O
o
l
o
O
VOL. 10.
OREGON CITY, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1875.
NO. 8.
-o
- a .,vrr, mm ,M,,B ,,, rr n '" ,, iLJ- " .
-! DEVOTED TO HEWS, LITERATURE, AMD THE BEST INTERESTS OF OREGON. o
THE ENTERPRISE.
LOCAL NEWS PAPER
POU THE O
Farmer, Dusincss Man, & Family Circle.
o o
o
ISSUED EVERY FRIDAY.
U1. S. DEMENT,
PEOPRIETOE AND PUBLISHER.
OFFICIAL PAPEB. FOR CLACKAMAS CO.
OFKICK In Enterpeise r.uildinpr, one
dor south of Masonic Building, Main St.
Termi of Subscription!
o
Single Copy Ono Year, In Advance $2.50
Six Months" ' 1.50
Terms of Advertising
Transient advert isoments, including
all legal notices, $ square of twelve
linos ono week.;'.: $ 2.50
For ach RimMtftMit insertion 1.00
Ono Column, ono year 120.00
n.,.irt.r" 4.lN
nnainess Card, 1 square, ono year..
12.00
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To the.Senate and House of R-presentu-llres:
In submitting my seventh annual
message to Congress, in this centen
nial year of our national exisleneo as
free ami independent people, it af
fords me) great pleasure to recur to
tho advancement that has been male
from the time of the colony, one
hundred years ago.
A CKNTLRl'.S GROWTH. O n
Wo were then a people numbering
only three millions; now wo imiulr
more than forty millions. Then our
industries were confined almost ex
clusively to the tillage- of tho soil;
now manufactories absorb much of
the labor of tho country. Our lib
erties remain unimpaired. Tho
bondsmen havo been freed from Slav
ery. We have become possessed of
tho respect, if not tho friendship, of
all civilized nations. Our progress
has been great in all tho arts, in
(science, in agriculture, in commerce,
in navigation, in wining, in mechan
ics, iu law, in medicine, etc, and in
general education tho progress' has
been likewise encouraging. Our
thirteen States havo becomo thirty
eight, including Colorado, which has
taken tho initial steps, to becomo
a Stato, and eight Territories, includ
ing the Indian Tcrritor' and Alaska, j
and excluding Colorado, making a
territory extending from tho Atlantic
to tho Pacific. On the south wo havo
extended to tho (iulf of Mexico, and
on the west from tho Mississippi to
tho Paeifie. One hundred years ago
Uie cotton igin, the railroad, the tele
graph, the reaping, sewing and mod
ern printing machines, and numer
ous other inventions of scarcely less
value to our business and happiness,
were entirely unknown.
INCREASE OF MANLTACTCIiEH.
In 177G manufactures scarcely ex
isted even in name, in allthii vast
territory. Iu 1870 more than 2,0' ,
0!() of persons were employed in
manufactories, producing more than
2,100,000,000 of produce An
amount annually nearly equal to our
National debt. From nearly tho
wholo population of 177G being en
gaged in the ono occupation of-agriculture,
in 1870, so numerous and
diversified had become thdJoccnpa
tion of our people, that less than 1G.
000,000, out of moro than 40,000,000,
wero so engaged. The extraordinary
effect- produced ivymr country by a
resort to such occupations, has built
a market for tho products of -our fer
tile lauds, distant from the seaboard
ami tlio markets of tho world. Tho
t A f 1
iviuericau -system ot working various
anil extensive manufactories next to
tho plow and tho pasture, and ad
ding connecting railroads and steam
boats, has produced in our distant
country results not equalled by tho
intelligent parts of other nations.
The ingenuity and skill of American
mechanics havo been demonstrated
at homo and abroad, in a manner
most ilattering to their prido. With
out tho extraordinary genius and
ability of our mechanics, tho achieve
ments of our agriculturists, manu
facturers and transporters, through
out tho country, would havo boen
impossiblo of attainment.
GROWTH OF OCR MINING INTERESTS.
Tho progress of tho miner has also
been great. Of coal, our production
was ouco small; now many millions
of tons are mined annually. So with
iron, whilo it formed scarcely an
appreciable part of our products
half a century ago, wo now prodnco
more than tho world consumed at tho
beginning of our" national existence
Lead zinc, and copper, from being
articles of imports, wo may expect to
bo largo exporters of, in tho near
future. Tho development of gold
and silver mines throughout tho
States and Territories has not only
been remarkable, but has had a large
inlluenco upon tho business of all
commercial nations. c
on; srEuciiAXTS
In tho last hundred years have had
success, and havo established a rep
eputation for enterprise, sagacity,
progress and integrity, unsurpassed
by tho people of older nationalities.
This good namo is not confined to
their homes, but goes ont upon every
sea, and into every port whero com
merce enters.
OTHER INTERESTS.
With equal pride, we can point to
our progress in all of tho loomed
professions.
A GENERAL RETROSPECT.
As we are now about to enter upon
our second centennial, commencing
A
our manhood: a3 a nation, it is well
to look bach npen the past, and
study what will bo best to preserve,
and advance our future greatness.
From tho fall of Adam for his trans
gressions, to the present day, no na
tion has ever been freo from threat
cued danger' to its prosperity, and
happiness. Wo should look to the
dangers threatening us and remedy
them, so far as lies in our power.
Wo aro a republic wherein ono man
is as good as another before tho" law.
Under such a form of government,
it is of tho utmost importance that
all should bo possesssd of
EDUCATION AND INTELLIGENCE,
Enough to cast a vote with a right
understanding of its meaning. A
largo association of ignorant men
cannot, for any considerable period,
oppose a successful resistenco to ac
quiescence to tho will of intelligence,
whether directed by tho demagogues
of by priestcraft. Ilenco tho educa
tion of tho masses becomes of tho
first necessity for tho preservation of
our institutions. They aro worth
preserving, because they havo secur
ed the greatest good to the greatest
proportion of tho population of any
form of government devised. All
other forms of government artproach
it just in proportion to the general
diil'usion of education and indepen
dence of thought and action.
As tho primary step, therefore,
to our advancement in all that has
marked our progress in tho past cen
tury, I suggest for your earnest con
sideration and most earnestly recom
mond ifc, that a constitutional amend
ment bo submitted to the legislatures
of tho several States for ratification,
making it tho duty of each of the
.several States to establish and for
ever maintain public schools, ade
quate to tho.. education of all tho
children in the rudimentary branches,
within their respective limits, irre
spective of sex, color, birth-place or
religion; forbidding tho teaching in
said schools of religious, atheistic or
pagan; texts, and prohibiting tho
granting of any school funds or
school taxes, or any part thereof,
either by tho legislative, municipal,
or any other power, for the benefit
of any other object of any other na
ture or kind whatever, in connection
with this important question.
TAXATION OF RELIGIOUS CORPORATIONS
I would also call your attention to
the importanco of correcting an evil
that if permitted to continue, will
probably lead to great trouble in our
land before the closo of tho 19th cen
tury. It is tho accumulation of vast
amounts of untaxed church property.
In 1850, I believe, tho church prop
erty of tho United States which paid
no tax, municipal or State, amounted
to about $83,000,000. In 1SG0 tho
amount had doubled. In 1875 it is
about 1,000,030,000. By 1900, with
out chock, it is safe to say, this prop
erty will reach a sum exceeding
$3,000,000,000. So vast a sum re
ceiving all the protection and bene
fits of tho government without bear
ing its proportion of the burdens
and expenses of the same will not bo
looked upo?i acquiescently by those
who have paid taxes. In a growing
country where real estate enhances
so rapidly as in the Tj nited .States,
there is scarcely a limit to the wealth
that may be acquired by corporations,
religious or otherwise, if allowed to
retain real estate without taxation.
Tho contemplation of so vast a prop
erty as. is hero alluded to, without
taxation, may lead to sequestration
without constitutional authority and
through blood.
I would suggest taxation of all prop
erty equally, whether church or cor
poration, exempting only tho last
resting place of tho dead, and possi
bly, with proper restrictions, church
edifices.
RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN POWERS.
Our relations with most of tho
foreign powers continue on a friendly
and satisfactory footing. Iscreased
intercourse, tho extension of com
merce and cultivation of mutual in
terests havo steadily improved our
relations with tho largo majority of
tho powers of the world, rendering
practicable tlio peaceful solution of
questions which from timo to time
necessarily arise, leaving few which
demand extended or particular no
tico. lho correspondence of the
Department of Stato with our diplo
matic representatives abroad is trans
niittcd herewith.
WITH PORTUGAL.
I am happy to announce tho pass
ago of an act by tho cencral Cortes
of Portugal proclaimed sinco tho ad
journment of Congress for tho aboli
tion of servitude in tho Portuguese
colonics. It is to bo hoped that such
legislation may bo another steo to
aici tno great consummation, to bo
reached when no man shall be ncr
mitted directly or indirectly under
ftuy guiso, excuso or form of law to
uoicl bis fellowman in bondage
am ot tlio opinion also that it is tho
duty ol tho United States.as contrib
imag toward that end and required
by the spirit of tho ago iuSvhich wo
live.to provide by suitable legislation
mat no oitizen of tho United States
snau noid slaves as property in any
oLuer country or bo interested there
in. Q
wiTn chili.
emu nas made reparation in the
case oi tno wnaio sinp Good Beturn
iv-ifi-Ai nnuuui o liiiiuiem cause up
wards of forty years aero, though
had hitherto denied her accountabil
ity. 1 ho denial was never acnuiesc
in'by this Government, and the jus
tice oi tno ciaim nas ueen so earnestly
contended for that it has been
gratifying that sho should havo ac
knowledged it.
COLUMBIAN STATES.
Tho arbitration in tho case of tho
U. S. steamer Gentigo, for the seiz
ure and retention of which tho gov
ernment of the United States of
Columbia was held accountable, has
been decided in favor of tho claim.
This decision has settled a question
which has been pending for several
years, and which, while it continued
open, might moro or less disturb the
good understanding which it is de
sirable should bo maintained be
tween tho republics.
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS.
A reciprocity treaty with tho King
of the Hawaiian Islands was conclud
ed some months sinco, but as it con
tained a stipulation that it shall bo
of no effect until Congress shall en
act tho proper legislation for the
purpose, copies of tho instrument
are herewith submitted in order that
if such' should bo tho pleasure of
Congress, the necessary legislation
upon tho subject may bo adopted.
QUESTIONS WITH SPAIN.
In March last an arrangement was
made through Mr. Cushing, our
Minister in Madrid, with tho Spanish
Government for tho payment by tho
latter to tho United States of tho
sum of 800,000 in coin for tho pur
pose of tho relief of tho families of
persons of tho ship's crew and certain
passengers of tho Virginius; that tho
samo was to have been paid in threo
installments at two months each. It is
duo to tho Spanisli Government that
I should state that tho payments wero
fully and speedily anticipated by
that government, and that tho wholo
amount was paid within but a few
days more than two months from tho
dato of the agreement, a copy of
which is herewith transmitted, and
in pursuanco of tho terms of tho ad
justment I have directed distribution
of tlio amount among tho parties
entitled thereto, including the ship's
crew and such passengers as wero
American citizens. Payments are
made accordingly on tho application
of tho parties.
THE CUBAN QUESTION.
As evidence of and approaching
somo of the ruinous conilicts which
have been raging for seven years in
tho neighboring island of Cuba, tho
samo disregard of tho laws of civil
ized warfare, of tho just demands of
humanity, which havo heretoforo
called forth expressions of condem
nation from tho nations of Christen
dom havo continued to blacken tho
sad scene. Desolation, ruin and
pillage are prevailing in rich fields,
once tho most fertile and productive
regions of tho earth, and tho incen
diaries' torch, burning plantations,
valuable factories and buildings, is
tho agent marking tho alterrato ad
vance and retreat of contending par
ties, lho protracted continuance of
tho strifo seriously afFects tho in
terests of all commercial nations, but
thoso of the United States moro than
others, by reason of its closo prox
imity, its larger trade and inter
course with Cuba, and tho friendly
and intimate personal social rela
tions which havo grown up between
its citizens and thoso of tho island.
Moreover, tho property of our citi
zens in Cuba is largo, and is rendered
insecure and depressed in value and
m capacity of production by tho
contmuanco of strifo and tho un
natural modo of its conduct. Tho
samo is true, differing only in degrco
with respect to tho interests and
people of other nations and tho ab
sence of any reasonablo assurance of
a near termination of tho conflict.
must of necessity soon compel tho
States thus suffering, to consider
what tho interest of their own people
and their dutv towards themselves
may demand. I havo had hopes sho
would bo enabled to establish peaco
in her colony, to afford security to
tno property ana interests ot our
citizens, and allow legitimate scope
to tho trado and commerce and
natural productions of tho island.
Because of this hopo, and from an
extreme rcluctanco to interfere in
tho affairs of another and a friendly
nation, especially of ono whoso
sympathy and friendship in tho
struggling infancy of our own ex
istence, must ever bo remembered
with gratitude, I have patiently and
anxiously awaited tho progress of
events. Our own civil conflict is too
recent for us not to consider tho diffi
culties wnicn surround a govern
ment distracted by a dynastic rebel
lion at homo at tho same timo that it
has to copo with a separate insurrec
tion in a distant colony; but what
ever causes may havo produced the
situation which so grievously affects
our interests, it exists with all its
attendant evils, operating directly
upon this country and its people
Thus far all tho resources of Spain
havo proved abortive, and timo has
marked no improvement in tho situa
tion. The armed bands of either
side occupy nearly tho samo grounds
as in tho past, with tho dilferenco
from timo to timo, of moro lives
sacrificed, moro proiertv destroved.
and wider extents of fertile and pro
ductive fields, and moro property
constantly and wantonly sacrificed
to tno incendiary s torch. In con
tests of this nature, whero a con
sulcrabJe body of people who have
attempted to freo themselves of tho
control of tho superior government.
navo reaeneu sucn a point in occupa
ii on oi territory, in power, and m
general organization to constitute, in
fact, a body politic, having a govern
ment in substance as well as in name,
possessed of tho elements of ability,
and equipped with tho machinery
for tho administration of an internal
policy and tho execution of its laws,
and prepared and ablo to administer
justico at homo as well as in its
dealings writh other powers, it is
within tho province of those other
powers to recognizo its existenco as
a new and independent nation. In
such cases other nations simply deal
with an actual existing condition of
things, and recognizo as ono of tho
powers of tho earth that body poli
tic which, possessing tho necessary
elements, has in fact become a new
power. In a word, tho creation of
cow state is a fact. To establish tho
condition of things essential to recog
nition of this fact, there must bo a
people occupying a known territory,
united under somo known and de
fined form of government, acknowl
edged by thoso subject to it, through
which the functions of .government
are administered , . uy tno usual
methods, competent to mete out jus
tice to citizens and strangers, to af
ford remedies for public and for pri
vate wrongs, and ablo to assume tho
correlative .international obligations,
and capable of performing tho cor
responding international rights of
sovereignty. A power should exist
complete in its organization, ready
to take and able to maintain its place
among the 'nations of the earth.
While conscious that tho insurrec
tion in Cuba has shown a strength
and endurance which makes it at
least doubtful whether it will bo in
tho power of Spain to subduo it, it
seems a questionable subject that no
such civil organization exists which
may bo recognized as an independent
government, capable of performing
its obligations and entitled to bo
treated as ono of tho powers of tho
earth. A recognition under such
circumstances would be inconsistent
with facts, and would compel tho
power which gives it soon to support
by force tho government to which it
bad really given its own real claim of
existence. In the management of
this tho United States should adhere
to tho policy and principles which
have heretoforo been its sure and
safe guards in liko contests between
revolted colonies and their mother
country, and, acting only upon tho
clearest evidence, should avoid any
popularity of suspicion of imputa
tion. The recognition of tho inde
pendence of Cuba being, in my
opinion, impracticable and indefensi
ble, tho question which next presents
itself is that of tho recognition of
belligerent rights in tho parties to
tho contest. In my former message
to Congress I had occasion to con
sider this question, and reached the
conclusion that tho conflict in Cuba,
dreadful and devastating as are its
incidents, did not riso to tho fearful
dignity of war. Kegarding it now,
after this lapse of time, I am unable
to seo that any notablo success, or
any marked or real advance on the
part of tho insurgents has essential ly
changod its character. As tho con
test has acquired greater or moro
formidablo proportions, possibly the
acts of foreign powers, and oven tho
acts of Spain herself, of this very na-
turo might bo pointed to in defense
of such a recognition; but now, as in
its past history, tho United States
should carefully avoid falso lights
which might lead it into the mazes
of doubtful law, and of questionable
propriety, and adhcro rigidly and
sternly to tho rnlo which has been
its guido. And doing only that
which is right, and honest, and of
good report, the question of accord
ing or of withholding tho rights of
belligerency must be judged in every
way in view of the particular attend
ing facts, unless justified by neces
sity, it is always and justly regarded
as an unfriendly act and a gratuitous
demonstration of moral support to
tho rebellion. It is necessary, and
it is acquired, when tho interests
and rights of another government,
or of its people, aro so far affected
by a pending civil conflict, as to re
quire, a definition of its relations to
tho parties thereto. IJvt this con
flict must ha ono which will be
recognized in tho senso of interna
tional law as belligerency, not so as
to effect the mero existenco of con
tending armed bodies, and their oc
casional conflicts, does not constitute
war in tho senso referred to. Apply
ing to tho existing condition of affairs
in Cuba tho tests recognized by pub
licists and writers on international
law, and which havo been observed
by nations of honesty and power,
when freo from sensitive or selfish,
or unworthy motives, I fail to find
in tho insurrection tho existenco of
such a substantial organization real,
palpable, and manifest to tho world,
having tho forms, and capable of the
ordinary functions of government
towards its people and States, with
courts for tho administration of just
tico, and a local habitation, possess
ing such an orgauiiaiion of force,
such material, and such an occupa
tion of territory as to tako tho con
test out of tho category of a mere re
bellious insnrrection, or occasional
skirmish; and place it on tho terrible
footing of war, to which a recom
mendation of belligerency would aim
to elevate it. If tho movement is on
land, tho insurrection, has not pos
sessed a singlo port whenco it may
send forth its flag, nor has it any
means of communication with foreign
governments except through the
military lines of its adversaries. No
ajprehension of any of these sudden
and difficult complications which
arise on the ocean is apt to precipi
tate on the vessels, both commercial
and national, and on tho consular
officers of other powers, calls for the
definition of tho relations to the par
ties to tho contest. Considered as a
question of expediency, I regard tho
accordance of belligerent rights still
to bo as unwiso and premature as I
regard it to bo at present indefensi
ble as a measure of right. Such
recognition entails on tho country,
according to tho rights which flow
from, it, difficult and complicated
dutios, and requires tho action from
tho contending parties of tho strict
observance of their rights and obliga
tions. It confers tho right of search
upon.tho high seas by vessels of both
parties. It would subject tho carry
ing of arms and munitions of war,
which now may bo transported f reely
and without interruption in vessels
of tho United States, to detention
and possible seizure. It would give
rise to countless vexatious questions;
it would release tho iarent Govern
ment from its responsibility for acts
Spain -with tho right to exercise the
supervision recognized by the treaty
of 17G5, over our commerce on the
high seas, a very large part of which
in its traffic between the Atlantic and
Gulf States, and between all of them
and tho States on tho Pacific, passes
through tho waters which wash the
shores of Cuba. Tho exerciso of this
supervision could scarcely fail to
lead, if not to abuses, certainly to
collisions perilous to tho peacoful
relations of tho two states. It would
bo unworthy the United States to
inaugurate tho possibilities of such
result by measures of questionable
right or expediency, or by any indi
rection apart from any question of
theoretical right. I am satisfied that
while the accordance of belligerent
rights to the insurgents in Cuba
might give them hopo and induce
ment to protract tho struggle, it
would bo a delusive hopo and would
not remove tho evils which this Gov
ernment and its people aro experi
encing, but would draw the United
States into complications which it
has waited long and already suffered
much to avoid. Tho recognition of
the independence or of belligerency
being thus in my judgment equally
inadmissablo, it remains to consider
what courso shall bo adopted, should
tho conflict not soon bo brought to
an end by acts of tho parties them
selves, and should tho evils which
result therefrom, afflicting all na
tions, and particularly tho United
States, continue to such event, I
am of opinion that other nations will
be compelled to assume tho resjonsi
bility which devolves upon them,
and to seriously consider the only re
maining measures possible, media
tion and intervention. Owing, per
haps, to tho largo expanse of water
separating the island from the penin
sula, tho want of harmony, of per
sonal sympathy between tho inhabi
tants of tho colony and thoso sent
thither to rnlo them and want of
adaptation of tho ancient colonial
system of Europo to tho present
times and to the ideas which tho
events of tho past century have de
veloped, tho contending parties ap
pear to have within thoaiselves no
depository of common confidence.
To suggest wisdom when passion
and excitement have their sway, and
to assume tho part of peacemaker, in
this view, in tho early days of the
contest the good offices of tho United
States as a mediator, wero tendered
in good faith, without any selfish
purpose, in tho interest of humanity,
in sincero mendsnip lor both par
ties, but wero refused by tho Spanish
government. Mediation or interven
tion seem to bo the only alternative
whioh must sooner or later be in
voked for tho termination of tho
strife. At tho same time, Avhile thus
impressed, I do not at this timo re
commend the adoption of any measure
of intervention. I shall bo ready at
all times as the equal friend of both
parties, to respond to a suggestion
that the good offices of tho United
States will bo accoptablo to aid in
bringing about a peaco honorablo to
both. It i3 duo to Spain, so far as
this government is concerned, that
tho agency of a third power, to
which I havo adverted, shall bo
adopted only as a last expedient.
I lad it been tho desire of tho United
States to interfero in tho affairs of
Cuba, repeated opportunities for so
doing have been presented within
tho last few years. But wo havo re
mained passivo, and havo performed
our wholo duty and all international
obligations to Spain with friend
ship, fairness and fidelity, and with
a spirit of patience and forbearance
which negatives every possiblo sug
gestion of a desiro to interfero or add
to the difficulties with which sho has
been surrounded. Tho government
of Spain has recently submitted to
our minister at Madrid certain pro
posals, which may bo found to bo
tho basis, if not actual submission
of terms to meet tho requirements of
tho particular griefs of which this
government has felt itself entitled to
complain. Theso proposals havo not
yet reached mo in their full text.
On their arrival they will be con
sidered carefully, and may, I hopo,
lead to a satisfactory adjustment of
tho questions to which they refer
and remove the possibility of future
occurrences, such as havo given rise
to our just complaints.
THE MEXICAN BORDER TROUBLES.
Depredations by bands from Mex
ico on tho people of Texas, near tho
frontier, continue. Though the main
object of excursions is robbery, thoy
frequently result in tho murder of
quiet and peaceably disposed per
sons, and, in somo cases, even tho
United States postoffices and mail
communications havo been attacked.
llencwcd remonstrances upon this
subject havo been addressed to tho
Mexican Government, but without
much apparent effect. Tho military
forco of this Government disposable
for servico in that quarter is quite
adequate to effectually guard the
line even at tho point3 wherein ex
cursions aro generally raado.
An experiment of an armed vessel
on tho llio Grande for that purpose
is on trial, and it is hoped that if not
thwarted by tho shallowness of tho
river, and other natural obstacles, it
may contribute to tho protection of
herdsmen in Texas.
THE FREE ZONE,
So called, several years sinco estab
lished by Mexico in certain States of
that lvepublic, adjacent to our fron
tier,' remains in full operation. It is
always materially injurious to do
mestic traffic, wbilo it operates as an
incentivo to traders in Mexico to
supply freo of custom charges, tho
wants of tho peoplo on both sides of
tho line, and prevents tho samo from
being supplied by merchants of tho
United States, thereby, to a consid
erable extent, defrauding our reve
nue and checking honest commercial
enterprise o
XOINGS OF THE MEXICAN CLAIMS COM
MISSION.
The proceeding of tho joint com
mission under tho convention be
tween tho United States and Mexico,
of tho 4th of July, 18G8, on tho sub
ject of claims, will soon bo brought
to a closo. Tho result of these pro
ceedings will then bo communicated
to Congress. o
VENEZUELA.
I am happy to announco that the
government of Venezuela has, upon
further consideration, practically
abandoned its objections to pay to
the United State the share of its
revenue, which somo years sinco it
allotted toward,, the extinguishment
of claims of foreigners generally. In
the consideration of its former deter
mination, that government has shown
a justico and self-respect which can
not fail to reflect credit upon it in
the eyes of all disinterested persons
elsewhere. It is regretted, however,
that its payments on account of
claims of citizens of the United
States are still so meager in amount,
and that tho stipulations of the treaty
in regard to tho sums to bo paid, and
tho periods when thoso payments
were to take place, should havo been
so signally disregarded.
TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS WITH FOR
EIGN POWERS.
Sinco my last annual messago tho
exchange has been made of tho ratifi
cations of a treaty of commerco and
navigation with Belgium, and of con
ventions with tho Mexican Bepublic
for tho further extension of the joint
commission respecting claims; with
the Hawaiian Islands for commercial
reciprocity, and Tilth the Ottoman
Empire for extradition; all of which
havo been duly proclaimed, o
o
COMMISSIONERS OF ALABAMA CLAIMS.
The court of commissioners of Ala
bama claims has prosecuted its im
portant duties very assiduously and
very satisfactory. It convened and
was organized on tho 22d day of
July, 1874, and by tho terms of the
act under which it was created, was.
to exist for ono year from that date.
Tho act provides, however, that
should it be found impracticable to
complete lho work of tho court be
fore the expiration of tho year, the
President might, by proclamation, ex
tend the timo of itsj duration to a
period not moro than six months be
yond tho expiration of tho ono year.
Having received satisfactory evidence
that it' would bo' impracticable to
complete tho work within the timo
originally fixed, I issued aproclama
tion, a copy of which is-presented
herewith, extending tho timo of tho
duration of tho court for a period of
six months from and after tho 22d
day of July last. A report made
through tho clerk of tho court, com
i i .
inuuicaieu nerewitn, snows tno con
dition of tho calendar on the first of
November last, and tho largo amount
of work which has been accom
plished. -J
Thirteen hundred and eighty-two
claims have been presented, of which
eight hundred -and sixty-two had
been disposed of at tho date of tho
report.
I am informed that ono hundred
and seventy cases wero decided dui'
ing the month of November. Argu
ments aro being made, and decisions
given in tho remaining cases with all
tho dispatch consistent with the
proper consideration of tho questions
submitted. Many of theso claims
aro in behalf of mariners, or depend
on tho evidenco of mariners, whoso
absence has delayed tho taking and
tho return of tho necessary evidence.
It is represented to ma that it will
bo impracticablo for tho court to fin
ally dispose of all the cases beforo it,
within tho present limit of its dura
tion. Justice to 'tho parties claim
ants, who had been at largo expenso
in preparing their claims, and in
obtaining evidence in their support,
suggests a short extension to enable
tho court ta disposo of all tho claims
which havo already been presonted.
I recommend tho legislation which
may bo deemed proper to enable tho
court to complete tho work beforo it.
COURT FOB CONSIDERING CLAIMS OF AL
IENS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES.
Also recommend that somo suita
ble provision be made by tho creation
of a special court, or by conferring
tho necessary jurisdiction upon such
appropriate tribunal for tho consid
eration and determination of claims
of aliens against the Government of
the United States, which havo arisen
within some reasonable limitation of
timo, or which may hereafter arise,
excluding all claims barrod by treaty
provisions, or otherwise, as it has
been found impossiblo to give proper
consideration to thoso claims by tho
Executive Department of tho Gov
ernment. Such a tribunal would
afford an opportunity to aliens, other
than British subjects, to present their
claims on account of acts committed
against their persons or property
during tho rebellion. As also to
thoso subjects, of Great Britain,
whoso claims having arisen subse
quent to tho 9th day of April, 1875,
could not bo presented to tho com
mission organized pursuant to pro
visions of the Treaty of Washington.
OCEAN TELEGRAPHS.
Tho electric telegraph ha3 become
an essential and indispensable agent
in tho transmission of business and
social messages. Its operation on
land, and within tho limits of partic
ular States, is necessarily under the
control of tho jurisdiction within
which it operates. Tho lines on the
high seas, however, aro not subject
to tho particular control of any one
Government.
In 1SG9 a concession was granted
by the French government to a Com
pany which prorosed to lay a cable
from tho shores of France to tho
United States. At that timo there
was a telegraphic connection between
tho United State3 and tho continent
of Europe, through tho possessiorfl
of Great Britain, at either end of tha
lino under tho control of an associ
ation which had, at tho cost of a
great outlay ol capital, and at great
risk, demonstrated tho practicability
of maintaining such means of com
munication. Tho cost of correspon
dence, by this agency, was great,
although possibly not too large at
the timo for a proper remuneration
for SO hazardous n.rd ra orst!v o-n
enterprise. It was, however, a heavy
charge upon a means of communica
tion, which the progress in the
social and commercial intercourse of
the world has found to be a necessity,
onJ 41in nlxf n l nin r rt 41Za I.n.L
concession showed that other onnifal
than that already invested, was ready
to enter into competition with assur
ances of adequate return for their
outlay.
Impressed with ttho conviction
that tho interests not only of the
people of the United States, but of
the world at large, demand, or would
demand, tho multiplication of such
means of communication between
separated continents, I was desirous
that tho proposed connection should
be made.
But certain provisions of cthis
concession wero deemed by mo .to
bo objectionable, particularly one
which gave to the company, for a
lor term of,, years, the exclusivo
right of telegrjqdiic communication,
by submarino cablo, between tho
shores of Fiance and tho United
States. I could not conecdo that
any power should claim tho right to
land a cabl) on the shores of tho
United States, and at the same timo
deny tho United States, or to its
citizens, equal rights to land a cablo
on its shores. Tho right' to control
tho condition for the laying of a
cablo in waters within tho jurisdic
tion of tho united btates to connect
our shores with thoso of any foreign
State xcrtains exclusively to tho
government of tho United States,
under such limitations and condi
tions as Congress may impose c
In theabsenco of legislation by
Congress, I was unwilling on tho
one hand, to yield to a foreign stato
tho right to say that its granteo
might land on our shores whilo it
denied a similar light to our peoplo
to land on its shores; and, on tho
other hand, I was reluctant to deny
to tho great interests of tho world of
civilization tho facilities of such
communication as wero proposed; I
therefore withheld any resistance to
the landing of any cablo, on condi
tion that offensive monopoly part
of tho concession bo abandoned, and
that the rightof any cablo which
may be established by authority of
this government to land upon French
territory and to connect with French
land lines, and eujoy all the necessary
facilities at present incident to tho
uso thereof.
Tho company in question renounc
ed tho exclusive priYilego and tho
representative of Franco was so in
formed. Understanding that this
relinquishment was rto bo construed
as granting tho entire reciprocity
ami equal iaciiities which nad been
demanded, tho opposition to the
lauding of tho cablo was withdrawn.
Tho cable, under this French con
cession, was landed in tho month of
June, 18G9, and has been an efficient
and valuable agent of communication
between this country and tho con
tinent. It soon passed under con
trol, however, of thoso who had tho
management of tho cablo connecting
Great Britain with this continent and
thus whatever benefit tho public
might havo enjoyed from the com
petition betweon tho two lines, -was
lost.
Tho company having greater facil
ities of an additional lino and the
additional security, in case of acci
dont to ono of thom, of being
blo to use tho other gave it great
stability. But tho increased facu-r
ities and this additional 3 security,
together with control of tho com
bined capital of tho companies gave
also greater power to prevent future
constructions and limit tho control
of tho telegraphic communication
betweon two continents to thoso pos
sessing lines already laid.
Within a few months past a cablo
has been laid known as tho U. S.
Direct Cable-Company, connecting
the United States directly with
Great Britain. As soon as this cable
was reported to bo in working order
tho rates of the then existing- consol
idated companies wero greatly ro
duced. Soon however, a break was
announced in this cable, and immedi
ately tho rates of tho other line,
which hal been reduced, wero again
raised. ThisiJcablo being now re
paired, tho rates appear not to bo
reduced by either lino from those0
formerly charged by the other com
pany. -
Thero is reason to believe thai
largo amounts of capital, both at
homo and abroad, are ready to seek
profitablo investment in the advance
ment of this uscfnl and most civiliz
ing means of intercourse and corres-poD-dcnco.
They await however, tho assurance
of Governments for tho safety of tho
means and contributions which they
may make tributary to tho general
good.
REGULATIONS.FOr. OCEAN TELEGRAPHS
PROPOSED.
As theso cablo telegraphs connect
tho separate States, thero will bo
questions as to their f organization
and control, which probably can bo
best if not solely settled by conven
tions between tho respective States.
In tho absence, however, ofJ interna
tional conventions on tho subject,
national legislation may be secured
on many points which to me appear
important, if not indispensable, for
tho protection of tho public against
tho extortions which may result from
a monopoly of tho right of (operating
Concluded on Fourth Page