The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-12-06

, kindly expression of the hope of the
 American people that war might be , averted, good offices would have been gladly rendered. The United States representative at Pretoria was early , instructed to see that all neutral
 American interests be respected by the
 combatants. This has been an easy
 task in view of the positive declara-
 tions of both British and Boer authori-
 ties that the personal and property
 rights of our citizens should be ob-
 served.
 Upon the withdrawal of the British | agent from Pretoria the United States
 consul was authorized, upon the re- quest of the British government and
 with the assent of the South African
 and Orange Free State governments to
 exercise the customary good offices of
 a neutral for the care of the British in
 terests. In the discharge of this func-
 tion I am happy to say that abundant | opportunity has been afforded to show the impartiality of this government to-
 ward both the combatants.
 For the fourth time in the present | decade question has arisen with the | government of Italy in regard to the lynching of Italian subjects. The latest
 of these deplorable events occurred at Tallulah La, whereby five unfortun- ates of Italian origin were taken from jail and hanged.
 l The authorities of the state and a | representative of the Italian embassy
 have separately investigated the occur renee, with discrepant results, particu- 1o IA 1,n oJ1 ao1 o3t ,1chtvH oQ the victims, and it not appearing that
 the state had been able to discover and
 punish the violators of the law, an in- dependent investigation has been set on foot, through the agency of the depart
 ment of state, and is still in progress.
 The result will enable the executive to
 treat the question with the government
 of Italy in spirit of fairness and jus
 tice. A satisfactory solution will doubtless be reached.
 The recurrence of these distressing
 manifestations of blind mob fury di-
 rected at dependents or natives of a foreign country suggests that the con- tingency has arisen for action by con- gress in the direction of comforting up-
 on the federal courts Jurisdiction in this class of international cases where the ultimate responsibility of the fed eral government may be involved. The suggestion Is not new. In his annual message of December g, 1884, my pre- decessor President Harrison, said:
 Tt would, believe, be entirely com petent for congress to make offenses against the treaty rights of foreigners domiciled in the United States cogniz- able in the federal courts. This has never been done, and the federal off, cers and courts have no power in such cases to intervene either for the pro- tection of foreign citizen or for the punishment of his slayers. It seems to me to follow, in this state of the law, that the officers of the state charged with police and judicial powers in such cases must, in the consideration of in ternational suits growing out of such incidents be regarded in such sense as federal agents as to make this govern ment answerable for their acts in cases where it would be answerable if the United States had used it's consti- tutional power to define and punish crimes against treaty rights
 A bill to provide for the punishment of violations of treaty rights of aliens was introduced in the senate March, 1892, and reported favorably March 50 Having doubtless in view the language )f that part of Article Ill., of the treaty 1f February 26, 1871, between the Unit ed States and Italy, which stipulates hat "The citizens of each of the high parties shall receive, in the states and territories of the other, most protection and security for -heir persons and property, and shall snjoy in this respect the same rights md privileges as are or shall be grant, I'd to the natives, on their submitting themselves to the conditions imposed lpon the natives" the bill so introduce d and reported provided that any act in state Or territory Of the United States in violation of the rights if a citizien or subject of foreign ountry secured to such citizen or sub- ect by treaty between the United States and such foreign country and constituting a crime under the laws of he state or territory shall constitute ike crime against the United States, nd be cognizable in the federal courts. 10 action was taken by congress in the natter.
 earnestly recommend that the sub- ect be taken up anew and acted upon uring the present session. The necessi- y for some such provision abundantly ppears. Precedent for constituting ederal Jurisdiction in criminal cases yhere aliens are sufferers is rationally educfble from the existing statute, yhich gives to the district and circuit ourts of the United States Jurisdiction f civil suits brought by aliens where he amount involved exceeds 8 certain um. If such jealous solicitude be nown for alien rights in cases of mere- 7 civil and pecuniary import, how luch greater should be the public duty ) take cognizance of matters affecting 1e life and the rights of aliens under he settled principles of international w no less than under treaty stipula- lon, in cases of such transcendent as mob murder, especi- Fly when experience has shown that 'cal justice is too often helpless to unish the offenders.
 After many years of endeavor on the art of this government to that end the allan government has consented to lter into negotiations for naturaliza- on convention having for one of it's