The National tribune., 1895-12-05
TIE pREsIpEsr,s MEssAeE.

OuSiueSS on ucsuSys Inc NeI y
long one, making l2l columns of ordinary small
type.
The President begins by praise OF his las
siduous and painstaking care for the public
welfare" and that OF his subordinates, and
passes to the consideration of foreign affairs.
His first unpleasant break is a congraination
upon the increased importations of wool from
the Argentine Confederation, which, be says.
has been followed By an Improvement of our
trade with that country.
He passes to the consideration of Chinese
matters, says that but one American citizen
was wounded in the disturbances there, and
the destruction of property was much less than
that of other nationalities. He compliments
the Administration policy in the matter, and
that of our officials in China.
The Waller affair is discussed at some length.
The French Government has complied with
our requests TO the extent of furnishing re-
port of the constitution of the court which tried
Waller, record of the charges, and general
course of the trial, showing that the acused was
tried in open court and regularly convicted.
But the French decline to furnish a copy of the
evidence upon which he was convicted. Our
ambassador is still trying to secure this, aud
in the Meanwhile it appears that Mr.Wallef's
confinement has every alienation which the
state Of his health and all the other circum-
stances Of the case demand or permit" What
this means only the President can exactly say.
In speaking of our relations with Germany
the President takes the opportunity to inject
some Free Trade doctrine, but denounces the
false pretexts with which Germany iustifes
her exclusion Of our food products. Also, the
preteIts under which she legislates against our
insurance companies.
He laments the unsatisfactory results which
have followed the Boring Sea Arbitration, and
attributes some Of them to the insuficiency Of
the British patrol in carrying out the terms of
the settlement. He wants Congress to provide
for payment of the Si25,0O damages for the
unauthorized seizure of British sealing ves-
sels," and is convinced that this would be judi
cious and advantageous for the Government.
He wants the work of surveying the Alaskan
boundary continued, and an acceptance OF the
British proposition for the acceptance of the
141st meridian as the boundary.
In regard to the Venezuelan question he
says:
at being apparent that the boundary dis
pute between Great Britain and the Repub-
lie of Venezuela concerning the limits of
British Guiana was approaching an acute stage,
a definite statement of the interest and policy
of the United States as regards the contro-
versy seemed to be required both on its own &C
count and in view of its relations with the
friendly powers directly concerned. In July,
dispatch was addressed TO our Am
bassador ut London for communication to the
British Government, in which the attitude of
the 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 q fOrcible in
crease by any European power of its territorial
possessions on this continent; that this policy
is as well founded in principle as it is strongly
supported by numerous presidents; that as
the United States is bound to
protest against the enlargement of the area
of British Guiana in derogation of the rights
and against the will of Venezuela; that, con-
sdering the disparity in strength of Great
Britain and Venezuela, the territorial dispute
between them can be reasonably settled only
by friendly and impartial arbitration, and that
the resort to such arbitration should include
the whole controversy. and is not satisfied if
one Of the powers concerned is permitted to
draw an arbitrary line through the territory in
debate and to declare that IL viii submit to
only the portion lying on one side
of it. In view of these conclusions, the dis
patch in question called upon the British Gov
for a definite answer to the question
whether it would or would not submit the ter
ritorial controversy between itself and Vene-
zuela in its entirety TO impartial arbitration.
The answer Of the British Government has not
yet been received, bat is expected shortly, when
further communication on the subject will
probably be made to the Congress"
He could hardly have said less than this, and
the country had the right to expect much
more.
He is equally Disappointing with reference
to Hawaii:
Early in January last an uprising against
the Government of Hawaii was promptly sup
pressed. Martial law was forthwith proclaimed
and numerous arrests were made OF persons
of being in sympathy with the
Royalst party. Among these were several
citizens of the United States, who were either
by a military court and sentenced
TO death, imprisonment or fine, or were de-
ported without trial. The United States
while denying protection to such as had
taken the Hawaiian oath of allegiance, insisted
that martial law, though altering the forms
of justice, could not supersede justice ITSELF
and demanded stay of execution until the pro-
ceedings had been submitted to this Govern |
ment and knowledge obtained therefrom that
our citizens had received fair trial. The death |
were subsequently, committed or were |
RENTED on condition of leaving the islands. |
The cases of certain Americans arrested and |
expelled by arbitrary order without formal |
charge or trial have had attention, and IN some |
instances have been found to justify remon-
STRANGE and a claim for indemnity, which |
Hawaii has not thus far conceded.
"Mr. Thurston. the Hawaiian Minister, |
having furnished this Government abundant
reason for asking that he be recalled. that
course was pursued. and his successor has lately
been received"
lie deplores the lynching of several italian
aborers in Colorado, but denounces the vicious
pad roni system which brings these laborers
INTO hurtful competition with our own.
He congratulates Japan upon her signal add
vance toward greatness, and speaks of the fail
are of the scheme to COLOMBO negroes in
Mexico. strongly urging Congress to make an
appropriation to defray the expense of return
ing the negroes to their homes in Alabama
lie explains the Nicaragua incident thus:
after this extension of uniform Nicaraguan
to the Mosquito strip, the case
Of the British ice-Consul, Hatch. and of sew
eral Of his eountrymen who had been sum-
marily expelled from Nicaragua, and treated
with considerable indignity provoked claim
by Great Britain upon Nicaragua for pecuniary
which, upon Ncaragua's refusal to
admit liability, was enforced by Great Britain.
While the sovereignty and jurisdiction of Near
aqua was in way questioned by Great
Britain the formers arbitrary conduct in re- |