Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-12-07

banks would be started; and in turn banks
wcuid wind up their business when IL was found
that there was q superabundance of currency.
The experience and judgment of the people can
best decide just how much currency is required
for the transaction OF the business of the couu-
try. 1t is unsafe to leave the settlement OF this
question to Congress, the Secretary of the Treas
uTy, OK the Executive. Congress should make
the regulation under which banks may exist,
but should not make banking a monopoly by
limiting the amount Of redeemz able paper
currency that shall be authorized. Such i0l-
poTtasce do attach to this subject, and so
earnestly do l commend it to yGDr attention,
that siye it prominence by Introducing it st
the beginning OF this message.
During the past year nothing has occurred 70
disturb The geneTsl friendly ard Cordial rsls-
Jions of the United States with other powers.
The correspondence submitte herewith, be-
tween this government and It's diplomatic rep
Tese natives, as also with the representatives Of
other countries, shows q satisfactory condition
OF all questions between the United States srt
the most Of those countries, and, With feT eX-
CePtiOhs. 20 which reference j. hereafter
made, the absence of any points q dtSerenee
10 be adjusted.
The notice directed by the resolution Of Con-
gress of June y, 1874, 10 De given - termina
the convention or July the i7tb 1S5s, between
the United States and Belgium, has been Il ven,
and the treaty will accordingly terminate on
the let day of July, 1878 Tnis convention
secured to certain Belgian vessels entering the
ports OF the United sta s exceptional Pr.vi-
leEes which are not accorded % Gus own vessels.
Other iesteTes of the convention have proved
satisfactory, Snd have tended t0 the cultivation
of mutually beneficial commercial intercourse
sEG friendly relations between the two cOun-
triet. hope tha' negotiations which have bean
invited will result in the celebration OF anotheV
treaty which may tend 70 the interests of both
countries.
oar relations with China continue TO be
friendly. During the past year the fear of hOs-
tIities between China and Japan, growing out
OF the landing OF an armed force upon the
Island OF FOrmCsa By the latter, hgs occasiOHed
uueasiness. It's earnestly hoped, hO wever, til at
adjusted, anI tnat the advance OF civilization
IN these empires may not be retarded by a state
Of war. In consequence OF the part taken by
certain citizens Of the United States in this ex-
peditiOD, our representatives in those countries
nave been instr acted to impress UPON the gov
eInments OF Cnira and 4pan t6e firm intention
1f this country to maintain strict neutrality in
he event Of hOstiiLies, aa1 TO carefully pre- vent
any iDfraetiOn OF law on the part of our ctiz ems
In connection with this subject call the atJen-
ton Of Congress 70 generally conceded fact,
that the great proportion of tne Chinese emf
grants who come to our shores q , not come
voluntarily to make their homes with US, and
their labor PROD Of general prosperity,
but come under contracts with head men, who
Own them almost absolutely. In q worse form
toes this apply 10 Chinese women. Hardly a
percepti5le per centage of them perform any
nOTsble labor, but they are brOug for sha me-
ful purposes, TO the disgrace OF the communities
y here settled, and 70 the great decentralization
u the youth OF those localities. If this evil
practice can be l5giSiated against, lt will be ny
Iies-UTe ss we'll as duty tO vHfOice any regu -
ton to secure 20 desire Bile an end.
1t is hoped that negotiations between the gov
eTrment of Japan AMI the treaty powers, look
ing 70 the further opening OF the Empire ami 10
the removal OF various restrictions upon trade
AID travel, may soon produce the results de-
sired, which cannot fail 10 enure TO the benefit
Of all the parties. Having, on previous Occa-
sions, submitted TO the consideration of Con-
gTess the propriety of the release Of the Japan
tse government from the further payment OF
the indemnity under the convention of October
p, 1851, snc rs no action lad been taken there
Oh, it became my duty to regard the obligations
OF the convention as in force, and as the other
powers interested had received their portion of
the indemnity in full, the Minister OF the United
States in Japan has, IN behalf OF this govern
ment, received the rem Amer OF the amount
due TO the United States uDd.r the con-
veLti0n OF SiMOnoseki. | submit the prOpTi-
ETY. OF applying the income, OF Q part, II not
Of the whole, OF this fund to tbs educa ion
in the Japanese language OF q number
of Young meH tO be under OBJ Z 4. 0ns 20 serve
the government Tor a specific TINA as intsrprs-
t5rs at the legation and q cOn5ulstss in japan.
4 limited number OF japanese you rs migl, a.
he 81 me tine be educate in our OSn 7erasca-
lar, and mutual benefits wOald result u both
governments. The Importance OF having our
0Wn citizens competent and famil 4g ~iiSs9f tha
language Of Japan TO act IS in fsr prefers, AM
in other capacities connected with the legation
ard tie consulates III that country, cannO-
readily be Over-estimated. The am punt award
ed TO the government of Great Britain by the
Mixed Commission organized under the prJvi-
W
ment Of the claims Of British subjects arising
from acts committed between April Is, 1861 and
April 9, 1885, became payable, under the terms
OF tue treaty, within the past year, and was
paid upon the 2lst day Of September, 18Th
In this connection j renew my recOm-
neudstiOn made at the opening or the last
session OF Congress, that a special court
claims OF aliens against the United States aris
ing from acts committed against their persons or
property duIILg the insgrTectiCu. Ii appears
Faf1 10 af,f
ctuZcns Of other states t. present their claims
a. well as to those British subjects whose claims
were not admissible under the late Commission
to the early decision Of some competent tribu-
nal. To this END 1 recommend the necessary
IL gisl alton 10 organize c. Ert to dispose Of all
claims % aliens OF the nature rcf erred TO. in Al
equitable anC saIlsiactoLy manner, and TO re-
heJs Congress and the Departments from the
consideration OF these questions. The legjsla-
ton necessary TO extend 70 the colony or New
toundlaud certain articles of the Treaty Of
Washington, ci the oth Cay OF May, Is 1, having
been Lad, a protocol to Ih9t effect was
signed in behalf of the Unitsd States
ana Of Great Britain, on the 2Sth day
of May last, and was duly proclaimed on the
following day. a copy CT the proc lam alton l.
sUbMitted herewith. copy OF the report OF
the commissioner appointed under the act OF
March 10 ie.Z, Ior surveying and marking the
boundary between the United States and the
British possessions, from the Lake OF the Woods
TO the summit Of the Rocky Mount aims, Is here
With transmitted. an happy to announce that
pleted, ar d the entire line, from the north west
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. Il is be-
iieyed that the amount remaining unaxpended
OF the appropriation made at the i2st session Of
CCngIess Will be suf ciSut 70 complete the OH &c
work. / recommend that tie authority OF Con-
gT6ss be given to the use OF tce une1pended
balance OF the appropriation in the completion
o. the work Of The CON mission, in making It's
report and preparing the necessary maps.
IEe court known as the court u commission
eTs or Alaba m9 claims, created 10y an act OF
Congress Of the last session, has ganlZed and
commenced It's work, and il is TO bs hoped that
the claims, admissible under the provisions OF
the act, may be speedily ascertRined and paid.
1t has been deemed advisable 10 exercise the
discretion conferred upon the Executive at the
last session, by accepting the conditions re-
quired by the government Of Turkey for the
privilege OF allowing citizens Of the United
States TO hold real estate in the former coun-
try, and by asserting 70 a certain change in the
jurisdiction OF courts in the latter. A copy of
the proclamation upon these subjects Is here
with communicated. There has been no mate
rial change in our relations with the independ
ent states Of this hemisphere which were for.
merly under the dominion OF Spain. Msraud
ing on the frontiers between Mexico and Texas
still frequently takes place, despite the vigil
ance OF the civil and military authorities in that
quarter.