It is gratifying to be able to announce that the Belgian Government has
mitigated the restrictions on the importation of cattle from the United
States, to which I referred in my last annual message.
Having been invited by Belgium to participate in a congress, held at
Brussels, to revise the provisions of the general act of July 2, 1890,
for the repression of the African slave trade, to which the United
States was a signatory party, this Government preferred not to be
represented by a plenipotentiary, but reserved the right of accession
to the result. Notable changes were made, those especially concerning
this country being in the line of the increased restriction of the
deleterious trade in spirituous liquors with the native tribes, which
this Government has from the outset urgently advocated. The amended
general act will be laid before the Senate, with a view to its advice
and consent.
Early in the year the peace of Bolivia was disturbed by a successful
insurrection. The United States minister remained at his post, attending
to the American interests in that quarter, and using besides his good
offices for the protection of the interests of British subjects in the
absence of their national representative.
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