The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-12-05
OF lLa P.o2.dant Of the United
States
To TIE Senate and House in Con
sress Assembled.
Questions Of Interest Discussed by the
Chief Magistrate.
V'hattO 10 with the. surpins Revenue
--EoIygany COndemned---POstal
TeIegaaphy Mildly APPROVED
sscView of our Foreign and
Domestic Relations.

ct ahe domestic aud foreign affairs of this
government.
Oar relations with other nqtoaS continue
TO be on friendly footing. With the Argen-
tine republic, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Den
mark Hayti, Italy, Santo Domingo, and
Swe'cn and Norway, no incident
has occurred which calls for special
connp,nt The recent opening of new
Ines of Geographic communication with
Central America and Brazil permitted the
interchange Of messages of friendship with
governments Of these countries. During the
year there have been perfected and pro
claimed consular and commercial treaties
with SerYia and a consular treaty with
Roumania, thus extending our intercourse
with the Danuhian countries, while our
eastern relations have been placed upon a
wider ba3e 10y treaties with Corea and NADIA
gascaG.
Tie new boundary survey treaties with
Mexico, trademark convention saud a sup
Elementary treaty OF cxtradition with Spain,
and convention extending the duration of
the FrancO-AmerlCau claims commission,
have also been proclaimed.
Notice of the confirmation Of the fisheries
articles of the treaty OF Washington was duly
given to the British govel nmenr The privi-
ieges and exempt ions Of the British govern
mrut and the rec pfJCIl privileges and eX-
emptions of the treaty viii accordingly close
on July , 1889 The fisheries industry, pur-
sued by a numerous class Of Oar citizens on
the northern coasts both of the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans, are worthy of the fostering
care of congress- Whenever brought into
competition with like industries of other conn
Lriss. cur fishermen, as well as our manufac-
tureIs Of fishing appliances and prepareTs of
fish prUducts have maintained a foremost
place. suggest that congress create com
mission to consider the question Of our rights
in the fisheries and the means of opening to
our citizens, under just and enduring con
ditiOnS, the richly-StOcked fishing waters and
sealing grounds of British North America.
The question has arisen touching dep0rta-
ton to the United States from the British
islands by governmental or municipal aid, of
persons unable there to gain living and
equally q burden Gu the community here.
Such of these persons as will come under the
pauper class, as definedghy;the law have been
sent back. Her majesty's government has in
sisted that precautions have been taken before
shipment This has, however, in so many
cases proven Intellectual, and especially so in
certain recent instances of needy immigrants
reaching our territory through Canada, that
q revision Of our legislation upon this subject
may be deemed advisable
Correspondence relative to the Clayton
Bulwer treaty has been continued, and will
be laid before congresf
The legislation of France aga INST the i'm
pOrtation of prepared swine prodHced from
the United States has been repell,d. That
result has been due no less to the friendly rep,
reservations of this government than to a
growing conviction in France thatthe restric-
ton is not demanded by any real danger to
health.
Germany still prohibits the introduction of
all swine products from America I extended
to the imperial government a friendly invita-
ton to send experts to the
United States, to inquire whether the
use of these products was danger
Gus to health. This invitation was declined
| have believed it Of such importaace. how
ever that the exact facts sh l1Gid be ascer-
IaIhned and promulgated, that l have ap-
pointed competent commission to make a
thorough investigation of the subject Its
members have shown their public spirit by
accepting their trust without pledge of com,
pensation, but trust that congress will see
in the national and international bearings OF
the matter q sufficient motive of providing
at least for reimbursement of such expenses
as they msy necessarily incur. The
The coronation of the Gar of Russia al
Moscow, afforded to this government Ear
occasion for testifying its continued friend
ship by sending special envoy and repre-.
sentative OF the navy to attend the ceremony
While there have arisen during the year no
grave question affecting the status in the
Russian empire of American citizens, or Other
faith than that held by tile national church
this government remains firm in its cCnvic
tons that the rights of its citizens abroad be
in no way affected by their religious belief
1t is understood that measures for the re
moval of the restrictions which now burden
our trade with Cuba and Porto Rico ar
11n1ay. hxrt tho SY,a1,jsb ,rONroYs,
ment. The proximity of Cuba, and tn
peculiar method of administration whicl
there prevail, necessitate constant discussion
and appeal on our part from the proceeding
of the insular authorities l regret to sa
that the just protests of this government
have not, as yet, produced satisfactor
results. The commissioner appointed t
decide certain claims of on
citizens against the Spanish government, of
satisfactory rule as to the validity and fore
of naturalization in the United States, ha
finally adjourned Some of its awards
though made more than two years ago, hav
not yet been paid The specie payment
expected. Claims to a large amount, whic
were held by the late commission to be witt
out their jurisdiction, have been diplomat
caly presented to the Spanish government
as the action of the colonial authorize,
which has given rise to those claims, was ad
mitted as Illegal, and full reparation for tn
injuries sustained by our citizens should be n
longer delayed.
The Manila court has found that the prt
ceedings Of which this government has con
planned were unauthorized, and it is hope
that the government of Spain will not witt
hold the speedy reparation which its sense
justice should impel it to offer for the III
usual severity and unjust action of its sui
ordinate colonial officers in the case Of tn
vessel
The case of the Masonic has not yet reache
settlement.
The Helvetian Confederation has prepare
the Inauguration of q class of internations
treaties for the deferment to arbitration
grave question between nations This govern
ment has assented to the proposed Regotii
ton of such treaty with Switzerland.
Under the treaty of Berlin, liberty of COZ
science and civil rights are assured to a
strangers in Bulgaria. As the United Stat
have no distinct conventional relations wit
that country, and are not a party to tn
treaty they should, in my opinion, maintai
a diplomatic representation at Sofia for ii
Improvement of intercourse and the propt
protection of the many American citizens WI
resort to that country as missionaries an
teachers. ] suggest that | be given authorjt
to establish an agency and consulate generS
at the Bulgarian capital
ne Y HlIb3l IObdDeS are no" PAL
in revision of the tariffs of the Ottoma
empire They have assented to the applica
ton of a license tax of foreigners dom
business in Turkey, but have opposed the OF
presSive storage tax upon petroleum enterin
the ports of that country.
The government of the khedive has pre-
posed that the authority of the mixed jud
cinl tribunals i'll Egypt be extended so as t
cover citizens OF the United States accuse
Of crime, who are now tried before consula
courts, This government is not indispOsed
accept the change, but believes that its term
should be submitted for criticism to a con
mission appointed to revise the whole sui
sct.
At no time in our national history ha
there been more manifest need of close an
lasting relations with a neighboring stat
than now exists with respect to Mexico III
rapid influx of our capital and enterprise int
that country shows by what has already bee
accomplished the vast reciprocal advantage
which must attend the progress of its intel
nal development. The treaty Of comme-c
and navigation of 1S4S has been terminate
by the Mexican government and by the al
sence Of conventional engagements. TIL
rights of our citizens in Mexico nov
depend upon the domestic statutes of til
republic. There have been instances of hars
enforcement of the laws against our vessel
and citizens in Mexico, and of denial of diplC
matte resort for their protection. The militia