The Portland daily press., 1886-12-07


stronghold 10r our commercial competitors.
l. earnestly suggest that the existing stipula-
tions be extended for a further term of seven
years. a recently signed treaty to this end
of telegraphic communication between those
Islands ana the United States should not be
overlooked
RELATIONS WITH JAPAN.
The question Of general revision of the
treatles OIL Japan Is again under discussion
at TOXIC. AS the first to open relations with
that empire, and as the nation In most direct
commercial relation with Japan, the United
their consistent friendship by Supporting the
just claims OF Japan to autonomy and indie
pendence among nations. A treaty of extra
dition between the United States and Japan,
the first concluded by that empire, has been
lately proclaimed.
PROTECTION FOR LIBERIA.
The weakness of Liberia, and the difficulty
of maintaining effective sovereignty over its
outlying districts, have exposed that republic
to encroachment 1t cannot be forgotten
that this distant community is an offshoot of
our own system, owing its origin to the asso-
ciated benevolence of American citizens,
whose praiseworthy efforts to create nu--
cleus Of civilization in the dark continent
has commanded respect and sympathy every
where, especiallylin 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 in
tegrity is obvious and has been consistently
announced during nearly half century. |
recommend that, in the reorganization of
our navy, small vessel, no longer found
adequate to our needs, be presented to Lii
IBERIA, to be employed by it in the protection
OF its cOastwise revenues.
COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH MEXICO.
a
cial and Intimate relations between the
United States and Mexico, which has been
so marked within the past few years, is at
once the occasion of congratulation and of
friendly solicitude. / urgently renew my
former representation of the need of speedy
legislation by Congress to carry into effect
the Reciprocity Commercial Convention of
Jan. 20, 1888. 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 re-casting all her commercial trea-
ties. Mexico has since concluded with sew
eral governments new treaties of commerce
and navigation, defining alien rights of trade
property aud residence, treatment of ship
ping consular privileges, and the like Our
1888 covers none of these points, the settle
ment of which is so necessary to good rela-
ti0nship. propose to initiate with Mexico
negotiations for new and enlarged treaty
of commerce and navigation.
THE CUTTING AFFAIR.
In compliance with resolution of the
Senate, communicated to that body on Au-
gust last, and also to the House Of Repre-
sentatives, the correspondence in the case of
A. K. Cutting, an American citizen, then i'm
prisoned in Mexico. charged with the com
mission of penal offence in Texas, of which
Mexican citizen was the object. After de-
mand had. been made for his release the
charge against him was amended so as to in
elude violation of Mexican laws within
Mexican territory. This joinder of alleged
offences, one within and the other exterior
TO Mexico, induced me to order a special in
yestigation of the case, Epending which Mr..
Cutting was released The incident has
brought to light, however, Mexican law,
whereby any offence, committed anywhere
by foreigner, penal in the place Of its COM
mission and of which Mexican is the OBJ
ject, may, if the offender be found in Mexico
be there tried and punished in conformity
with Mexican law. This jurisdiction was
sustained by the courts of Mexico in the
Cutting case, and approved by the executive
branch of that government upon the author
ity of a Mexican statute. The Appellate
Court, in releasing Mr.. Cutting, decided that
the abandonment Of the complaint by the
Mexican citizen aggrieved by the salleged
crime, "a libellous publication" removed the
basis OF further prosecution, and also de-
clared justice to have been satisfied by the
enforcement of a small part of the original
sentence. The admission of such preten-
sion would be attended with serious results,
invasive of the jurisdiction of this govern
ment, and highly dangerous to our citizens
in foreign lands; therefore | have denied it
and protested against its attempted exercise
as unwarranted by the principles Of law and
international usages. A sovereign has juris-
diction of offences which take effect within
his territory, although concOcted or COM
menced outside of it, but the right is denied of
any foreign sovereign to punish a citizen of
the United States for an offence committed
on our soil in violation of our laws, even
though the offence be committed against
subject or a citizen of such sovereign. The
Mexican statute in question makes the claim
broadly, and the principle, If conceded, would
create dualsresponsibility in the citizen
and lead to inextricable confusion, destruct-
i've of that certainty in the law which is an
essential of liberty. When citizens of the
United States voluntarily go to foreign
country they must abide by the laws in force
there, and will not be protected by their own
government from the consequences of an Of
fence against those laws committed in such
country, but the watchful care and interest
of this government over its citizens are not
relinquished because they have gone abroad ;
and if charged with crime committed in the
foreign land fair and open trial. conducted
with decent gard for justice and humanity,
VIII be demanded for them. With less than
that this government will not be content
when the life or liberty of its citizens is at
stake. Whatever the degree to which extra
territorial criminal jurisdiction may have
been formerly allowed by consent and recip-
r0cal agreement among certain of the Euro
pean States, no such doctrine or practice was
ever known to the laws of this country or Of
that from which our institutions have mainly
been received. In the caseof Mexico there are
reasons especially strong for perfect harmo-
ny 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 en-
terprlse from the United States is a potent
factor In assisting the development of the
resources Of Mexico and in building uplthe
prosperity of both countries. To assist this
good work all grounds of apprehension for
the security of person and property should
be removed: and | trust that in the interests
OF good neighborhood the statute referred to
will be so modified as to eliminate the pres
ent possibilities of danger to the peace Of
the two countries.
THE NETHERLANDS.
The Government of the Netherlands has
exhibited concern in relation to certain fea
lures of our tariff laws, which are supposed
by them to be aimed at a class of tobacco
produced in the Dutch East Indies. Com
ment would seem unnecessary on the unwis-
dom Of legislation appearing to have spec
ial national discrimination for its object,
which, although nnintentional, may give rise
to injurious retaliation.
THE PERSIAN MISSION.
The establishment less than four years
ago of a legation at Teheran is bearing fruit
in the interest exhibited by the Shahs Gov.
ernment in the industrial activity of the
United States and the opportunity Of benef.
cial interchanges.
CLAIMS AGAINST PERU.
Stable government is now happily restored
in Peru by the election Of a constitutional
President, and period of rehabilitation Is
entered upon. But the recovery is necessa-
riy slow from the exhaustion caused by the
late war and civil disturbances. A conven'
ton to adjust by arbitration claims Of our
citizens has been proposed and is under con
sideration.
THE SIBERIAN TESTIMONIAL.
The naval Eofiicer,who bore to Siberia the
testimonial bestowed by Congress in recog
milton of the aid given to the jeanette sur
vivors has successfully his mis-
sion. His interesting report will be submit
ted. 1t is pleasant that this mark of appre
citation has been welcomed by the Russian
government and people as BELTS the tradi
tional friendship of the two countries.
THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.
Civil perturbations in the Samoan Islands
have during the past few years, been sourc,
| of considerable embarrassment to the thre,
| ernments-Germany, Great Britain anC
the United States-whese relations and ex
traterritorial rights in that important groul
are guaranteed by treaties. The weakness
Of the native administration and the conflic
Of opposing interests in the islands have le'