Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-12-15
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
To The Congress of the United States:

executive office, | herewith transmit to the
Congress at its Resembling certain intorma
tiol conce ming the state of the Union, to-
geth,r with such recommendations for legis,
lative consideration us appear necessary and
expe lent
Our government has consistently main.
tan'd its relations of friendship toward all
other powers, aud Of neghborly interest to-
ward those whose possessions are contiguous
to our own. Few quest oni have arisen dur
ing the past year with other governments,
and none Of those are beyond the reach of
SO t'cment in friendly counsel.
We are rs yet without provision for the
settlement of claims Of citizens of the United
States against Chill for injuries during the
late war with Peru and Bolivia, The mixed
commissions, organized under claims convcn-
tion', conclude | by the Chiliau government
with certain European States, have developed
an amount OF friction VIII oh we trust can b9
aTo,do | i'll the convention which our repre-
sentative at Santiago is authorized to ne
Eotiatc.
The cruel treatment Of inoiienSlve Chinese
has, regret to say, been repeated in soma Of
the far We tern States and Territories, and
acts of volon ~ aga n't those people, beyond
the power of the local constituted authorities
to prevent, aud difficult to punish, are re-
ported even in distant ALASKA, Much Of this
violence can he traced to race prejudice and
competition o. labor, which cannot, however,
justify the oplre sion of strangers whose
safety is guaranteed by our treaty with
China equally with the most favored nations.
In opening our vast domain to alien ele-
mentS, the purpose of our law-giyers was to
invite assimilation, and not to provide an
arena for endless antagonists. The para
mount duty Of naintanin public order and
defending the interests of our own people
may re luire the adoption of measures OF re-
stri' ton but they should not tolerate the
oppres,it n Of individuals Of a special race |
am not without assurance that the govern
ment of China whose friendly disposition to-
warlus am most happy to recognize, will
meet MS half way in devisng comprehen-
sive remedy, by which an effective lmita-
ton of Chimes emigration, joined to proter
tion OF those Chinese sub ectS who remain in
this country, may he secured.
THE CANADIAN FISHERIES.
The recommendations contained in my last
annual message in relation to n mpde OF set
Element of the fishery rights in the waters OF
Briti,h North Ameri a-So long n subject
of anxious difference between tho Unite
States aud Great Britan-wai met by an
adverse vote of tdo Senate on April 10 last,
aud thereuo Oh negotiations were in,titutel
to obtain an agreement with hor Britannia
mlse'ty'S government for the PRONUNCIATION
of such joint inter- rotation and deilnit on of
the article Of the convention of 1878, relating
to the teIritOr al waters and inshore fisheries
OF the British provin 'cs, as should secure
the Canadian rights from encroachment by
United States fisherman, and, at the sane
time, insure the enjoyment by the latter Of
the privileges guaranteed to them by such
convention.
The questions involved are of long stand
ing, of grave consequence, and from time to
time for nearly three quarters of century
have given rise to earnest international dis
cuSsionS not unacc0mpanicd by irritation.
Temporary arrangements by treaties have
served to allay friction-which, however,
has revivel as each treaty was terminated.
The last arrangement. under the treaty of
1871, was ahrogated aft due notice by the
United States on June 30, 1885, but was
enabled to obtain for our fishermen for the
remainder of that season enjoyment of tho
full privileges q corded by the terminated
treaty.
The Joint high commission by whom the
treaty had been gotiated-although in
vested with pcaary power t. make a perma-
nent sett emcut-were content with tenn
pora"y arrangement after thu termination
Of which the question was relegated to the
itipUlatiols of the treaty Of ISIS as to the
6rst article Of Which no construction salts.
factory to both countries has ever been agreed
lpon.
The progress Of civil alton and growth OF
population in the British pyo' inCes to which
The fisheries in question are contiguous, and
the expansion OF commercial Intercourse be-
tween them and the United States, presents
to-day c nditiOn of affairs scarcely realiza-
Bile at the date of the nee citations of ISIS.
New and vast interests have been brought
Into listen @; modes of intercourse between
the respective countries have been invented
and multiplied; the methods Of conducting
the fisheries have been wholly changed: and
al this is no es'arily entitled to candid and
careful consideration in the adjustment of
The terms and conditions Of intercourse and
commerce bntween the United States and
thair neghbors along frontier Of more than
$500 miles.
This propinJuity, community of language
md occuVaton, and similarity of political
md so ial institutions, indicate the practical
oility and obvious wisdom of maintaining
mutually beie!i iaI and friendly relations.
Whilst | am uufeignedly DESTROYS that
81 h relations should exist between us and
she inhaLitonts of Canada, yet the action of
their Oil ialS during the past season toward
our fishermen ha; been such as to seriously
threaten their. continuance.
Although disappointed in my efforts to Sc.
emoa satisfactory settlement of tho fishery
9ues ion negotiations are still lending, with
reasonable hope that before the close Of tie
present session of Congress announcement
may b, made that an acceptable conclusion
has been rea he
As at an early day there may be laid be-
,ore Congre S the correspondence of the De-
Dartmcnt of State in relation t. this impor-
.ant subject so that the history of the last
fishing season may be fully dis 10 ed and the
1T on and the attitude of the administration
clearly comprehendea, n more extended re-
terence is not deemed necessary in this com
uuncation.
The recommendation, submitted 10 year,
that provision he made for preliminary re
.Onnoissance of the conventional boundary
hue between Alaska and British Columbia is
renewed.
express my unhes.tating conviction that
The intimacy Of our relations with Hawaii
should be EN- hasied As result of the re-
.iprocity treaty of 1870, those islands, on the
highway Of oriental and Austraasion traffic,
are virtually an OUTPOST of American COM
nerce AMI stepping stone to the growing
trade of the Ia 'itic, Tie Polyne ian Island
groups have been so absorbed by other and
more powerful governments, that The Hawai-
ian Islands are LEFT almos' alone in the Joy
nent of therautomony, which it is important
w. ", Nv, *, zoo ,o,, ,t; - yo.1o,;
terlhinuo'e oh o'lc e'r iOli e. puI pIoPosl-
n,nmt ,noSt m nd ,,isel I'll, DoramGr1 Ji ;,,.
Huencc we have there ,uuirel once relin-
ouished could only with difficulty be re
gained, and a valuable ground of vanta 20
Tor ourselves might he convcrtcl into a
stronghold for our commercial competitors.
earnestly recon nenl that the existing
treaty stipu'at ions be cxtcn ed for a further
term of seven years A recently signe
treaty 10 this cad is now before the Senate.