St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-12-17
WASHINGTON, D. G., Dec. 6.
ad Hossse of Representatives. Of


II the United Sta.s: r
An appalling alamity has befalenthe Amer
acan people sine their chosen representatives
last met in the .alls where you ar now as,
sembled. We night else recall with nnalloyed
content the are prosperity with which
throughout tn, year the nation has been
blessed. Its hrvests have been llenteous,
its varied industries have thriven, he health
OF its people ha been preserved, 1thas main :
tanned with foreign governments he "ndis-
turbed relationsof anlity and peace.For these
who holds our desinyin His hands ne tribute
OF our grateful DEVOTION. To that Mysterious
exercise Of viii which has taken from us the
loved and illustrDus citizen who was but
lately the head of the nation, we boy in sor-
row and submission. The memory his eX-
allied character, Of his noble achlWements
and OF his patriotic lie WIN 6e e, trea ln, iop
pie. The announcement of. his ue;th drew
fromforeign governments and people tributes
OF sympathy and sorrow which hlspry VIII
record as signal tokens OF the klnsnp OF ma
tons and the federation OF MANKIND
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
I The feeling of good will between our Gov.
| eminent and that of Great Britain Wts never
more marked than at present. In recognition
sion Of tie late tee ,centtnniM celebntion at
Yorktown, chat salute be given 70 Il1e Brit
SaVe fer the correspond len d 10 which I
| shall refer hereafter in relation to ne pro-
= posed canal across the Isthmus of 'anama,
little has occurred worthy of mention in the
diplomatic relations of the countries. Earlyin
the year the Fortune Bay claims wee salts
;factorily settled by the British GovGnment
paying. in full the sum of $4,000, host OF
which has already been distributed. AS the
terms of the settlement included conpensa.
ton for injuries suffered by cur f1she1alen at
Aspee Bay, there has been RETAINED from
the gross award a sum which is deemd ade.
Americans in the exhibitions at Melbourne
and Sydney will be appropriately meHioned
i'll the reports of the two exhibitions Don to
be presented to Congress. They will dsclose
the readiness of our cOuntrymen to maze sue
cessful competition in distant helds Of en-
terprise.
Negotiations for aninternational copyright
convention are in hopeful progress. Tie sur
render of Sitting Bull and his force uponhe Ca
madam frontier, has allayed all apprehension,
although bodies of British Indians still cross
the border in quest of sustenance. UpQ this
subject correspondence has been 0ened
which promises an adequate understanding.
Our troops have orders to avoid, meanwhile
all collisions with alien Indians.
The presence at the Yorktown celebPtion
of representatives of Lafayette and of by gall
liant compatrfots who were our allies p the
it of good will which has always existd be.
tween the two nations. You will be furnished
with the proceedings of the BimetallicCon-
ference held during the summer at the ety OF
Paris No accord was reached, but a valable
interchange of views was had, and thecon-
ference will next year be renewed.
AT the electl1cal eXlfD1G1On anu COnTeSS,
also held Mt Paris this country was crediably
represented by eminent specialists wlp, in
the absence OF an appropriation, generously
lent their efficient aid at the instance o the
State Department. While our exhibitions in
this almost distinctiyely American fed of
achievement have won several awards, hec-
sommend that Congress provide for the r9ay-
ment of the personal expenses incurrd in
the public interest by the honorary connis-
.stoners and delegates.
No new questions respecting the stats of
;our naturaliZed citizens in Germany lave
arisen during the year, and causes of ON
plant, especially in Alsace and Lorraine, ave
practically ceased, through the liberal aGon
of the imperial government in accepting Dur
often expressed views on the subject. The
application of the Treaty of 1858 to the laelv
acquired Rhenish provinces has received
very earnest attention, and definite ind
lasting agreement on this point is confide,tiy
expected.
The participation of the descendant: OF
Baron Won Steuben ia the Yorktown festivities,
and their subsequent reception by heir
American kinsmen, evince the ties of god
will which unite the German people and our
own.
our intercourse with Spain has been fried
ly. An agreement concluded in February
last fixes a term for the labors of the Spanish
and American Claims Commission. The Snn-
ish Government has been requested to lay
the late awards of the commission and viii,
it is believed, accede to the request as
promptly and courteously as on former oea-
sions: By recent legislation numerous fhes
in Spanish and colonial ports for slight irrg
ularties in manifests. $4a
one case of hardship is specially worry
for Japan, entered Manila in distress,
and is there forced to lie confiscated unler
Spanish revenue laws for an alleged shortage
her relief have thus far proved unavailinsi it |
is expected that the matter will be adjustedn
"a friendly spirit. 1
The Senate resolutions of coincidence on he
siraf nf ha CzQr Icy or Ixrc.o
appropriately communicated to the Russi.n |
Government, which in turn has expressed IS
sympathy in our late national bereavement. |
1t is desirable that our cordial relations with |
Russia should be strengthened by proper O.
gagements, assuring to peaceable Americas |
who visit the Empire the consideration with
This is especially needful with respect 10 |
American lsraelites, whose classification win |
the native Hebrews has evoked energetic D.
monstrances from this Government. 4 l
A consular agreement with Italy has ben |
sanctioned and proclaimed which puts 1t |
rest the conflicts of Jurisdiction in case Ii |
crimes ON shipboard. Several important IL |
teinational conferences have been held b |
Italy during the year. At the Geographical |
sCongress of Venice, the Bonifice Congress |
Milan and the Nice Congress of Turin tbs |
different branches of the public service or u
private citizens duly accredited for the pul !
pose. 1t is hoped Congress win give sud |
prominence to the results Of their participe |
ton as they may seem to deserve.
The abolition of all discriminating dutie |
against colonial productions of the Dutch Eas |
Indies as are imported hither from Holland |
has been already considered by Congress. IL
trust that at the present session the mattel
may be favorably concluded. The insecurity!
of life and property in many parts of Turkey
has given rise to correspondence with theI
Porte looking particularly to the better pro-
lection of American missionaries in the emil
nire. The condemned murderer of the en-
inent missionary, DR.. Justin w. Parsons, hasI
not yet been executed. although this Govern
.nent had repeatedly demanded that exem.
plary justice be done.
The Swiss Government has solicited. the
good offices of our diplomatic and consular
agents for the protection of its citizens in
countries where it is not itself represented,
This request has within proper limits been
granted. Our agents in Switzerland have
Of the authorities Of certain comnluiles in
permitting the emigration to this country of