Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-12-14

cised according to- their custom 70
themselves and other d"ellers within
its limits.
Early i'll the past years efforts o
Nicaragua to maintain sovereignty
over the Mosquito territory led to Sc
rious disturbances, eliminating in the
suppression of the native government
and the attempted substitution of al
impracticable composite administra
ton, in which Nicaragua and alien
residents were to participate.
In September last the government
at Managua expelled from its territory
II or more foreigners, including two
Americans, for alleged participation
in the seditious or revolutionary move.
ments against the republic at Blue
fields already mentioned, but through
the earnest remonstrance of this gov
ernment the Americans have been
permitted to return to the peaceful
management OF their business.
l regret that in the midst OF these
occurrences there happened a most
grave and irritating failure OF Nicsra-
qua justice. An American citizen
named Wilson, residing at Rama, in
the Mosquito Territory, was murdered
by one, Argulla. the acting Governor
of the town. After some delay the
murderer was arrested, but so inse-
curely confined or guarded that he
escaped, and Notwithstanding our re-
peated demands, it is claimed that his
recapture has been impossible by rea.
son of his flight beyond Nicsraguan
jurisdiction.
Peru, l regret to say, show synp.
toms of domestic disturbance due
probably to the slowness of her recu.
peration from the distresses of the
war of 1881. Weakened in resources
her difficulties in facing international
obligations invite our kindly sympa.
thy and justify our forbearance in
pressing long pending claims.
l have felt constrained to testify
this sympathy in connection with de-
mands urgently preferred by other
powers.
The recent death of the Gear o
Russia called forth appropriate expires
sions of sorrow and sympathy ON the
part OF this government with his be
reaved family and the Russian people
Admitting as we do foreign corpo.
rations to transact business in the
United States, we naturally expect nc
less tolerance for our own interests
and ample fields of competition
abroad. But few cases Of interfere nee
with naturalized citizens returning tc
Russia have been reported during the
current year.
THE sALvADORIAN FUGITIvEs.
The government of Salvador having
been overthrown by an abrupt popular
outbreak, certain OF its military and
civil officers while hotly pursued by
infuriated insurgents, sought refuge
on board the United States wsrshir
Bennington, then lying in South
America ports. Although the practice
of asylum is not favored by this gov
ernment, yet in view OF the imminent
peril which threatened the fugitives
and solely from considerations of hu.
manity they were afforded shelter by
our naval commander and when after
wards demanded under our treaty oil
extradition with Salvador for trial on
charges of murder. arson and robbery,
I directed that such Of them as had
not voluntarily left the ship be con-
veyed to one of our nearest ports
where hearing could be had before a
judicial officer in compliance with the
terms of the treaty.
On their arrival at San Francisco
such q proceeding was promptly insti-
tuted before the United States district
Judge who held the acts constituting
the alleged offences were political, and
discharged all the accused except one,
Cienfuegos, who was held for an At.
tempt to murder. Thereupon, was
constrained TO direct his release for
the reason that an attempt to murder
was not one Of the crimes charged
against him, and upon which his sur
render to the Salvadorian authorities
has been demanded.
The Mora case referred to in my
last annual message remains unsettled.
In my last annual message, ad-
verted to the claim on the part OF
Turkey, the right to expel as persons
undesirable and dangerous, Armeni-
ans naturalized in the United States
and returning to Turkish jurisdiction.
Numerous questions in this relation
have arisen.
A convention has been concluded
with Venezula for the arbitration OF a
long disputed claim growing out Of
the seizure of certain vessels, the prop
erty::of citizens OF the United States.
SAMOAN AFFAIRS.
In my last annual message l re.
ferred briefly to the unsatisfactory
state of affairs in Samoa under the
operation of the Berlin treaty as sig.
nally illustrating the impolicy of en-
tangling alliances with foreign powers
and on May 8, 1894, by response to 9
resolution OF the Senate, sent a spe
cial message and document to that
body on the same subject, which en-
phasized my previously expressed
/ opinions.
Later occurrences, the correspond
ence in regard to which will be laid
before Congress, further demonstrate
that the government which was de.
vised by the three powers and forced
upon them against their inveterate
hostility can be maintained only by
the continual presence of military
force and at no small sacrifice of life
and treasure.