Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-04

trolled by our citiZene, we cannot for that
 reason challenge the rightful sovereignty ofNicaragua oyer this important part of her domain. For some months one, and during part of the time two, of our naval ships have been stationed at BluefieldS for
 the protection Of all legitimate interests Of
 our citizens. In September last ihe gov ernnient at mHnagua expelled from Its fer ritory twelve or more foreigners, including two Americans, for alleged participation in the sedtous or revolutionary movement ts against the republic at Bluehelds, already mentioned, but through the earnest re- monstrances of this government the two Americans have been permitted to return to the peaceful management of their busl- uess. Our naval command ITS at the scene or these disturbances, by their constant exhibition of firmntss and good judgment, contributed largely to the prevention of more serious consequences and to the res- toration of quiet and order. l regret that | in the midst of these occurrences there hap | pened most grave and irritating failure of Nicaraguan justice. An American citi- zen Damed Wilson, residing at Rame, iu the Mosquito territory, was murdered by | one Arglello, the acting governor of the | town. Alter some delay the murderer was l arrested, but so insecnrely confined or l guarded that he escaped, and, notWith- standing our repeated demands. il is
 claimed that bis recap. ure has been impos- sible by reason of h.s flight beyond Nica-
 raguan jurisdiction. Tue Nicaraguan authorities have given notice ot the for feiture ot their conce asion to the canal com . pany on grounds purely technical and not embraced in the contract.
 Peru, regret to say, shows symptoms | or domestic disturbance, due probably to | the slowness of her recuperation from the distresses of the war of l,Sl. Weakened in resources, her difficutifs in facing inter- national obligations invite our kindly sym
 patby and justify our forbearance in pressing long pending claims. have felt
 constrained to testify this sympathy 'n connection with certain demands urgently preferred by other powers.
 The recent death of the czar Of Russia called forth appropriate expressions of sor-
 row and sympathy on the part of tue goy- ernment with his bereaveo family and the Russian people. As further demonstra- ton Of respect and friendship our minister at St. Petersburg was directed to repre- sent our government at the funeral cere-
 monies. The sealing interests of Russia in
 Bshring sea are second only to our own. A
 modus vivendi has therefore beea con cluded with the imperial government re- strictive Of poaching on the Russian rock
 cries and of sealing Tn waters which were, not cohprehende1 iu | the protected area dehned in the Paris award. O casion has been found to urge upon the Russian govern ment ca uality of treatment for our great life insurance companies whose operations have been ex-
 tenaed throughout Europe. Admitting,
 
 business in the United States, We naturally expect 10 less tolerance for our own in the ample fields oi competition abroad. But few cases of interference with naturaliz sd
 citizens returning 10 Russia have Deen re- ported during the current year. One kr, zeminski was arrested last summer in a Polish province on a reported charge of un- permitted renuuciatiou of Russian ale glance, but it transpired that the proceed
 lngs originated in an alleged mafIeasanes n.t,. tad htt ,<I ,k,tte
 perial official number of years ago. Efforts for his release, which promised 10 be successful, were in progress when his death was reported.
 The government of Salvador having been overthrJwn by an abrupt Iop pular outUreagt i, certain of it's military and civil officers, while hotly pursued by infuriated insur- gents, sought refuge on board of the United States warship Bennington, then lying in Salvadorean port. Although the practice of asylum is not favored by this government, yet in view of the imminent peril which threatened the fugitives and solely from consideration of humanity they were afforded shelter by our naval com manders, and when afterwards demanded under our treaty of extradition with Sal- vador for trial on charges of murder, arson and robbery l directed that such of them as had not voluntarily lett the ship be con veyed to one of our nearest ports, where a hearing could be had before judiciary of
 
 treaty. On their arrival at San Francisco such proceeding was promptly instituted before the United States district judge, who held that the acts constituting lhe ul- legged offenses were political and dis charged all the accused except one, Glen fuegos, who was held for attempt to murder. Thereupon l was constrained to direct his release for the reason that an at tempt to murder was not one of the crimes charged against him and upon which his surrenher fn Sal nth had been demanded.
 Unreasonable and unjust fiues imposed by Spain on the vessels and commerce of the United States have demanded, from time to time, during the last twenty years earnest remonstrance on the part of our gov ernment. In the immediate past exOrbi tant penalties have been imposed upon our vessels and goods by customs aul horities of Cuba and Porto Rico for clerical errors of the most trivial character in the manifesis of bills of lading. In some cases fines amounting to thousands of dollars have been levied upon cargoes or the carrying vessels when the goods in question were entitled to free entry. Fines nave been ex- acted even when the errors had been de-
 tected and the Spanish authorities notlfisd before the arrival of the goods in port.
 This conduct is in strange contrast with the considerate and liberal treatment e4- tended to Spanish vessels and cargoes in our ports in like cases. No satisfactory
 settlement or these Ve1atlOuS questions naS yet been reached. The Mora case, referred
 to in my last annual message, remains un-
 settled. From the diplomatic correspond-
 ence on the sutject, which has been laid
 before the senate, il will be seen that this
 government has offered to conclude con
 vention with Spain for the disposal by ar-
 bitration of outstanding claims between
 the two countries, except the Mora claim,
 which, having been long ago adjusted, now
 only wants payment as stipulated, and of
 course it could not be included in the pro-
 posed convention. It was hoped this offer
 would remove parliamentary obstacles en-
 countered by tue Spanish government. la
 providing payment of the Mora indemnity
 l regret 10 say that no definite reply to this
 offer has yet been made, and all efforts'to
 secure payment of this settled claim have
 been unavailing.
 In my last annual message I adverted 10
 the claim on the pert oiTurkey of tue rig t
 to expel, as persons undesirable and dan
 gerous ,Armenians naturaliZsd n the U Q tied
 States and returning 10 Turkish jurisdic
 tion. Numerous questions in this relation
 have crisen.- While this government ac-
 ouiesces in the asserted right of expulsion
 1t will not consent that Armeuians be im-