Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-12-09
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
T he Senate and House Of Representa-
tires IF the UnHod States:

\
As American people since their chosen
representatives. last met in the halls of
where you are now assembled. We
night else recall with mallovcd CON
tent the rare prosperity with which
th-Oughout the year the nation has been
b. st, It's havcsts have been plcnte-
a,, its varied industries has thriven,
'ha health of its people has been pre-
S-ycd, it has maintained with foreign
grenments the undisturbcd relations
o. amity and peace. For these mani
stations of His favor we owe to Him
uo holds our destiny in His hands, the
rlutc of our grateful devotions. To
int mysterious exercise of His will
Which has taken from us the loved and
.lStriOuS citizen who was but lately the
bad Of the nation, we bow in sorrow
al submission. The memory of his cX-
lcd character. Ofhis noble achievements
al Of his patriotic life, will be treas
Or whole people. The announce
r.nt Of his death drew from foreign
.ycrrments and peoples tributes of
mpathy and sorrow which history will
atord as signal tokens of the kinship
nations and the federation of man
Nl.
on RELATIONS WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
The feeling of goodwill between our
ON government and that of Great
Bitain was never more marked than at
resent. In recognition of this pleasing
frt | directed, on the occasion of the
lie centennial celebration at York
town, that salute be given to the
BitiSh flag. Save for the correspondence
I which | shall refer hereafter in rela-
TN to the proposed canal across
tie Isthmus of Panama, little
h occurred worthy of mention in the
diplomatic relations of the two countries.
hrlyin the year the Fortune bay claims
we're satisfactorily settled by the Brit
in government paying in full the sum
c fla, GOO, most of which has been al
rady distributed. As the terms of the
sttlement included compensation for
Injuries suffered by our fishermen at
Aspee bay, there has been retained
flOm the gross award a sum which is
deemed adequate for those claims.
The participation of Americans in
tie exhibitions at Melbourne and sgd
u9y 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 fields of enterprise. Nego
tiations for an international copyright
convention are in hopeful progress The
surrender of Sitting Bull and his force:
upon the Canadian frontier has allayed
apprehension, although bodies Of British
Indians still cross the border in quest oI
sustenance. Upon this subject a 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 rcpubli
cans. descendants of Lafayette and o
his gallant compatriots, who were on
allies in the Revolution. have served t,
strengthen the spirit of goodwill whicl
has always existed between the tw,
nations.
TIE SILVER CONFERENCE.
You will be furnished with the pre-
cecdings 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 b
renewed.
At the electrical exhibition and cor
gresS also held at Paris this country wa
crcditably represented by emineu
specialists who, in the absence of a
appropriation. generously lent their eft
Cient aid at the instance of the state do
partment. While our exhibitors in thi
almost distinctly American field c
achievement have won several valuabl
awards, L 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 COY
eminent 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 col
tidently expected, The participation {
the descendants Of Baron Won Steube
in the Yorktown festivities and the
subsequent reception by their America
kinsmen strikingly 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 laboI
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, accedc to the request {
promptly and cautiously as on 70
mcr occasions. BY recent legislatiO
onerous fines have been imposed O
American shipping in Spanish and c.
lonial ports for slight irregularities
manifests. One case of hardship is sp
Cially worthy Of attention. The ban
Masonic, bound for Japan, entered NJ
Mia in distress, and is there sought to
coniiscated under Spanish revenue law
for an alleged shortage in her tran
shipped cargo. Though efforts for 1t
relief have thus far proved unavailing
is cXnpcted that thp whole rnattnr vi