Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-12-07
WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER Z, 1881.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

H
The following is the Presidents
message delivered to the two houses
of Congress yesterday:
To the Senate and House IF Represe1sto-
tires Of tie United States:
An appalling calamity has befallen the
American people since their chosen Repre-
sentativss last met in the halls where you
are now assembled. We might recall with
unallayed content, the rare prosperity with
which throughout the year the nation has
been blessed; its harvests have been plen-
teous; its varied industries have thrived; the
health of It's people has been preserved; it
has maintained with foreign governments
the undisturbed relations of amity and
peace For these manifestations of His
favor we owe to Him, who holds our des-
tiny in His hands, the tribute of our CRATE
full devotion to that mysterious exercise of
His will, which has taken from us
the loved and illustrious citizen who was
but lately the head of the nation, we bow
in sorrow and submission. The memory of
his exalted character, of his noble achiev-
ments and of his patriotic life viii be treas
ured forever as sacred possession of the
whole people. The announcement of his
death drew from foreign governments and
people, tributes of sympathy and sorrow
which history will record as signal tokens of
the kinship of nations and the federation of
mankind. The feeling of good will be-
Great Britain was never more marked than
at present. In recognition of this pleasing
fact, I directed on the occasion of the late
centennial celebration at Yorktown, that a
salute be given to the British flag save for
the correspondence to which | shall refer
hereafter in relation to the proposed canal
across the Isthmus of Panama. Little has
occurred worthy of mention in the diplo-
matte relations of the two countries. Early
in the year the Fortune Bay claims were
satisfactorily settled by the British Govern
ment paying in full the sum OF Els, 900,
most of which has been already distributed.
As the terms of the settlement included
compensation for injuries suffered by our
fishermen at Aspee Bay, there has been re
tanned from the gross award sum which is
deemed adequate for those claims.
The participation of Americans in the ex.
hibitions at MeIbourn and Sidney will be
approvingly mentioned in the reports of the
two exhibitions soon to be presented to Con
gress. They will disclose the readiness OF
our countrymen to make successful compe-
tition in distant fields of enterprise.
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT
Negotiations for an international copy
right convention are in hopeful progress
The surrender of Sitting Bull and his
forces upon the Canadian frontier has al
layed apprehension, although. bodies OF
British Indians still cross the border il
quest of susteaance. Upon this subject q
correspondence has opened which promises
an adequate understanding. Our troops
have orders to avoid, meanwhile, all COLI
sions with all Indians.
The presence at the
YORKTOWN CELEBRATION
of representative of the French republic
and descendants of La Fayette and of hi
gallant compatriots who were our allies il
the revolution, has served to strengthen thu
spirit of good will which has always ex
listed between the two nations.
THE BIMETALLIC CONFERENCE.
You will be furnished with the proceed
ines of the bimetaflic conference held during
the summer at the city of Paris. No aceore
was reached, but valuable interchange O.
views was had, and the conference will mex
wear be renewed At the electrical exhibition
and congress also held at Paris this coun
try was creditably represented by emf
nent specialists who, in the absence
of all appropriation, generously lent theil
efficient aid at the notice of the State De
partment While our exhibitions in the al
most distinctiyely American field of achieve
ment have won several valuable awards,
recommend that Congress provide for the
repayment of the personal expenses incurred
i'll the public interest by the honorary com
missioners and delegates. No new ques
tons respecting the status of our nationa
affairs i'll Germany have arisen during tn
year, and the causes of complaint, especial,
III Alsaice and Lorraine, have practicall
ceased through the liberal action of the i'm
perial government in accepting our after ex
pressed views on the subject.
The application of the treaty of 1850 til
lately acquired provinces, has received yer,
earnest attention, and a definite and lastin
agreement on this point is confidently OK
pected. The participation of the descend
ants of Baron Won Steuben in the York
town festivities, and their subsequent recer
ton by their American kinsmen, strikingi
evincCd the ties of good will which unit
the German people and our own. Our in
tercourse with Spain has been friendly, a.
agreement concluded in February last fxe
at the time for the labors of the SPANS
and American claims commissions. Th
Spanish Government has been requested
pay the late awards of that Commission, an
will, it is believed, accede to the request a
promptly and courteously as on former oe
casions.
BY recent legislation onerous fine
have been imposed upon American shiI
ping, in Spanish and colonial ports fc
slight irregularities in manifesto. One cas-
OF hardship is specially worthy of attention
The Masonic, bound for Japan, entered Ms