The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-12-17
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The following is brief synopsis of
the Presidents Message as communities
ted to Congress on the 9th:

The President 'commences his message
by submitting the reports of the severa
executive departments required by law
which furnish a comprehensive review
of the administration work of the last
fiscal year relating to internal affairs
He says it would be of great advantage
if these reports could have an attentive
perusal by every member of Congress
and by all who take an interest ia pub
lie affairs. Such a perusal could not fail
to excite a higher appreciation of the
vast labor and conscientious efforts
which are given to the conduct of ou1
civil administration.
The work of the State Department
during the last year has been character
lied by an unusual number of important
negotiations, and by diplomatic results
of notable and highly beneficial char
acter. Among them are the reciprocal
trade arrangements which have been
concluded with the Republic of Brazil,
with Spain for it's West India posses
sions, and with San Domingo. Nego-
tiations with other countries have been
much advanced, and it is hoped before
the close Of the year further definite
trade arrangements of great value will
be concluded.
LII ICSdlO ~ GdC oSCbl ACldD Ill tllC
Behring Sea an agreement for a closed
season has been made with Great Brit
ain, by which the taking of seals by her
subjects has been prohibited until May
1st, 1899. and the United States to limit
the catch by the Fur Seal Company up
on the Islands to 1850 skins. The Pres
ident says this action will unquestiona>
bly, diminish the destruction of the seals
by the Canadian sealers He says the
long pending controversy with Great
Britain about the seal fisheries is about
to be submitted to arbitration.
Provision should be made for a joint
demarcation of the frontier line between
Canada and the United States whenever
required by the increasing border settle
ment.
The boundary dispute between Great
Britain and Venezuela is still unsettled,
Notwithstanding the friendly efforts of
the United States in that direction.
The law of the last Congress providing
system of inspection for all meats in
tended for export, and clothing the
President with power to exclude foreign
products from our market in case the
country sending them should perpetuate
unjust determinations against any pro-
duct of the United States, placed this
Government in position to effectively
urge the removal of such discrimina-
tions against our meats. 1t is gratifying
to be able to state that Germany, Den
mark, Italy, Austria and France, in the
order named, have opened their ports to
inspected American pork products. The
outlines of an agreement have been
reached with Germany looking to equi-
table trade concessions in consideration
of the continued free importation of her
sugars, but the time has not yet arrived
when this correspondence can be sub
mitted to Congress.
The recent political. disturbances in
the Republic of Brazil have excited res
greet and solicitude. The advice of this
country was received in a friendly spirit
and the latest information is that a con-
stitutional governm mt has been estab>
lished without bloodshed.
The President says that the lynching
at New Orleans in March last of eleven
men of italian nativity by mob of citi-
zens, for the murder of a city officer,
was most deplorable and discreditable
incident. After stating that a demand
had been made by Italy for indemnity,
and calling attention to the correspond
ence on the subject, the President furth-
er says:
''Some suggestions growing out of this
unhappy incident are worthy the atten-
ton of Congress. 1t would, | believe,
be entirely competent for Congress to
make offences against the treaty rights
OF foreigners domiciled in the United
States cognizable in the Federal Courts.
This has not, however, been done, and
the Federal officers and courts have no
power in such cases to intervene either
for the protection of a foreign citizen or
for the punishment of his slayers. It
seems to me to follow in this state of the
law that the officers of the State charged
with police and judicial powers in such
cases must, in the consideration of inter
national questions growing out of such
incident, be regarded in such sense as
Federal agen is as to make this govern
nent answerable for their acts in cases
where it would be answerable if the
United States had used its constitution
al power to define and punish crimes
against treaty rights"
The President at some length, reviews
the civil war in Chill, and the part this
Government has taken in the matter.
The matter of the Itata is given in full,
also the action of Minister Eagan and
Admiral Brown, of the Baltimore. The
killing OF the American seamen at Val
paraiso is also alluded to, and the state
ment is made that demand for inden-
nifty has been made upon the CHILEAN
government The whole correspondence
will be submitted to Congress later in
the session.
He renews his recommendation to APP
ply to Sweden and Norway the same
rule in respect to the laying of tonnage
dues as was claimed and secured to the
United States in 1928 under article
eighth of the treaty of 1897.
In regard to the slave traffic in Africa
and the reform of the revenue Tariff in
the independent State of the Congo,
nothing has been done, but the time for
the exchange of notifications on the part
of the United States has been extended
to February End, 1899.
The late outbreak against foreigners
in various parts of the Chinese Empire
has been a cause of'deep concern in view
of the numerous establishments of our
citizens in the interior of that country.
This Government can do no less than in
sist upon a continuance of the protective
and punitory measures which the Chi
nese Government has heretofore applied.
The refusal of the Chinese Govern
ment to receive Mr.. Blair as the Minister
of the United States, because of his &C
ton in the Senate, is alluded to- and the
President says he has tried to point out
to that Government that individual
opinions had no weight in Mr.. Blair's
appointment to represent this Govern
ment. He suggests the enactment of a
temporary act for the admission of Chi
nese workmen to prepare the Chinese
exhibit at the approaching Columbian
Exposition.
A question has arisen with the Gov
eminent of Spain touching the rights Of
American citizens in the Caroline Is
lands. which is now under discussion.
An invitation has been extended to
the United States to participate in al
Exposition to be held in Madrid in 1870:
to commemorate the four hundredtf
anniversary of the discovery of America
by Columbus, which the President ad
vises to accept, as Spain was the frs
country to signify its acceptance of the
invitation to take part in the Columbian
Exposition.
Surveys for the connecting links of thu
projected inter>continental railway arr
in progress not only in Mexico, but a
various points along the course mapped
out.
The boundary line question between
Mexico and the United States is in q fai
way of settlement
The death of King Kalakaua afforded
this country an opportunity to testif.
its friendship for Hawaii by conveying
the Kings body to his own land in