Year: 1870




was coming when the superstition
mass might expel all foreigners and re
store the Mandarin influence. Antici
pating trouble from this cause, | invited
France and North Germany to make ar
authorized suspension Of hostilities il
the East, where they were temporaril!
suspended by act Of the commanders; t.
act together for the future protection
in China of the lives and property o
Americans and Europeans.


THE SLAVE TRADE.


Since the adjournment of Congress
the ratification Of the treaty with Grea
Britain for abolishing the mixed courti
for the suppression Of the slave trad,
has been exchanged. 1t is believed
that the slave trade is now confined t
the eastern coast Of Africa, whence tb'
slaves are taken to the Arabian mar
kets.


The ratification Of the Naturalization
Convention between Great Britain anC
the United States, has also been ex
changed during the recess, and thus
long standing dispute between the two
governments has been settled in accord
ance with the principles always con
tended for by the United States.


OUR NORTHWESTERN BOUNDARY.


In April last, while engaged in locat
ing a military reservation near Penn
bina, corps of engineers discovered
that the commonly received boundary
line between the United States and tht
British possessions, at that place, il
about 500 feet south of the true posi-
ton Of the zenith parallel, and that the
line when run on what is now supposed
to be the true position Of that par
allel, would leave part of the Hud
son Bay Company at Pembina with
in the territory of the United States,
This information being communicated
to the British Government, | was re
quested to consent, and l did consent
that the British occupation on the part
of the Hudson Bay Company, should
continue for the present. deem
it important, however, that this
part Of the boundary line
should be definitely fixed by
a joint commission Of the govern.
ments, and submit herewith the esti.
mates of the expense of such commits
sion on the part of the United States,
and recommend that an Appropriation
be made for that purpose The land
boundary is already fixed and marked
from the summit Of the Rocky noun,
tains to the Georgian bay. Should it
not be in like manner marked from the
Lake of the Woods to the summit OF
the Rocky mountains


THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.


| regret to say that no conclusion. has
been reached for the adjustment Of the
claims against Great Britain growing
ont Of the course adopted by that Gov,
ernment during the rebellion. The
Cabinet of London, so far as its views
have been expressed, does not
appear to be willing to concede that
Her Majesty's Government was guilty
Of negligence, or did or permitted any
act during the war by which the United
States has just cause of complaint.
Ny firm and unalterable convictions
are directly the reverse, and therefore
recommend to Congress to authorize
the appointment of commissioner to
take the proof, and the amounts,
and the ownership of these claims,
on notice to the representative
of Her Majesty at Washington,
and that authority be given for the set
tlement of these claims by the United
States so that the Government shall
have the ownership OF the private
claims as well as the responsible con-
troll of all the demands against Great
Britain. 1t can't be necessary to add
that whenever Her Majesty's Govern
ment shall entertain a desire for full
and friendly adjustment of these
claims, the United States will
enter upon their consideration
with an earnest desire for conclusion
consistent with the honor and dignity
Of both nations


THE FISHERIES.


The course pursued by the Cana.
dian authorities toward the fisher,
men of the United States during
the past season has not been marked
by friendly feeling By the first ar,
ticle of the convention Of 1918, between
Great Britain and the United States, il
was agreed that the inhabitants of the
United should have forever, in common
with the British subjects the right Of
taking fish in certain waters therein de.
fined in the water not included in these
limits named in the convention OF three
miles of the ports Of the British coast
1t has been the custom for many years
to give to the intruding fishermen
of the United States reas
enable warning of their violation
Of the technical rights of Great Britain.
The Imperial Government is under
stood to have delegated the whole, or a
share of its jurisdiction and control OF
the sea shore fishing grounds to the
Colonial authority, known as the Do,
minion of Canada, and this semi-inde.
pendent but irresponsible agent
las exercised its delegated pow
er in an unfriendly way. Vessels
have been seized without notice or
warning, in violation Of the custom pre-
viously prevalent, and have been taken
into the colonial ports, their voyages
broken up, and their vessels condemned


THE VAIL OF THE FISHERMEN.


There is reason to believe that this un,
friendly and vexatious treatment
was designed to bear harshly
upon the hardy fishermen Of the
United States, with a view to
political effect upon this Government.
The statutes Of the Dominion of Cana,
da assume a still broader and more un-
tenable jurisdiction over the vessels OF
the United States. They authorize