The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-12-10

herilsmen Of Texas. The proceedings
Of the Joint Commission under the
convention between the United States
/ aud Mexico, on the 4th of July, 1868,
on the lject OF claims, viii soon be
brought to q close, The result OF these
proceedings VIII then be COmmuniua-
ted to Congress.
NENEzuELA's CONDUCT.
am happy to announce that the
government of Venezuela has, upon
further consideration, practically ab
andoned It's objection 70 pay 10 the
United States that share Of It's
revenue which, some years
since, II allotted towards
the extinguishment of the
claims Of foreigners generally. In
thus reconsidering its determination,
that government has shown Il Just
sense of self-respect which cannot fail
to reflect credit upon 1t In the eyes Of
all disinterested parties, aware that It's
| payments, an account Of claims OF clti-
Gems of the United States, so meagre in
amount and the stipulati0ns OF the
treaty In regard TO the sums 10 be paid
and the periods when these payments
were to take place, should have been
so signally disregarded.
TREATIES, Enc, IN PROGRESS.
! Since my last annual message, the
exchange has been made Of the ratih-
cation of II treaty Of commerce and
navigation with Belgium, and Of con.
ventions with the Mexican Republic,
for the further extension Of the joint
commission respecting claims; with
the Hawaiian Islands for commercial
reciprocity, and with the Ottoman
Empire for extraditlon, all of which
have been duly proclaimed.
The Alabama Commission.
The Court OF Commissioners OF Ala
bama' Claims has prosecuted its im-
portant duties very asslduously aud
very satisfactorily. 1t convened and
was organized on the 22dday of July,
1874, and by the terms OF the act, un-
der which it was created was to exist
/ for one year from that date. The act
provided that, should it be found inn
practicable to complete the work of the
court before the expiration Of II year,
the President might, by proclamation,
extend the time of its duration TO u PEE
! Rod not more than six months beyond
the expiration of the oneyear Having
received satisfactory evidence that it
would be impractieaDle to complete
the work within the time originally
fixed, | issued proclamation, copy
of Which Is presented herewith, eX-
tending the time OF duration Of the
court for period of six NOR tbs from
and after the 22d day of July last. A
report, made through the clerk of the
court, communicated herewith, shows
the condition of the calendar on the
first of November last, and the large
amount of work which has been ac-
complished. Thirteen hundred and
eighty-twQ claims have been present.
cd, of which six hundred and eighty
two had been disposed of ut the date
of the report. | am informed that one
hundred and seventy cases were dec-
ded during the mouth Of November.
Arguments are being made and decis.
ions given in the remaining eases, with
all the dispatch consistent with the
proper consideration of the questions
submitted. Many OF these claims are
IN the behalf of mariners, and depend
upon the evidence of mariners, whose
absence has delayed the taking or re-
turn of the necessary evidence. 1t is
represented to me that it will DO i'm
practicable for the court of inquiry to
finally dispose Of all the cases before
4 it within tho present limits OF its dura-
| ton. Justice 10 the parties claimant,
who have been at large expense in
preparing their claims and obtaining
evidence in their support, suggests Il
short extension to enable the court to
dispose of all of the claims which have
been presented; / recommend the leg
islation which may be deemed proper
to enable the court to complete the
work before it. | recommend that
some suitable provision he made by the
creation of q special court, or 10y con-
ferring the necessary jurisdiction upon
some appropriate tribunal for the con
sideration and determination of the
claims of aliens against the govern
ment of the United States which have
arisen within some reasonable limita-
ton Of time, or which may hereafter
arise, including all claims barred by
treaty provisions or otherwise. 1t has
been found impossible to give proper
| consideration TO these claims by the
Executive Department of the Govern
| ment. Such a tribunal would afford
an opportunity to aliens other than
British subjects to present their claims
on account of acts committed against
those people, or their property, during
the rebellion, as also to those subjects of
Great Britain whose claims have
arisen subsequent to the 9th day of
April, 1865, and could not be presented
to the late Commission organized pur
suant to the provisions of the treaty of
Washington.
Ifi} a Wire ami Cable.
The electric telegraph has become
an essential and indispensable agent
i'll the transmission OF business and
social messages. Its operation Oh land
and within the limit of particular
States is necessarily under the control
of the jurisdiction within which it OPP
crates. The lines on the high seas,
| however, are not subject to the parti:-
ular control of any one government.
Ia lAtO II concession was granted by
the French government to company
which proposed TO lay cable from the
shores of France to the United States.
AT That time there was Geographic
connection between the United States
and the continent of Europe, through
the possessions OF Great Britain, at
either end of the line, under the con-
troll OF an association which had, at u
large outlyof capital, and at great risk,
demonstrated the practicability of
maintaining such means of comnluni.
cation. The cost OF correspondence by