Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-12-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:
The reports of the heads of the several ex
ecutlve departments, required by law to b
submitted to me, which are herewith trans
mitted and the rel,0t Is of Inc secretary of tn
treasury and the attorney general, made di
rectly to congress, furnish COMPREHENSIVE
view of the administrative work of the las
fiscal year relating to internal affairs.
The reports will, believe. show that ever,
question has been approached considered AM
decided from the standpoint Of public dut,
and upon considerations affecting the publ
interests alone. Again invite to every brancl
OF the service the attention and scrutiny o
congress.
The work of the state department during th
last year has been characterized by an unusua
number of important negotiations and by dip
lomatlc results of a notable and highly beneti
cial character. Among these are the recipro
cal trade arrangements which have been con
cluded, in the exercise of the powers conferred
by section 3 of the tariff law, with the republic
OF Brazil, with Spain for its West India pos
sessions and with San Domingo. Like negotl
ations with other countries have been much
advanced, and it is hoped that before the close
of the year further definite trade arrangements
Of great value will be concluded
In view OF the reports which have been re-
ceived as to the diminution of the seal herds il
her majesty's government in February las
that an agreement for a closed season SHOULD
be made, pending the negotiations for arbtra
ton. which then seemed to be approaching I
favorable conclusion. After much CORE
spondence and delays for which this govern
ment was not responsible, an agreement was
reached and signed on the 18th of June, by
which Great Britain undertook, from that date
and until May l, 1892 to prohibit the killing by
her subjects of seals in the Behring sea, and
the government of the United States, during
the same period, to enforce its existing prohi-
bitiOn against pelagic sealing and to limit the
catch by the Fur Seal company upon the is
lands to $500 skins If this agreement could
have been reached earlier, in resp alse to the
strenuous endeavors of this government, it
would have been more effective; but, coming
even as late as it did, it unquestionably re-
suited in greatly diminishing the destruction
of the seals by the Canadian sealers.
In my last annual message | stated that the
basis Of arbitration proposed by her majesty &
government for the adjustment of the long
pending controversy as to the seal fisheries
was not acceptable. l am glad now to be able
TO announce that terms satisfactory to this
government have been agreed upon and that
an agreement as to the arbitrator is all that il
necessary to the completion of the convention.
Provision should be made for a 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.
should have been glad to announce some
favorable disposition of the boundary dispute
between Great Britain and Venezuela, touch
ing the western frontier of British Guiana, but
the friendly efforts of the United States in that
direction have thus far been unavailing This
government will continue to express its con-
Germ at any appearance of foreign encroach-
ment on territories long under the administra-
tive control of American states. The deter
mination of a disputed boundary is easily
attainable by amicable arbitration. where the
rights of the respective parties rest. as here, on
historic facts, readily ascertainable.
Triumph for American Pork.
The law of the last congress placed this gov
eminent in position to effectively urge the
removal of determinations against our meats.
1t is gratifying to be able to state that Ger.
many, Denmark, Italy, Austria and France
in the order named, have opened their ports to
inspected American pork products.
The removal of these restrictions in every
instance was asked for and given solely upon
the ground that we had now provided a meat
inspection that should be accepted as adequate
to the complete removal of the dangers, real
or fancied, which had been previously urged.
The state department, ministers abroad
and the secretary of agriculture have cooper
ated with unfiagging and intelligent zeal for
the accomplishment of this great result. The
outlines of an agreement have been reached
with Germany, looking to equitable trade con-
cessions in consideration of the continued free
importation of her sugars, but the time has not
yet arrived when this correspondence can be
submitted to congress.
The New Orleans Lynclling.
The lynching at New Orleans in March last
of eleven men of Italian nativity by mob of
citizens was a most deplorab1e and dscredit-
able incident. 1t did not, however, have its
origin in any general animosity to the Italian
people, nor in any disrespect to the govern
ment of Italy, with which our relations were
of the most friendly character.
1t was at once represented by the Italian min
lister that several of those whose lives had been
taken by the mob were Italian subjects, and
demand was made for the punishment of the
participants and for an indemnity to the fam
lilies of those who were killed.
1t is to be regretted that the manner in which
these claims were presented was not such as to
promote calm discussion of the questions in
vOlved; but this may well be attributed to the
excitement and Indignation which the crime
naturally evoked. The temporary absence of
a minister of Italy at this capital has re-
tarded the further correspondence, but it is
not doubted that friendly conclusion is at
tainable.
Some suggestions growing out of this I'M
happy incident are worthy the attention of
congress. 1t would, believe be entirely COM
petent for congress to make offenses 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 protec-
ton of foreign citizen or for the punishment
of his slayers. 1t 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 Incl
dents, be regarded in such sense as federal
agents as to make this government answerable
for their acts in cases where it would be
answerable if the United States had used
its constitutional power to define and punish
crimes against treaty rights.
The Itata Incident.
The civil war in Chill, which began in Janu-
AIRY last, was continued, but fortunately with
infrequent and not important armed collisions,
until Aug. 81 when the congressional forces
landed near Valparaiso. and after bloody en-
gagement captured that city. President Bal
maceda at once recognized that his cause was
lost. and provisional government was speedily
established by the victorious party. Our min
lister was promptly directed to recognize and
put himself in communication with this gov
eminent SO soon as it should have established
its de facto character. which was done. Dur
ing the tendency Of this civil contest frequent
indirect appeals were made to this government
TO extend bellgerent rights to the insurgents
and to give audience to their representatives.
This was declined, and that policy pur-
sued throughout, which this government, when
wrenched by civil war, so strenuously insisted
upon on the part of European nations. The
ltata, an armed vessel commanded by a naval
officer of the lnsurgent fleet, manned by its
sailors and with soldiers on board, was seized
under process of the United States court at
San Diego. Cal, for a violation of our neutral
fly laws While in the custody of an officer of
the court the vessel was forcibly wrested from
his control and put 10 sea, 1t would have been
inconsistent with the dignity and self respect
of this government not to have insisted that
the Itata should be returned to San Diego to
abide the judgment of the court. This WAS so
clear to the Junta of the Congressional party,
established at Iqpique. that, before the arrival
of the Itata at that port. the secretary of for
eign relations of the provisional government
addressed to Rear Admiral Brown. eammsnd=
ing the United States naval forces. communi.
cation. from which the following is an extract:
1.-THE provisional government has learned by
the cabiegrams of the Associated Press that
the transport ltata. detained in San Diego By
order of the United States fnr taking on board
munitions of war and in possession Of the map
shall. left the port, carrying on board this Off
cial, who was landed at a point near the coast.
and then continued her voyage If this
news be correct, this government would de-