180 



CONGRESS, UNITED STATES. (PBESIDENT'S MESSAGE.) 



diplomatic resort for their protection. The initial 

 step toward a better understanding has been taken in 

 the negotiation by the commission authorized by 

 Congress of a treaty, which is still before the Senate 

 awaiting it3 approval. 



The provisions for the reciprocal crossing of the 

 frontier by the troops in pursuit of hostile Indians 

 have been prolonged for another year. The operations 

 of the forces of both governments against these sav- 

 ages have been successful, and several of their most 

 dangerous bands have been captured or dispersed by 

 the skill and valor of United States and Mexican sol- 

 diers fighting in a common cause. 



The convention for the resurvey of the boundary 

 from the Rio Grande to the Pacific having been ratified 

 and exchanged, the preliminary reconnaissance therein 

 stipulated has been eifected. It now rests with Con- 

 gress to make provision for completing the survey and 

 relocating the boundary monuments. 



A convention was signed with Mexico on July 13, 

 1882, providing for the rehearing of the cases of Ben- 

 jamin Weil and the Abra Silver Mining Company, in 

 whose favor awards were .made by the late American 

 and Mexican Claims Commission. That convention 

 still awaits the consent of the Senate. Meanwhile, 

 because of those charges of fraudulent awards which 

 have made a new commission necessary, the Executive 

 has directed the suspension of payments of the dis- 

 tributive quota received from Mexico. 



Our geographical proximity to Central America and 

 our political and commercial relations with the states 

 of that country justify, in my judgment, such a mate- 

 rial increase of our consular corps as will place at each 

 capital a consul-general. 



The contest between Bolivia, Chili, and Peru has 

 passed from the stage of strategic hostilities to that of 

 negotiation, in which the counsels of this Government 

 have been exercised. The demands of Chili for ab- 

 solute cession of territory have been maintained, and 

 accepted by the party of General Iglesias to the ex- 

 tent of concluding a treaty of peace with the Govern- 

 ment of Chili in general conformity with the terms of 

 the protocol signed in May last between the Chilian 

 commander and General Iglesias. As a result of the 

 conclusion of this treaty. General Iglesias has been 

 formally recognized by Chili as President of Peru, 

 and his government installed at Lima, which has 

 been evacuated by the Chilians. A call has been is- 

 sued by General Iglesias for a representative assembly 

 to be elected on the 13th of January, and to meet at 

 Lima on the 1st of March next. Meanwhile the pro- 

 visional government of General Iglesias has applied 

 for recognition to the principal powers of America and 

 Europe. When the will of the Peruvian people shall 

 be manifested, I shall not hesitate to recognize the 

 government approved by them. 



Diplomatic and naval representatives of this Gov- 

 ernment attended at Caracas the centennial celebration 

 of the birth of the illustrious Bolivar. At the same 

 time the inauguration of the statue of Washington in 

 the < Venezuelan capital testified to the veneration in 

 which his memory is there held. 



Congress at its last session authorized the Executive 

 to propose to Venezuela a reopening of the awards of 

 the mixed commission of Caracas. The departure 

 from this country of the Venezuelan minister has de- 

 layed the opening of negotiations for reviving the 

 commission. This Government holds that until the 

 establishment of a treaty upon this subject, the Vene- 

 zuelan Government must continue to make the pay- 

 ments provided for in the convention of 1866. 



There is ground for believing that the dispute grow- 

 ing out of the unpaid obligations due from Venezuela 

 to France will be satisfactorily adjusted. The French 

 Cabinet has proposed a basis of settlement which 

 meets my approval, but as it involves a recasting of 

 the annual quotas of the foreign debt, it has been 

 deemed advisable to submit the proposal to the judg- 

 ment of the Cabinets of Berlin, Copenhagen, The 

 Hague, London, and Madrid. 



At the recent coronation of his Majesty King Kala- 

 kaua, this Government was represented both diplo- 

 matically and by the formal visit of a vessel of war. 



The question of terminating or modifying the exist- 

 ing reciprocity treaty with Hawaii is now before Con- 

 gress. I am convinced that the charges of abuses and 

 frauds under that treaty have been exaggerated, and 

 I renew the suggestion of last year's message, that the 

 treaty be modified wherever its provisions have 

 proved onerous to legitimate trade between the two 

 countries. I am not disposed to favor the entire ces- 

 sation of the treaty relations which have fostered 

 good-will between the countries, and contributed 

 toward the equality of Hawaii in the family of nations. 



In pursuance of the policy declared by this Govern- 

 ment of extending our intercourse with the Eastern 

 nations, legations have during the past year been es- 

 tablished in Persiaj Siam, and Corea. It is probable 

 that permanent missions of those countries will ere 

 long be maintained in the United States. A special 

 embassy from Siam is now on its way hither. 



Treaty relations with Corea were perfected by the 

 exchange at Seoul, on the 19th of May last, of the 

 ratifications of the lately concluded convention, and 

 envoys from the King of Tah Chosun have visited 

 this country and received a cordial welcome. Corea, 

 as yet unacquainted with the methods of Western 

 civilization, now invites the attention ol those inter- 

 ested in the advancement of our foreign trade, as it 

 needs the implements and products which the United 

 States are ready to supply. We seek no monopoly of its 

 commerce and no advantages over other nations, but 

 as the Chosunese, in reaching for a higher civiliza- 

 tion, have confided in this republic, we can not regard 

 with indifference any encroachment on their rights. 



China, by the payment of a money indemnity, has 

 settled certain of the long-pending claims of our citi- 

 zens, and I have strong hopes that the remainder will 

 soon be adjusted. 



Questions have arisen touching the rights of Ameri- 

 can and other foreign manufacturers in China under 

 the provisions of treaties which permit aliens to exer- 

 cise their industries in that country. On this specific 

 point our own treaty is silent, but under the opera- 

 tion of the most-favored-nation clause, we have like 

 privileges with those of other powers. While it is the 

 duty ot the Government to see that our citizens have 

 the full enjoyment of every benefit secured b'y treaty, 

 I doubt the expediency of leading in a movement to 

 constrain China to admit an interpretation which we 

 have only an indirect treaty right to exact. The 

 transference to China of American capital for the em- 

 ployment there of Chinese labor would in effect in- 

 augurate a competition for the control of markets now 

 supplied by our home industries. 



There is good reason to believe that the law restrict- 

 ing the immigration of Chinese has been violated, in- 

 tentionally or otherwise, by the officials of China upon 

 whom is devolved the duty of certifying that the im- 

 migrants belong to the excepted classes. 



Measures have been taken to ascertain the facts in- 

 cident to this supposed infraction, and it is believed 

 that the Government of China will co-operate with 

 the United States in securing the faithful observance 

 of the law. 



The same considerations which prompted Congress 

 at its last session to return to Japan the Simonoseki 

 indemnity seems to me to require at its hands like 

 action in respect to the Canton indemnity fund, now 

 amounting to $300,000. 



The question of the general revision of the foreign 

 treaties of Japan has been considered in an interna- 

 tional conference held at Tokio, but without definite 

 result as yet. This Government is disposed to con- 

 cede the requests of Japan to determine its own tariff 

 duties, to provide such proper judicial tribunals as 

 may commend themselves to the' Western powers for 

 the trial of causes to which foreigners are parties, and 

 to assimilate the terms and duration of its treaties to 

 those of other civilized states. 





