St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-12-06
The Presidents Message.

! In transmitting to You this my fourth
annual message. it is with thankfulness
to the Oliver of all good that, as IA ma
ton. we have been blessed for the last
wear with peace at home and abroad.
and general prosperity vouchsated to
but few people. With the exception
of the recent
DEVASTATING FIRE
which swept from the earth with a
breath as it were, millions of accumula-
ted wealth. in the city of Boston, there
has been no ovcrshadowing calamity
within the year to record. 1t is graft
flying To note how like their fellow citi-
zenS of Chicago, under similar circum-
stances, il year earlier,
THE CITIZENS OF BOSTON
are rallying under their miStOrtuntS.
and the prospects that their energy and
/ perseverance will overcome all ohSta-
cleS. and show the same prosperity soon.
/ that they would. had no disaster betallell
them.
GENERAL PROSPERITY.
Otherwise we have been free from
| pc>tilcnce. war and calamitics which
often oVcrtake nations. and aS far as
human Judgment comprchcndS the flu
| turc, no cause seems to exist to threaten
our present peace.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
When Congress adjourned. in jun,
last, Il question had been raised bN Great
Britain and WAS then pending. which
for Il time seriously impelilcd the set
Element of friendly arbitration of the
grave differences between this govern
mcnt and that of Her Britanic Majesty,
which by the Treaty of Washington
had been referred by the tribunal OF
;.rhitrrti"n, which had met at Geneva,
in Switzerland
The arhitrat"rs, however. disposed
of the question which had jeopardcd
the whole treaty. and Threatened to in
Nolvc the two nations in the most I'M
happy relations toward each other. in Il
manner entirely satisfactory to this
government. and in accordance with the
views of the policy which it had main
tanned.
The tribunal which had convened in
Geneva, III December. concluded IT.
laborIouS session on the lIth day OF
September last. on which day. having
awaited itself of the discretionary power
given t" it 10y the treaty to award in
full, it made its first decision whereby
1t awarded the sum of SIJ,JOO. 600 IN
gold as tn" indemnity to hc paid 10y
Great Britain t" the United States for
the adjudication of all the claims referred
t" its consideration. This decision hap
ply di>po>o> of Il long standing differ
encc between the two governments and
! i'll connection with another NV ard made
10y the German Emperor. under Il refer
cnCc to him 10y the same treaty, leaves
these two governments without Shad
"w upon the friendly relations. which
il is my sincere hope may forever re
main equally unclnudcd.
The report nt the agent of the United
States appointed L" attend the Geneva
Tribunal. accompanied 10y the protocols
of the proceedings of the arhitlItorS.
the arguments of the council of both
governments. the award of the tribunal
and the opinions given 10y the several
arhItrator~ l. transmitted herewith.
| have CAUSED to he communicated To
the heads of the three friendly powers
VIII" complied with the Joint request
made To them under the treaty. the
thanks of this government for the APP
p"lntmcnt of arhitratol> made, 10y them
respectively. and also my thanks to the
eminent pcr>"nagc> named 10y them and
my appreciation of the dignity. patience
aud great ability with which they dis
charged their arduouS and high tunc-
tiom>
Her Maie>ty'S government has com
mImcatcd t" me its appreciation bN
llcr Majesty of the ability and ind,tn-
tigahlc industry displayed 10y Mr.
Adams. the arbitrator named ON the
pant of this government. during the
prntlaCtcd inquiries and discussions of
the tribunal. | cordially unite with
Her Majesty III this appreciation.
1t Is due t" the agent of the United
States before the Tribunal To record my
high appreciation of the marked ability.
unwcailcd patience. and the prudence
and discretion with which he has con
Quoted the very responsible and deli
cate duties committed to him. aS il is
ais" due to the learned and eminent
counsel. who attended the Tribunal ON
tn" part of this government to express
my sense of the talents and wisdom
which they brought to bear in the at
talnment of the result 80 happily reach
ed.
II will be- the province of Congress to
provide for the distribution. among
those who may he entitled to it. of the.
respective shares of money to he paid.
Although the sum awarded i not
payable until Il year from the date of
award. II l. deemed advisable that no
time he lost III making Il proper cxami-
nation of the several cases in which iu-
identification may hc due cunSc-
qucntlN recommend the creation of a
board OF commissioners for the purpose.
by the thirtyfourth article of the
treaty of Washing ton. the respective.
claims of the 'nitcd States and of Great
Britain, III their construction of the
treaty of the 10Th of June. l-l6. dctin-
ing the boundary line between their
respective territories. were submitted
T." the arbitration and award of His Ma
J"StN the Emperor of Germany. now
pronounced untoundcd. WAS first adj
Nanccd. and as the agent and reprcScII-
tatlNc OF the government, to present the
case. to receive the award
lie has been associated with the uurs-
ton III all its phases. and in every stage
has manlfeStcda patience. zeal and earn
c>tncsS Ill the maintenance of the claim
of the United States.
He Is entitled to much credit for the
success which has attended the Submis-
sion, after II patient investigation ofthe
ease and of statements of each part.
His Majesty, the Emperor, on the DIST
day of October last. signed his award
III writing. decreeing that the claim of
the government of the United STATES
that the boundary line between the ter
rltorieS OF Her Britanic Majesty and the
mtcd states should he drawn through
the llar" Channel is most in accordance
with the true Interpretation of the treaty