The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-12-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
interesting Synopsis Of Lengthy
Public Document.
Our Foreign and Domestic Relations Re-
viewed The Tariff and Silver Cues
tions, and Others of Equal Gem
eral Interest Discussed.

message opens with the usual survey OF for
elgn relations, and One-third OF the document is
devoted to discussion and review of this inn
portant topic Our Government, he says,
has consistently maintained its relations of
friendship toward all other powers, and
neighborly iHterest toward those whose posses
slOns are contiguous to our own. Few ques-
tons 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 a
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 a spe-
Cial 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 century have
given rise to earnest international discussions,
not unaccompaned by irritation. Temporary
arrangements by treaties have served to allay
friction which, however. has revived as each
treaty was terminated. While DESTROYS that
friendly relations should exist between the
people of the United States and Canada the
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 accountable cOnClu-
sion has been reached.
Abiding to our relations with Hawaii, the
President recommends an extension for seven
years OF the reciprocity treaty OF 1873. He ur-
gently renews his accommodation of legisla-
ton to carry into effect the American recipro-
city treaty of January, 1883, and proposes to
initiate negotiations with Mexico for n new and
enlarged treaty of commerce and legislation.
Rlf 70 lln in hn tIn in.
Cldent has disclosed claim of jurisdiction by
Mexico novel in our history whereby an offense
committed any where by foreign penal in the
place OF its commission. ana OF which MeXi-
can is the object may, if the offender be found
ID Mexico, be there tried and punished in con-
fOrmity with Mexican laws. This jurisdiction
Was sustained by the courts of Mexico and APP
proved by the executive branch OF that Govern
ment upon the authority of a Mexican statute.
The Appellate Court, in releasing Mr.. Cutting,
decided that abandonment OF the complaint by
the Mexican citizen aggrevcd by the alleged
crime "a libclous publications., removed the
basis OF further prosecution, and also declared
justice to have been satisfied by the enforce
ment of 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 citizens in for
eiTn lands; therefore he has denied il, and
protested against its attempted exercise as
OnWarranted by the principles OF law and inter-
national usages. \ sovereign has jurisdiction
OF o1enscs, which take effect in his territory,
although cOncocted or commenced outside OF 1t,
but the right is denied of any foreign sovereign
10 punish a citizen of the United States for an
CfGnsC consummated on our soil in violation of
our laws even though the offense be against
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 ineXtricGble discussion destructive
Of that certainty in the law which is an es-
sential Of liberty.
When citizens of the United States volun-
tarily 20 to q foreign country they must abide
BY the laws there in force and must not be pro-
teCted by their own government from the conse-
Quence of an oifensc against those laws com
mtted in such foreign country, but watchful
care and interest OF this Government over its
citizens are not relinQuished because they have
gone abroad, and, if charged with crime com
mit'cd 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 cxtra-territorial
criminal jurisdiction may have been formerly
allowed by consent and reciprocal agreement
among certain OF the European States, nc
such doctrine or practice was ever known 10
the laws OF this country, nor to that from
which our institutions have been mainly de
rived,
cmlly strong for perfect harmony in the mutual
exercise Of Jurisdiction Nature has made us
irreyocably neighbOrs, and wisdom and kind
feeling should make us friends. The overflow
OF capital and enterprise from the United
States is q potent factor in assisting the devel
opmcnt of the recourccs OF Mexico and in
building up the prosperity OF both
countries To 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 ncighborhood the statute referred to will
be so modified rs to eliminate the present pos
sbhties of danger TO the peace of the two coun
tries.
The President recommends the placing OF the
consular system on better footing and reiter
atcs the necessity Of some mode OF inspection
and report Of the manner in which the con
.sUidtCs are conducted.
he trusts the subject Of an lntcnationa
copyright will receive the attention it deserves
by Congress.
lie recommends that provision be made To-
The immediate discharge from custody of per
sons committed for cXtraditon where thu
President is of opinion that a sur
render should not be made, and re
news his recommendation of last yea
that legislation concerning CitiZation an(
DECENTRALIZATION be revised. We have, he says
"toates with many States providing for the re
nuuciatOn Of citzatiOH by naturalzed aliens
. but no statute is found TO give effect to sucl
engagements, nor any which provides needle,
control or a bureau for registration of natural
iZod citizens.
Reaching domestic affairs the first subjec
discussed is the tariff, and to this the Presiden
r
necessity for a reduction of the tariff is NOR
urgent than ever The income Of the Govern
mont" he says by is increased volume an
Thorough economies in its collection is nov
more than ever in excess OF the public neces
sites. The application Of the surplus to III
payment Of such portion OF III
rGsHg debt as is now at our o ptio
slljc2t TO eXtinguishment, if continued at tn
rate which has lately prevailed, would retir
taGt class of Indebtedness within less than on
year from this date. Thus continuance of GU
present revenue system would soon result in tn
receipt OF an annual income much greater tina
necessary 10 meet Government expenses
with no Indebtedness upon which
could he applied We should b
then confronted with vast quantity OF money
The circulating medium OF the people, hoarde
IN the treasury whenit should he in their hand,
or we should be drawn into wastegul public ey
trgyagance, with all the COrrupting Nationl
Generalization which follows in its track.
But IL is not the simple existence of this SUI
plus 3ad its threatened attendant evils whic
furnish the strongest argument against ou
present scale OF Federal taxations: its wors
phase rs the eXactiou of such surplus throug
. VgyJrsion OF the relations between the ne,
pie and their government, and % dangerous a,
payiGvc from the rules which limit m
right of Federal taxation Good 90,