PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



631 



tho privilege adverted to 1ms hitherto been enjoyed. 

 The expediency of taking into your serious consid- 

 eration proper measure* tor oounterfaUlof the policy 

 .1 to will, it is presumed, engage your earnest 

 um-iition. 



It is the obvious interest, especially of neighboring 

 nations, to provide against impunity to those who may 

 have committed high crimes witliiu their borders, and 

 who may have nought refuge abroad. For this pur- 

 pose extradition treaties have boon concluded with 

 several of the Central American republics, and others 

 are in progress. 



Tin- seiiM- of Congress is desired, as early as may 

 be convenient, upon the proceedings of the commis- 

 sion on claims against Venezuela, as communicated 

 in my messages ot March 16. 1869, March 1, 1870, and 

 March :;i, IS'' 1 . It has not been deemed advisable to 

 distribute any of the money which has been received 

 from that Government until Congress shall have acted 

 on the subject. 



The massacres of French and Russian residents at 

 Tien-ts'm, under circumstances of great barbarity, 

 were supposed by some to have been premeditated, 

 and to indicate a purpose among the populace to ex- 

 terminate foreigners in the Chinese Empire. The 

 evidence fails to establish such a supposition, but 

 shows a complicity between tho local authorities and 

 the mob. The Government at Pekin, however, seems 

 to linvn been disposed to fulfil its treaty obligations 

 so far as it was able to do so. Unfortunately, the 

 news of tho war between tho German States and 

 France reached China soon after tho massacre. It 

 would appear that the popular mind became pos- 

 sessed with the idea that this contest, extended to Chi- 

 nese waters, would neutralize the Christian influence 

 and power, and that the time was coming when the 

 superstitious masses might expel all foreigners and 

 restore Mandarin influence. Anticipating trouble 

 from this cause, I invited France and North Ger- 

 many to make an authorized suspension of hostilities 

 in the East (where they were temporarily suspended 

 by act of the commanders), and to act together for 

 the future protection, in China, of the lives and prop- 

 erties of Americans and Europeans. 



Since the adjournment of Congress, the ratifications 

 of the treaty with Great Britain, for abolishing the 

 mixed courts for the suppression of the slave-trade, 

 have been exchanged. It is believed that the slave- 

 trade is now confined to the eastern coast of Africa, 

 whence the slaves are taken to Arabian markets. 



The ratifications of tho naturalization convention 

 between Great Britain and the United States have 

 also been exchanged during the recess : and thus a 

 long-standing dispute between the two Governments 

 has been settled, in accordance with the principles 

 always contended for by the United States. 



In April last, while engaged in locating a military 

 reservation near Pembina, a corps of engineers dis- 

 covered that the commonly-received boundary-line 

 between the United States and the British posses- 

 sions, at that place, is about forty-seven hundred 

 feet south of the true position of the 49th parallel, 

 and that the line, when run on what is now supposed 

 to be tho true position of that parallel, would leave 

 the fort of the Hudson's Bay Company, at Pembina, 

 within the territory of theunitea States. This in- 

 formation being communicated to the British Gov- 

 ernment, I was requested to consent, and did consent 

 that the British occupation of the fort of the Hud- 

 son's Bay Company should continue for the present. 

 I deem it important, however, that this part of the 

 boundary-line should be definitely fixed by a joint 

 commission of the two Governments, and I submit 

 herewith estimates of the expense of such a commis- 

 sion on the part of the United States, and recommend 

 that an appropriation be made for that purpose. The 

 land boundary has already been fixed and marked 

 from the summit of the "Rocky Mountains to the 

 Georgian Bay. It should now be, in like manner, 

 marked from the Lake of the Woods to the summit 

 of the Bocky Mountains. 



I regret to say that no conclusion has been reached 

 for tho adjustment of the claims agairmt .r.at Britain 

 growing out of tho course adopted by that GOM rn- 

 iii- nt during the rebellion. The Cabinet of London, 

 so far as its views have been expressed, does not ap- 

 pear to be willing to concede that her Majcs 

 ernment wan guilty of any negligence, ordi 



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pear to be willing to concede that her Majesty's Gov- 

 ernment wax guilty of any negligence, or did", or per- 

 mitted any act, during the war,ly which the United 



States has just cause of complaint. Our firm and 

 unalterable convictions are directly the reverse. I, 

 therefore, recommend to Congress to authorize the 

 appointment of a commission to take proof of the 

 amounts and the ownership of these several claims, 

 on notice ^to the representative of her Majesty at 

 Washington, and that authority bo given for the 

 settlement of claims by the United States, so that 

 the Government shall have the ownership of the 

 private claims, as well as the responsible control of 

 all the demands against Great Britain. 



It cannot be necessary to add that, whenever her 

 Majesty's Government shall entertain a desire for a 

 full and friendly adjustment of these claims, the Uni- 

 ted States will enter upon their consideration with an 

 earnest desire for a conclusion consistent with the 

 honor and dignity of both nations. 



The course pursued by tho Canadian authorities 

 toward the fishermen of the United States during the 

 past season has not been marked by a friendly feeling. 

 By tho first article of the Convention of 1818 between 

 Great Britain and the United States, it was agreed 

 that tho inhabitants of the United States should have 

 forever in common with British subjects the right of 

 taking fish in certain waters therein defined. In the 

 waters not included in the limits named in the con- 

 vention (within three miles of parts of the British 

 coast) it has been the custom for many years to give 

 to intruding fishermen of the United States a rea- 

 sonable warning of their violation of the technical 

 rights of Great Britain. The Imperial Government 

 is understood to have delegated the whole, or a share 

 of its jurisdiction or control of these inshore fishing- 

 grounds, to the colonial authorities, known as the 

 Dominion of Canada, and this semi-independent 

 but irresponsible agent has exercised its delegated 

 powers in an unfriendly way. Vessels have oeen 

 seized without notice or warning, in violation of 

 the custom previously prevailing, and have been 

 taken into the colonial ports, their voyages bro- 

 ken up, and the vessels condemned. There is reason 

 to believe that this unfriendly and vexatious treat- 

 ment was designed to bear harshly upon the hardy 

 fishermen of the United States, with a view to politi- 

 cal effect upon this Government. The statutes of 

 the Dominion of Canada assume a still broader and 

 more untenable jurisdiction over the vessels of the 

 United States. They authorize officers or persons to 

 bring vessels, hovering within three marine miles of 

 any of the coasts, bays, creeks, or harbors of Canada, 

 into port, to search the cargo, to examine the master, 

 on oath, touching the catgo and voyage, and to in- 

 flict upon him a heavy pecuniary penalty if true an- 

 swers are not given ; and if such a vessel is found 

 "preparing to fish," within three marine miles of 

 any of such coasts, bays, creeks, or harbors, without 

 a license, or after the expiration of the period named 

 in the last license granted to it, they provide that 

 the vessel, with her tackle, etc., etc., shall be forfeit- 

 ed. It is not known that any condemnations have 

 been made under this statute. Should the authorities 

 of Canada attempt to enforce it, it will become my 

 duty to take such steps as may be necessary to pro- 

 tect the rights of the citizens of the United States. 



It has been claimed by her Majesty's officers that 

 the fishing- vessels of the United States have no right 

 to enter the open ports of the British possessions in 

 North America, except for the purposes of shelter 

 and repairing damages, of purchasing wood, and ob- 

 taininir water; that they have no right to enter at th 

 British custom-houses, or to trade there except in the 

 purchase of wood and water ; and that they must 

 depart within twenty-four hours after notice to leave. 



