214 



CONGRESS. (PBESIDENT'S MESSAGE.) 



and criminal law. While standing wholly aloof from 

 the proprietary issues raised between powers to both 

 of which the United States are friendly, this Govern- 

 ment expects that nothing in the present contention 

 shall unfavorably affect our citizens carrying on a 

 peaceful commerce or there domiciled, and has so in- 

 formed the Governments of Spain and Germany. 



The marked good-will between the United States 

 Bnd Great Britain has been maintained during the 

 past year. 



The termination of the fishing clauses of the Treaty 

 of Washington, in pursuance of the joint resolution 

 of March 3, 1883, must have resulted in the abrupt 

 cessation on the 1st of July of this year, in the midst 

 of their ventures, of the operations of citizens of 

 the United States engaged in fishing in British- Ameri- 

 can waters, but for a diplomatic understanding reached 

 with her Majesty's Government in June last, whereby 

 assurance was obtained that no interruption of those 

 operations should take place during the current fish- 

 ing season. 



In the interest of good neighborhood and of the 

 commercial intercourse of adjacent communities, the 

 question of the North American fisheries ^ is one of 

 much importance. Following out the intimation 

 given by me when the extensory arrangement above 

 described was negotiated, I recommend that the Con- 

 gress provide for the appointment of a commission in 

 which the Governments of the United States and 

 Great Britain shall be respectively represented, 

 charged with the consideration and settlement, upon a 

 just, equitable, and honorable basis, of the entire ques- 

 tion of the fishing rights of the two Governments 

 and their respective citizens on the coasts of the 

 United States and British North America. The fish- 

 interests being intimately related to other general 

 questions dependent upon contiguity and intercourse, 

 consideration thereof, m all their equities, might also 

 properly come within the purview of such a commis- 

 sion, and the fullest latitude of expression on both 

 sides should be permitted. 



The correspondence in relation to the fishing rights 

 will be submitted. 



The Arctic exploring steamer " Alert," which was 

 generously given by her Majesty's Government to 

 aid in the relief of the Greely expedition, was, after 

 the successful attainment of that humane purpose, re- 

 turned to Great Britain, in pursuance of the authority 

 conferred by the act of March 3, 1885. 



The inadequacy of the existing engagements for ex- 

 tradition between the United States and Great Britain 

 has been long apparent. The tenth article of the 

 treaty -of 1842, one of the earliest compacts in this re- 

 gard entered into by us, stipulated for surrender in 

 respect of a limited number of offenses. Other crimes, 

 no less inimical to the social welfare, should be em- 

 braced, and the procedure of extradition brought in 

 harmony with present international practice. TSTego- 

 tiations with her Majesty's Government for an en- 

 larged treaty of extradition have been pending since 

 1870, and I entertain strong hopes that a satisfactory 

 result may be soon attained. 



The frontier line between Alaska and British 

 Columbia, as defined by the treaty of cession with 

 Russia, follows the demarkation assigned in a prior 

 treaty between Great Britain and Eussia. Modern 

 exploration discloses that this ancient boundary is im- 

 practicable as a geographical fact. In the unsettled 

 condition of that region the question has lacked im- 

 portance, but the discovery of mineral wealth in the 

 territory the line is supposed to traverse admonishes 

 that the time has come when an accurate knowledge 



cera of the United States, to the end of acquiring 

 more precise information on the subject. I have in- 

 vited her Majesty's Government to consider with us 

 the adoption of a more convenient line, to be estab- 

 lished oy meridian observations or by known geo- 



graphical features, without the necessity of an expen- 

 sive survey of the whole. 



The late insurrectionary movements in Hayti hav- 

 ing been quelled, the Government of that republic 

 has made prompt provision for adjudicating the losses 

 suffered by foreigners because of hostilities there, and 

 the claims of certain citizens of the United States will 

 be in this manner determined. 



The long-pending claims of two citizens of the 

 United States. Pelletier and Lazare. have been dis- 

 posed of by arbitration, and an awara in favor of each 

 claimant has been made, which, by the terms of the 

 engagement, is final. It remains for Congress to pro- 

 vide for the payment of the stipulated moiety of the 

 expenses. 



A question arose with Hayti during the past year, 

 by reason of the exceptional treatment of an American 

 citizen, Mr. Van Bokkelen, a resident of Port-au- 

 Prince, who, on suit by creditors residing in the 

 United States, was sentenced to imprisonment, and, 

 under the operation of a Haytian statute, was denied 

 relief secured to a native Haytian. This Government 

 asserted his treaty right to equal treatment with na- 

 tives of Hayti in all suits at law. Our contention was 

 denied by the Haytian Government, which, however, 

 while still professing to maintain the ground taken 

 against Mr. Van Bokkelen's right, terminated the con- 

 troversy by setting him at liberty without explanation. 



An international conference to consider the means 

 of arresting the spread of cholera and other epidemic 

 diseases was held at Eome in May last, and adjourned 

 to meet again on further notice. An expert delegate 

 on behalf of the United States has attended its ses- 

 sions and will submit a report. 



Our relations with Mexico continue to be most cor- 

 dial, as befits those of neighbors between whom the 

 strongest ties of friendship and commercial intimacy 

 exist, as the natural and growing consequence of pur 

 similarity of institutions and geographical propinquity. 



The relocation of the boundary-line between the 

 United States and Mexico westward of the Eio Grande, 

 under the convention of July 29. 1882, has been una- 

 voidably delayed ; but I apprehend no difficulty in 

 securing a prolongation pf the period for its accom- 

 plishment. 



The lately concluded commercial treaty with Mexi- 

 co still awaits the stipulated legislation to carry its 

 provisions into effect, for which one year's additional 

 time has been secured by a supplementary article 

 signed in February last and since ratified on both 

 sides. 



As this convention, so important to the commercial 

 welfare of the two adjoining countries, has been con- 

 stitutionally confirmed by the treaty-making branch, 

 1 express the hope that legislation needed to make it 

 effective may not be long delayed. 



The large influx of capital and enterprise to Mexico 

 from the United States continues to aid in the devel- 

 opment of the resources and in augmenting the ma- 

 terial well-being of our sister republic. Lines of rail- 

 way, penetrating to the heart and capital of the coun- 

 try, bring the two peoples into mutually beneficial 

 intercourse, and enlarged facilities of transit add to 

 profitable commerce, create new marketSj and fur- 

 nish avenues to otherwise isolated communities. 

 ^ I have already adverted to the suggested construc- 

 tion of a ship-railway across the narrow formation of 

 the territory of Mexico at Tehuan tepee. 



With the gradual recovery of Peru from the effects 

 of her late disastrous conflict with Chili, and with the 

 restoration of civil authority in that distracted coun- 

 try, it is hoped that pending war-claims of our citi- 

 zens will be adjusted. 



In conformity with notification given by the Gov- 

 ernment of Peru, the existing treaties of commerce 

 and extradition between the United States and that 

 country will terminate March 31, 1886. 



Our good relationship with Eussia continues. 



An officer of the Navy, detailed for the purpose, is 

 now on his way to Siberia, bearing the testimonials 



