Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-03

rogate citizens as to their race and reli-
gtous faith. and upontascertainment there
of to deny to Jews authorization of pass
ports or legal documents for use in Rus
sia. Inasmuch as such a proceeding i'm
poses a disability, Witch in the case of
succession to property in Russia may be
found to infringe the treaty rights of our
citizens. and which is an obnoxious invasion
of our territorial Jurisdiction. it has ellie
tied fitting remonstrapce, the result of
which it is hoped will Remove the cause of
| complaint.
The pending claims Of sealing vessels of
the United States seized in Russian waters
remain unadjusted Our recent convention
with Russia establishing a modus viverdi
as to imperial Jurisdiction in such cases
! has prevented further difficulty of this ma
turc.
The Russian Government has welcomed
in principle our suggestion for a modus
vivendi. to embrace Great Britain and ia
pan, looking to the better preservation Of
seal life in the North Pacific and Boring
Sea, and the extension of the protected
area defined by the Paris Tribunal to all
Pacific waters north of the thirty-ffth
parallel 1t is especially noticeable that
Russia favors prohibition of the use of
firearms in seal hunting throughout the
proposed area and a longer closed season
for pelagic sealing.
Samoa.
In my last two annual messages I called
the attention of the Congress to the position
we occupied as one of the parties to a
treaty or agreement by which We became
jointly bound with England and Germany
to SO interfere with the government and
control of Samoa as in effect to assume
the management of it's affairs. On the 9th
day of May, 1894. 1 transmitted to the
Senate special message with accompany
ing documents giving information on the
subject and emphasizing the opinion I
have at all times entertained, that our sit
uation in this matter was inconsistent with
the mission. and traditions of our Govern
ment, in violation Of the principles we pro-
fess, and in all its phases mischievous
and vexatious. 49, ..---s-- - - 49,
1 again press this subject upon the at
tention of the Congress and ask for such
legislative action or expression as will lead
the way to our relief from obligations both
irksome and unnatural
The Cuban Revolution. see
Cuba is again gravely disturbed An in
SURF ection. in some respects more active
than the last preceding revolt, which con-
tinued from 1865 to 1873. now exists in a
large part of the eastern interior of the
island, menacing even some populations
on the coast. Besides deranging the COM
mercial exchanges of the island of which
our country takes the predominant share
this fragrant condition of hostilities, by
arcusing sentimental sympathy and incit-
irg adventurous support among our peo-
nj baS cd ho parf
of this Government to enforce obedience
to our neutrality laws and to prevent the
. territory of the United States from being
abused as a vantage ground from which
to aid those in arms against Spanish SOW
ereignty
Whatever may be the traditional SYM
pathy of our countrymen individuals
with people who seem to be struggling
fer larger autonomy and greater freedom
deepened such sympathy naturally must
be in behalf of our neishbors, yet the plain
duty of their GoverrInsht is to observe in
good faith the recognized obligations of in
ternatio rela tionsfapl The performance
CT this duty should rot' be made more diff
ficut by disregard on the part of our
citizens of the obliga ions growing out of
their allegiance to their country, which
should restrain them from violating as in
dividuals the neutrality which the nation
of which they are members is bound to
observe in its relations to friendly sover-
eign States. Though neither the warmth
of our peoples sympathy with the Cuban
insurgents. nor our loss and material dam
age consequent upon the futile endeavors
thus far made TO -estofe peace and order,
nor any shock our Humane sensibilties
may have received from the cruetles
| ~.
this sanguinary and fercely conducted
war, have in the least shaken the deter
mnation of the Government to honestly
fulfill every International obligation, yet
it is to be earnestly hoped, on every
ground. that the devastation of armed con-
tiict may speedily be stayed and order and
quiet restored t. the distracted island,
bringing in their train the activity and
thrift of peaceful pursuits. .
One notable Instance of interference by
Spain with passing American ships has
occurred. On March 8 last the Alliance,
while BIO md from Colon to New York, and
following the customary track for vessels
near the Cuban shore, but outside the
tEree-mile limit, was fired upon by Span
ish gunboat. Protest was promptly made
by the United States against this act as
| not being justified by a state of war. nor
permissible in respect of vessels on the
usual paths of commerce, nor tolerable in
view of the wanton peril occasioned to in
nocent life and property. The act was dis
avowed, with full expression of regret, and
| assurance of nonrecurrence of such just
cause of complaint. while the offending
officer was relieved of his command.
Military arrests of citizens of the United
States in Cuba have occasioned frequent
! leclamations. Where held on criminal
charges their delivery to the ordinary civil
Jurisdiction for trial has been demanded
! and obtained in conformity with treaty
provisions, and where merely detained by
way of military precaution under pro-
claimed state of siege. without formulated
accusation, their release or trial has been
insisted upon. The right of American con-
sular officers in the island to prefer pro-
tests and demands in such cases having
been questioned by the insular authority,
their enjoyment of the privilege stipulated
ty treaty for the consuls of Germany
was claimed under the most-favored- nation
provision of our own convention and was