The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-12-10
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To the Senate and House Of Representa-
tires Of the United States:

An appalling calamity has befallen
the American people since their chosen
representatives last met in the halls of
where you are now assembled. We
might else recall with unalloyed con-
tent the rare prosperity with which
throughout the year the nation has been
blest. Its harvests have been plente-
Gus, its varied industries has thriven.
the health of its people has been pre-
served, it has maintained with foreign
governments the undisturbed relations
of amity and peace. For these mani
festations of His favor we owe to Him
who holds our destiny in His hands, the
tribute Of our grateful devotions. To
that mysterious exercise of His will
which has taken from us the loved and
lllstrious citizen who was but lately the
head OF the nation, we bow in sorrow
and submission. The memory of his ex-
allied character, of his noble achievements
and Of his patriotic life, will be treas
ured forever as sacred possession of
the whole people. The announce
ment of his death drew from foreign
governments and peoples tributes of
sympathy and sorrow which history will
record as signal tokens of the kinship
of nations and the federation of man
kind.
OUR RELATIONS WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
The feeling of goodwill between our
own government and that of 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 York
hof Into ha 10
British flag. Save for the correspondence
to which / shall refer hereafter in rela-
ton to the proposed canal across
the Isthmus of Panama, little
has occurred worthy of mention in the
diplomatic relations of the two countries.
Earlyin the year the Fortune bay claims
were satisfactorily settled by the Brit
sh government paying in full the sum
of Els, 900, most of which has been al
ready distributed. AS the terms of the
settlement included compensation for
injuries suffered by our fishermen at
Aspee bay, there has been retained
from the gross award sum which is
deemed adequate for those claims.
The participation of Americans in
the exhibitions at Melbourne and Sgd
ney will be approvingly mentioned in
the reports of the two exhibitions soon
to be presented to Congress. They
will disclose the readiness of our coun-
tymen to make successful competition
in distant fields of enterprise. Nego-
tiations for an international copyright
convention are in hopeful progress. The
surrender of Sitting Bull and his forces
upon the Canadian frontier has allaved
apprehension, although bodies of British
Indians still cross the border in quest of
sustenance. Upon this subject cor
respOndence has been opened which
promises an adequate understanding.
Our troops have orders to avoid mean
while all collisions with alien Indians.
THE YORKTOWN CELEBRATION.
The presence at the Yorktown cele-
bratiOn of representatives of republi-
cans, descendants of Lafayette and of
bis gallant compatriots, who were our
allies in the Revolution, have served to
strengthen the spirit of goodwill which
has always existed between the two
nations.
THE SILVER CONFERENCE.
You will be furnished with the pro-
ceedings of the bi-metallic conference
held during the summer at the city Of
Paris. No accord was reached, but a
valuable interchange of views was had,
and the conference will next year be
renewed.
At the electrical exhibition and con-
gress also held at Paris this country was
ereditably represented by eminent
SPECIALISTS who, in the absence of an
appropriation, generously lent their eff
Gent aid at the instance of the state de-
partment. While our exhibitors in this
almost distinctly American field of
achievement have won several valuable
awards, | recommend that Congress
provide for the repayment of the per-
sOnal expenses incurred in the public
interest by the honorary commissioners
and delegates.
FOREIGN TOPICS.
No new question respecting the status
@our naturalized citizens in Germany
nave arisen during the year and causes
complaint, especially in Alsace and
Lorraine have practically ceased through
The liberal action of the imperial gov
eminent in accepting our often expressed
views on the subject. The application
o the treaty of 1868 to the lately &C
CURED Rhenish provinces has received
very earnest attention. A definite and
lasting agreement on this point is con-
MsenItly expected. The participation of
me descendants of Baron Won Steuben
III y, the Yorktown festivities and their
asiosequent reception by their American
nnsmen strikingly evinced the ties of
GOODWILL which unite the German peo-
PIE and our own.
:. Cur intercourse with Spain has been
,rheendly. An agreement concluded in
february last fixes a term for the labors
VI the Spanish and American claims
tboommission. The Spanish government
las been requested to pay the late
awards of that commission, and will, it
y believed, accede to the request as
promptly and courteously as on for
uer occasions. BY recent legislation
u.aerous fines have been imposed on
IH aaiIlc shipping in Spanish and CO.
nnla ports for slight Irregularities in
a;arnests. One case of hardship is spe-
,May worthy of attention. The bark
oldS0nlc ho,lnd for Tanan antpred Mo-