River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-12-18


to sustain redemption.
commend tais subject 81 your careful CON
alteration believing that favorable solution
j. attanahle. and that, il reached by TINS Con
gress. present and future generations VIII
ever gratefully remember il a. the deliv-
cry from the tliraldom Of evil aud disgrace.
FREE BANNING.
With resumption. free banking may be au-
thorized with safety, giving the full protection
70 htll-holders which they haNe under exist
ing laws. Indeed | would regard free
banking ~ essential. II would give
proper elasticity O. the currency. ~
more currency would be required
Cor the transaction Of legitimate business new
banks would be started and IN turn banks
would wind up their business when It was
found that there was superahnndance Of
currency The experience and judgement OF
the people can best decide just how much cur
rency Is required for the transaction OF the
business Of the country IL is unsafe to leave
the settlement Of this question to Congress,
tile Secretary Of the Treasury or the Executive
Congress should make the regulation under
which sanks may exist, bun should not make
hamkmg a monopoly by limiting the amount OF
redeemable paper currency that shall DE ul-
changed. such Importance DO | attach 10 this
subject and 40 earnestly do commend il 10
your attention, that / give il prominence by I'M
Producing it at the beginning Of this message.
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS.
During the past wear nothing has occurred to
disturb the general friendly and cordial rela-
iious Of the United States with other powers.
The correspondence submitted herewith, be-
tween the government and it, diplomatic rep
resentatiyes in other countries, shows salts
factory condition of all questions between the
United States ard the Representatives of those
countries, and, with few exceptions TO which
reference is hereafter made. the absence Of any
a. - a. - a tai
rHE TREATY WITH BELaTuM
The notice directed by the resolution of Con
greas OF Jane 18th, Is7a 10 be given 70 ter
inmate the convention of July II. 1853, be-
tween the United States and Belgium, has
been given. and the treaty will accordingly
terminate ON the LIST day of July, 1875. This
convention wac secured to retain for
Belgian vessels entering the ports Of
the United States exceptional priyil-
own vessels Other features of the con-
vention have proved satisfactory, and have
tended to a cultivation of mutually beneficial
commercial intercourse and friendly relations
between the two countries. hope that nego-
tiations which have been instituted will result
in the celebration of another treaty. which may
tend TO the interest of both countries.
OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA
continue friendly. During the past year the
growing out of the landing of an armed force
upon the Isl, nd of Formosa by the latter has
occasiOned uneasiness. 1t is earnestly hoped,
however. that the difficulties arising from this
cause will be adjusted and that the advance of
civilization in those empires may not be retard-
ed by a state of war. In consequence of the
part taken by certain citizens of the United
States in this expedition, our rep
resentatives in those countries have
been instructed to impress upon the gov
ernments of China and Japan the firm iuten-
ton of the country to maintain strict neutrali-
ty in the event of hostilities, and carefully
prevent any infraction of laws on the part of
our citizens.
CHINESE IMMIGRATION.
In connection with this subject l call the at
tention of Congress to generally conceded
fact, that the great proportion of Chinese inn
migrants who come TO our shores do not come
voluntarily to make their homes with us, and
their labor productive of general prosperity.
but come under contract with headmen. who
own them almost absolutely. In worse form
does this apply to Chinese women-hardly a
pereeptible per centage of them perform any
honorable labor. They are brought for shame
full purposes, to the disgrace of the commune
ties where they are settled, and to the great
decentralization of the youth of those localities.
If this evil practice can be legislated against ii
will be my pleasure, as well as duty. to enforce
Japan.
Its heyed that negotiations between the gov
eminent of Japan and the treaty powers, look
ing to the further opening of the Empire and
to the removal of serious restrictions upon
trade and travel, may soon produce the result
TO the benefit of all the parties. Having on
previous occasions submitted to the consid-
ration of Congress the propuety of the re-
lease of the Japanese government from the
further payment of indemnity under the
convention of Oct. o. 1874, and as no action
had been taken thereon. it became my duty to
regard the obligations of the eonyen-
ton ar in force. and a. the
other powers intrusted have received their
portion of the indemnity in full. the minister
Of the United States, in Japan has, in behalf
of the government received the remainder OF
of the amount due to the United States under
the constitution of Simsuseky. / submit the
propriety of applying the increase of part, if
not the whole OF this flnd, TO the education in
the Japanese language of a number of young
men, to be under obligations to serve the gov
eminent. for a specified time as interpreters at
the legation and the consulates in Japan. A
limited number of japanese youths might at
the same time be educated in our own vernac-
ular, and mutual benefit would result to both
governments. The importance of having our
own citizens competent and familiar with the
language of Japan, TO act a. interpreters and
IN other capacities connected with the legation
and consulates in that country cannot readily
be overestimated.
FOREIGN CLAIMS.
The amount awarded to the government of
Great Britain by the mixed commission organ
lied under the provisions of the treaty of
Washington. in settlement of the claims of
British subjects, arising from acts committed
between April 18th, 1871, and April 9th, 1865,
became payable. under the terms of the treaty,
within the past year, and was paid upon the
21st day of September 1874. In this connec-
ton renew my recommendation, made at the
opening of the last session of Congress-, that a
special court be created to hear and determ-
Inc all claims of aliens against the United
States arising from acts committed against
their persons and property during the iusur-
rectior. Ii appears equitable that opportunity
should Se offered to the citizens of other
States to present their claims as we'll rs those
of British subjects. whose claims were not
admissible under the late commission, to the
early decision of some competent tribunal.
To this end | recommend the necessary legis-
lation to organize court to dispose of these
claims of aliens, of the nature referred to- in
an equitable and satisfactory manner, and to
relieve Congress and the Departments from
the consideration of these questions.
THE FISHERIES.
The legislation necessary to extend to the
colony of New Foundland certain articles of
the Treaty of Washington of the Sth day of
May, 1871, having been had, protocol to that
effect was signed in behalf of the United
States and of Great Britain on the 2Sth day of
May last, and was duly proclaimed on the fol-
lowing day. A copy of the proclamation is
submitted herewith.
THE BOUNDARY SURVEY.
report of the commissioner appointed un-
der the act of March 18th, 1872. for surveying
and marking the boundary between the United
States and the British possessions from Lake
OF the Woods TO the summit of the Rocky
NJ fountains is herewith transmitted. | am
happy TO announce that the field work of the
Commission has been completed, and the en-
flIa line from the mont Invest of the La ka