The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-12-09

i tinues its work in Paris. I invite your atten-
ton to the necessity of an appropriation to be
made in time to enable this Government to
comply with its obligations under the Metrical
| Convention.
Our friendly relations with the German En-
| pire continue without interruption. At the re-
/ cent International Exhibition of Fish and Fish
| cries at Berlin, the participation of the United
GUS, winning for private exhibitors numerous
awards of high class, and for the country at
/ large the principal prize of honor offered
by His Majesty the Emperor.
There is nothing of Importance to note in our
! unbroken friendly relations with the Govern
ments of Austria Hungary. Russia, Portugal,
Sweden and Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and
Greece.
| .s THE SPANISH OUTRAGE.
During the last summer several vessels be-
/ longing TO the merchant marine of this country,
| sailing in neutral waters of the West Indies,
were fired at, boarded, and searched by an armed
cruiser of the Spanish Government. The cir
cumstances, as reported, involve not only
4 private injury to. the persons concerned, but
also seemed too little observant of the friendly
| relations existing for century between this
| country and Spain. The wrong was brought
] to the attention of the Spanish Government in
1 a serious protest and remonstrance, and the
matter is undergoing Investigation by the royal
| authorities. with a view to such explanations or
reparations as may be called for by the facts
| THE FLORIDA TREATY.
The claims against the United States under
| the Florida Treaty with Spain were submitted
| to Congress for its action at the late session,
| and again invite your attention to this long
| standing question, with view to final dis
| position of the matter.
| OUR CHINESE RELATIONS
The provision made by Congress, at its last
| session, for the expense of the commission
! which had been appointed to enter upon
negotiations with the Imperial Government of
China on subjects of great interest to the rela-
| tions of the two countries, enabled the Com
missioners to proceed at once upon their mis-
| sion. The Imperial Government was prepared
| to give prompt and respectful attention to the
| matters brought under negotiation, and the
| conferences proceeded with such rapidity and
success that, on the 18th of November last,
| two treaties signed at Pekin one relating
| to the introduction of Chinese into this country
| and relating to commerce. MIR. Trescot,
one of the Commissioners. is now on his way
| home bringing the treaties, and it is expected
| that they will be received in season to be laid
| before the Senate early in January.
Our Minister in Japan has negotiated con-
vention for the reciprocal relief of shipwrecked
| seamen. / take occasion to urge once more
upon Congress the propriety of making pro-
| vision for the erection of suitable tire-proof
buildings at the japanese Capital for the use of
| the American Legation, and the Courthouse
and Jail connected with it. The Japanese
| Government, with great generosity and
| courtesy, has offered for this purpose an eligi-
| BILE piece of land.
In my last annual message invited the at
| tention of Congress to the subject of the in
| demnity funds received some years ago from
| China and Japan. I renew the recommenda-
ton then made that whatever portion of these
| funds are due to American citizens should be
promptly paid, and the residue returned to the
nations, respectively, to which they justly and
| equitably belong.
| REAFFIRMING THE MONROE DOCTRINE" RE
| sPECTING THE PANAMA CANAL SCHEME.
| The relations between this Government and
| that of the United States of Colombia have en-
| gagged public attention during the past year,
mainly by reason of the project Of an inter
oceanic canal across the Isthmus of Panama, to
| be built by private capital under a concession
| from the Colombian Government for that pur-
| pose. The treaty obligations subsisting between
| the United States and Colombia, by which We
guarantee the neutrality of the transit and the
sovereignty and property of Colombia in the
Isthmus make it necessary that the conditions
| under which stupendous a change in the
| region embraced in this guarantee should be
| ed-transforming, as it would, this 18th
| mus, from a barrier between the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans, into a'gateway and thorough
| fare between them, for the navies and the meT
chant ships of the world-should receive the
| approval of this Government, as being COM
| patible with the discharge of these obligations
| on our part, and consistent with our interests
| as the principal commercial power of the West
| ern Hemisphere. The views which expressed
in special message to Congress in March last,
| i'll relation to this project, deem it my duty
| again to press upon your attention. Subse-
quent consideration has but confirmed the opin-
| ion ''that it is the right and duty of the United
States to assert and maintain ouch provision
| and authority over any inter-oceanic canal
| across the Isthmus that connects North and
South America as will protect our national in
| terest" -- -.
I SOUTH AMERICA DISTURBANCES.
I The war between the Republic of Chill on the
one hand, and the allied Republics of Peru and
Bolivia en- the other, still continues. This
Government has not felt called upon to inter-
fere in a contest that is within the belligerent
rights of the parties as independent States.
| We have, however, always held ourselves in
readiness to aid in accommodating their differ
| ence, and have at different times reminded
| both belligerents of our willingness to render
such services.
The relations of the United States with the
| Empire of Brazil continue to be most cor
| dial.
The internal disorders with which the Argen-
tine Republic has for some time past been af
filcted, are understood to have been brought to
| a close.
| INTERNATIONAL SANITARY MEASURES.
In pursuance OF the act passed at the last
| session of Congress, invitations have been ex-
| tended to foreign maritime States to join in a
sanitary conference in Washington, beginning
the LIST of January. The acceptance of this in
| vitation by many prominent Powers gives prom
Use of success in this important measure, de-
| signed to establish system of international
notification by which the spread of infectious
| or epidemic diseases may be more effectively
checked or prevented The attention of Con-
gress is invited to the necessary appropriations
for carrying into effect the provisions of the
| act referred to.
| OUR PosTAL-CoMMERCE FACILITIES
The prosperous energies of our domestic in
dustries, and their immense production of the
| subjects of foreign commerce. invite, and even
require, an active development of the wishes
and interests of our people in that direction.
| Especially important is it that our commercial
relations with the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of
| South America, with the West Indies and the
| Gulf of Mexico should be direct, and not
through the circuit of European systems, and
should be carried on in our own bottoms. The
| full appreciation of the opportunities which
our front on the Pacific Ocean gives to COM
| merce with Japan, China, and the East Indies,
with Australia and the Island groups which lie
along these routes of navigation, should in
spire equal efforts to appropriate to our own
shipping, and to administer by own capital,
due proportion of this trade. Whatever mod
| ifcations of our regulations of trade and navi-
CATION may be necessary useful to meet
and direct these impulses to the enlargement of
our exchanges and of our carrying trade, am
sure the wisdom of Congress will be ready to
supply. One initial measure, however, seems to
me SO clearly useful and efficient that venture
to press it upon your earnest attention.
1t seems to be very evident that the
provision of regular steam-postal communica-
ton, by aid from Government, has been the
forerunner of the commercial predominance of
Great Britain on all these coasts and seas
greater share in whose trade is now the desire
and the intent Of our people. II is also mani
fest that the efforts of other European nations
to contend with Great Britain for n share of
this commerce, have been successful in propor-
ton with their adoption of regular steam
postal communication with the markets whose
trade they sought. Mexico and the States of
South America are anxious to receive such
postal communications with this country, and
ton may be looked for, in due time, from the
Eastern nations and from Australia. 1t is diff
cult to zee how the lead in this movement can
be expected from private interests. In respect