Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-12-02

wholly changed, and all this is necessarily en-
titled to candid and careful adjustments o.
the terms and conditions of inter curse and
commerce between the United 8 ates and their
neighbors along Frontier of over $3.50 miles.
This propinquity and community Of language
and of the occupation and the similarity Of
political and social institutions indicate the
practicab.lty and obvious wisdom of maintain
ing mutually beneficial ana frieHdlY relations.
Whist am unfeignedly DESTROYS that such
relations should exist between US and the in
hab.tants Of Canada, yet the action of their
officials during the past season towards our
fishermen has been such as TO seriously threat
en- their continuance. Although disappointed
In my efforts to secure satisfactory settlement
of the fishery question, negotiations are still
pending with reasonable hope that before the
close o. the present session Of Congress the
announcement may be made that an ACCEPT
able conclusion has been reached. At an
early day there may be laid before Congress
the correspondence of the Department Of State
In relation TO this important subject so that
the history of the past fishing season may be
fully disclosed and the action and the attitude
Of the Administration clearly cOmprehended.
More extended reference Is not deemed neces-
sary in this communication.
THE HAwAHANs.
The recommendation submitted last year
that provision be made for q preliminary rec
onnoissance of the conventional boundary line
bCbNCCu Alh5hd anu DIlJlSu SOluilDld Is IT,
newed. express my unhestatng conviction
that the intimacy with Hawaii should be en-
phasized. As a result of the reciprocity
treaty of 1875, those islands of the highway of
Or entail and Austrian traffic are virtually an
outpost of American commerce and stepping
stone to the growing trade of the Pacific. TdC
Polynesian Island groups have been so abs RIB
ed by other and more powerful governments,
that the Hawaiian Islands are left almost alone
in the enjoyment OF their autonomy watch itiS
important for us, should be preserved. Our
treaty is now terminable on one years no.
tice but tie prop OsitiOns to abrogate 1t would
be, in my judgment, mos i'll advised. The
paramount influence we have there ACQUIRED,
once relnluished, could only with difficulty
be regained and valuable Coign of vantage
for ourselves might be converted into a
stronghold for our commercial competitors.
earnestly recommend that the existing
treaty be extended for further term of sew
en- years. A recently signed treaty to this
end Is now before the Senate. The import
ance of telegraphic communication between
those islands and the United states should
not be overlooked.
RELATIONS WITH JAPAN.
The question of general revision Of the
treaties of Japan is again under discussion at
Toxic. AS the first to open relations with
that empire, and the nation is in most direct
commercial relation with Japan, the United
States have lost no opportunity to testify
their consistent friendship by supporting
the Just claims Of Japan to autonomy and in
dependence among nations 4 treaty of eX-
tradition between the United States and ia
pan, the first concluded by that empire, has
been lately proclaimed.
LIBERIA.
The weakness Of Liberia and the difficulty
of maintaining effective sovereignty over its
outlying districts has exposed that republic
to encrOachment. 1t cannot be forgotten that
this distant community is an otfshot Of our
own system, owing its origin to the associated
beneyolence OF Americans, whose prasewor-
thy efforts to create a nucleus of civilization
In the dark continent have commanded re-
speCt and sympathy everywhere, especially
in this country Although a formal protpc-
torate over Liberia is contrary to our tradi-
tional policy the moral right and duty of the
United States to assist in all proper ways in
the maintenance of its integrity Is obvious,
and has been consistently announced during
nearly half century. J recommend that in
the reorganization of our navy, a small YES
sci no longer found adequate to our n eds be
presented to Liberia to be employed by 1t in
the protection of its coasts wise revenue.
MEXICO.
The encouraging development Of beneficial
and intimate relations between the United
States and Mexico, which has been so marked
within the past few years is at once the Occa-
sion of congratulatiOn and Of friendly solicit
tude. / urgently renew my former represen-
tation of the need of speedy legislation by
Congress to carry into effect the reciprocity
suggestions of the commercial convention OF
January 20, 1888. Our commercial treaty Of
1881 with Mexico was terminated according to
its provision in 1881 III on notification given
by Mexico in pursuance of her announced
policy of revising all her commercial treaties.
Mexico has since concluded with several for
eign governments new treaties of commerce
and navigation, defining alien rights of trade,
property and residence treatment of shipping
consular lrivileges and the like. Our vet I'M
executed reel rocity convention of 1888 Gov
ers none of these points, the settlement Of
which Is so necessary to good relationship. |
propose to initiate with Mexico negotiations
for new and enlarged treaty of commerce
and navigation.
A. X. CUTTING.
In compliance with the resolutions of the
Senate | communicated to that body on
August 2 last, and also to the House OF Rep
resentatives, the correspondence in the case
of A. X. Cutting, an American citizen then
imprisoned in Mexico, charged with the COM
mission of a penal oflense In Texas, of which
a Mexican citizen was the object After de-
mands had been made for his release the
charge against him was amended SO as to in
clude a violation OF the Mexican law within
Mexican territory. This loinder of al
legged offenscs one within and the other
in the exterior of Mexico induced me to
order a special investigation of the case pend
ing which Mr.. Cutting was released. The
incident has. however. disclosed q claim of
jurisdiction by Mexico novel in our history
whereby any offense committed anywhere 10y
a foreigner. penal in the case OF its commits
sion, and of which Me lean is the OBJECT
may, If the offender be found in Mexico, be
there tried and finished in conformity with
Mexican law. Jurisdiction was sustained by
the courts of Mexico in the Cutting case and
approved by the other bran of the govern
ment, uLon the authority OF Mexican stat
ute. The appellate court In releasing Mr.
Cutting decided that the Abandonment OF the
complaint by the Mexican citizens aggrieved
by the alleged crime, Ia libelOus publication),
removed the has Of further prosecution and
also to have declared justice to have been
satisfied by the enforcement Of small part
of the original sentence The admission of
such a pretentiou would be attended with
serious results, invasive Of the jurisdiction Of
this government and highly dangerous to our
citizens in foreign lands. therefore i have
denied its attempted exercise as unwarranted
by the principals of law and international
usages. A nation has Jurisdiction of often
ses which take effect within its territory,
although concerted or commenced outside Il
has, but the right Is deuied of any foreign
sovereign to punish citizen of the United
States for an offense consummated on our
soil in violation of our laws. even though the
otfense he against sub ect or citizen of such
sovereign. The Mexican statute in question
makes the claim broadly and the principle, II
conceded, would cause a dual responsibility in
the citizen and lead TO a confusion destruct-
tial liberty When the citizens OF the United
Of nj m int fnrp I'm, fru