Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-05
SOUTH AMERICA

crease of our consular corps as will place at each capital consul general. The contest between Bolivia. Chih and Peru has passed
 from the stage of strategic hostilities to that of negotiation, in which the counsels of this government have been exercised. The de- mands of Chih for absolute cession of terri tory have been maintained and accepted by the party of General Iglesias to the extent of | concluding treaty of peace with the gov ernment of Chii in. general conformity with
 the terms of the protocol signed in May last between the Chilian commander and General Iglesiss. As result of the conclusion of
 this treaty General Iglesias has been formally recognized by Chii as pres ident of Peru and his government in stalled at Lima, which has been evacuated by the ChiIiaus A call has been issued by General IgIesias for 8 representative as- sembly to be elected on the 18th of January 1 and to meet at Lima on the 1st of March next Meanwhile the provisional govern
 ment of General Iglesias has applied for rec ognition to the principal powers of America and Europe. When the will of the Peruvian people shall be manifested shall not hesi tate to recognize the government approved by them. Diplomatic and naval representa- tlves In this government attended, at Carae- cas, the centennial celebration of the birth of l the ilIustrious Bolivar. At the same time the inauguration of the statue of Washington in | the Venezuelan capital testified to the venera- 1 tion in which his memory was held there. congress, &G 1LS lhSG BSSSlOQ, aCGQOrlZ6Q El6 executive to propose to the Venezuelan gov ] srnment reopening of the awards of the fixed commission of Caraccss. The departure from this country of tine Venezuelan min ister has delayed the opensng of negotiations for reviving the commission. This govern unent holds that until the establishment of @ treaty upon this subject the Venezuelan gov
 ernment must continue to make the payments provided for in the convention of 1866. 1 There is ground for believing that the dis | pute growing out of obligations due from Venezuela to France will be satisfactorily ad- l justed the French cabinet has proposed basis of settlement which meets my approval. But as it involves recasting of the annual quotas of the foreign debt, it has been deemed advisable to submit the proposal to the judgment of the cabinets of Berlin, Co penhagen, the Hague, London and Madrid. At the recent coronation of his majesty King Kslakaua, this government was represented both Automatically and by the formal visit | of vessel of war to the Sandwich Islands. The question of terminating or modifying 1 the existing reciprocity treaty with Hawaii is now before Congress. I am convinced that the charges of abuse and frauds under that 1 treaty have been exaggerated and I renew the suggestion of last years message that | the treaty be modified wherever it's provis- | ions have proved onerous to legitimate trade l between the two countries. I am not dis posed to favor the entire cessation Of treaty relations, which have fostered good will be- | tween the countries and contributed toward ] the equality of Hawaii in the family of na- l tions.
 THE EASTERN NATIONS.
 In pursuance of the policy declared by 1 this government of extending our intercourse l with the eastern nations, legations have dur l ing the past year been established in Persia, Siam and Corea. It is probable that perma- nent missions of those countries will, ere | I.an oipko pod i1f a6 special embassy from Siam Is now on it's way hither. Treaty relations with Corea were 1 perfected by the exchange Rt Leoul on the | 18th of May last of the notifications of the l lately concluded convention, and envoys from | the king of Lah Chosun have visited this country and received a cordial welcome. Corea, as yet unacquainted with the methods of western civilization, now invites the at | tention of those interested in the advance ment of our foreign trade, as it needs the l implements and products which the United l States are ready to supply. We seek no mo- l nopoly of it's commerce and no advantages 1 over other nations; but as the Chinese, in l reaching for higher civilization, have con 1 fided in this republic, we cannot regard with | indifference any encroachments on their | rights. China by the payment of money indemnity, has settled certain of the | long pending claims of our citizens, and 1 have strong hopes that the remainder will
 soon be adjusted. Questions have arisen as l to fuoh of the rights of American and other l forsignEmanufRcturersin in China under the pro ! visions of treaties which permit aliens to | excise their industries in that country. On l this specific point our own treaty is silent. But under the operation of the most favored nation clause, we have like privileges with l those of other powers. While 1t is the duty Of 1 the government to see that our citizsns have
 the full enjoyment of every benefit secured | by treaty, doubt the expeciency of leading | in movement to constrRin China to admit 1 an interpretation which we have only an indi | rect treaty right to exact. The transference to | China of American capital for the employ 1 nlent there of Chinese labor would in effect | inaugurate 8 competition for the control of markets now supplied by our home indus | tries. There is good reason to believe that | the law restricting the immigration of Chi
 nese has been violated Intentionally or oth- l erwise by the officials of China, upon whom | is develved the duty of certifying that the immigrants belong to the excepted classes l Measures have been taken to ascertain the facts incident to this supposed infraction, l and it is believed that the government of | China will cooperate with the United States l in securing the faithful observance of the law. The same considerations which | prompted Congress at its last session to re- turn to Japan the Simoneski indemnity | seem to me to require at it's hands like l action in respect to the Canton indemnity fund, now amounting to $300,0 The | question of tho general revision of foreign treaties by Japan has been considered in an international conference held st Tokto, but without definite result as yet. This govern l ment is disposed to concedo ths requests of Japan to determine it's own tariff duties, to provide such proper judicial tribunals as may commend themselves to the western powers for the trisl of causes to which foreigners l are parties, and to assimilate the terms and
 duration of it's treaties to those of other civ 1 ilized States.
 AFRICA.
 Through our ministers at London and at Monrovia the government has endeayored to aid Liberia in it's differences with Great Britain touching the northwestern bounda ries of that republic. There is prospect of the adjustment of the dispute by the adop- ton of the Mannah river as the line. This arrangement is a compromise of the conflict | ing territorial claims and takes from Liberia no country over which it has maintained of fective jurisdiction. The rich and populous valley of the Congo is being opened to com l merce by society called the International African association, of which the King of the Belgians is president, and citizen of the United States the chief executive officer. Large tracts of territory have besn ceded to 1 the association by native chiefs, roads have been opened steamboats placed on the river and the nuclei of States established at twen- ty-t~o stations under one flag which offers
 
 | trade. The object of the society are philan ] thropic. It does not aim at permanent po-
 litical control, but seeks the neutrality of the
 valley The United States cannot be indit- ferent to their work, nor to the rights of
 their citizens involved in Sit. It may become advisable forsus to cooperate with other con-
 mercial powers in promoting the rights of
 trade and residence in the Congo valley free
 from the interference of political control of any one nation.
 In view of the frequency of invitation
 from foreign governments to participate in
 social and scientific congresses for the dis
 cussion of important matters of general con-
 cern, repeat the suggestion of my last mes-
 sage that provision be made for the exercise
 of discretionary power by the executive in-ep
 pointing delegates to such conventions. Able
 specialists are eady to serve the national i'm
 tsrests in such capacities, without personal
 profit or other compensation than the de-
 fraying of expenses actually incurred,
 and this comparatively small annual
 appropriation would suffice to meet. I
 have alluded in my previous message to the
 injurious and vsxatious restrictions suffered
 by our trade in the Spanish West Indies, be-
 cause the natural outlet for it's great national
 ckr R,la on{faa ia in and fhrouoh ho Tnifad