644 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



gress for its action at the late session, and I again in- 

 vite your attention to this long-standing question 

 with a view to a final disposition of the matter. 



At the invitation of the Spanish Government, a con- 

 ference has recently been held at the city of Madrid 

 to consider the subject of protection by foreign pow- 

 ers of native Moors in the Empire of Morocco. The 

 minister of the United States in Spain Avas directed to 

 take part in the deliberations of this conference, the 

 result of which is a convention signed on behalf of all 

 the powers represented. The instrument will be laid 

 before the Senate for its consideration. The Govern- 

 ment of the United States has also lost no opportunity 

 to urge upon that of the Emperor of Morocco the ne- 

 cessity, in accordance with the humane and enlight- 

 ened spirit of the age, of putting an end to the perse- 

 cutions which have been so prevalent in that country 

 of persons of a faith other than the Moslem, and espe- 

 cially of the Hebrew residents of Morocco. 



The consular treaty concluded with Belgium has 

 not yet been officially promulgated, owing to the al- 

 teration of a word in the text by the Senate of the 

 United States, which occasioned a delay, during which 

 the time allowed for ratification expired. The Senate 

 will be asked to extend the period for ratification. 



The attempt to negotiate a treaty of extradition with 

 Denmark failed on account of the objection of the 

 Danish Government to the usual clause providing that 

 each nation should pay the expense of the arrest of the 

 persons whose extradition it asks. 



The provision made by Congress, at its last session, 

 for the expense of the Commission which had been ap- 

 pointed to enter upon negotiations with the Imperial 

 Government of China, on subjects of great interest to 

 the relations of the two countries, enabled the com- 

 missioners to proceed at once upon their mission. The 

 Imperial Government was prepared to give prompt 

 and respectful attention to the matters brought under 

 negotiation, and the conferences proceeded with such 

 rapidity and success that, on the 17th of November 

 last, two treaties were signed at Pekin, one relating to 

 the introduction of Chinese into this country, and one 

 relating to commerce. Mr. Trescot, one of the com- 

 missioners, is now on his way home bringing the trea- 

 ties, and it is expected that they will be received in 

 season to be laid oefore the Senate early in January. 



Our Minister in Japan has negotiated a convention 

 for the reciprocal relief of shipwrecked seamen. I 

 take occasion to urge once more upon Congress the 

 propriety of making provision for the erection of suita- 

 ble fire-proof buildings at the Japanese capital for the 

 use of the American legation, and the court-house and 

 jail connected with it. The Japanese Government, 

 with great generosity and courtesy, has offered for this 

 purpose an eligible piece of land. 



In my last annual message I invited the attention 

 of Congress to the subject of the indemnity funds re- 

 ceived some years ago from China and Japan. I re- 

 new the recommendation then made that whatever 

 portions of these funds are due to American citizens 

 should be promptly paid, and the residue returned to 

 the nations, respectively, to Avhich they justly and 

 equitably belong. 



The extradition treaty with the Kingdom of the 

 Netherlands, which has been for some time in course 

 of negotiation, has, during the past year, been con- 

 cluded and duly ratified. 



Relations of friendship and amity have been es- 

 tablished between the Government of the United 

 States and that of Koumania. We have sent a diplo- 

 matic representative to Bucharest, and have received 

 at this capital the special envoy, who has been charged 

 by his Royal Highness, Prince Charles, to announce 

 the independent sovereignty of Roumania. We hope 

 for a speedy development of commercial relations be- 

 tween the two countries. 



In my last annual message I expressed the hope that 

 the prevalence of quiet on the border between this 

 country and Mexico would soon become so assured as 

 to justify the modification of the orders, then in force, 

 to our military commanders in regard to crossing the 



frontier, without encouraging such disturbances as 

 would endanger the peace of the two countries. Events 

 moved in accordance with these expectations, and the 

 orders were accordingly withdrawn, to the entire satis- 

 faction of our own citizens and the Mexican Govern- 

 ment. Subsequently the peace of the border was again 

 disturbed by a savage foray, under the command of 

 the Chief Victorio, but, by the combined and harmo- 

 nious action of the military forces of both countries, 

 his band has been broken up and substantially de- 

 stroyed. 



There is reason to believe that the obstacles which 

 have so long prevented rapid and convenient commu- 

 nication between the United States and Mexico by rail- 

 ways are on the point of disappearing, and that sev- 

 eral important enterprises of this character will soon be 

 set on foot which cannot fail to contribute largely to 

 the prosperity of both countries. 



New envoys from Guatemala, Colombia, Bolivia, 

 Venezuela, and Nicaragua have recently arrived at 

 this capital, whose distinction and enlightenment af- 

 ford the best guarantee of the continuance of friendly 

 relations between ourselves and these sister republics. 



The relations between this Government and that of 

 the United States of Colombia have engaged public 

 attention during the past year, mainly by reason of 

 the project of an interoceamc canal across the Isthmus 

 of Panama, to be built by private capital under a con- 

 cession from the Colombian Government for that pur- 

 pose. The treaty obligations subsisting between the 

 United States and Colombia, by which we guarantee 

 the neutrality of the transit and the sovereignty and 

 property of Colombia in the Isthmus, make it neces- 

 sary that the conditions under which so stupendous a 

 change in the region embraced in this guarantee should 

 be effected transforming, as it would, this Isthmus, 

 from a barrier between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans 

 into a gateway and thoroughfare between them for the 

 navies and the merchant ships of the world should 

 receive the approval of this Government, as being com- 

 patible with the discharge of these obligations on our 

 part, and consistent with our interests as the principal 

 commercial power of the Western Hemisphere. The 

 views which I expressed in a special message to Con- 

 gress in March last, in relation to this project, I deem 

 it my duty again to press upon your attention. Sub- 

 sequent consideration has but confirmed the opinion 

 " that it is the right and duty of the United States to 

 assert and maintain such supervision and authority 

 over any interoceanic canal across the Isthmus that 

 connects North and South America as will protect our 

 national interest." 



The war between the Republic of Chili on the one 

 hand, and the allied Republics of Peru and Bolivia on 

 the other, still continues. This Government has not 

 felt called upon to interfere in a contest that is within 

 the belligerent rights of the parties as independent 

 states. We have 2 however, always . held ourselves in 

 readiness to aid in accommodating their difference, 

 and have at different times reminded both belligerents 

 of our willingness to render such service. 



Our good offices, in this direction : were recently ac- 

 cepted by all the belligerents, and it was hoped they 

 would prove efficacious ; but I regret to announce that 

 the measures which the ministers of the United States 

 at Santiago and Lima were authorized to take, with 

 the vicw^o bring about a peace, were not successful. 

 In the course of the war some questions have arisen 

 affecting neutral rights ; in all of these the ministers 

 of the United States have, under their instructions, 

 acted with promptness and energy in protection of 

 American interests. 



The relations of the United States with the Empire 

 of Brazil continue to be most cordial, and their com- 

 mercial intercourse steadily increases, to their mutual 

 advantage. 



The internal disorders with which the Argentine 

 Republic has for some time past been afflicted, and 

 which have more or less influenced its external trade, 

 are understood to have been brought to a close. This 

 happy result may be expected to redound to the benefit 



