The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-12-27

.ideration for the loss Of .inhuence and i'm
portance which will attend our foreign
representatives under this reduction. / am
of the opinion that q denomination OF the
subject will cause q change in some in
stances in the conclusions reached on these
subjects at the last session of Congress.
THE COURT OF COMMISSIONERS
Of Alabama claims, whose functions were
continued by an act OF the last session OF
Congress until the first day OF January,
1877, has carried on its labors with dill
gence and general satisfaction. BY q re-
port from the clerk of the court, transmit
ted herewith, bearing date November IA,
1876, it appears that within the lime now
allowed bv law the court will have dis
posed OF all the claims presented for adjudi-
cation. This report also contains a state
ment of the general result of the labors OF
the court to date thereof. 1t is cause OF
satisfaction to know that the method
adopted for the satisfaction of the classes
OF claims submitted to the court, which are
of long standing and justly entitled to
early consideration, should have proved
successful and acceptable. 1t is with salts
llCtlOu tHat L all ciidpitu W eidte llat VIC
work of the joint commission for determi-
ming the boundary line between the Uni
ted States and British possessions, from the
northwest angle Of the lake Of the woods to
the Rocky mountains, commenced in 1872,
has been completed. The final agreements
of the commissioners, with the maps, have
been duly signed, and the work Of the COM
missioners is complete. The fixing Of the
BOUNDARY UPON THE PACIFIC COAST
by the protocol of March 10, 1873, pursuant
to the award OF the emperorof Germany by
article XXXIV. of the treaty of Washing
ton, with the termination of the work Of
this commission, adjusts and FIXES the en-
tire boundary between the United States
and the British possessions, except the por-
ton of territory coded by Russia 10 the
United States under the treaty of 1867. The
work intrusted to the commissioners and
the officers of the army attached to the COM
mission has been we'll and satisfactorily
performed. The original Of the final
agreement Of the commissioners, signed up
on the twenty-ninth of May, 1876, with the
original "list of astronomical stations OBJ
served" the original official "li.t Of M
ments marking the international boundary
line" and the maps, records and general
rero..s relating to the commission, have
been deposited in the department of State.
The official report of the commissioners on
the part of the United States, with the re-
port Of The chief astronomer of the United
States, will be submitted to Congress within
a short time.
TIE EXTRACTION TREATY WITH ENGLAND.
I reserve for q separate communication
to Congress a statement of the condition Of
the questions which lately arose with Great
Britain, respecting the surrender of fugitive
criminals under the treaty Of 1872.
FOREIGN TREATIES.
The Ottoman government gave notice
under date of January Is, 1874, OF its de-
sire 10 terminate the treaty of 1862 con-
corning commerce and navigation, pursu-
ant to the provisions of the twenty-second
article thereof. Under this notice the
treaty terminated upon the fifth day OF
June, 1876. That government has invited
negotiations toward the conclusion OF a new
treaty. By the act of Congress Of March
%, 1874, the President was authorized,
when he should receive satisfactory infor-
nation that the Ottoman government or
that of Egypt had organized new tribunals
likely to secure to citizens Of the United
States the same impartial justice en-
joyed under the exercise Of judicial
functions by diplomatic and consular
officers of the United States, to suspend the
operation of the act of June %, 1860,
and to accept for citizens of the United
States the jurisdiction of the new tribunals.
Satisfactory information having been re-
ceived Of the organization Of such new tri-
bunals in Egypt, 1 caused a proclamation
to be issued on the twenty-seventh OF March
last, suspending the operation of the act Of
June %, 1860, in Egypt, according to the
provisions of the act. A copy OF the pro-
clamation accompanies this message. The
United States has united with the other
powers in the organization of these courts.
1t is hoped that the jurisdictional questions
which have arisen may be readily adj
justed, and that this advance in judicial re-
form may be hindered by no obstacles.
The necessary legislation to carry into
effect the convention respecting commercial
reciprocity concluded with the
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
in 1875 having been had, the proclamation
to carry into effect the convention, as pro-
vided by the act approved August Is,
1876, was duly issued upon the 9th day of
September last. A copy thereof accom-
panies this message. The connections
which have been prevalent in Mexico for
some time past, and which, unhappily,
seem to be not yet wholly quieted, have
led to complaints of citizens Of the United
States of injuries by persons in authority.
It is hoped, however, that these will ulti-
mately be adjusted to the satisfaction of
both governments. The
FRONTIER OF H UNITlD Stain
in that quarter has not been exempt from
acts of violence by citizens of one republic
those of the other. The frequency Of
these is supposed to be increased, and their
adjustment made more difficult, by the
considerable changes in the course Of the
lower part of the Rio Grande river, which
river is a part Of the boundary between the
two countries. These changes have placed
either side of that river portion, of land
which, by existing conventions, belong to
the Jurisdiction of the government on the
opposite side of the river. The subject of
adjustment Of this cause Of difficulty is
under consideration between the two repub-
lies.
The government Of the United States Of
Colombia has paid the award in the case of
the steamer Montijos, seized by the authori-
ties of that government some years since,
and the amount has been transferred to the
MEXICAN CLAIMS.
It is with satisfaction that I am able to
that the joint commission tor the
adjustment of claims between the United
States and Mexico, under the convention Of
1868, the duration Of which has been several
times extended, has brought its leborS to .
close.
From the report OF the agent OF tho
United States, which accompanies the pa
pers transmitted herewith, it will be seen
that within the time limited BY the COM
mission one thousand and seventeen claims
on the part of citizens of the United States
against Mexico we're referred to the com
mission.
OF these claims s3l were dismissed or
di,allowed, and in 1876 cases awards were
made in favor of the claimants against the
Mexican republic, amounting in the ag-
gregate to s4.l25 ,622.2O. Within the same
period 99s claims On the part or citizens of
the Mexican republic against the United
States were referred to the commission. OF
these claims S31 were dismissed or disal-
loved and in 16T aa.ar .ua~da n.aa