The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-12-13
THE PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS DISCUSSED.
Our Relations With England-The
Cuban 1nsurrection and American
Massacres, etc.

On Tuesday at noon the long-expec-
ted Message from President Cleveland
was read before Congress-. The doc
ument was very lougthy, but below
will be found it's salient points:
To the Congress of the United States:
The present assemblage of the legis-
lative branch of our government occurs
at q time when the interests of our
people and the needs of the country
give to the condition of our foreign
relations and the exigencies of our
national finances special Importance.
The reports of the heads of the
several administration departments of
the government fully and plainly ex-
hibit what has been accomplished
within the scope of their respective
duties, and present such recommends
tions for the betterment of our coun-
try's condition as patriotic and intelli-
gent labor and observation suggest.
After reviewing in n general way the
reports referred to the Presidents pro-
ceeds.
The resumption of specie payments
by Chill is type of great interest and
Importance both in its direct conse-
quences upon her own welfare, and as an
evidence of the ascendency of sound
financial principles in one of the most
influential of the South American re-
publics.
1 take pleasure in calling to your at
tention the encomiums bestowed on
those vessels of our new navy which
took part in tho notable ceremony of
the Kiel Canal.
Our relations with Great Britain, al
ways intimate and important, have de-
mandCd during the past year even u
greater share of consideration than is
usual. Several vexatious questions
were left undetermined 10y the decision
of the Behring Sea arbitration tribunal.
The application of the principles laid
| down by that august body has not been
followed by the results they were in
tended to accomplish, because their ex-
| ecution has been more or less imperfect.
The understanding by which the
United States was to pay and Great
Britain to receive lump sum of
S425, 900 in full settlement of all Brit
ish claims for damages arising from
our seizure of British sealing vessels
unauthorized under the award of the
parish tribunal of arbitration was not
confirmed by the last Congress, which
declined to make the necessary nppro.
priation. L am still of the opinion that
s eRt Ef tRe 'UsSe'2ns and
Gnd earnestly recommend that it lao
| again considered and sanctioned. Not
| withstanding that Great Britain origi-
mated the proposal to enforce interna-
tional rules. for the prevention Of col
| lisions Mt sea.
| VENEZUELA BOUNDARY DISPUTE
1t being apparent that tho boundary dis
pute between Great Britain and the Repub-
lie OF Venezuela concerning the limits of
British Guiana was approaching an acute
stage, definite statement of interest and
| policy of the United States rs regards the
! controversy seemed to be required both on
| its own account and in view of it's relations
with the friendly powers directly concerned
In July last, therefore, dispatch was ad-
dressed to our ambassador at London for
communication to the British government. in
which the attitude ofthc United States was
fully and distinctly set forth. The general
conclusions therein reached and formulated
are in substance that the traditional and
established policy of this government is
firmly opposed to II forciblo increase by any
European power OF its territorial possessions
on this continent; that this policy is as well
founded in principle as 1t Is strongly sup
ported by numerous preccdcnts: that as a
consequence the United States is bound to
protest against the enlargement of the area
of British Guiana In derogatiOn of the rights
and against will of Venezuela; the terrific rial
dispute between them can be reasonably set
tied only by friendly y and i'm partial arbitration,
and that the resort to such arbitration should
include the whole controversy and is not sat
istied If one of tho powers concerned is per-
mitted to draw an arbitrary line through the
territory in debate and to declare that it will
submit to arbitration only the portion living
on one side OF 1t. In view OF these conclus-
ions, the dispatch in question called upon
the British government for a definite answer
to the question whether it would or would
not submit the territory controversy between
itself and Venezuela in its entirety to Impair
tial arbitration. The answer of the British
government has not yet been received, but
ls expected shortly, when further communi-
cation on the subject will probably be made
to the Congress.
THE CUBAN RESURRECTION.
Cuba is again gravcly disturbed. An in.
surrectioD, in some respects more active
than the last proceeding revolt, which con-
tinued from 1868 to 1873, now exists i'm n
large part OF the eastern interior Of the Is
lana menacing even some population on the
coast, besides dcranging the commercial ex-
change OF the Island of which our country
takes the predominant share. This fayrant
condition ofhostility by arousing sentimental
sympathy and melting adventurous support
among our people has cntailed earnest effort
on the part o! this government to enforce
obedience to our neutrality laws and to pre-
vent the territory Of the United States from
being abused aS vantage ground from
which to aid those in arms against Spanish
sovereignty. Whatever may be the trad-
tGnai sympathy OF our cOuntrym"n as ind-
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