The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-08


credit upon 1t in the eyes of oil disintef-
ested persons elsewhere. Ii is to be re-
gretted, however, that its payments on
account of claims of citizens of the United
States are still SO meagre in amount, and
that the stipulations of the treaty in re-
gard to the sums to be paid and the per-
iods when those payments were to take
place should have been so signally dlsre-
garded.
Since my last annual message the ex-
change has been made of the ratification
of a treaty of commerce and navigation
with Belgium and of conventions with the
Mexican republic for the further extern
sion of the Joint Commission respecting
claims, with the Hawaiian Islands for
commercial reciprocity and with the Otte-
man Empire for extraditlon, all OF which
have been duly proclaimed.
ALABAMA CLAIMS.
The court of commissioners OF the Ala
bama claims has prosecuted its important
duties very assiduously and very satisfac:
torily. 1t convened and was organized
on the 22d day of July. 1874. and by the
terms of the act under which it was to
exist for one year from that date. The
act provided, however, that should it be
found improbable to complete the work
of the court before the expiration OF the
year the President might by proclama-
ton extend the time of Its duration to
period not more than six months beyond
the expiration of the year. Having re-
ceived satisfactory evidence that 1t would
De Improbable to complete the work
within the time originally fixed l issued
) a proclamation. copy of which is pre-
sented herewith. extending the time of
the duration of the court for period Of
six months from and after the 22d day OF
July last A report made through the
clerk of the court, communicated here
With, shows the condition of the calen-
dar on the lst OF November last aud the
l large amount of work which has been
accomplished. Thirteen hundred and
eighty two claims have been presented. OF
e which 6S2 had been disposed of at the
date of the report. l am informed that
ITO cases were decided during the month
e Of November. Arguments are being
= made and decisions given in the remain
q ing cases with all the dispatch consistent
e With the proper consideration OF the
!, questions submitted. Many of these claims
: are in behalf of mariners or dependent on
q the evidence OF mariners. whose absence
o has delayed the taking Of the returns of
e the necessary evidence. 1t is represented
u to me that it will be unpracticable for the
court to finally dispose of all the cases be-
T. fore it within the present limit of its dura-
% ton. Justice to the parties claimant who
l. had been at large expense IN preparing
.e their claims and obtaining evidence in
ID their support suggests short extention
re to enable the court to dispose of all of the
e claims which have been presented. l re-
!. commend the legislation which may be
"a deemed proper to enable the court to
ID complete the work before it. ! recon-.
he mend that some suitable provision be
~ made by the creation of special court or
he by comforting the necessary jurisdiction
upon such appropriate tribunal for the
OF consideration and determination of the
OF claims OF aliens against the government Of
De the United States which have arisen
De within some reasonable limitation of time
ny or which may hereafter arise, excluding
OF all claims barred by treaty provisions Of
ne otherwise 1t has been found impossible
De TO give proper consideration to these
er claims by the Executive Department o.
ne the government. Such a tribunal would
ne afford an opportunity to aliens other thai
ay British subjects to present their claims OF
Fo- account Of acts committed against thei
on persons or property during the rebellion
as also to these subjects of Great Britain
whose claims having arisen subsequent t
airs the 9th day of April, 1865, could not b.
rn- presented to the late commission organ
re- ICED pursuant to the provisions of tn
in treaty of Washington.
~ ~ THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH
hos haoopoo n N al nj III
the agent in the transmission of business an
inc socisi messages. Id lts operation on Ian
ing and water the limit of particular states
ted necessary under the control Of the jari
ent diction within which it operates. Tn
ing lines on the high seas. however, are M
da. subject to the particulR ar control of az
the one government. La 1869 a concessio
ON was granted by the French governmeI
the to q company which proposed to lay
re- cable from the shores of France to tn
bIv United States. At that time there was
ices Geographic connection between the Unite
and States and the continent of Europe
Ell though the possessions of Great Britai
ave at either end of the line, In the control {
ara an association, which had at an outlay
eet. a large amount of capital and at gres
nt's risk, demonstrated the practicability {
nite maintaining such means of communlc
line ton. The cost of correspondence by tn
ions agency was great, possibly not too lara
an at the time for proper remuneration fl
hat so hazardous and costly an enterprise.
has was, however. heavy charge upon
the means Of communication which the pr,
nav gress in the serial and commercial int
y Of ests of the world found to be a necessit
aud the obtaining Of this French conce
mis-. sion showed that other capital than TIL
the already invested was ready to enter I'M
, Of competition with the assurance of addltio
will al return for their outlay. Impressed vii
II of the conviction that the interests not on
ated of people OF the United States but of Il
world at large demanded or would demaI
the multiplication of such means of cor
munication between separated continent
gov was DESTROYS that the proposed come
Their tons should be made, but certain prov
its ions OF the concession we're deemed by n
that to be Objectionable, particularly one whi'
ears gave for long term Of years the excl
,ish- sive right of telegraphlc communicate
10 hu HIM rSno folouronh hokmoon III