Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-12-12
A Vigorous Foreign Policy is ESSEN
tial to Maintain the DIGNITY
of Our Government.
Our Relations With Chile, the
Bering Sea Matter and the
New Orleans Massacre
are Discussed.
Plea for the Abolition of tho "Gerry-
mander" In Politics--Tho Tariff, Reel
procity, Pensions and Other Inn
portant Subjects Receive
Acknowledgements of De-
partment Reports.
WASHINGTON, Dec 9.-The following

The reports of tho hea Is of the several execu.
tive departments required by law to be sub.
mitted to me. which are herewith transmitted
and the reports OF the secretary of treasury
and attorney general furnish comprehen.
sive view OF the administrative work OF the
last fiscal year relating to internal affairs. 1t
would be OF great advantage il these re.
ports could have an attentive perusal by
every member of congress and by all who take
an interest in public affairs. Such perusal
could not fail to excite higher appreciation of
the vast labor and conscientious effort, whicn
are given to the conduct OF our civil admins.
tration
question has been approached. considered and
decided from the standpoint OF public duty and
upon considerations affecting the public inter,
csts alone. Again invite TO every branch OF
the service the attention and scrutiny OF con
gress.
The work of the state department during the
last year has been characterized by On unusual
number OF important negotiations and by dip
lomatic results of notable and highly bene-
fcial character. Among these are the recip'
rocal trade arrangements which have been con.
cluded, in the exercise of the powers conferred
by of the tariff law with ths REPUBLIC
sions. and with San Domingo. Like negotia.
tions with other countries have been much ad.
ynnced, and it is hoped that be ore the close OF
the year further dennitive trade arrangements
Of great value will be concluded.
THE SEAL FISHERIES DISPUTE.
In Wow OF tne reports wnlCn nau Deen re-
ceived as to the dimnution of the seal herds in
the Bering Sea, deemed 1t wise to propose to
her ma estys government in February last that
an agreement for q closed session should be
made, pending the negotiations for arbitration
which then emed to be approaching favor
BILE conclusion. After much correspondence,
and delays for which this government was not
responsible. an agreement was reached and
signed on the 1! tn OF June by which Great
Britain undertook from that date and until
May 1, 1892, to prohibit the killing by her sub
Of a
ment OF the United States during the same pc
riod, to enforce its existing prohibition against
pelagic sealing and to limit the catch by the Fur
Seal company upon the Island TO 1900 skins. II
this agreement could have been reached earlier
in response to the strenuous endeavors OF this
government 1t would have been more effective;
but coming even as late as IL did. 1t unques-
tionably resulted in greatly diminishing the
destruction OF the seals by the Cnnud an seal
cries. In my last annual message stated that
the basis OF arb tration proposed by her maies.
tys government for the adjustment of the long
pending controversy as to the seal fisherles was
not acceptable. l am glad now to be able TO
announce that the terms are satisfactory to
this government. have been agreed upon, and an
agreement as TO the arblrators is all that is
necessary to the completion OF the convention.
In view of the advanced position which this
government has taken upon the subject OF IN
ternat!onal arbitration, this renewed expression
OF our adherence to this method for settlement
of disputes such as have arisen in the Bering
Sea will, doubt not, meet with the concur
renee Of Congress.
Provision should be made for Joint demar.
cation of the frontier line between Canada and
the United States wherever required by the
increasing border settlements, and especially
for the exact location OF the water boundary In
the straits and rivers.
OPENED TO AMERICAN MEATS.
The law OF the last congress providing sys.
tenn of inspection for our meats intended Tor
export and clothing the president with power
to exclude foreign products from our market in
case the country sending them should perpetu.
ate unjust determinations against any product
of the United States, placed this government
in position to efIectually urge the removal
of such discr limitations against our meats.
1t is gratifying to be able to state that Ger.
many. Denmark, Italy, Austria and France. in
tho order named, have opened their ports to
inspected American pork products. The re-
moval of these restrictions in every instance
wns asked for and given solely upon the ground
that We hud now provided meat inspection
that should oe accepted rs adequate to the
complete removal OF the dangers, real or fan
cied, which has been previously urged. The
state department, our ministers abroad and
the secretary OF agriculture have co-operated
with untiagglng ana intelligent zeal Tor the ac
complishment of this great result. The out
lines OF an agreement have been reached
with Germany, looking TO equitable trade
concessions in consideration OF the continued
free importation of her sugars, but the time
has not yet arrived wnen this correspondence
can be submitted to congress.
THE TROUBLES IN BRAZIL.
The recent political disturbances in Brazi
have excited regret and solicitude The in
formation we possessed was too meager to en-
able us to form n satisfa tory judgment OF Tho
causes leading to the temporary assumption o
supreme power by President Fonseca, but thi.
government did not fail to express to him it;
anxious solicitude for the peace of Brazil an(
for the maintenance OF the free political insti
tutions which had recently been established
there. nor to offer our advice that great moder
alton should be observed in the clash Of parte.
and the contest for leadership: These coun
sells were received in the most friendly spirit
and the latest information is that constitu
tional government has been reestablishel
without bloodshed.
THE NEW ORLEANS LYNcHING.
The lynching at New Orleans in March las
of eleven men OF Italian nativity by mob O
citizens was most deplorable and discredit
able incident. IL did not however have III
origin in any animosity to the Italian people
nor in any disrespect TO the government o
Italy. with which our relations were of the mos
directed against these men as the supposed
participants or accessor, ,es in the murder OF
city onicer do not allude to this as mitigat
Ing in any degree this offense against law ant
humanity, but only as affecting the interna
ti0nal Ques'io which grew out of 1t. II wa
once represent by the Italian minister tha
several oil those whose lives had been taken b,
the mob were Italian subjects, ana u demand
was made for the punishment OF the partici
pants and for an Indemnity to the families G
those who were killed. 1t is to be regrette,
that the manner in which these cain
were presented was not such as to promote
calm discussion OF the questions involved; bu
and Indignation which the crime naturull
evoked The views OF this government,
as TO its obligations to foreigners dom
ciled here were iully stated In the correspond
ence as well its purpose TO make an invest
CATION OF the afiar with view TO determin
whether there were present any circumstance
that could. under such rules OF duty as we ha
Indicated GREAT an obligation upon the Unite
States. The temporary absence of ministe
penipotentiary Of Italy ~ this capital has r,
tarded the further corr espondenee. but II is NJ
doubted that friendly conclusion Is attainabl
Some suggestions growing out OF this VI
happy incident was worthy OF the attention {
congress. II would. believe. be entirely con
petent for congress TO make oifenses against u
treaty rights OF foreigners domicil d IN III
United ST ties cogniZable IN the federal court
This has not, however been done, and th
federal officers und courts have no power
such cases TO intervene either for the prote
tion OF q foreign citizen or for the pun;shmer
OF his sayers IT seems TO me TO follow in tn
state OF law. that the officers OF the sta
charged with police ana judicial powers IN sue
cases must In the consideration OF internatio
al questions, grow ng out OF su.h incidents,
regarded in such sense by feueral agents Us
make his government answerable for their &C
In cases where IL would be nnswerable II u
United States bad not the constitutional pow