Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-12-10

past fishing season may be fully disclosed and
the action and tho attention Of the admin.
islration closely comprehended. More ex-
tended reference is not deemed necessary in
this communication
WITH OTHER POWERS.
Special Attention Directed to the
Hawaiian Islands and Japan.
The recommendation submitted last year,
that provision be made for . preliminary
reconnaissance Of the conventional boundary
line between Alaska and British Columbia, is
renewed. I express my unhesitating convic-
should be emphasized. As result
of the reciprocity treaty Of 1875.
those islands. on the highway OF
Oriental and Australian traffic are virtually an
outpost of American commerce and stepping
stone to the growing trade of the Pacific. The
Polynesian leland groups have been 30 ab-
soHbcd by other and more powerful govern
ments, that tho Hawaii Islands are left aim ost
alone In the enjoyment of autonomy which it is
important for US should the preserved. Our
treaty is now terminable ON one years notice,
but propositions to abrogate it would be in my
judgement, most ILL., advised. The para
mount influence we have there acquired, once
relinquished, could only with difficulty be
regained, and valuable coign Of vantage for
ourselves GdlS0t &c COuVc[LeU
into stronghold for our commercial competi-
tors. earnestly recommend that existing
treaty stipulations be extended for a further
term of seven years. A recently signed treaty
to this end is now before the senate. The i'm
pertance Of telegraphic communication be-
tween these islands and the United States
should not be overlooked.
Tho question of q general revision OF the
TREATIES OF JAPAN.
Ia AGAIN nn6aP 6iecnaSiOn at Toxic. As the
first open relations with that empire and as
the nation is in most direct commercial rela-
ton with Japan, the United States has lost no
opportunity to testify their consistent friend
| ship by supporting the just claims Of Japan to
autonomy and independence among nations.
A treaty Of extradition between the United
| States and Japan, the first conducted by that
empire, has been lately proclaimed. The
| weakness of Liberia and the diff
! Guilty Of maintaining effective sover-
eighty over its outlying districts
have exposed that republic to encroachment.
1t cannot be forgotten that this distinct com.
munity is an offshoot of our own system,
owing its origin to the associated benevolence
of American citizens, whose praiseworthy
efforts to create = nucleus OF civilization in
the Dark Continent have commanded respect
and sympathy everywhere. especially in this
country. Although formal protectorate over
Liberia Is contrary to our traditional 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 u certury. l recommend
that, in the reorganization Of our navy, small
vessel. no longer found adequate to our needs.
be presented to Liberia TO be employed by 1T
in the protection of it's coast wise revenues.
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 repre-
sentation of the need of speedy legislation by
congress to carry into effect the reciprocity
commercial convention Of January 20.
1883. Our commercial treaty OF 1881
| with Mexico was terminated according to its
provisions, in 1881, upon notification given by
Mexico IN pursuance of her announced policy
| Of recasting all her commercial treaties. Mex
| leo has since concluded with several foreign
| governments new treaties OF commerce and
navigation defining alien rights Of trade. prop
erry and residence, treatment of shipping, con-
| eular privileges and the like. Our yet uncx-
ecuted reciprocity convention OF 1883 covers
none of these points, the settlement of which
| is necessary to good relationship. propose
| to initiate with Mexico negotiations for new
| and changed treaty Of commerce and navlga-
| ton.
CUTTINGS CASE.
In compliance with a resolution OF the senate
! communicated to that body on August last,
and also to the house OF representatives. the
correspondence in the case Of A. N. Cutting,
| an American citizen then imprisoned in Mexico
! charged with the commission Of penal Of
| tense in Texas, Of which Mexican citizen
! was the object. After demand had been made
for his release the charge against HIM was
amended SO as to include a violation OF Mex
lean law within Mexican territory. This
| ioinder Of alleged offences, one within and
the other exterior to Mexico, induced me
| to order special investigation OF the case
pending when Mr.. Cutting Was released. The
Incident has. however, disclosed claim OF
liu.jsdictiui by Mexico novel In our history
| whereby any offense committed nywhere, and
Of which Mexican is the object, may, II the
offender be>found In Mexico, be there tried
! and punished in conformity to Mexican laws.
jurisdiction was sustained by the courts OF
Mexico in the Cutting case and approved by
the executive branch Of the government. Upon
the authority of Mexican statutes the appellate
court In releasing Mr. Cutting. decided that
the abandonment Of the complaint by the
Mexican citizens aggrieved by the alleged
crime q libelous publication), removed the
! basis Of further prosecution aud also declared
4
ment Of asmall part Of the original sentence,
The admission of such q pretenBion would be
i attended with serious results, invasive OF the
/ jurisdiction OF the government and highly
1 dangerous to our citizens In foreign lands.
i Therefore I have denied it, and protested
/ against its attempted exercise as IN.
/ warranted by the principle OF
law aud international usages. A sovereign
has jurisdiction Of offences which take effect
within his territory. although concerted OF
commenced outside It; but the right fs denied
/ OF any foreign sovereign to punish citizen Of
/ the United States for an oHense committed on
our coil. even though the offense be against .
! subject or citizen Of such sovereign. The
/ Mexican statute in question makes the claim
bodily, and the principle, II conceded. would
4 create Qua, responsibility in the citizen and
i lead to confusion Of that certainty In Law
Il which is @
Il An ESSENTIAL OF LIBERTY
X When citizens OF the Uulted States voluntar
I ily 60 into feFeign country. they must abldt
4 by the laws there in force, and viii not b
protected By their own government from the
i consequences Of an o6ense against those law
committed IN such foreign country But thu
i watehfutca and interest of this government
/ over it's ciszens are not 1eIsnquished because
i they have gone abroad, and il charged with
crime committed In the foreign land, fair
and open tttal. conducted with decent regard