Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-01-12
THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.

Ratification by the Senate OF tn,
States Delayed Signing the Agree
ment-The Commercial Convention
With the State OF Congo.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 1.-THE sen
ate to-day in executive session ratified tn,
general act signed at Brussels, July Q
1890, by seventeen powers, including tn,
United States, for the repression of thu
African slave trade and also a convention
of commerce and navigation between the
United States and the independent state
of Congo, signed at Brussels July "a, 1891
The slave trade treaty was sent to the
senate by the president nearly year age
and but few weeks remained of the time
allowed for the exchange of final ratifca.
ton. Sixteen of the powers represented
at the Brussels conference had signed the
convention many months ago. The fail
ure of the senate to pass upon the conven-
ton until this late day was caused by a
reluctance on the part of number OF
senators to recognize the justice of parti-
ton of Africa among the nations of the
world. This sentiment was voiced strong,
ly by Senator Chandler when the treaty
was under consideration last year, and
again at the beginning of this session he
introduced proposed amendment to the
pending ratification act disclaiming on the
part of the United States any approval of
the wisdom, expediency or lawfulness of
protectorates ins Africa. There was no
substantial objection to the treaty on other
grounds. The views of the senators
who sided with Mr.. Chandler were
recognized in the adoption as a
language of Mr.. Chambers amendment.
The resolution of ratification adopted by the
senate accepts the partial ratification on
part of France of the slave trade suppress
sion act and declares that the United States
having neither possessions nor protec-
torates in Africa disclaims any intention,
in ratifying this treaty, to indicate any in
terest in the possessions or protectorates
established or claimed on that continent
by the othsr powers or any approval of
the wisdom, e1pediency or lawfulness
thereof, and does not join in any express
sions on the act which might be construed
as such declaration or acknowledgement.
The resolution also states that it is desir-
able copy of this resolution be inserted
in the protocol to be drawn up at the
time of the exchange of Publications of
this treaty on the part OF the United
States.
The provisions of the slave convention
were made public last February The
commercial convention with the state of
Congo, ratified to-day, was made necessary
by the adherence OF the United States to
the general slave trade act. In 1884 the
United States recognized the flag of the
Congo Free state upon the condition that
the United States products should be ad-
mitted to that territory free. 1t was rep
resented to the Brussels conference that
the expenses attendant upon this enforce
ment of the slave treaty would oblige the
state of Congo to impose duties up on i'm
ports as a means of raising revenues. All
the other parties to the convention recog-
nized the right of the Congo state to i'm
pose the dutiee. A special convention was
made necessary between the Unite States
and the Congo state, however, by the ex-
istence of the agreement referred to.
This convention recognizes the amenabil-
ity of United States subjects to jury
service; provides for the full rights
of navigation; conserves the rights of our
citizens in the matter of moderate railroad
charges on state railways around the
cataracts, and forbids prohibition upon
the importation of any article of legal
commerce, unless the prohibition extends
to all nations. American beef and pork
products we're the main points in view.
The convention embodied an extradition
law, but this was stricken out and the
matter was left for future consideration.
The treaty, although providing import
duties, cannot go beyond ten per cent. of
the value of tho merchandise at the port
of entry during fifteen years from 1890.
except for spirits, which are specially pro-
vided for in the general Brussels act. The
United States is made most favored
nation, and put on the basis of the sigma
tory powers of the Brussels act.