The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-12-14
THE PRESIDENT
MESSAGE.

MESSAGE.
70 tie Senate and House Of Represent
atipes OF ne United States:
An appalling calamity has befal-
len the American people since their
chosen representative last met in
the halls where you are assembled.
We might else recall with unalloyed
content the rare prosperity with
which throughout the year the ma
ton has been blessed The harvests
have been plenteous its varied in
dustries have thriven the health OF
its pc ple has been preserved +; 1t
has maintained with foreign govern
n.ents uudisiurbed relations of ami
ty and peace. For these maniesta-
tons OF His favor We owe TO Him
I who holds our destiny in His hands
the tribute of our grateful devotion.
I To that mysterious exercise OF HIs
Will which has taken from US the
loved and illustrious citizen who
was bpt lately the head of the ma
ton Ne bow in sorrow and submls
sion. 1he memory Of his exalted
character. Of his noble achievements,
and of his patriotic life will be treas
ured forevever as sacred possession
of tue whole people. The announce
men. of his death drew from foreign
governments and peoples tributes of
sympathy and sorrow, which histo-
irg will record as signal tokens OF the
kinship of nations and the fedora
tons of mankind.
OUR RELATIONS WITH ENGLAND.
The feeling of good will between
our own Government and that of
Great Britain was never more mark
ed than at present. In recognition
OF this pleasing fact directed on
the occasion Of the late Centennial
celebration at Yorktown, that a sa-
lutte be given to the British flag.
Save for the correspondence, to
which | shall refer hereafter, in re-
lation to the proposed canal across
! the lsthmus of Panama, little has
occurred worthy of mention in The
diplomatic relations of the two coun
tries. Early in the year the Fortune
Bay claims were satisfactorily set
1 tied, hy the British Government
paying in full the sum of el50J0,
most Of which has already been dis
tributed. As the terms of the set
tlement included compensation for
injuries suffered by our fishermen
at Aspel Bay, there has been Retain
ed from the gross award a ruRn
which is deemed adequate for those
claims.
The participation of America in
the exhibitions at Melbourne and
Sidney viii be appropriately men
toned in the reports of the two ex-
hihitions soon 10 be presented tot
Congress. They viii disclose the
readiness Of our countrymen TO make
successful competition in distant
fields of enterprise. Negotiations
for an international Copyright Con
vention are IN hopeful progress. The
surrender Of Sitting Bull and his
forces uDon the Canadian frontier
has allayed apprehension, although |
bodies Of British Indians still cross
the border il quest of sustenance
Upon this subject a correspondence |
has been opened which promises an
adequate understanding. Our troops |
have orders to avoid, meanwhile, all |
collisions with alien Indians.
OTHER FOREIGN RELATIONS.
The presence at the YORKTOWN cell
ebration Of representatives OF the
republican descendants of Lafayette |
and his gallant compatriots who |
were our allies in the Revolution,
has served to strengthen the spirit |
of good will which has always ex-
isted between the two nations.
You will be furnished with the
proceedings of The Bi-metalhc Con-
ference held during the summer at
the city of Paris. No accord was
reached bat a valuable interchange |
of views was had, and the Confer
ence will next year he renewed.
At the Electrical Exhibition and
Congress. also held at Paris, this
country was creditably represented
by eminent specialists. who, IL, the
absence of an appropriation, gen
erously lent their efforts at the IN
stance of the State Department.
While our exhibitors in this almost
di,tinctively American field OF
achievement have won several valu-
ahle awards. | recommend that Con- |
ares- provide for the repayment OF
the personal expenses incurred III
the public interest by the honorary |
commissioners and delegates. No
new questions respecting the status !
of our naturalized citizens III Ger
many have arisen during the year,
and the causes OF complaint, espe-
ciany In Alsace and Lorraine. have
practically ceased, through the lib
eral action of the Imperial Govern
lment in accepting our often express
ed views on the subject. The appii-
cation of the treaty of 1868 to the
lately acquired Rhenish provinces
has received very earnest attention
A definite and lasting agreement on
this point is confidently expected.
The participation of the descendants
| of Baron Won Stuben in the York
town festivities, and their subsequent
reception by their American kins-
men. strikingly evinced the ties of
good viii which unite the German
! people and our own Our inter
course with Spain has been friend
lly. An agreement, concluded IN
February last. fixes term for the
labors of the Spanish and American
Claims Commission. The Spanish
Government has been requested to
pay the late awards of that commits
sion. and viii, it is believed, aceede