The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-07


be, in my judgment, most i'll -advised The par
amount influence we have there acquired once
relnquished, could only. with difficulty be re
gained and a valuable ground of advantage fol
ourselves might be converted into stronghold
for our commercial competitors. earnestly
recommend that the existing treaty stipulations
be extended for further term of seven years
recently signed treaty to this end is now be
fore the Senate. The Importance of telegraph
communication between those islands and the
United States should not be overlooked.
The question of a general revision of the
treaties of Japan is again under discussion al
Toxic. AS the first to open relations with that
empire, and as the nation in most direct com
merclal relation with Japan, the United States
have lost no opportunity to testify their consist
emit friendship by supporting the just claims OF
Japan to autonomy and independence among ma
tons. A treaty Of extradition between the
United States and Japan. the first concluded by
that empire, has lately been proclaimed.
The weakness of Liberia and the difficulty of
maintaining effective sovereignty over its out
lying districts have exposed that republic to en-
croachments. 1t cannot be forgotten that this
distant community is An ofshot of our
associated benevolence of American citizens,
whose praiseworthy efforts to create a
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 ira
ditlonal 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. / recommend that in the reorganiza
ton OF our navy a small vessel, no longer found
adequate to our needs, be presented to Liberia,
to be employed by it in the protection of it's
coastwise revenue.
The encouraging development of beneficial and
intimate relations between the United States
and Mexico, which has been 80 marked within
iS at no of
conRratulation 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, 1883 Our commercial treaty of 1881
with Mexico was terminated, according to it's
provisions, in 1881, upon notification given by
Mexico. In pursuance of her announced policy
OF recastng all her commercial treaties, Mexico
has since concluded with several foreign gov
ernments new treaties of commerce and naviga-
ton, defining alien rights Of trade, property and
residence. treatment of shipping, consular priyi
leges and the like. Our yet unexecuted reel
procity convention of 1883 covers none of these
points, the settlement OF which is so necessary
to good relationship. ! propose to initiate with
Mexico negotiations for a new and enlarged
treaty of commerce and navigation. In compli-
ance with resolution of the Senate, / commu-
nicated to that body, on Aug 2 last and also to
the House of Representatives, the correspond
ence in the case of A. K. Cutting an American
citizen then imprisoned ip Mexico, charged with
the commission OF penal offense 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
violation of Mexican law within Mexican ter
ritory. This joinder of alleged offenses,
one within and the other exte-
rior to Mexico, induced me to
order special investigation of the case, pend
ing. which Mr.. Cutting was released. The Incl
dent has. however, disclosed claim of iurisdic-
In hiStn xuha aIx,
any offense committed anywhere by foreigner,
penal In the place of its commission, and of
which Mexican is the object, may, if the of
fender be found in Mexico, be there tried and
punished in conformity with Mexican laws
This jurisdiction was sustained by the courts of
Mexico in the Cutting case and approved by the
executive branch of that government upon the
authority of Mexican statute. The Appellate
Court. IN releasing Mr.. Cutting, decided that the
abandonment OF the complaint by the Mexican
libelous publication removed the basis
of further prosecutio and also de-
clared justice to have been satisfied
by the enforcement of a small part of the origi-
nal sentence. The admission Of such preten-
sion would be attended with serious results, in
vasive of the jurisdiction of this government,
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 usage
take effect within his territory, although con-
cocted or commenced outside of it; but the right
is denied of any foreign sovereign to punish a
citizen of the United States for an offense con
summated on our soil in violation of any laws,
even though the offense be against subject or
citizen OF such sovereign. The Mexican statute
in question makes the claim broadly, and the
principle, if conceded would create dual re-
sponsibilty in the citizen and lead to nextrica-
BILE confusion destructive Of that certainty in the
a N a N IF lap o;t
of the United States voluntarily go into a
foreign country, they must abide by the laws
there In force, and will not be protected by their
own government from the consequences of an
offense against those laws committed in such
foreign country. but the watchful care and inter
est 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 de-
cent regard for justice and humanity, win be
demanded for them. With less than that this
government will not be content when life or lib
erty of its citizens Is at stake. Whatever the
degree to which extraterritorial criminal juris-
diction may have been formerly allowed, by con-
of the European states, no such doctrine or prac-
tice was ever known to the laws of this coun-
Try, or of that from which our
institutions have been mainly derived In the
case of Mexico there are reasons especially
strong for perfect harmony in the mutual exer-
vocable neighbors, and wisdom and kind feeling
should make US friends. The overflow of capt
tai and enterprise from the United States is
potent factor in assisting the development of the
resources of Mexico and in building up the pros
perity of both countries. To assist this good
work all grounds of apprehension for the Sc
curity of person and property should be removed,
and trust that in the interest of good neigh
borhood the statute referred to will be so modi-
fed as to eliminate the present possibilities of
danger to the peace Of the two countries.
The government Of the Netherlands has ex-
hibited concern in relation to certain features
of our tariff laws which are supposed by them to
be aimed at a class of tobacco produced in the
Dutch East Indies. Comment would seem un-
necessary upon the unwisdom of legislation ap-
pearing to have a special national discrimination
for its object which, although unintentional, may
give rise to injurious retaliation.
The establishment, less than four years ago,
of legation at Teheran, is bearing fruit in the
interest exhibited by the Shah's government In
the industrial activity of the United States, and
the onnortunitias of haneficial intarchanpa