National Republican., 1881-12-07
PRESIDENT ARTHUR.
fconlinned from First Pae.l

and from the opening of tie rich interior OF Mex
ico TO railway enterprise. I deem it"imporhnt
that means be provided to restrain the lawessness
unfortunately so common on the frontier, and to
suppress the fomys Of the reservation Indians on
either side Of the Rio Grande
The ncighborng states Of Central America have
preserved internal peace, and their outward re-
lations toward us have been those Of intimate
friendship. There are encouraging signs of their
growing disposition to subordinate their local In
terest to those which are common to thcm by rea-
son ofthclr geographical relations
The boundary dispute between Guatemala and
Mexico has afforded this Government an oppor.
tunity to exercise It's good offices for preventing
rupture between those states, aud for procuring a
peaccable solution of the question. | cherish
strong hope that in view OF our relations OF amty
with both countries our friendly counsels mny pre-
vail.
special envoy of Guatemala has brought to me
the condolences ofhis government and people on
the death of President Garfield.
The Costa Rican government lately framed an
engagement with Colombia for settling by arbtra-
tion the boundary question between those coun-
tries, providing that the post of arbitration should
be offered successvCly to the King of the Boil
gians, the King of Spain, and the President of the
Argentine Confederation The King of the Bel
gans has declined to act, butI am not as yet ad-
Vised Of the action of the King Of Spain. As we
have certain interests in the disputed territory
which are protected by our treaty engagements
with one Of the parties, II is important that the
arbitration should not, without our consent effect
our rights, and this Government has accordingly
thought proper to make its views known to the
parties to the agreement, MS well MS to intimate
them TO tho Belgian and Spanish governments.
The questions growing out of the proposed inter-
oceanic waterway across the lsthmus OF Panama
are of grave national Importance. This Govern
ment has not been unmlndfu of the solemn obli-
cations imposed upon II by Its compact of 1916 with
Colombia, ns the independent and sovereign mis-.
trcss Of the territory crossed by the canal ana has
sought to render them effective by fresh engage
mcnts with the Colombian Republic looking to
end after they had reached whit appeared 10 bo n
mutually satisfactory solution here were met In
Colombia 10y disayowa Of the powers which It's
envoy had assumed, aud by n proposal for renewed
negotiation on n modified basis,
Meanwhile this Government learned that Coiom.
bia had proposed TO the European Powers TO join
in n guurnntce Of the neutrality Of the proposed
Panama Canal-n guarantee which would be In
direct cuiitraNCntion Of our obligation the sole
guamntor of the integrity Of Colombian territory
nnd of the neutrality OF the canal itself My
ementcd predecessor iet 1t his duty place before
the European Powers the reasons which mike the
prior guarantee of the United States Indispensable
md for which the intcrjection Oi any foreign
guaInteG might be regarded as supefiluos and
unfriendly ucL
Foresecing the probable reliance of the British
government ON The provisions of the Clayton
Bulwer treaty Of 1850, as aflOrding room for n
share in the guarantees which the United States
covcnanted with Colombia four years before,
have not hesnted to supplement the action OF my
predecessor by proposing to Her Mnjesty's govern
ment the modification of that instrument and the
port with the obligations of the United States
toward Colombia, or with the vital needs OF the
two friendly parties to the compact
This Government sees with grcGt concern the
continuance Of the hostile relations between
Chilli, Bolivia, ana Peru, An carly peace between
these republics is much To be desired, not only
that they may themselves be spared further
misery and hlOOdshcd but because thclrcontiuued
nnagollism threatens consequences which nre in
my Judgment, dangerous to the interests of re-
publican government on this continent and cal
culateu TO destroy the best elements Of our free
AS in the present excited condition Of popular
feeling IN these countries there has been serious
mlsaprClenslon OF the position of the United
States, ana us separate diplomatic intercourse with
each through independent ministers is sometimes
subject, owing To the want of prompt reciprocal
communication, to temporary misunderstanding |
have deemed 1t Judicous, At the present time, TO
tend special envoy, accredited to all aud each of
them, and furnished with general instructions,
which VIII, ! trust enable him to bring these
powers into friendly relations
The government of Venezuela maintains It's ut.
titude OF warm friendship, ana continues with
great regularity is payment Of the monthly quota
direction In which Congress should act / ask its
attention TO the pending questions affecting the
distribution of the sums thus far received.
The relations between Venezuela and France
growing out of the same debt, have been for some
time past in an unsatisfactory state, und this Gov
ernmtit us the ncighbOr and one of the largest
creditors Of Venezuela, has nerpOsed Its influence
with The French government with the view of pro-
regret that the commercial interests between
the United states and Brazil from which great adj.
from the Withdrawal of the American lines of
communication between the Brazilian ports and
our own
Through the efforts of our Minister Resident Mt
Bucnus Ayres and the United States Minister at
Santiago, n treaty lns hcenconeludcd between the
long pending Putugumian boundary question Ii
samattcr of fcongrntuluion that our Government
has been Afforded the opportunity Of successfully
cXcrtng its good influence for the prevention Of
disagrecments between these Republics of the
American continent,
VDii hn tFpnt tiag 1otal
negotinted with China have been duly mtiiied Oh
both sides, and the exchange made at Peking
into effect. The prompt and friendly spirit with
which the Chinese government at the request OF
suing re@e s sou resnT5 for Si eS
Interests and ssceptibilites of that government i'm
the enactment ofany laws relating to Chinese i'm
Those clauses of the treaties which forbid the
participation of citizens or vessels of the United
your approval. Theywill attest the sincere in
terest which our rpeople and Government feel in
the COnlnondnblc efforts of the Chinese govern
ment TO put stop TO this demoralizing and de.
strucive traffic III relation both to China and
Japan some changes are desirable in our present
system uf consular jurisdiction. / hope at some
future time TO lay before You scheme for its i'm.
prOvemont In the entire East
The intimacy between our own country and
Japan, the most advanced of the Eastern nations
continues TO he cordial. nm advised that the
Emperor c0ntemplates the establishment of full
constitutional government, and that he has al
ready summoned parliamentary congress for
the purpose OF cnecuhg the change Such II re-
marknblc step toward complete assimilation with
the Western system cannot fall To bring japan into
closer and more beneficial relationship with our
selves as the chief pncifc power.
A question has arisen In relation to the exercise
in that country ofthe judicial functions conferred
upon our Ministers and cOnsuls. The indictment
trial, and conviction in the consular court nj
Yokohama of John Ross merchant seaman on
board an American vessel have made II necessary
Tor the Government to institute n careful exam
inution into the nature and methods of this juris
diCtion.
1t appeared that Ross was regularly shipped
under the flag of the United States, but was 10y
birth British subject. My predecessor felt II tC
be his duty to maintain the position that, during
an American merchant vessel, Ross was subject tC
the laws of that service and TO the jurisdiction Of
the United States consular authorities.
| renew the recommendation which has beer
heretofore urged by the Executive upon the at.
tentiOn of Congress- that afer the reduction o
rHIch amount as may be funnd due to American
citizens, The balance Of the indemnity funds here
tOfore obtained from China and Japan, and whicl
are now in the hands of the Stale Depart
ment, be returned to the governments OF thos,
countries.
The King of Hawaii, in the course of his home
ward return after a Journey around the world
has lately visited this country, While our rela
tions with thut Kingdom are friendly this Govern
ment has viewed with concern the efforts TO SGel
replenishment Of the diminishing population q
the islands from outward sources, 10 n degre,
which may impair the native sovereignty and In
dependence In which the United States was amonI
the first TO testify lively interest
Relations of unimpRiTed Rmiiy have been main
tanned throughout the year with the respective
Governments Of Austria Hungary, Belgium, Den
and Sweden and Norway This may also be suiC
of Greece and Ecuador, although our relation
with those slntes have for some yenrs been severed
matte representatives at Athens and Quito. j
seems eXpediGnt to restore those MISSIONS even Oi
AZ IN tpl Igl lts.l,