turbanees which occur in some of the con-
stituent States OF Columbia. Nothing has
occurred. however, to affect the harmony
and cordial friendship which have Tor sew
eral years existed between that youthful
and vigorous Republic and our own. Il
Negotiations are pending with view to
the survey and construction of ship ca
nal across the Isthmus of Darien, under
the auspices of the United States. l hope
to be able to submit the result of that ne
tafs. Il
session. tlttt ,-xttA
The very liberal treaty which was enter
ed into last year by the United States and
Nicaragua has been ratified by the latter
republic.
Costa Rica, with the earnestness of a
sincerely friendly neighbor, solieits reci-
procity of trade, which | commend to the
consideration of Congress. 1
The convention created bv treaty be-
tween the United States and Venezuela, in
July, 1865, for the mutual adjustment of
claims, has been held, and its decisions have
been received at the Department of State.
The heretofore recognized Government of
the United States of Venezuela has been
subverted, provisional government hav-
ing been Instituted under circumstances
which promise durability. 1t has been for
mally recognized.
l have been reluctantly obliged to ask
explanation and satisfaction for national
injuries committed by the President OF
Hayti The political and social condition
of the Republics of Hayti and st. Domingo
are very unsatisfactory and painful. The
abolition of slavery, which has been car
red into effect throughout the island of st.
Domingo and the entire West Indies, ex-
cept the Spanish islands of Cuba and Porto
Rico, has been followed by a profound
popular conviction of the, rightfnlnt SIS
of republican institutions, and an in-
tense desire to secure them. The attempt,
however, to establish republics has en-
countereI many obstacles, most of which
may be supposed to result. from long in
du ged habits of colonial supremacy and
dependence upon European monarchiai
power. =. 80 .l,5t 5t..E c-u.t
While the United States have on all oc-
casions professed deci ed unwillingness
that any part of this continent or of its ad-
jacent islands shall be made theater for a
new establishment OF monarchial power,
too little has been done by the United
States, ON the other hand, to attach the
communities by which we are surrounded
to our own country, or to lend even moral
support to the efforts they are so resolutely
and so constantly making to secure Repub-
lican institutions for themselves. 1t is in
deed a question Of grave consideration
whether our recent and present example is.
not calculated to check the growth aud ex-
pansion OF free principles and make these
communities distrust if not dread a Gov,
ernment which at will consigns to military
domination States that are integral parts of
our Federal Union, and while ready to re-
sist any attempts by other nations to ex
tend to this hemisphere the monarchial in
stitutions of Europe, assumes TO establish
over a large portion of its people rule
more absolutely harsh and tyrannical than
any known to civilized powers.
The acquisition of Alaska was made with
the view of extending national juris-
diction and Republican principles IN the
American Hemisphere. Believing that a.
further step could be taken in the same
direction last year entered into a treaty