Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-04
A Corinto Incident.

In last years message | narrated at
some length the jurisdiotional questions
then freshly arisen in the Mosquito
Indian strip of Nicaragua. Since that
time by the voluntary act Of the Mosquito
nation the territory reserved ID them hos
been incorporated with Nicaragua the
Indians formally subiectng themselves
to DO governed by the general laws and
regulations Of the republic instead of by
their own customs and regulations and
thus availing themselves of a privilege
secured to them by the treaty between
Nicaragua and Great Britain of January
Is. 1850. After this extension of uni
form ,Nicaraguan administration to the
Mosquito strip the case uf the British
vice consul Hatch and of several of his
countrymen who had been summarily
expelled from Nicaragua and treated with
considerable indlgnity, provoked claim
by Great Britain upon Nicaragua for
pecuniary indemnity, which upon Mica
ragua = refusal to admit liability, was en-
forced by Great Britain. While the
sovercig nty and jurisdiction of Nicaragua
was in no way que TONED 10y Great
Britain the fhrmCr O arbitrary conduct in
regard t. British subj icts furnished the
ground for this processing, a British
naval force occupied without resistance
the pacific seaport of Cotinto, but was
soon after withdrawn upon the promise
that the sum demanded would be paid.
Throughout this incident the kindly
Offices of the l.. s. wcro invoked and
were employed in favor Of as peaceful "a
settlement and rs much consideration aud
Indulgence toward Nicaragua As We're
cons stent with the nature of the case
Our efforts have since been made the
subject of appreciAttve and grateful
recognition by Nicaragua, The corona
ton of tho Gar of Russia at Moscow in
May next invites tine ceremonial partici
patton of the u. : and I'm accordance
with usage and diplomatic propriety our
minister to the imperial court has been
directed TO represent our government on
the occasion.
Correspondence is on foot touching the
practice Of Russian Consuls within tine
jurisdiction of the L. : TO int rrogatc
citizens as To their race and religious
faith, and upon ascertainment thereof to
deny to Jews, authorization of passports
or legal documents for use in Russia
Ipasmuoh as such n proceeding imposes a
disability which in the case of succession
to property In Rcssia may be found &c
infringe the treaty rights of our citizens,
ana which Is an obnoxious invasion OF
our territorial jurisdiction. 1t has elected
fitting remonstrance, the result of which
it is hoped will remove the cause Of com
plant. The pending claims of sealing
vessels Of the United States seized in
Russian waters remain unadj usted. ON
recent convention with Russia establish
Ing n "modus vivendi' as 10 imperial
jurisdiction in such cases has prevented
further dill culty of this nature The
Russian government has welcomed il
principle our suggestion for "modu!
vivendi" to embrace Great Britain ant
Japan, looking to the better preservation
of seal life IN the north Pacific ant
Behring sea, and the extension OF tn
protected are a defined by the Paris tribu
nal to all Pacific waters north of TIL
thirty fifth parallel 1t IS especiall,
noticeable that Russia favors prohibtios
of the use Of firearms in seal hunting
throughout the proposed area aud
longer closed season for pelagic sealing
In my last two annual messages
called the attention of the Congress to til
position we occupied as one of the par,ic
% u treaty or agreement hy,ewhieh W
hccemn Dlptly bound With England an