The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-10
SIAM


SIAN
The course Of this Government in raising |
its representation at 3 ing -kOk to the dip 1
lomatic rank has evoked from Siam evil !
dences Of warm friendship, and augurs well /
for our enlarged Intercourse Inc Slamese I
Government has presented TO the lnlted /
States a commOd Gus mansion and grounds /
for the occupancy Of the legislation, ana l
suggest that by JOINT resolution Congress
attest its appreciation OF this generous glft-
SPAIN.
This government has more than once
been called up)n Of late 70 take act on In
fuifillment OF is international oDAgaIlofl
toward Spain Agitation IA the Island Oh
Cuba. hostile 10 the Spa tlsh crown, having
bgGn fer4neA fe.Lbg persons abusing the sa-
cred rites Of hospitality which our rrltory
affords, the OileeFs OF the Government nave
been instructed TO exercise viz! lance 70
nreveut iafracIions of our neutrality laws
N Kcy West and at other POINTS near the
Cuban coast. | am happy - say thdt, In
the only instance where these pEecautlo3i-
airy measures We're successfully G! uded- the
Offenders when found iu our territory were
subsequently tried and convicted.
TIE SPANISH ANTILLES.
Tie growing need Of close relationship
Of intercourse and tranic between the Span
ish Antilles and their natural market IN the
United States led To the adoption IN Jan
nary last, Of 4 commercial Feemelt l00k-
ing 70 that end. Tnls agreement has since
1 been superseded by a More carefully trained
ana comprehensive Convention, which
I shall submit to the Senate for approval. 1t
has been the aim OF this negotiation 10
open such favored reciprocal exchange OF
urOducli ions carried under the Tag or either
4 country to make the Intercourse between
/ Cuba and POTtJ Rico and ourselves scarcely
I less intimate than the commercial move
meuts between our domestic ports, and 10
/ insure a removal OF tie burdens on snip
3 y.irs ff, ha f-|4 pf
/ The past, oar snip-oWners and slIlp-nlaSterS
have so often had cause to complain. Ihe
! negotiation Of this convention las Tor
! time postponed the prosecution or certain
/ claims Of Our citizens which were declared TO
! be without the jurisdiction Of the Spanish
J American Claims Commission, and which
/ are therefore RENTED To diplomatic chan
uels for adjustment. The speedy settle
ment OF these claims Will now be urged by
/ this Government
THE DOMINICAN HEPUBLIc.
! Negotiations for treaty of commercial
I reciprocity with the Dominican Republic
! have been sUcne ,sfully concluded, and the
1 result will shortly be laid before the Sem
| ate.
RELATIONS WITH TIE PORTE.
/ Certain questions between the United
| States and the Ottoman Empire still re-
| main unsOlyed. Complaints IN behalf Of
| our citizens are not satisfactorily adjusted.
| The Porte has sought to withhold from our
| commerce the right of favored treatment
! 10 which we arc-ehtitied BY existing con-
| yeutiOnal stipulation, and the revision of
the tariffs is unacc0mplisIed.
THE CARACAS A. ARDs.
I The final disposition of pending aues-
| tons EIth Venezuela has not as yet been
| reached, bIt have good reason to expect
an early settlement which viii provide the
/ means Of re-eNamiHh1S me caracas awards
/ i'm conformity with the expressed desire or
| Congress and which VIII recognize the glS-
| tice of certain claims preferred against
| Venezuela.
! THE GENITAL AND SOUTH AMERICAS cow
MISSION,
| Amounted by authority of the act Of JulyZ
| 1854, Hil soon proceed to AIeXcn II has
| been furnished with Instructions which will
| be laid before you. They Contain a state
| ment of the general policy of the Govern
ment for enlarging its oO44peTcial inter-
| course with American States. the Com
missioneTs have been actively preparing toF
! their responsible task by holding confer
enc 5 lis the principal cities with merchants
and others Interested in Central and South
American trade.
CHE INTERNATIONAL. MERIDIAN CONF ~
ENCF
lately convened in Washington up0n che a.
yitatfon of the Government Of iii" United
States, was composed Of representatives
from twenty-five nations. The conference
concluded its llbOrS on the 1st OF NOYem-
Der, having with substantial unanimity
agreed upon the meridian of Greenwich as
the starting point whence longitude Is 10 be
computed, through 1s3 degrees eastward
and westward, and upon the ddGffiQni Tor
all purposes for which 1t may De found G0tA'
venient, of q universal day Which shall be-
gin at midnight on tle initial meridian, ana
whose hours shall be counted from zero up
TO twenty-fOur. the formal report OF the
transactions of this conference viii tie here
after transmitted to Congress.
... INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS.
This Government is in frequent receipt of
/ Invitations from foreign states to partci-
pare III international exhibitions, often of
great interest and Importance, Occupying,
as we do, an advanced position In the
worlds production. and aiming to secure
profitable share for our industries in the
general competitive markets, il is a matter
kpf serious concern that the want of means
70r participation in these exhibits should so
often exclude lfrpr0ducerS from adyln-
tagcS enjoyed by those of other countries
during the past year, The attention OF
Congress was drawn 10 the formal invita-
tons in TINS regard fendered by the Govern
meutS of England, Holland. Belgium, Ger
many and Austria. The Executive has in
some Instances appointed honorary com
nisSioneTs. This is, however a most m
satisfactory eXyadient, for without some
provision 10 meet the necessary working
expenses of a commission it ran effect lit
tie or nothing in behalf of exhibitors,
Au international inventors exhibition Is
TO be held i'll London next May. This viii
cover field of special Importance, in which
our country holds a foremost rank; but the
executive is nj present pOwerless TO organ
ize proper representation of our vast ma
tiOnal interests in this direction. / have i'll
several previous messages referred TO this
subject. IL seems to me that a statute, Civ
| mgto the executive general discretionary
authority TO accept such Invitations, and
to appoint honorary commissioners, with
out salary, and placing at the disposal of
the Secretary OF State small fund toT de-
fraying their reas Ouable expenses, would be
of great public utility.
COLLISIONS AT SEA.
The Government has received official no
| tice that the revised International regulas
: tons for preventing collisions at sea have
| been adopted by all the leading maritime
/ powers except the United States, and came
| into force ON the LIST of September last. For
! the due protection of our shipping inter-
| ests, the provisions of our statutes should
| at once be brought into conformity with
| these regulations.
| INTERN ATIONAL COPYRIGHT.
The question of securing to authors COM
| posers and artists. copyright privileges in
lthis country in return for reciprocal rights
| abroad, Is one that may Justly challenge
your attention. 1t is true that conventions
will be necessary for fully accomplishing
this result. Bnt until Congress shall by
| statute fix the extent to which foreign hold
ers of copyright shall be here privileged, it
/ has been deemed nadviSable 10 negotiate
such conventions. For this reason the Unit
| ed States We're not represented at the re-
cent conference at Berne.
| NEUTRALITY LAWS
recommend that the scope of the lieu-
| trality laws of the United States be so en-
! Iarged as TO cover all patent acts of HOSTILE
| ty committed in our territory and aimed
| against the peace of a friendly nation. Ex-
| isting statutes prohibit the fitting out of an
expedition and restrict the shipments of ex-
ploSiveS though the enactmentS in the lat
| ter respect were not framed with regard to
| International obligations, but simply for the
protection of passenger travel. All these
statutes were intended to meet special
emergencies that had already arisen. Other
emergencies have arisen since and modern
| ingenuity supplies means for the organiza-
ton of hostIIlties without open resort 70
armed vessels or to fiibGstering parties. I
see no reason why overt preparations In
! this country for the commission of criminal
acts, such as are here under consideration,
should not be alike punishable. whether
such acts are Intended TO be committed in
our own cOantry, or in fore gn country
with which we are at peace. The prompt
and thorough treatment of this question is
one which intimately concerns the national
honor.
NATURAIIZAT ALTON.
Our existing naturalization laws Alison
revision. Those sections relating To per
sons residing within the limits of the Unit
ed States within 11s6 and 17gS have now on
ly historical interest. Section = IT, rec
ognizing the citizenship OF the children of