River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-12-10

established Interests or control, This govern
meut does not, however, regard the reserVa-
tion OF liberty OF action in the premises as at
ali impaired, and holding that aa engagement
10 share in the obligation of enforced neutral
ity in the remote valley of the Congo would be
an alliance whose responsibility we are not in
position to assume, | abstain from asking
the sanction OF the senate to that general act.
The correspondence will be laid before you
and the instructive and interesting report of
the agent sent by this government 10 the
Congo country, and his recommendations for
the establishment of commercial agencies on
the African coast are also submitted for your
consideration.
The commission appointed by my pre-
decessCr last winter TO visit the Central
Id South American countries aud report
on the methods of eDlarging the commercial
relations OF the Untse.i states tncfewith has
submitted reports which will be laid before
yoG
No opportunity has been omitted to testify
the trigudiiuess OF this government toward
Corea, whose entrance inIo the family Of
treaty powers the United States was the first
to recognize.
After elaborate correspondence, repeated
ana earnest representations on our part Mr.
Sgntous was after an alleged trial and con
vieJion, eventually Included in general de-
cree Of amnesty ana pardoned by the Ecudor-
ian executive and released, leaving the ques-
ton OF his American citizenship denied by
the Ecuadorian government, but insisted
upon by our own.
FRENCH CLAIMS.
The amount adjudged by the late French
and American claims commission TO be due
from the United States to French claimants
on account OF injuries suffered by them dur
ing the war of secession having been appro-
priated by the last congress, has been duly
paid the French government. The act OF
Feb. 70, lo55, provided for a preliminary
search Of the records of the French prize
court for evidence bearing on the claims of
American citizens against France for spOla-
tions committed prior TO lSUl. The duty has
been performed, and the report of the agent
viii he laid before you.
The Interpretation or our existing treaties
of naturalization by Germany during the
past year has attracted attention by reaso II
OF an apparent tendency ON the part of tho
imperial government to extend the scope of
the residential restrictions to winch return
ing uaturalized citizens OF German origin are
asserted 10 be liable under the laws of the
empire. The temperate and Just attitude
taken 10y this government with regard TO this
class of questions will doubtless lead to Il
satisfactory understanding. The dispute of
Germany and Spain relating to the denomlua-
ton of
THE CAROLINE ISLANDS
has attracted the attention of the govern
ment by reason of extensive interests OF
American citizens having grown up IN these
cause the question of ownership involves
juris liction of matters affecting the status of
our citizens under civil and criminal law.
Whilst standing wholly alOOf from the pro-
prietary issues raised between the powers, to
both of which the United States is friendly,
this government expects that nothing in the
present contention shall unfavoraDly affect
our citizens carrying on peaceful commerce
or there dOmciled, anu has so informed
the governments OF Spain and Ger
tral Il "a
between the United States and
Great Britain during the past year. The
termination of the fishing clauses of the
treaty of Washington, in pursuance Of the
joiut resolution OF March 3, 1888, must have
resulted in the abrupt CESSATION on the LIST OF
July of this year, in the midst of their ven
lures, of the operations of citizens of the
United States engaged in
FISHING IN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. WATERS
but for the diplomatic understanding reached
with her majesty's government in June last,
whereby assurance was obtained that no IN
terruption OF those operations should take
place during the current fishing season. In
the interest OF good ueighbOrhoOd, of the com
mercial intercourse of adjacent communities,
the question OF North American fisheries Is
one of much Importance. Following out the
intimation given by me when the extenSory
Arrangement above described was negotiated,
| recommend that congress provide for
the appointment of q commission, in which
the governments of the United states and
Great Britain shall be respectively repre-
scented. charged with the consideration and
settlement upon just, equitable and honor
able basis of the entire question of the fish
ing rights of the two governments and their
respective citizens Off the coasts of the
United States aud British North America
THE FISHING INTERESTS
being intimately related to other general
questions dependent upon contguity and in
tercourse, consideration thereof in all their
equities might also properly come within the
view of such commission, and the fullest lat
itude of expression on both sizes should be
permitted. The correspondence in relation
to the fishing rights will be submitted.
The inadequacy of the exciting engagements
for extradition between the United States
ana Great Britain has been long apparent.
The tenth article of the treaty OF 1912, one OF
the earliest compacts in this regard entered
into by the United States, stipulated for sur
render in respect of limited number of Of
lenses. Other crimes no less inmical to the
social welfare should be embraced and the
procedure of eXtra1itiOn brought in har-
mony with the present international prac-
tees. Negotiations with her majesty's gov
eminent for an enlarged treaty of extradtion
have been pending since 1870, and entertain
strong hopes that satisfactory result may
be soon attained.
The Arctic exploring steamer Alert, which
was generously given by her majesty's gov
petition was, after the successful attainment
Of that humane purpose, returned to Great
Britain, in pursuance of the authority con-
fcrred BY the net of March 5, 1885. The from
tier line between
ALASKA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA,
as defined by the treaty of cession with Rus
STA, follows the demarkatiou assigned in
prior treaty between Great Britain and Rus
STA. Modern exploration discloses that this
ancient boundary is impracticable as ge-
ographica factor in the unsettled condition
of the region. The question has lacked
Importance, but the discovery of mineral
wealth in the territory the line is supposed to
traverse admonishes that the time has come
when an accurate knowledge OF the boundary
is needful to aver; jurisdictiOnal complies
tions. / recommend, therefore, that provision
be made for preliminary reconnaissance b.
officers Of the United States to the end OF ac-
curing more precise information on the sub
iect. / have invited her majesty govern
Ineut to consider with us the adoption of
more convenient line to be established by
meridian observations or by known geo.
graphic features without the necessity of an
expensive survey of the whole. The late
INsURRECTIoN MOVEMENTS N HAYTI
having been quelled, the government of that
has made prompt provision for adju-
dicating the losses suffered by foreigners be-
cause of hostilities there, ana the
claims Of certain citizens Of the
L
A question arose with
Hayti during the past year, by
reason of the exceptional treatment
of an American citizen, Blr. Van
Bokkelen. a resident of Port au Prince
who on suit by creditors residing in the Uni
ted States was sentenced TO imprisonment
and under the option of a Haytan statute
was denied relief secured to a native Hayt ian
This government asserted its treaty right to
equal treatment with the natives OF Hayti in
all suits at law Our contention was denied
by the Haytian government which however.
while still processing to maintain the ground
against Mr. Van Bokkeien's right terminated
the controversy by setting him at liberty
without explanation.
An international conference, to consider
the means of arresting the spread of cholera
ana other epidemic diseases, was held at
Rome in Mag last and adjourned to meet
again on further notice An expert delegate
on behalf of the United States has attended
the SESSION and VIII submit a report.
OUR RELATIONS WITH MEXICO
continue to be most cordial, as BELTS those of
neighbors, between whom the strongest ties
of friendship aud commercial intimacy exist,
as the nature and growing consequences OF our
treoUraDhical DrOppUguity.