202 



CONGRESS. (THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.) 



support. When the course of events had yielded as- 

 surance of this fact, no time was lost in extending to 

 the new Government a full and cordial welcome in- 

 to the family of American commonwealths. It is 

 confidently believed that the good relations of the 

 two countries will be preserved, and that the future 

 will witness an increased intimacy of intercourse and 

 an expansion of their mutual commerce. 



The peace of Central America has again been dis- 

 turbed through a revolutionary change in Salvador, 

 which was not recognized by other states, and hostil- 

 ities broke out between Salvador and Guatemala, 

 threatening to involve all Central America in con- 

 flict and to undo the progress which had been made 

 toward a union of their interests. The efforts of this 

 Government were promptly and zealously exerted to 

 compose their differences, and through the active ef- 

 forts of the representative of the United States a pro- 

 visional treaty of peace was signed Aug. 26, whereby 

 the right of the Republic of Salvador to choose its 

 own rules was recognized. Gen. Ezeta, the chief 

 of the Provisional Government, has since been con- 

 firmed in the presidency by the Assembly, and diplo- 

 matic recognition duly followed. 



The kining of Gen. Barrundia on board the 

 Pacific mail steamer Acapulco, while anchored in 

 transit in the port of San Jose" de Guatemala, de- 

 manded careful inquiry. Having failed in a revolu- 

 tionary attempt to invade Guatemala from Mexican 

 territory, Gen. Barrundia took passage at Acapul- 

 co for Panama. The consent of the representatives 

 of the United States was sought to effect his seizure, 

 first at Champerico. where the steamer touched, and 

 afterward at San Jos6. The captain of the steamer 

 refused to give up his passenger without a written 

 order from the United States minister; the latter 

 furnished the desired letter, stipulating, as the con- 

 dition of his action, that Gen. Barrundia's life 

 should be spared and that he should be tried only 

 for offenses growing out of his insurrectionary move- 

 ments. This letter was produced to the captain of 

 the Acapulco by the military commander at San Jose", 

 as his warrant to take the passenger from the steamer. 

 Gen. Barrundia resisted capture and was killed. 

 It being evident that the minister, Mr. Mizner, had 

 exceeded the bounds of his authority in intervening, 

 in compliance with the demands of the Guatemalan 

 authorities, to authorize and effect, in violation of 

 precedent, the seizure on a vessel of the United States 

 of a passengei in transit charged with political of- 

 fenses, in order that he might be tried for such of- 

 fenses under what was described as martial law, I 

 was constrained to disavow Mr. Mizner's act and 

 recall him from his post. 



The Nicaragua Canal project, under the control of 

 our citizens, is making most encouraging progress, 

 all the preliminary conditions and initial operations 

 having been accomplished within the prescribed 

 time. 



During the past year negotiations have been re- 

 newed for the settlement of the claims of American 

 citizens against the Government of Chili, principally 

 growing out of the late war with Peru. The reports 

 from our minister at Santiago warrant the expecta- 

 tion of an early and satisfactory adjustment. 



Our relations with China, which have for several 

 years occupied so important a place in our diplomatic 

 history, have called for careful consideration and 

 have been the subject of much correspondence. 



The communications of the Chinese minister have 

 brought into view the whole subject of our conven- 

 tional relations with his country ; and at the same 

 time this Government, through its legation at Pekin, 

 has sought to arrange various matters and complaints 

 touching the interests and protection of our citizens 

 in China. 



In pursuance of^he concurrent resolution of Oct. 

 1, 1890, I have proposed to the governments of 

 Mexico and Great Britain to consider a conventional 

 regulation of the passage of Chinese laborers across 

 our southern and northern frontiers. 



On the 22d day of August last Sir Edmund Monson, 

 the arbitrator selected under the treaty of Dec. 6, 1888, 

 rendered an award to the effect that no compensation 

 was due from the Danish Government to the United 

 States on account of what is commonly known as the 

 Carlos Butterfield claim. 



Our relations with the French Republic continue 

 to be cordial. Our representative at that court has 

 very diligently urged the removal of the restrictions 

 imposed upon our meat products, and it is believed 

 that substantial progress has been made toward a just 

 settlement. 



The Samoan treaty, signed last year at Berlin by 

 the representatives of the United' States, Germany, 

 and Great Britain, after due ratification and exchange, 

 has begun to produce salutary effects. The formation 

 of the government agreed upon will soon replace the 

 disorder of the past by a stable administration, alike 

 just to the natives and equitable to the three powers 

 most concerned in trade and intercourse with the Sa- 

 moan Islands. The chief justice has been chosen by 

 the King of Sweden and Norway, on the invitation 

 of the three powers, and will soon be installed. The 

 land commission and the municipal council are in 

 process of organization. A rational and evenly dis- 

 tributed scheme of taxation, both municipal and upon 

 imports, is in operation. Malietoa is respected us 

 King. 



The new treaty of extradition with Great Britain, aft- 

 er clue ratification^ was proclaimed on the '25th of last 

 March. Its beneficial working is already apparent. 



The difference between the two governments 

 touching the fur-seal question in the Behring Sea is 

 not yet adjusted, as will be seen by the correspond- 

 ence which will soon be laid before Congress. The 

 offer to submit the question to arbitration, as proposed 

 by Her Majesty's Government, has not been accepted, 

 for the reason that the form of submission proposed is 

 not thought to be calculated to assure a conclusion 

 satisfactory to either party. It is sincerely hoped 

 that before the opening of another sealing season 

 some arrangement may be effected which will assure 

 the United 'States a property right, derived from Itus- 

 sia, which was not disregarded by any nation for 

 more than eighty years preceding the outbreak of the 

 existing trouble. 



In the tariff act a wrong was done to the Kingdom 

 of Hawaii which I am bound to presume was wholly 

 unintentional. Duties were levied on certain com- 

 modities which are included in the reciprocity treaty 

 now existing between the United States and the 

 Kingdom of Hawaii, without indicating the necessary 

 exception in favor of that kingdom. I hope Congress 

 will repair what might otherwise seem to be a breach 

 of faith on the part of this Government. 



An award in favor of the United States in the mat- 

 ter of the claim of Mr. Van Bokkelen against Ilayti 

 was rendered on the 4th of December. 1888, but owing 

 to the disorders then and afterward prevailing in 

 Hayti the terms of payment were not observed. A 

 now agreement as to the time of payment has been 

 approved and is now in force. Other just claims of 

 citizens of the United States for redress of wrongs 

 suffered during the late political conflict in Hayti 

 will, it is hoped, speedily yield to friendly treatment. 



Propositions for the amendment of the treaty of ex- 

 tradition between the United States and Italy art 

 now under consideration. 



You will be asked to provide the means of accept- 

 ing the invitation of the Italian Government to take 

 part in an approaching conference to consider tin 

 adoption of a universal prime meridian from wind 

 to reckon longitude and time. As this proposal fol- 

 lows in the track of the reform sought to be initiated 

 by the Meridian Conference of Washington, held on 

 the invitation of this Government, the Uinted States 

 should manifest a friendly interest in the Italian pro- 

 posal. 



In this connection I may refer with approval to the 

 suggestion of my predecessors, that standing pro- 

 vision be made for accepting, whenever deemed ad- 



