thereto; but expenses incurred by either party in the preparation and prosecution of its case shall be defrayed by it individually. ARTICLE XVII. Whenever disputes arise the nations involved shall appoint courts of arbitration in accordance with the provisions of the preceding articles. Only by the mutual and free consent of all of such nations may those provisions be disregarded, and courts of arbitration appointed under different arrangements. ARTICLE XVIII. This treaty shall remain in force for twenty years from the date of the exchange of ratifications. After the expiration of that period, it shall continue in operation until one of the contracting parties shall have notified all the others of its desire to determine it. In the event of such notice the treaty shall continue obligatory upon the party giving it for one year thereafter, but the withdrawal of one or more nations shall not invalidate the treaty with respect to the other nations concerned. ARTICLE XIX. This treaty shall be ratified by all the nations approving it, according to their respective constitutional methods; and the ratifications shall be exchanged in the city of Washington on or before the first day of May, A. D. 1891. Any other nation may accept this treaty and become a party thereto, by signing a copy thereof and depositing the same with the Government of the United States; whereupon the said Government shall communicate this fact to the other contracting parties. In testimony whereof the undersigned plenipotentiaries have hereunto affixed their signatures and seals. Done in the city of Washington, in copies in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, on this day of the month of one thousand eight hundred and ninety. II-RECOMMENDATION TO EUROPEAN POWERS. The International American Conference resolves: That this Conference, having recommended arbitration for the settlement of disputes among the Republics of America, begs leave to express the wish that controversies between them and the nations of Europe may be settled in the same friendly manner. It is further recommended that the government of each nation herein represented communicate this wish to all friendly powers. que cada parte haga para su representación y defensa en el juicio, serán de su cuenta. ARTÍCULO XVII. Las naciones interesadas en la contienda formarán, en cada caso, el Tribunal arbitral, de acuerdo con las reglas establecidas en los artículos precedentes. Solo por mútuo y libre consentimiento de todas ellas, podrán separarse de dichas disposiciones para constituir el Tribunal en condiciones diferentes. ARTÍCULO XVIII. Este Tratado subsistirá durante veinte años contados desde la fecha del cauje de las ratificaciones. Concluido este término, seguirá en vigor hasta que alguna de las partes contratantes notifique á las otras su deseo de que caduque. En este caso, continuará subsistente hasta que transcurra un año desde la fecha de dicha notificación. Es entendido, sin embargo, que la separación de alguna de las partes contratantes no invalidará el Tratado respecto de las otras partes. ARTÍCULO XIX. Este Tratado se ratificará por todas las naciones que lo aprueben, conforme á sus respectivos procedimientos constitucionales; y las ratificaciones se canjearán en la ciudad de Washington, el dia 1o de Mayo de 1891, 6 antes, si fuere posible. Cualquiera otra nación puede adherir á este Tratado y ser tenida como parte en él, firmando un ejemplar del mismo, y depositándolo ante el Gobiorno de los Estados Unidos, el cual hará saber este hecho á las otras partes contratantes. En fé de lo cual, los infrascritos Plenipotenciarios han puesto sus firmas y seilos. Hecho en la ciudad de Washington, en ejemplares en inglés, español y portugués á los dias del mes de de mil ochocientos noventa. II.—RECOMENDACIÓN SOBRE ARBITRAJE CON POTENCIAS EUROPEAS. La Conferencia Internacional Americana resuelve: Que habiendo recomendado esta Conferencia el arbitrage para la decisión de las disprtas entre las Repúblicas de América, se permite expresar el deseo de que las controversias entre ellas y las naciones de Europa sean decididas por el mismo amistoso medio. La Conferencia recomienda ademas que los respectivos gobiernos de las naciones en ella representadas comuniquen este voto á todas las potencias amigas. III. THE RIGHT OF CONQUEST. Whereas the International American Conference feels that it would fall short of the most exalted conception of its mission were it to abstain from embodying its pacific and fraternal sentiments in declarations tending to promote national stability and guaranty just international relations among the nations of the continent: Be it therefore Resolved, That it earnestly recommends to the Governments therein represented the adoption of the following declarations: First. That the principle of conquest shall not, during the continuance of the Treaty of Arbitration, be recognized as admissible under American public law. Second. That all cessions of territory made during the continuance of the Treaty of Arbitration shall be void, if made under threats of war or the presence of an armed force. Third. Any nation from which such cessions shall be exacted may demand that the validity of the cessions so made shall be submitted to arbitration. Fourth. Any renunciation of the right to arbitration made under the conditions named in the second section shall be null and void. III. DERECHO DE CONQUISTA. Considerando: Que la Conferencia Internacional Americana no llenaria la parte mas elevada de su misión si se abstuviera de consagrar sus aspiraciones pacíficas y fraternales por medio de declaraciones que consoliden los vínculos nacionales y afianzen las relaciones internacionales de todos los Estados del Continente. Resuelve: Encarecer á los Gobiernos representados en ella, la adopción de las siguientes declaraciones: Primera. El principio de conquista queda eliminado del Derecho público americano, durante el tiempo que esté en vigor el Tratado de arbitrage. Segunda. Las cesiones de territorios que se hicieren durante el tiempo que subaista el tratado de arbitrage serán nulas, si se hubieren verificado bajo la amenaza de la guerra, ó la presión de la fuerza armada. Tercera. La nación que hubiere hecho tales cesiones tendrá derecho para exigir que se decida por arbitramento acerca de la validez de ellas. Quarta. La renuncia del derecho de recurrir al arbitrage, hecha en las condiciones del artículo segundo, carecerá de valor y eficacia. RECIPROCITY TREATIES WITH LATIN AMERICA. MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND LETTER OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE SUBMITTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL A letter of the Secretary of State relative to proposed reciprocal commercial treaties between the United States and the other American Republics. JUNE 19, 1890.-Laid upon the table and ordered to be printed. To the Senate and House of Representatives: I transmit herewith, for your information, a letter from the Secretary of State, inclosing a report of the International American Conference, which recommends that reciprocal commercial treaties be entered inte between the United States and the several other Republics of this hemi sphere. It has been so often and so persistently stated that our tariff law offered an insurmountable barrier to a large exchange of products with the Latin American nations, that I deem it proper to call especial atten tion to the fact that more than 87 per cent. of the products of those nations sent to our ports are now admitted free. If sugar is placed upon the free list, practically every important article exported from those States will be given untaxed access to our markets, except wool The real difficulty in the way of negotiating profitable reciprocity trea ties is, that we have given freely so much that would have had value in the mutual concessions which such treaties imply. I can not doubt however, that the present advantages which the products of these near and friendly States enjoy in our markets-though they are not by law exclusive-will, with other considerations, favorably dispose them to adopt such measures, by treaty or otherwise, as will tend to equalize and greatly enlarge our mutual exchanges. It will certainly be time enough for us to consider whether we must cheapen the cost of production by cheapening labor, in order to gain access to the South American markets, when we have fairly tried the effect of established and reliable steam communication, and of conven ient methods of money exchanges. There can be no doubt, I think, that with these facilities well established, and with a rebate of duties upon imported raw materials used in the manufacture of goods for export, our merchants will be able to compete in the ports of the Latin Ameri can nations with those of any other country. If after the Congress shall have acted upon pending tariff legislation it shall appear that, under the general treaty-making power, or under any special powers given by law, our trade with the States represented in the Conference can be enlarged upon a basis of mutual advantage, it will be promptly done. EXECUTIVE MANSION, June 19, 1890. BENJ. HARRISON. |