Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-07
the terminating treaty. The joint Commits
sion. by whom the treaty had been negotiat-
cd altll ough

relegated to the stipulation of the treaty OF
1918 as to the first article of which no CON
struction satisfactory to both countries has
ever been agreed to, The progress of ctviliza-
ton and growth, of the population in the
British Provinces to which the fisheries in
question are contiguous and the expansion
of commercial intercourse between them
and the United States present to-day con-
dition of affairs scarcely real1zable at the
date of the negotiations of 1918, New and
vast interests have been brought into exist
ence, modes of intercourse between the re.
spective countries have been invented and
multiplied. The methods OF conducting
the fisheries have been wholly changed and
all this is necessarily entitled to candid and
careful consideration in the adjustment of
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF INTER
COURSE
And commerce between the United States
and their neighbors along frontier OF over
$500 miles. This propinquity, community
of language and occupation and similarity
of political and social institutions indicate
the practicability and obvious WISDOM or
ly relations. Will, ] am unfeignedly de-
sirous that such relations should exist be-
tween us and the Inhabitants OF canada,
yet the action of their officials during the
past season toward our fishermen has been
such as to seriously threaten their continu-
ance. Although disappointed in my efforts
to secure a satisfactory settlement of the
fishery question, negotiations are still pend
ing, with reasonable hope that before the
close of 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
may be fully disclOsed-the action and the
attitude of the Administration clearly com
pretended More extended reference is
not deemed necessary in this connection.
ALASKA.
The recommendation submitted last year,
that provision be made for a preliminary
reconnaissance of the conventional boun-
Diary lines between Alaska and British Col
umbia, Is renewed. 1eXpress my unhesi-
tating convection that the intimacy OF our
relations with Hawaii should be empha-
sized. As result of the reciprocity treaty
OF 1S45 those islands on the highway of Ori-
entail Ind Australian traffic are virtually an
outpost of American commerace and step
ping stone to the growing trade OF the Pa
cifc The Polynesau Islands group have
been so absorbed by other and more power
full governments that the HiwaiiBn Islands
are left almost alone in the enjoyment of
their autonomy which 1t is important for us
should be preserved. Our treaty is now ter
minable on one years notice, but prepo-
sitions to abrogate it would, in my judg-
ment. be most ill-advised. The paramounl
influence we have there acquired once re-
linquished could only with difficulty be re-
gained and a valuable coign of vantage for
ourselves might be converted Into strong
hold for our commercial competition.
earnestly recommend that the treaty stipu
lations be extended for a further term of
seven years. A recently sign.d treaty to this
tance of telegraphic communica.
tion between those islands and
the United States should not be
overlooked, 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
as the nation in most direct commercial re-
lation with Japan, the United States have
lost no opportunity to testify their consist
ent friendship by supporting the just claims
and independence among nations. A treaty
of exsradition between the United States
and Japan, the first concluded by that EN-
pire, has been lately proclaimed. The
weakness of Liberia and the difficulty of
maintaining effective sovereignty over Its
outlying districts have exposed that Repub-
lie to entertainments. 1t cannot be forgot
ten that this distant community is an
offshoot of our 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 constantly advanced during
nearly half century. 1 recommend that
in the
REORGANIZATION OF OUR NAVY.
A small vessel, no longer found adequate
to our needs, be presented to Liberia, to
be employed by it in the pi iotection of its
coastwise revenues. The encouraging de-
velopment of beneficial and intimate rela-
tions between the United States and Mexi'
co, 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 lie Sislation by Con-
gress to carry into effect the Reciprocity
Commercial Convention of January Goth,
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
recastng all her American treaties. Mexico
has since concluded with several foreign
governments new treaties of commerce and
navigation. defining alien rights OF trade,
property and residence, treatment OF ship
ping, Consular privileges and the like. Our
yet unexecuted Reciprocity Convention of
1888 covers none of these points, the settle
ment of W hich is so necessary to good rela-
tionship propose to initiate with Mexico
negotiations for new and enlarged treaty
of commerce and navigation.
In compliance with a resolution OF the
Senate | communicated to that body on
August I'd last, and also to the House OF
Representatives, all the correspondence in
the
CASE OF A. X. CUTTING,
An American citizen then imprisoned
in Mexico, charged with the commission of
penal offense in Texas, of which Mexi-
can citizen was the object. Alter demand
had been made for his release the charge
against him was amended so as to include
violation of Mexican law within Mexican
territory. This joinder OF alleged oilenses,
one within the other exterior to Mexico, in
duced me to order special investis aiion of
the case, pending which Mr.. Cutting was re-
leased. The incident has, however, dis
closed claim of jurisdiction by Mexico,
novel in our history, whereby any ofl'ense
committed anywhere by foreigner, enal
in the place of its commission and OF winch
a Mexican is the object, may, If the offender
be found in Mexico, be there tried and pun
Jurisdiction was sustained by the courts OF
Mexico in the Cutting case and approved by
the executive branch of that Gov.
ernment. upon the authority of
Mexican statute, The. Appellate
court in releasing Mr.. Cutting decided that
the abandonment OF the complaint by the
Mexican citizens aggrieved by the alleged
crime, a libellous publication, is removed.
The basis OF further prosecution and also
declared justice to have been satisfied by
the enforcement of small part of the orig
inal sentence. The admission of such a
pretension would be attended with erlous
results, invasive of the jurisdiction of this
Government and highly dangerous to our
citizens in foreign lands. Therefore have
denied il and protested against its attempt
ed exercise as unwarranted by the princi-
pies of
LAW AND INTERNATIONAL UsAGEs.
A sovereign has jurisdiction of offences
which take effect within his territory, al
though concocted or commenced outside
of it, but the right is denied of any foreign
sovereignto
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