St. Landry democrat., 1886-12-18
: PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Interesting Synopsis Of q Lengthy
Public Document.
Our Foreign and Domestic Relations Re-
viewed The Tariff and Silver Oucs-
Lons, and Others of Equal Gem
eraI Interest Discussed.


portant topic. Our Government, he says
has consistently maintained it's relations OF
friendship toward all other powers, and a
neighborly interest toward those whose posses
slons are contiguous to our own. Few ques-
tions have arisen during the past year with
other governments and none Of those are be-
yond the reach of settlement in friendly
council.
The cruel treatment of inoffensive Chinese in
: the FAR west is alluded to, and in speaking of
remedy he says the paramount duty OF main
tanning public order and defending the interests
of our own people may require the adoption OF
measures OF restriction but they should not
tolerate the oppression OF individuals of spe-
ciai race.
Discussing the fisheries question, so long
subject of anxious difference between the
United States and Great Britain, the President
says the questions Involved are OF great
consequence, and from time to time,
for nearly three-quarters Of a century, have
given rise to earnest international discussions,
not unaccompanied by irritation Temporary
arrangements by treaties have served to allay
friction which, however. has revived as each
treaty was terminated. While desirous that
friendly relations should exist between the
people of the United States and Canada, the
action Of Canadian officials during the past
season towards our fishermen has been
such, the President thinks as to threaten
their continuance; and although disappointed
in his efforts to secure satisfactory settlement
of the question, negotiations are still pending
with reasonable hope that before the close OF
the present session of Congress the announce
ment may be made that an acceptable conclu-
sion has been reached
Abiding to our relations with Hawaii, the
President recommends an extension for seven
years of the reciprocity treaty of 1875. He ur-
gently renews his recommendation Of legisla-
ton to carry into effect the American recipro-
city treaty Of January, 1883 and proposes to
initiate negotiations with Mexico for a new and
enlarged treaty of commerce and legislation.
Referring to the Cutting case, he says the in
cident has disclosed claim Of jurisdiction by
Mexico novel in cur history, whereby an offense
committed any where by foreign penal in the
place Of its commission, and of which Mexi-
can is the object, may. if the offender be found
in Mexico, be there tried and punished in con-
fornity with Mexican laws. This jurisdiction
was sustained by the courts of Mexico and ap-
proved by the executive branch Of that Govern
ment upon the authority Of Mexican statute
The Appellate Court, in releasing Mr.. Cutting,
decided that abandonment OF the complaint by
the Mexican citizen aggrieved by the alleged
crime Ga libclous publication), removed the
basis of further prosecution, and also declared
justice to have been satisfied by the enforce
ment of a small part of the original sentence
The admission OF such pretense, the President
argues would be attended with serious results,
invasive of the Jurisdiction of this Government,
and highly dangerous to our c1tlzens IN Tor,
eign lands; therefore, he has denied 1t, and
protested against its attempted exercise as
unwarraGted by the principles OF law and inter
national usages. sovereign has jurisdiction
of offenscs which take effect in his territory,
although concocted or commenced outside OF 1t,
but the right is denied of any foreign sovereign
to punish citizen OF the United States for an
ofenso consummated on our soil in violation Of
our laws, even though the offense be against
a subject or citizen Of such foreign sovereign.
The Mexican statute in question makes the
claim broadly, and the principle, if conceded,
would make dual responsibility in the citizen
and lead to nextricable discussion destructive
OF that certainty in the law which is an eS-
sental OF liberty.
When citizens Of the United States volun-
fary 60 to a foreign country they must abide
. by the laws there in force and must not be pro-
tected by their own government from the conse-
Qucnce of an offense against those laws COM
mitted in such foreign country, but watchful
care and interest of this Government over its
citizens are not relnqushed because they have
gone abroad, and, if charged with crime COM
mtted in the foreign land fair and open trial,
conducted with decent regard for justice and
humanity, will be demanded for them. With
less than that the Government will not be con-
tent when the life Or liberty Of its citizens is at
stake.
What other degree to which extra-territorial
criminal jurisdiction may have been formerly
allowed by consent and reciprocal agreement
among certain of the European States. no
such doctrine or practice was ever known to
the laws of this country, nor to that from
which our Institutions have been mainly de-
in the case OF Mexico, there are reasons espe-
cialy strong for perfect harmony in the mutual
exercise OF jurisdiction. Nature has made us
irrevocably neighbors, and wisdom and kind
feeling should make US friends. The overflow
of capital and enterprise from the United |
States is a potent factor in assisting the deVel-
opuent of the recourceS OF Mexico and in |
Countries 10 assist this good work all
grounds of apprehension for the security OF
person and property should be removed and |
the President trusts that in the interests OF |
good neighborhood the statute referred to will |
be so modified as to eliminate the present pos |
sibities Of danger to the peace of the two coun-
tries.
The President recommends the placing Of the |
consular system on better footing, and relter- |
ates the necessity Of some mode Of inspection |
and report of the manner in which the con- |
Sulates are conducted.
He trusts the subject of an International !
.fxrt1
by Congress- !
He recommends that provision be made for |
the immediate discharge from custody OF per
sons committed for extradition where the |
President is Of opinion that a sur
render should not be made, and re-
news his recommendation OF last year
that legislation concerning citization and
naturalization be revised. We have, he says,
treaties with many States providing for the re-
annexation of citization by naturalized aliens,
but no statute is found to give effect to such !
engagements, nor any which provides needed |
control or bureau for registration OF natural
iZed citizens.
discussed is the tariff, and to this the President
devotes great deal of space, arguing that the
necessity for reduction Of the tariff is more
urgent than ever. 1.-THE income OF the Govern
ment." he says, 'by its increased volume and |
thorough economies in its collection, is now
than ever in s. Of T., the public M th
public debt as is now at our ption
SUBJECT 10 e6tngu1snment, III continued at lhe
rate which has lately prevailed, would retire
that class of Indebtedness within less than one |
year from this date. Thus continuance of our
present revenue system would soon result in the |
receipt of an annual income much greater than
necessary to meet Government expenses,
with no Indebtedness upon which it |
could be applied. We should be |
then confronted with vast quantity Of money, |
the circulating medium of the people, boarded |
in the treasury whenit should be in their hands,
or we should be drawn into wasteful public ex- |
travagance, with all the corrupting National |
decentralization which follows in its track.
hut it is not the simple existence of this sur.
plus and its threatened attendant evils which |
ctr apainst ]