Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
During the past year an American citizen employed in a subordinate
commercial position in Hayti, after suffering a protracted imprisonment
on an unfounded charge of smuggling, was finally liberated on judicial
examination. Upon urgent representation to the Haytian Government a
suitable indemnity was paid to the sufferer.
By a law of Hayti a sailing vessel, having discharged her cargo, is
refused clearance until the duties on such cargo have been paid. The
hardship of this measure upon American shipowners, who conduct the bulk
of the carrying trade of that country, has been insisted on with a view
of securing the removal of this cause of complaint.
Upon receiving authentic information of the firing upon an American
mail steamer touching at the port of Amapala because her captain
refused to deliver up a passenger in transit from Nicaragua to
Guatemala upon demand of the military authorities of Honduras, our
minister to that country, under instructions, protested against the
wanton act and demanded satisfaction. The Government of Honduras,
actuated by a sense of justice and in a spirit of the utmost
friendship, promptly disavowed the illegal conduct of its officers and
expressed sincere regret for the occurrence.
It is confidently anticipated that a satisfactory adjustment will soon
be reached of the questions arising out of the seizure and use of
American vessels by insurgents in Honduras and the subsequent denial by
the successful Government of commercial privileges to those vessels on
that account.
A notable part of the southeasterly coast of Liberia between the
Cavally and San Pedro rivers, which for nearly half a century has been
generally recognized as belonging to that Republic by cession and
purchase, has been claimed to be under the protectorate of France in
virtue of agreements entered into by the native tribes, over whom
Liberia's control has not been well maintained.
More recently negotiations between the Liberian representative and the
French Government resulted in the signature at Paris of a treaty
whereby as an adjustment certain Liberian territory is ceded to France.
This convention at last advices had not been ratified by the Liberian
Legislature and Executive.
Feeling a sympathetic interest in the fortunes of the little
Commonwealth, the establishment and development of which were largely
aided by the benevolence of our countrymen, and which constitutes the
only independently sovereign state on the west coast of Africa, this
Government has suggested to the French Government its earnest concern
lest territorial impairment in Liberia should take place without her
unconstrained consent.
Our relations with Mexico continue to be of that close and friendly
nature which should always characterize the intercourse of two
neighboring republics.
The work of relocating the monuments marking the boundary between the
two countries from Paso del Norte to the Pacific is now nearly
completed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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