The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-12-14
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


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. It's 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
fesfations 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
illustri0us citizen who was but lately the
head Of the nation, we bow in sorrow
and submission. The memory of his ex-
altedcharacter, ofh his noble achievements
and Of his patriotic life, will be treas
ured forever as a 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 directed, on the occasion OF the
late centennial celebration at York
town, that a salute be given to the
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
ish 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 q 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-
trymen to make successful competition
in distant folds 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 allayed
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 O
his gallant cempatriots, who were om
allies in the Revolution, have served tt
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 o
Paris. No accord was reached, but ;
valuable interchange of views was had
and the conference will next year bt
renewed.
AT the electrical exhibition and con
gress also held at Paris this country wa
creditably represented by eminen
specialists who, in the absence of al
appropriation, generously lent their eff
cient aid at the instance of the state de
partment. While our exhibitors in thi
almost distinctly American field o
achievement have won several valuabl
awards, / recommend that Congress
provide for the repayment of the pei
sonal expenses incurred in the publ
interest by the honorary commissioner
and delegates.
FOREIGN TOPICS.
No new question respecting the statu
of our naturalized citizens in German
have arisen during the year and cause
of complaint, especially in Alsace an,
Lorraine have practically ceased throug
the liberal action Of the imperial goN
ernment in accepting our often eXpresse
views on the subject The applicatio
Of the treaty of 1868 to the lately az
Quired Rhenish provinces has receive
very earnest attention. A definite an
lasting agreement on this point is cor
fidently expected. The participation {
the descendants of Baron Won Steube
in the Yorktown festivities and the
subsequent reception by their America
kinsmen strilSingly evinced the ties {
goodwill which unite the German pee
pie and our own.
Our intercourse with Spain has bee
friendly. An agreement concluded
February last fixes a term for the labor
Of the Spanish and American claim
commission. The Spanish governmer
has been requested to pay the lat
awards of that commission, and will,
is believed, accede to the request {
promptly aud courteously as on fo
mer occasions. BY recent legislatio
onerous fines have been imposed o
American shipping in Spanish and c.
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