The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-12-13

sage. remains unsettled. From the dlploHlallc
correspondence this subject, which has been
laid before the senate. it will be seen that this
government has offered to conclude d conven-
ton with Spain for disposal by arbitration OF
outstanding claims between the two countries
except the Mora claim, which having been long
ago adjusted now only wants payment as stlpu-
lated and Of course il could not be included in
the proposed convention. 1t was hoped this
offer would remove parliamentary obstacles en-
couutered by the Spanish government in pro-
VidIng payment of the Mora indemnity l re-
gret TO say that no definite reply 10 this offer
has yet been made and all efforts to accure pay
ment Of this settled claim have been unavau-
Ing,
In nv last annual message l adyerted to the
claim Oh the part OF Turkey OF the right to cx-
pell. as persons undesirable and and dangerous,
Americans naturalzed in the United States
and returning 10 Turkish jurisdiction. NuIner-
Gus questions IL this relation have arisen.
While this government acquiesces il the as
serted right of expulsion it will not consent
that Americans may be imprisoned or other
wise punished for DO other reason than having
acquired without imperial consent American
citizenship. Three Of the assailants OF Miss
Melton, an American teacher in Mosul, have
been convicted b. the Ottoman courts and am
advised that an appeal against the acqultaI OF
the remaining five has been taken by the
Turkish prosecuting officers. :. convention has
been concluded with Eenczula for the arbitra-
ton Of long disputed claim growing out OF the
seizure of certain vessels, the property of citi-
zens Of the United States.
Although signed, the treaty OF extraditiOu
with Venezuela is not yet in force owing to the
insistence of that government that, when sur
rendered, its citizens shall in case be liable
to capital punishment.
The rules for the prevention Of collisions at
which were framed by the maritime confer
cnce held in this city in 1883 having been con-
currently Incorporated in the statues Of the
United States and Great Britain, have been
announced to take effect March /, 1895 and
invitations have been extended tc all maritime
nations to adhere to them, Favorable re-
spOnSeS have thus far been received from Aus
tria, France, Portugal Spain and Sweden.
In my last annual message 1 referred briefly
to the unsatisfactory state of affairs in Samoa
under the operation of the Berlin treaty
signally illustrating the impOlcy of entang
ling alliances with foreign powers, and on May
., 1894 IN response to a resolution or the senate
| sent special message and document to that
body on the same subject, which emphasized
my previously expressed opinions Later
currences. the correspondence in regard to
which Will he laid before congress further
&c monstrates that the government which was
devised by the three powers and forced upon
the Samoans against their inveteratc
hostility can be maintained only by the con
tinucd presence Of foreign military force and
at no small sacrifice Of life and treasure. The
suppression of the Mata>fa instruction by the
powers. and the subsequent Punishment of the
leader and eleven other chiefs recited in
my last message. did not bring lasting peace to
the island. Formidable uprisings continued
and finally rebellion broke out in the capitol
island
The king again appealed to the powers for
help and the combined British and German
naval forces reduced the AtuanS to apparent
tinr, a arDI la
loss to the natives. y few days later Yama-
seSc and his adhcrent. fearing the ships and
the marines. prOfcSSed submission. Reports
received from our agents at Apia do not juSti-
fy the belief that the peace thus brought about
will be of long duration, 1t is their conviction
that the natives are at heart hostile to the
present government; That such of them as
profess loyalty to 1t do from fear of the
powers and that it would speedily go to pieces
if the warshipS were withdrawn. In report
ing to his government on the unsatisfactory
situation since the suppression of the late re-
volt by foreign armed forces, the German con-
sui at Apia stated that peace will be lasting
is hardly to be presented. The lesson given
by firing Atua was not sufficiently sharp
and inciSive to leave Il lasting impression on
the forgetful Samoan temperament. In fact
conditions are existing which show that peace
will not last and it is not seriously intended.
Listen. the king and his chief are convinced
that the departure of the warShips will be Il
signal for a renewal of war. The crcumstan-
ces that the representatives of the villages of
all the districts which were opposed to the
government have already Withdrawn to Atua
to hold meetings and that both Atua and Aana
have forbidden inhabitants 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 real con-
ciliatiOn Of the parties is still far Off And
in note of the 18th Ula inclosing Il copy OF
that report for the information of this gov.
eminent, the German ambassador said
The contents of he report awakenednthe i'm
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 is
lands,
The present government has utterly failed
to correct. il indeed it has not aggravated the
very evils 1t was intended to prevent. 1t ha:
not stimulated our commerce with the the Is
lands. Our participation in its establishment
against the wishes Of the natives was in plaiI
defiance OF the conservative teachings and
warnings Of the wise and patriotic men who
laid the foundations Of our free institutions.
and | invite an expression of the judgment o.
congress in the propriety of steps being taken
by this government looking to the withdrawal
from its engagements with the other powers
on some reasonable terms not prejudical to
any of our exciting rights.
The secretary of the treasury reports that
the receipts of the government from all sources
OF revenue during the fiscal year ending June
80 1891 amounted to 1872 S02 49S. 70 and its ex-
penditureS to Si42 604 75S leaving a deficit of
SHe ,2iO3S. There was decrease Of Sl5 952
e74.6S in the ordinary expenses of the govern
mcnt as compared with the fiscal year 1893
There was collected from customs S431 SIS, $50 6.
and from internal revenue Sl47 .16s 1870. The
balance of the income for the year amounting
to lnri no ~-1ln S,,f
lands and other sources
The balance of our total dutiable imports
amounts to S275 1919 .0a6 being s155 657 ,625 less
than during the preceding year and the i'm
pOrtattOnS free of duty amounted to 1875, 1888
53o being S6i, 74s 675 less than during the pre-
cedlng year. The receips from customs were
s73 $50 1856 IL less and from internal revenue
Sl3 $50 99I less than in 1893. The total tax
collected from distilled spirits SS5 29 100 %
on manufactured tobacco 22S 81 1893 81 and on
fermented liquors S3l4l4 -Ss0i. Our exports
OF merchandise domestic and foreign. amount.
ed during the year to SS92 10 So being az in
crease over the preceding year of S44 4S5.37s.
The report of the attorney general notes the
gratifying progress made by the supreme court
In overcoming the arrears of its business anG
In reaching = condition i'll which it will be able
to dispose of cases as they arise without any
unreasonable delay. This result is of course
very largely due to the successful working o.
the plan of inauguratinE circuit courts OF ap-
peaIS. In respect to these tribunals the suG.
gcNtlOn is made i'll quarters entitled to the
highest consideration that additional dis.
| trlct Judge for each circuit would greatly
| strengthen these courts and the confidence re-
| posed III their adJudicationS And that Sucl
| an addition would not create q greater force o.
| Judges than the increasing business of suct
| courts requires. l commend the suggestion /,
| the careful consideration of the congress
| Other important topics are advertcd to in tht
| report, accompanied by recommendations
many of which have been treated at large il
previous messages. and at this time therefore
| need only be named. l refer to the abolition O
| the fee system a. a measure of compensa
| ton to federal officers. The enlargement 0
| the powers Of the United States commissioner
nj least IN the territories. the allowance o
wrltN Of error in criminal eases on behalf o
| the United States. and the establishment O
degrees in the crime Of murder. \ topic deal
! with by she attorney general of much impor
lance Is the condition of the administration o
justice in the Indian Territory. The perma
ncnt solution Of what is called the Indian
| problem is probably not to be expected d
once. but meanwhile such amelioratiOnS o
! viii admit of ought not to be neglected. | an
| satisfied there ShOuld be federal court eStab
! hShed for the territory with sufficient judges
/ and that this court should sit within the terri
| and have the No fjr,i p,t