New-York tribune., 1885-01-30
THE CONGO CONFERENCE.
WHAT TIE UNITED STATES HAS DONE.
sxc.rTARY FRELINGHUYsEN's ExPLANATIoN-MR.
KAssoN's WORK.

,soation of the House OF Representatives passed Oh
January s. calling information respecting the par
ffcipson the United States In the Congo conference
the President to-day sent to the House report sub
mitted by the Secretary Of State TO the President o
which the following is an abstract:
The first step toward expression o. the views
Of this Government with regard TO the Congo basin
was taken in the Senate which by reo.u-
dent to recognize the nag Of the International As
sociaton of the Congo as that OF irendy i
vding for the appointment OF commercial agent ior the
Congo basin Both Of these measures were eare 81 1s h
United States recorded its share III the already general
conviction that the prospective rich trade OF ne congo
terms while avoiding any prejudicement OF conflicting
territorial claims IN that REGION On n OeiO1eSr tS mn
dersigned and communicated TO me- Dy hote tne pL91
that of France and in the interest of all nations en-
gagged in commerce with the Congo region 10 arrange III
spirit of mutual good understanding, the conditions
which would tend the development OF that COM
merce and prevent conflicts and nisunde
The basis on which 1t suggested that an accord
might he attanabe were follows: a. Liberty OF
trade in the basin of the Congo and in ths delta
( The application to the Congo ana the Nser o inc
principles adopted by the Congress OF Vienna.
to the end of establ ishiny the freedom OF nayi-
principles were later applied to the Danube (31 the
definition of the formaes to be observed IN order mat
any new occupations of territory upon the African
coasts should be deemed 10 be effective To he end OF
considering these propositions it was proposed to h9d
conference at Berlin inquiry made OF this Gov
srRneBt whether II disposed TO take part IN sueh
conference In communicating th!s hMta'4h, on te Ge
man Minister said ii was expected that tne POWERS
taking part would severay reserve the fullest Derty OF
with respect the results which might be reached
Upon receiving this invitation the undersigned in
srcted the United States Minister at Berlin TO report as
TO the advisaby of this vernment being represented
the conference and MI kasson was asked II ne pos @
sessed any maon of the nature OF the measures 10
be proposed and if SO, whether they would coInpolt
with the policy OF non-interierence adopted Dy ths
the the German propositions had already been
enuncated the previous winter by the ontea states
thae seemed
cfpe and applicable to at least two African rivers lhat
the third was S shf That
tho object OF the conference was h}y sllnpy us a
sSssSp s1ssT on with all points SSE Where
might found each Government reserving the right TO
understooi participation appeared he advisable and
consistent with preeedons and declared policy.
On October II the invitation Of the German and
French Governments accepted with due reserve
expressed in the following extract from the note OF the
Secretary of State to the German Minister:
On the understanding $50 far as the Government is
coneerned that the business to he brought before tne
be limited to the three heads mentioned
your dealing solely with the commercial interests
of the Congo region and of Western Africa ana that
while taking cognzance of such establishment OF limits
to International territorial claims in that region as may
be brought before it, as matters OF ac me conference
is itself not 10 assume to decide such questions
the object of the conference being simply discussion
and accord the Government OF the United states IN TAX
the conclusions of the conference
The report proceeds that the Conference was not 10
have penpotentary functions 10 special credentials
were needed to enable Mr. Kasson to attend the dele
gate of this Government. The instructions sent to him
brief precise to the exclusion of questions OF
territorial jurisdiction.
The Secretary then says:
The scope of the Conference, which at first in
nations directly indirectly interested in the question
Of the hitherto unexplored ana unpreempted Congo Val
nearly all the powers and the admission of
associate delegates to be chosen from those whose
the conference in considering the topics be-
fore it, Wa, R De yesden Mr. Henp
s. sanford whose relations to the international Asso
citation representing the Free states of the Congo,
Governed by the instructions to Mr. Kasson.
Government. was accredited by letter ad-
eisn Affairs Of Germany associate delegate. ::
subsequently Henry NJ Stanley was invited by the
Ing the Congo region. to which he is admittedly the
original and sole authority Mr. stanleys name appears
gate OF the United States but he was not accredited
otherwise than by Mr. Kasson personal int T,n IN
the proceedings. Voting has been by countries
a fact the voting is quite a matter of form.
In regard to the action of the conference upon the
question to how far the Governments represented
were in accord defining the rights of free navigation
on the Congo and the Niger. the Secretary says:
The principles enunciated by the Congress of Vienna
ser ed as The of this discussion As rst presented
the proposition as Mr.. KassOn reports, under
thai the principles of the Congress of Vienna and
Paris in respect Of the tree tree 6svso9 on OF ne s M
reason their application 10 large number OF rivers III
Europe ana tac rS iG ta af anv ESroeesn Cone
regulate directly or indirectly the rights appcaOle 10
American Jurisdiction. My scruples respected,
and the rC d ction was changed by the commission.
The latest dispatches received from hassOn Drlhg
the proceedings to December 10, on which day the CON
ference adjourned until January Up to that time the
Department OF state has reason To feel
with which Mr. Kasson has carried out the instructions
given, TO him Besides limiting the position ~, on, 9i
dssociae from questions Of territorial control he has
ssSm SCSn the consistent national policy He has been watch
that expression should be found to record III the
agreements of the conference which might imply that
results are binding upon 10 bc rejected BY any
power which may not formally accept lhenl Evem ven
apply such those in regard TO riparian privileges and
the light OF inland state to freely reach me ocean by
recognition thereof is confined to the sgnatory powers
only.
Treating OF the third point Of the original German
posa the definition Of the fornalites 10 be observed
In order that any new occupations Of territory upon the
African coasts should be deemed To be elective which
remains discussion by the Conference the report
says:
Following its precedent in the acquisition OF ter
rtory for the Lberan settlement by American citizens
from the native by legitimate deeds OF
cesson, this Government hopes TO see an agreement
reached Dy the 70 t ora oeeunaop "a esa
lished with the consent Of the natives, and to remove
questions title frOm dispute. IL has been said that
the principles which the Conference is discussing with
respect to Africa variance with those which the
United states have maintained in respect
10 the American continent IDe cases
ara diametrcaly converse. The venerated
doctrine put forth by Monroe simply that the time
had passed aiming fresh fOOthods Oh the Amer
continent since the whole of IL was SUBJECT to recoc
nized whose rights of possession must be
maintained and respected. In 1929 not foot OF land
remained subject to alienation at will by the aboriginal
tribes OF America IN 1884 the whole OF the heart OF
Africa remained TO be opened up to the occupancy and
cont oil OF civilization
From all that precedes il will be seen thst this Gov
ernmen taking part In the Congo Conference OF Ber
lin has departed from traditional policy oil the con-
trary. IL has followed good precedent :. that its
rights scrupulousy reserved and guarded at
that whatever conclusions the Confer