Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-12-17

inence by introducing it at the beginning Of this
message.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
During the past year nothing has occurred 10
disturb the general friendly and cordiairelations
OF the United States with other powers. The
correspondence submitted herewith between this
Government and its diplomatic representatives
IN other countries shows a satisfactory condition
of all questions between the United States and
the most of those countries. and with few ex-
ceptlons, to which reference is hereafter made.
the absence OF any points of difference to be ad-
justed.
The notice directed by the resolution of Con-
gress of June Il, 1874, TO be given to terminate
the convention OF july II 1855 between the United
! States and Belgium has been gwen. and the
treaty Will accordingly terminate on the 1st day
OF July, 1873. This convention secured to certain
Belgium vessels entering the ports of the United
/ States exceptional privileges which are not ac-
corded to our own vessels. The other features of
/ the convention have proved satisfactory and have
! tended TO the cultivation of beneficial CONNER
cial intercourse and friendly relations between
the two countries. hope that the NEGOTIATIONS
hich have been invited will result in the con
cluslon OF another treaty which may tend to the
interests OF both countries
Our relations with China continue to be frie nd
". during the past year the fear of hOstilities
between China and Japan, growing out of the
/ landing Of an armed force upon the island 0f
! FOImOsa by the latter, has occasiOned uneasi-
ness. 1t Is earnestly hoped. however. that the
dlncultes arising from this cause will be adj
| Justed, and that the advance of civilization in
these Empires may not be retarded by a state of
| war. In consequence of the part taken by GER
tain citizens of the United States in This
| expedition our representatives in those conn
! tries have been instructed to impress lpon the
| Governments of China and Japan the firm inten-
ton OF this country tomaintan strict neutrality
IN the event OF hOstlities, and carefully prevent
| any lnfractiOn of law the part of
! our citizens. In connection with this sub
| JecL l cal the attention OF, Congress TO
a generally conceded fact that the great
! proportion of Chinese immigrants who come to
! our shores do not come voluntarily to make
! their homes with us and their labor DrO-
| QuCtlye of General OrOSDprity II
! der contract with head men, who own them al
most absolutely. In q worse form does this
! apply to the Chinese women. Hardly q per-
| cepuble percentage ofthem perform any honor
able labor. They are brought for shameful pur-
! poses, to the disgrace Of the communities where
they have settled, and to the great demOraliZa-
ton of the youths of those localities If this
evil practice be legislated against it will be
my pleasure as well as duty to enforce any reg
ulatlOn to secure so desirable an end.
1t Is hoped that negotiations between the Gov
vernment of Japan and the treaty powers, looking
to the further opening of the Empire and TO the
removal OF various restrictions upon trade and
travel, may produce the result desired, which
cannot fail to inure to the benefit of all the par
ties. Having on previous occasions submitted
| to the consideration Of Congress the prOpriety
| of the release of the Japanese Government from
! the further payment of indemnity IN
der the convention of October D. 1854. and
as no action has been taken therein. ii be-
| comes my duty to regard the obligations of
the convention in force, and, as the other
powers interested have obtained their por-
!
| the United States in Japan has, in behalf of
| this Government, received the remainder of
| the amount due to the United States under
the Convention of Simouseky. submit the pro-
priety of APPLYING the income of a part if not
the whole, of this fund to the education in the
Japanese language of number of young men, to
| be under obligations to serve the Government 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 yernaCular and mutual ben
eft would result to both Governments The i'm
portanCe of having our own citizens competent
and familiar with the language of Japan to act
as Interpreters and in other capacities connected
with the legation and consuIates in that country
cannot readily be oYerestimated.
The amount awarded to the Government OF
Great Britain by the commission organized I'M
der the provisions of the Treaty OF Washington,
in settlement of the claims of British subjects
arising from acts committed between April IS,
1861, and April 8, 1865, became payable under
terms of the treaty within the past year, and was
paid upon the 21st day of September, 1874.
ALIEN CLAIMS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES.
In this connection l renew my recommends
ton, made at the opening of the last session of
Congress, that a special court be created to hear
and report all claims OF aliens against the United
States arising from acts committed against their
persons or property during the insurrec-
ton. 1t appears equitable that oppor-
tunlty should be offered to citizens Of other
States to present their claims, as well as
those 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 legislation
to organize court to dispose of those claims of
aliens OF the nature referred to in equitable
and satisfactory manner, and to relieve Congress
and the departments from the consideration of
these questions.
| THE COLONY OF NEWFOUNDLAND.
The legislation necessary to extend to the col
Ony ofNewfoundland certain articles of the Treaty
! of Washington of the Sth of May, 1871 having
! been had, protocol to that effect was signed in
| behalf of the United States and of Great Britain
on the 28th day of May last and was duly pro-
claimed on the following day. A copy Of the
| rCC1a y,,o+ isNr, &c Cr,lNT Il !,
THE SOUTHWESTERN BOUNDARY.
copy OF the report of the Commission APP
pointed under the act of March 49, 1872, for sur
yeylng and marking the boundary between the
United States and the British Possessions. from
| the Lake ofthe Woods to the summit of the Rocky
Mountains, is herewith transmitted. am happy
| to announce that the field work of the Com
mission has been completed and the entire line,
from the northwest corner of the Lake OF
| the Woods to the summit of the Rocky
| Mountains, has been run and marked upon the
| surface OF the earth. 1t is believed that the
| amount remaining uneXpended of the apprOpria-
ton made at the last session of Congress- will be
sufficient to complete the Office work. l recon-
mend that the authority of Congress be given to
use the unexpended balance of the appropriation
in the completion OF the work of the Commits
sion in making the report and printing the neces-
sary maps.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
The court known as the Court of Commission
ers of Alabama Claims, created by an act of
! Congress at the last session, has organized and
commenced the work, and it is to be hoped that
IQG CldllQS dQlusslDlS uQQer J0G PROVISIONS OF
the act may be speedily ascertained and paid.
UNITED STATES CITIZENS AND REAL ESTATE IN
TURKEY.
1t has been deemed advisable to exercise the
! discretion conferred upon the Executive at the
last session by accepting the conditions required
by the Government of Turkey for the privilege of
! allowing citizens of the United States to hold
real estate in the former country by asserting to
a certain change in the jurisdiction OIL the courts
| in the latter. A copy of the proclamation upon
| these subjects is herewith communicated.
/ MEXICO AND SOUTH AMERICA
! There has been material change in our rela-
| lions with the independent States of this hemis-
phere which were formerly under the dominion
| of Spain Marauding the frontiers between
| Mexico and Texas still frequently takes place.
despite the vigilance of the civil and military au-
| thorities in that quarter. The difficulty of
! checking such trespasses along the course Of q
| river of such length as the Rio Grande, and so
| efforts of this Government will be seconded bv
| those Of Mexico to the efectual suppression Of
| acts of wrong
| From a report upon the condition of the bust
ness before the American and Mexican Joint
! Claims Commission, made by the agent on the
! part of the United States, and dated Oct. IS,
/ 1874, It appears that of the 1,017 claims filed on
] the part of citizens of the United States 4S3
! had been finally decided, and IS were in
| the hands of the umpire. leaving 1862
! TO be disposed of; and of the 99S claims filed
| against the United States 126 had been finally
/ decided on, one was before the umpire and 21I
! remained to be disposed of. Since the date of
/ such report other claims have been disposed
/ Of, reducing somewhat the number still
/ pending, and others have been passed
I nv hos plNT TroNN T.