The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-12-12

ferred by the act of March 3 1885
| The inadequacy of the existing engage
! ments for extradition between the United
! States and Great Britain has been long APP
| parent. The tenth article of the Treaty OF
+ 1912, one of the earliest compacts in this re
J gard entered into by us, stipulated for sur
/ render i'll respect of limited number OF
! offenses. Other crimes, no less inimicai to
| the social welfare, should be embraced, and
| the procedure of extradition brought in har-
lnony with present international practice.
! Negotiations with Her Majesty's Government
for an enlarged treaty of eXtradition have
been pending since 1870, and l entertain
strong hopes that satisfactory result may
! be soon attained.
The frontier line between Alaska and Brit
| ish Columbia, as defined by the treaty of ces-
sion with Russia follows the demarkation as
signed III a prior treaty between Great Britain
and Russia. Modern exploration discloses
! that this ancient boundary is impracticable
| as a geographical fact. In the unsettled cor
! dition of that region the question has lacked
| importance, but the discovery of mineral
wealth in the territory the line is supposed 10
traverse, admonishes that the time has come
! wheli an accurate knowledge of the boun-
| dairy is needful to avert lurisdlctlonal
complications. l recommend, therefore, that
| provision be made for preliminary recon-
! Nuisance by officers of the United States. to
the end of acquiring more precise intorma-
! ton on the subject. | have invited Her
! Maesty's Government to consider with us
| the adoption of more convenient line, TO be
established by meridian observations or by
| known geographical features without the
necessity of an expensive survey of the whole.
The late inSurrectionary movements III
! Hayti having been quelled the government
of that republic has made prompt provision
! for adjudicating the losses suffered by for
! eignerS because of hostilities there and the
| claims of certain citizens of the United States
| will be in this manner determined.
! The long pending claims of two citizens of
| the United States, Pelletier and Lazare, have
been disposed of by arbitration, and an award
! i'll favor of each claimant has been made,
! which, by the terms of the engagement, is
! final. 1t remains for Congress to provide for
the payment of the stipulated moiety of the
! expenses.
THE VAN BoKKELEN CASE, &C.
4 question arose with Hayti during the
| past year, by reason Of the exceptional treat
! ment of an American citizen, Mr.. Van Box
| kelen. resident of Port-au-Prince who, on
| suit by creditors residing in the United
/ States was sentenced to imprisonment, and,
under the operation Of a Haytian statute was
! denied relief secured to native Haytian.
! This Government asserted his treaty right to
| equal treatment with natives of Hayti in all
suits at law. Our contention was denied by
| the Haytian Government, which, however,
! while still protesting to maintain the ground
| taken against Mr. Van Bokkelen' right, ter
| minated the controversy by setting him at
| liberty without explanation.
An international conference to consider the
means of aTesting the spread of the cholera
! and other epidemic diseases was held at
| Rome in May last, and adjourned to meet
| dgain on further notice. An expert delegate
on behalf of the United States has attended
its sessions and will submit report
MEXICAN RELATIONS.
Our relations with Mexico continue TO he
| most cordial. as BELTS those of ncighbors be-
! tween whom the strongest ties of friendship
and commercial intimacy exist, as the natural
! and growing consequence OF our similarity
! of institutions and geographical proplnquity.
| The relocation Of the boundary line be
| tween the United States and Mexico, west
! ward Ofthe Rio Grande, under the conven-
| ton Of July %, 1889, has been unayoidably
/ delayed; but | apprehend no difficulty in
| securing q prolODgatlOn OF the period OF us
| accomplishment.
| The lately concluded commercial treaty
! with Mexico still awaits the stipulated legls-
| lation to carry its provisions into effect, Tor
! which one years additional time has been
| secured by q supplementary article signed Ill
| February last and since ratified on both sides.
| As this convention, so important to the
commercial welfare of the two adjoining
! countries has been consttutionally confirmed
| BY the treaty-making branch, ! express the
! hope that legislation needed to make it effect
| i've may not be long delayed.
| The large influx of capital and enterprise to
| Mexico from the United States continues to
| aid in the development of the resources and
| III 1llglneDIlIS the llldICTldl Ntll-DellS VI
| sister republic Lines OF railway, penetrating
| to the heart and capital of the country, bring
| the two peoples into mutually beneficial in
| tercourSe, and enlarged facilities oftranslt add
! to profitable commerce. create new markets,
and furnish avenues to otherwise isolated
| communities
! | have already averted to the suggested con-
! struction of sbip-railroad across the narrow
! formation of the territory of Mexico at
| Tehuantcpec
| OTHER COUNTRIES.
With the gradual recovery of Peru from
| the effects of her late disastrous conflict with
! Chile and with the restoration ofciyll author
| ity in that distracted country, it IS hoped
that pending war claims of our citizens will
| be adjusted.
In conformity with notification given by
the Government of Peru the existing treaties
| of commerce and eXtradition between the
| United States and that country will termi-
! nate March 81, 1886.
Our good relationship with Russia contin-
ues. An officer of the Navy, detailed for the
| purpose is now on his way TO Siberia, bear
| ing the testimonials voted by Congress to
! those who generously succored the survivors
| of the unfortunate Jeanette expedition.
! 1t is gratifying to advert TO the cordially of
| our intercourse with Spain. The long pend
| ing claim of the owners of the ship Masonic,
for loss suffered through the derelection Of
| the Spanish authorities i'll the Philippine
Islands, has been adjusted by arbitration and
! an indemnify awarded The principle of
! arbitration in such cases. to which the United
| States have long and consistently adhered,
| thus receives fresh and gratifying contirma-
| ton.
Other questions with Spain have been dis
! posed of or are under diplomatic considera-
ton with view to just and honorable settle
| ment.
! The operation of the commercial agreement
! with Spain. of January February Is, 1884,
has been found inadequate to the CONNER
cial needs Of the United States and the Span
ish Antilles, and the terms of the agreement
are subjected to conflicting interpretations in
| those islands.
Negotiations have been instituted at Madrid
| for full treaty, not open to these objections,
and in the line of the general policy touching
the neighborlv intercourse of proXimate
! communities to which / elsewhere advert,
and aiming moreover at the removal of exist
ing burdens and annoying restrictions; and
although satisfactory termination is prom
Used, / am compelled to delay its announce
| ment.
An International copyright conference was
held at Bernie in September, on the invita-
| ton of the Swiss Government. The envoy
of the United States attended as a delegate,
but RETAINED from committing this Govern
| ment to the results, even by signing the rec
ommendatory protocol adopted. The inter
| esting and important subject of International
copyright has been before you for several
years Action is certainly desirable TO effect
the object in view And while there may be
question as to the relative advantage of treat
ing it by legislation or by specific treaty, the
! matured views of the Berne conference can
not fail to aid your consideration of the sub
ject.
The termination of the commercial treaty
| nf 1869 hetveen the limited States and Turkey