Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-12-04

as had not voluntarily left the ship be CON
yeyed to one OF our nearest ports where henr-
pliance with the terms of the treaty On their
arrival at San Francisco such proceeding was
district judge, who held that the acts -consti-
tuting the alleged offense were political. and
DISCHARGED all the accused save one. Cienfuegos.
who was held for AL attempt to murder.
Thereup0n was constrained to direct his re-
Lessee for the reason that q attempt to murder
was not one Of the crimes charged against him
and upon which his surrender to the Saliva
dofean authorities had been demanded.
Unreasonable and unjust fines imposed by
United States have demanded from time to
time during the last twenty years earnest
remonstrance on the part of our government.
In the immediate past exOrbitant penalties
have been imposed upon our vessels and goods
By customs authorities of Cuba and Porto Rico
in the manifests or bills of iading In some
cases fines amounting to thousands of dollars
have been levied upon cargoes of the carrying
entitled To free n ensTy T Fines SsSe Sess
exacted even when the error had been
before the arrival Of the goods in port This
conduct IS strange in contrast with the consid-
crate and liberal treatment extended to Span
1sh vessels and cargocs in our ports in like
cases. No satisfactory settlement of these vex-
atious questions has yet been reached.
The Mora case. referred to in my last annual
message remains unsettled. From the diplo-
matte correspondence on this subject, which
has been laid before the senate, it will be seen
that this government has offered to conclude
convention with Spain for the disposal by ar
bitration Of outstanding claims be-
tween the two countries, except the Mora
claim. which. having been long ago diusted now
only awaits payment as stipulated. and of
course 1t could not he included in the pro
posed convention. 1t was hoped that this Of
fer would remove parliamentary obstacles
encountered by the Spanish government in
providing payment OF the Mora indemnity l
offer has yet been made and all efforts 20
secure payment of this settled claim have boon
Naturaiized Armenians.
In my last annual message adverted to the
claim on the part of Turkey of the right to
expe,. as persons undesirable and dangerous.
Armenians naturalized in the United States
and returning to Turkish iuris-
fhfs0n ,o,,,; NnmerS Su Questions vii, in
this government acquiesces in the as
serted right of expulsion il will not consent
that Armenians may be imprisoned other
wise punished for no other reason than having
acquired without imperial consent. American
citizenship. Three OF the assaiants OF Miss
Melton. an American teacher in Mosul. have
been convicted by the Ottoman courts. and
am advised that an appeal against the acquittai
OF the remaining five has been taken by the
Turkish prosecuting officer.
:, A convention has been concluded with
Venezuela tor the arbitration of long dis
p1ted claim growing out Of the seizure
citizens Of the United STATES Al
though signed. the treaty of extradtion with
sistence of thar government that when n me sur
rendered. its citizens shall in no case be liable
to capital punishment.
yea which were framed by the maritime con
ference held in this city in 1889. having been
, con lneorporated IN the statute, OF
announced to take effect March l. 1875. and in
vitations have been extended TO all maritime
nations to adhere to them. Favorable re-
sponses have thus far been received from Aus
tria, France. Portugal. Spain and Sweden.
Affairs In samoa.
In my last annual message referred briefly
TO the unsatisfactory state of affairs in Samoa
under the operation of the Berlin treaty as
signa!ly illustrating the policy of entangling
alliances with foreign powers. and on May y,
1894 in response 10 a resolution of the senate,
! sent Il special message and documents to that
body on the subject, which emphasized my
previously expressed opinions. Later occur
rences, the correspondence in regard to which
will ne laid before congress, further demon
by The three powers and forced upon
tine Samosns against their inveterate
hostility can be maintained only b. the
continued presence OF foreign military forceand
at no small sacrifice of life and treasure. The
suppression OF the Mataafa instruction by the
powers and the subsequent Punishment OF the
leader and eleven other chief as recited in my
last message. did not bring lasting peace to the
Islands Formidable uprisings continued, and
and, Cpolu. headed in Aana. the eastern dis
trict. by the younger Tamasese. and in Atua.
surgents ravaged the country and fought the
doors OF Apia. The king again appealed TO
the powers for help. and the combined British
and German naval forces reduced the Atuans to
apparent subsection. not. however. without
considerable loss to the natives. A few days
later Tamasese and his adherents. fearing the
ships and the marines, professed submission.
Reports received from our agents at Apia do
not justify the belief that the peace thus
brought about will be of long duration. 1t is
their conviction that the natives are at heart
them profess loyalty to it do so from fear of
the powers and that it would speedily go to
pieces II the warships were withdrawn.
German COnsurs Statement.
In reporting to his government on the I'M
satisfactory situation since the suppression OF
the late revolt by foreign armed forces the
German consul at Apia stated:
That peace will be lasting is hardly to no
presumed. The lesson given by firing on
Atua was not sufficiently. sharp and intisive to
leave lasting impression on the forgetful
Samoan temperament. In fact, conditions are
existing which shot that peace will not last and
and his chiefs are convinced that the denarture
of warships will be signal for a renewal of war
The circumstance that the representatives of
the villages OF all the districts which were
opposed to tine government have already with
drawn to Atua to hold meetings and
that both Atua and Aana have forbidden in
habitants Of those districts which fought on
the side OF the government to return to their
villages and have already partly burned down
the latter, indicates that real Cancellation OF
And in note of the 10th ultimo. inclosing a
copy of that report for the information of this
government. the German ambassador said:
The contents of the report awakened the inn
perial governments apprehension that under
existing circumstances the peace concluded
with the rebels will afford no assurance of
the lasting restoration of tranquility in the
islands.
The present government has utterly failed to
correct. IL, indeed, il has not aggravated the
very evils it was intended to prevent. 1t has
not stimulated our commerce with the islands.
Our participation in its establishment against
| tine wishes of the natives was in plain defiance
of the conservative teachings and warnings of
the wise and patriotic men who laid the found
atoms of our free institutions. and invite an
expression of the Judgment of congress on the
propriety OF steps being taken by this govern
| ment looking to the withdrawal from its en-
gagements with the other powers on some rea-
sonable terms not prejudcial to any of our ex-
isting rights.
NATIONAL FINANCES.