778 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



Meanwhile this Government learned that Colombia 

 had proposed to the European powers to join in a 

 guarantee of the neutrality of the proposed Panama 

 Canal a guarantee which" would bo in direct contra- 

 vention of our obligation as the sole guarantor of the 

 integrity of Colombian territory and of the neutrality 

 of the canal itself. My lamented predecessor felt it 

 his duty to place before the European powers the 

 reason* which make the prior guarantee of the United 

 States indispensable, and for which the interjection of 

 any foreign guarantee might be regarded as a superflu- 

 ous and unfriendly act. 



Foreseeing the probable reliance of the British Gov- 

 ernment on the provisions of the Clayton-Bui wer 

 treaty of ISoO^ as affording room for a share in the 

 guarantees which the United States covenanted with 

 Colombia four years before, I have not hesitated to 

 supplement the action of my predecessor by proposing 

 to ner Majesty's Government the modification of that 

 instrument and the abrogation of such clauses thereof 

 as do not comport with the obligations of the United 

 States toward Colombia, or with the vital needs of the 

 two friendly parties to the compact. 



This Government sees with great concern the con- 

 tinuance of the hostile relations between Chili, Bo- 

 livia, and Peru. An early peace between these re- 

 publics is much to be desired, not only that they may 

 themselves be spared further misery and bloodshed, 

 but because their continued antagonism threatens con- 

 sequences which are, in my judgment, dangerous to 

 the interests of republican government on this conti- 

 nent, and calculated to destroy the best elements of 

 our free and peaceful civilization. 



As in the present excited condition of popular feel- 

 ing in these countries there has been serious misap- 

 prehension of the position of the United States, and as 

 separate diplomatic intercourse with each through in- 

 dependent ministers is sometimes subject, owing to 

 the want of prompt reciprocal communication, to tem- 

 porary misunderstanding, I have deemed it judicious, 

 at the present time, to send a special envoy 5 accredited 

 to all and each of them, and furnished with gene_ral 

 instructions, which will, I trust, enable him to bring 

 these powers into friendly relations. 



The Government of Venezuela maintains its attitude 

 of warm friendship, and continues with great regu- 

 larity its payment of the monthly quota of the diplo- 

 matic debt." Without suggesting the direction in 

 which Congress should act, I ask its attention to the 

 pending questions affecting the distributio.n of the 

 sums thus far received. 



The relations between Venezuela and France, grow- 

 ing out of the same debt, have been for some time 

 past in an unsatisfactory state, and this Government^ 

 as the neighbor and one of the largest creditors of 

 Venezuela, has interposed its influence with the 

 French Government with the view of producing a 

 friendly and honorable adjustment. 



I regret that the commercial interests between the 

 United States and Brazil, from which great advan- 

 tages were hoped a year ago, have suffered from the 

 withdrawal of the American lines of communication 

 between the Brazilian ports and our own. 



Through the efforts of our Minister Eesident at 

 Buenos Ayres and the United States Minister at San- 

 tiago, a treaty has been concluded between the Argen- 

 tine Republic and Chili, disposing of the long-pend- 

 ing PatuLronian boundary question. It is a matter of 

 congratulation that our Government has been afforded 

 the opportunity of successfully exerting its good in- 

 fluence for the" prevention of 'disagreements oetween 

 these republics of the American Continent. 



I am glad to inform you that the treaties lately ne- 

 gotiated with China have been dulv ratified on both 

 sides, and the exchange niade at Peking. Legislation 

 is necessary to carry their provisions into effect. The 

 prompt and friendly spirit with which the Chinese 

 Government, at the 'request of the United States, con- 

 ceded the modification of existing treaties, should 

 secure careful regard for the interests and suscepti- 



bilities of that Government in the enactment of any 

 laws relating to Chinese immigration. 



Those clauses of the treaties which forbid the par- 

 ticipation of citizens or vessels of the United Stater- in 

 the opium-trade will doubtless receive your approval. 

 They will attest the sincere interest which our people 

 and "Government feel in the commendable efforts of 

 the Chinese Government to put a stop to this de- 

 moralizing and destructive traffic. 



In relation both to China and Japan, some changes 

 are desirable in our present system of consular juris- 

 diction. I hope at some future time to lay before you 

 a scheme for its improvement in the entire East. 



The intimacy between our own country and Japan, 

 the most advanced of the Eastern nations, continues 

 to be cordial. I am advised that the Emperor con- 

 templates the establishment of full constitutional gov- 

 ernment, and that he has already summoned a parlia- 

 mentary congress for the purpose of effecting the 

 change. Such a remarkable step toward complete 

 assimilation with the Western system can not fail to 

 bring Japan into closer and more beneficial relation- 

 ship with ourselves as the chief Pacific power. 



A question has arisen in relation to the exercise in 

 that country of the judicial functions conferred upon 

 our ministers and consuls. The indictment, trial, and 

 conviction in the consular court at Yokohama of John 

 Eoss, a merchant-seaman on board an American ves- 

 sel, have made it necessary for the Government to in- 

 stitute a careful examination into the nature and 

 methods of this jurisdiction. 



It appeared that Ross was regularly shipped under 

 the flag of the United States, but was by birth a Brit- 

 ish subject. My predecessor felt it his'duty to main- 

 tain the position" that, during his service as a regu- 

 larly shipped seaman on board an American merchant- 

 vessel, Ross was subject to the laws of that service 

 and to the jurisdiction of the United States consular 

 authorities. 



I renew the recommendation which has been here- 

 tofore urged by the Executive upon the attention of 

 Congress, that after the deduction of such amount as 

 may oe found due to American citizens, the balance of 

 the indemnity funds heretofore obtained from China 

 and Japan, and which are now in the hands of the 

 State Department, be returned to the governments of 

 those countries. 



The King of Hawaii, in the course of his homeward 

 return after a journey around the world, has lately 

 visited this country. While our relations with that 

 kingdom are friendly, this Government has viewed 

 with concern the efforts to seek replenishment of the 

 diminishing population of the islands from outward 

 sources, to a degree which may impair the native 

 sovereignty and independence, in which the United 

 States Avas among the first to testify a lively interest. 



Relations of unimpaired amity" have been main- 

 tained throughout the vear with the respective Gov- 

 ernments of Austria-rfungary, Belgium, Denmark, 

 Ilaytij Paraguay and Uruguay, Portugal, and Sweden 

 and Norway. This may also be said of Greece and 

 Ecuador, although our relations with those states 

 have for some years been severed by the withdrawal 

 of appropriations for diplomatic representatives at 

 Athens and Quito. It seems expedient to restore 

 those missions, even on a reduced scale, and I decid- 

 edly recommend such a course with respect to Euca- 

 dor, which is likely, within the near future, to play 

 an important part among the nations of the Southern 

 Pacific. 



At its last extra session the Senate called for the 

 text of the Geneva Convention for the relief of the 

 wounded in war. I trust that this action foreshadows 

 such interest in the subject as will result in the ad- 

 hesion of the United States to that humane and com- 

 mendable engagement. 



I invite your attention to the propriety of adopting 

 the new Code of International Rules for the Preven- 

 tion of Collisions on the high seas 3 and of conforming 

 the domestic legislation of the United States thereto, 



