the Senate advise and consent to the ratification of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship made at Ruby Valley, in the Territory of Nevada, the 1st day of October, A.D. 1863, between the United States of America, represented by their Commissioners, and the Western Bands of the Shoshonee nation of Indians, represented by their Chiefs and Principal Men and Warriors, with the following AMENDMENT:

Fill the blank in Article VIII with the word five.

Attest:

J. W. FORNEY, Secretary.

And whereas, the foregoing amendment having been fully explained and interpreted to the undersigned Chiefs, Principal Men, and Warriors of the Western Bands of the Shoshonee nation of Indians, they did, on the 17th day of June, 1869, give their free and voluntary assent to the said amendment, in the words and figures following, to wit:

Whereas the Senate of the United States, in executive session, did advise, and consent to the ratification of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship made at Ruby Valley, in the Territory of Nevada, on the 1st day of October, 1863, by the Commissioners on the part of the United States and the Western Bands of the Shoshonee nation of Indians, represented by their Chiefs and Principal Men, and Warriors, with the following amendment:

"Fill the blank in Article VIII with the word five."

And whereas the foregoing amendment has been fully interpreted and explained to the undersigned Chiefs, and Principal Men and Warriors of the aforesaid Western Bands of the Shoshonee nation of Indians, we do hereby agree and assent to the same. Done at Ruby Valley, Nevada, on this 17th day of June, A.D. 1869.

SPEECH of the President of Chile, on the Opening of Congress. Santiago, June 1, 1875.

(Translation.)

FELLOW-CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND OF THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES,

I HAVE the satisfaction of inaugurating for the fourth time your legislative labours in the midst of peace, and on the happy path of moral and material progress which the nation is treading with sure and prudent step.

Animated with a loyal spirit of justice and duty, we continue to cultivate with particular solicitude the cordial relations which subsist between us and friendly nations.

There will be immediately submitted for your approval the last agreement come to with the Republic of Bolivia, in modification of the frontier Treaty of 1866, which was found to offer so many difficulties in practice.

The unhappy internal crisis which has recently afflicted the Argentine Republic has prevented the conclusion of the negotiations respecting the frontier. Now, however, as the public order and regular administration of that State have been re-established, there is reason to hope for the adoption of a complement to the existing Treaty of 1856,† which in its 39th Article provides that, failing complete agreement, the question of frontier shall be submitted to the arbitration of a friendly nation. There is good cause to hope that without appealing to arbitration we may arrive at a more friendly and mutually satisfactory understanding.

The question raised by the division of the cost of the allied squadron of Chile and Peru in the last war with Spain, which was submitted to arbitration, has received equitable and final solution by the judgment pronounced by the arbitrator upon all the points in debate.

Since the exchange of ratifications in each case, the Postal Convention entered into with the German Empire and the Consular Convention concluded with the Republic of Peru have been promulgated as laws of the Republic.

The Postal Conventions also with the Republics of Colombia and Uruguay will shortly be promulgated, and await only the exchange of ratifications.

Similar engagements with France and with the United States of North America are under consideration.

At home the various works which I am charged to execute bave made rapid and successful progress.

* Vol. LVI. Page 717.

+ Vol. XLIX. Page 1200.

The various works in connection with the railway which is to link Curicó to Talcahuano, Los Angeles, and Angol were proceeding with marked rapidity up to the commencement of April last. The number of workmen of all sorts employed upon it reached 7,000.

Unfortunately, in the same month the progress of the work diminished through the contractor failing to provide himself in time with the considerable amount of funds demanded by the execution of such an extensive contract. I have, however, been able to smooth some difficulties in this matter, and I believe that in a few days the former activity will be resumed, and that, in fulfilment of pledges given me, the rails along the whole extent of the railroad will be united except across certain rivers, the passage of which will be effected by temporary bridges within the first two months of next year.

The railroad between Talcahuano and Chillan is finished, and the commission to whom it is to be submitted for ascertaining that its various works have been carried out in accordance with the contract will shortly be named. Other improvements effected the extension of the Northern Railway up to the quay, and the construction of the new street, Calle de Blanco, so necessary to ease the traffic of Valparaiso with its numerous population.

Further authorized to execute costly public works which every day become more necessary on the Northern Railway, I have given orders for these to be carried out gradually so as not to lay too heavy a burden upon our Treasury in our present circumstances.

The palace destined for your sessions will be completed and put in order to receive the newly elected Deputies on the 1st June next.

Since the 1st of March last the new Penal Code and the Mining Code which have introduced such important reforms into our legis lation have been in force as laws of the Republic.

The revision of the Civil Code has made considerable advance, and the rédaction of the Codes of Criminal, Rural, and Military Law is also making active progress.

The basis of these important labours is the scheme of organization and jurisdiction of the tribunals which awaits your judgment, inasmuch as this project gives our Courts a new organization by carefully establishing and delimiting their jurisdiction, destroys privileges obnoxious to our democratic system, as well as the conflicting and injurious confusion between the jurisdictions of numerous public functionaries, and provides for rendering the responsibility of our judges real, instead of their being, as hitherto, merely nominal and illusory.

In recommending the prompt adoption of this important scheme, I should specially invite your attention to the daily increasing necessity of establishing a new Court of Appeal, to remedy the very

serious evils which impair our administration of justice by reason of the extraordinary increase of cases which the prompt and assiduous attention of the existing Court of Appeal at Santiago has been unable to diminish.

The new gaols in Quillota and Curicó are already in use, and, as means may permit, similar establishments will be erected in such Departments as most need them.

All branches of public instruction have been the object of my most diligent attention. Higher and middle-class education is constantly undergoing amelioration. Every year a considerable increase is noted in the number of youths attending the Instituto Nacional, and other State or private educational establishments.

In order to foster elementary education, new schools have been established, and those existing have been improved, while support is given to those individuals and associations who in increasing numbers are helping the Government in the diffusion of elementary instruction.

The total receipts of our commerce during the year 1874 were 81,802,051 dollars. The value of imports exceeded that in the previous year by 489,302 dollars, and that of our exported products, agricultural and mineral, by 2,387,924 dollars. Such results are very satisfactory, even without reference to the recent commercial and industrial depression.

The fiscal receipts of 1874 amount to 15,661,724 dollars, exceeding by 269,167 dollars those of 1873.

The public expenditure in the same year was 22,508,864 dollars, of which 5,876,791 dollars have been devoted to works executed in pursuance of certain special enactments and out of specially allotted funds.

In accordance with the Law of the 18th June of last year, the valuation of the annual revenue of the rural property of the Republic has been taken in hand. Considering the total amount of this revenue, which is much lower than might have been expected, it has been deemed expedient to continue the proportion of taxes of 9 per cent. which was formerly paid, notwithstanding that this rate is insufficient to make up the maximum fixed by the law in question at 1,200,000 dollars.

The imposition of direct taxation is always fraught with serious practical difficulty. The institution of a permanent commission seems to be recognized from experience as the best way of discharging the delicate function of rectifying inequity in valuation. However, I consider it prudent to defer this measure until the next renewal of the public powers.

Regulations have been drawn up and other requisite means adopted for putting in force the laws relating to the marking of

animals, and the establishment of a register of trade marks. The agricultural, commercial, and industrial classes, recognizing the importance of such registers, have promptly availed themselves of the advantages offered by such laws for the regularization of titles of ownership, which previously were recognized only by custom, and had no legal foundation.

The adoption of the Bill for the organization of the revenue offices which I had the honour to propose to you in 1873 becomes more and more an urgent necessity, and will endow our financial system with a basic unity and a facility of working which it at present lacks.

During the present year a considerable portion of the warehouses which are in course of construction has been added to the Customhouse of Valparaiso, and in the ensuing year the whole of this important work will be completed.

The jetty also constructing in this port is making remarkable progress under the direction of the able engineer who had replaced the distinguished author of the original plan who unfortunately died last year.

Judging from the preparations, it may be hoped that the Internation Exhibition to be opened on the 16th of next September will surpass our most flattering expectations. We owe a generous welcome to the exhibitors, and sincere gratitude to the foreign Governments who have lent their concurrence to this peaceful contest of progress.

Of the 7,700,000 dollars to be issued within the country in 6 per cent. bonds, to defray the cost of various works in course of execu tion, 5,000,000 have been converted into a foreign debt in accordance with the authorization which you conferred upon me last year.

This conversion will be seen to have been of considerable use, when its results are compared with the price for which the bonds could have been disposed of at home, and the competition so prejudicial to our commercial and industrial necessities which this would have is taken into account.

A considerable portion of these funds has already reached the country through letters of change on London, an operation which has also its advantage.

In the Estimates for the ensuing year the strictest economy has been consulted, and this course is absolutely necessary during the construction of the valuable public works now progressing.

The national fleet has been increased by the addition of the iron-clad frigate Almirante Cochrane. This vessel has undergone a detailed examination by our naval officers and by foreign officers of experience, and has been pronounced worthy to figure with the most powerful and best built vessels.