of the President in such cases has never been withheld, and his efforts have been rewarded by the prevention of sanguinary strife or angry contentions between peoples whom we regard as brethren.

The existence of this growing tendency convinces the President that the time is ripe for a proposal that shall enlist the good-will and active cooperation of all the states of the western hemisphere, both north and south, in the interest of humanity and for the common weal of nations. He conceives that none of the governments of America can be less alive than our own to the dangers and horrors of a state of war, and especially of war between kinsmen. He is sure that none of the chiefs of governments on the continent can be less sensitive than he is to the sacred duty of making every endeavor to do away with the chances of fratricidal strife. And he looks with hopeful confidence to such active assistance from them as will serve to show the broadness of our common humanity and the strength of the ties which bind us all together as a great and harmonious system of American commonwealths.

Impressed by these views, the President extends to all the independent countries of North and South America an earnest invitation to partici pate in a general congress to be held in the city of Washington on the 24th day of November, 1882, for the purpose of considering and discussing the methods of preventing war between the nations of America. He desires that the attention of the congress shall be strictly confined to this one great object; that its sole aim shall be to seek a way of permanently averting the horrors of cruel and bloody combat between countries, oftenest of one blood and speech, or the even worse calamity of internal commotion and civil strife; that it shall regard the burdensome and far-reaching consequences of such struggles, the legacies of exhausted finances, of oppressive debt, of onerous taxation, of ruined cities, of parayzed industries, of devastated fields, of ruthless conscription, of the slaughter of men, of the grief of the widow and the orphan, of embittered resentments, that long survive those who provoked them and heavily afflict the innocent generations that come after.

The President is especially desirous to have it understood that, in putting forth this invitation, the United States does not assume the position of counseling, or attempting, through the voice of the congress, to counsel any determinate solution of existing questions which may now divide any of the countries of America. Such questions can not properly come before the congress. Its mission is higher. It is to provide for the interests of all in the future, not to settle the individual differences of the present. For this reason especially the President has indicated a day.

for the assembling of the congress so far in the future as to leave good ground for hope that by the time named the present situation on the South Pacific coast will be hapilly terminated, and that those engaged in the contest may take peaceable part in the discussion and solution of the general question affecting in an equal degree the well-being of all.

It seems also desirable to disclaim in advance any purpose on the part of the United States to prejudge the issues to be presented to the congress. It is far from the intent of this government to appear before the congress as in any sense the protector of its neighbors or the predestined and necessary arbitrator of their disputes. The United States will enter into the deliberations of the congress on the same footing as the other powers represented, and with the loyal determination to approach any proposed solution, not merely in its own interest, or with a view to asserting its own power, but as a single member among many coordinate and coequal states. So far as the influence of this government may be potential, it will be exerted in the direction of conciliating whatever conflicting interests of blood, or government, or historical tradition may necessarily come together in response to a call embracing such vast and diverse. elements.

You will present these views to the minister of foreign relations of the Argentine Republic, enlarging, if need be, in such terms as will readily occur to you, upon the great mission which it is within the power of the proposed congress to accomplish in the interest of humanity, and upon the firm purpose of the United States to maintain a position of the most absolute and impartial friendship towards all. You will thereupon, in the name of the President of the United States, tender to His Excellency the President of the Argentine Republic, a formal invitation. to send two commissioners to the congress, provided with such powers and instructions on behalf of their government as will enable them to consider the questions brought before that body within the limit of submission contemplated by this invitation. The United States, as well as the other powers, will, in like manner, be represented by two commissioners, so that equality and impartiality will be amply secured in the proceedings of the congress.

In delivering this invitation through the minister of foreign affairs, you will read this dispatch to him and leave with him a copy, intimating that an answer is desired by this government as promptly as the just consideration of so important a proposition will permit.

I am, &c.,

JAMES G. BLAINE.

ARBITRATION CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF BRAZIL AND CHINA.

The President of the United States of Brazil and His Majesty the Emperor of China, desiring to conclude an arbitration convention in application of the principles enounced in Articles 15 to 19 and 21 of the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, signed at The Hague on the 29th July, 1899, and in Articles 37 to. 40 and 42 of the Convention signed in the same city of The Hague on the 18th October, 1907, have named as their plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

The President of the United States of Brazil, Mr. M. C. Goncalves Pereira, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China and to Japan;

His Majesty, the Emperor of China, Mr. Lien Fang, Vice-President of the Board of Foreign Affairs;

Who, being duly authorized, have agreed upon the following articles:

ARTICLE I.

Differences which may arise of a legal nature or relating to the interpretation of treaties existing between the two Contracting Parties, and which it may not have been possible to settle by diplomacy, shall be referred to the Permanent Court of Arbitration established at The Hague by the Convention of the 29th July, 1899, provided, nevertheless, that they do not affect the vital interests, the independence, or the honor of the two Contracting States, and do not concern the interests of Third Parties: it being further understood that, if one of the two Contracting Parties prefer it, all arbitration resulting from the present Convention shall be submitted to a Head of a State, to a friendly Government, or one or more arbitrators chosen outside the list of the Tribunal of the Hague.

ARTICLE II.

In each individual case the High Contracting Parties before appealing to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, to other arbitrators or to a sole arbitrator, shall conclude a special agreement defining clearly the matter in dispute, the scope of the powers of the arbitrator or arbitrators and the periods to be fixed for the formation. of the arbitral tribunal or the choice of an arbitrator or of arbitrators, as well as the rules of the procedure.

It is understood that with respect to the United States of Brazil, such

special agreement will be made by the President of the Republic with the consent of the National Congress, and with respect to the Chinese Empire, by the Emperor in such form and under such conditions as he shall deem necessary or convenient.

ARTICLE III.

The present Convention shall remain in force for the period of five years from the date of the exchange of ratifications. If it is not denounced six months before the expiration of this period it will continue to remain in force for a new period of five years and so successively.

ARTICLE IV.

The present Convention will be ratified after the legal formalities in the two countries have been observed, and the ratifications will be exchanged at Rio de Janeiro as soon as possible.

The present convention is drawn up in the Portuguese, Chinese and French languages. Four copies have been prepared. In case of disagreement, the French text alone shall be authoritative.

In testimony whereof we, the above-named plenipotentiaries, have signed the present convention and affixed our seals thereto.

Done at Peking the third of August, one thousand nine hundred and nine, corresponding to the eighteenth day of the sixth moon of the first year of Hsüan Tung.

TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF BRAZIL AND THE ORIENTAL REPUBLIC OF URUGUAY, MODIFYING THEIR FRONTIERS ON LAKE MERIM AND THE JAGUARÃO RIVER AND ESTABLISHING GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION IN THOSE PLACES.

The Republe of the United States of Brazil and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, with a view to render closer and closer their ancient friendship and to develop the relations of commerce and neighborliness between the two peoples, have resolved, upon the initiative of the Brazilian Government, to revise and modify the stipulations relative to the frontier

lines on Lake Merim and the Jaguarão River, and also, as proposed by the Oriental Government since December, 1851, those relative to the navigation on said lake and river, the stipulations mentioned being contained in the Boundary Treaty of October 12, 1851, in that of May 15, 1852, and in the Agreement of April 22, 1853, the first signed at the city of Rio de Janeiro and the other two at the city of Montevideo;

And for this purpose have appointed Plenipotentiaries, to-wit:

The President of the Republic of the United States of Brazil, Doctor José Maria da Silva Paranhos do Rio Branco, its Minister of State for Foreign Relations; and

The President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Mr. Rufino T. Dominguez, its Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Brazil;

Who, after exchanging their full powers, which were found in good and proper form, have agreed on the following articles:

ARTICLE I.

The Republic of the United States of Brazil cedes to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay:

1. From the mouth of the stream San Miguel up to the Jaguarão River, the part of Lake Merim included between its western shore and the new frontier which is to cross longitudinally the waters of the lake according to Article III of the present treaty;

2. On the river Jaguarão, the part of the river territory included between the right, or southern, bank and the dividing line hereinafter determined, in Article IV.

ARTICLE II.

The cession of the rights of sovereignty of Brazil, based in the beginning upon the possession she acquired and has maintained, since 1801, of the waters and navigation of Lake Merim and the Jaguarão River, and, afterward, established and confirmed solemnly in the pacts of 1851, 1852 and 1853, is made subject to the following conditions, which the Oriental Republic of Uruguay accepts:

1. Except in case of a subsequent agreement, Brazilian and Oriental vessels may navigate and engage in commerce in the waters of the Jaguarão River and Lake Merim as is hereinafter, in other articles, declared.