Show presidents MESSAGE Oon tinned cordial connections with foreign countries jh arthur approves tha anti momon animosity by W U lo 10 the ir erald to the and how fir an appalling calamity ua befallen be fullen the people sinic their cho aen et last met in the halh where yon oia now a we might else recall with unalloyed content s the with which throughout alie tear the nation has been blessed have been plenteous its varied industries have thriven the of its people has been it lias maintained forcini govern manta the undisturbed ic lations of amity and peace for cheso manifestations of his favor him who holds our destiny in ilia hands the tribute of our devotions save for the correspondence ta which I shall hereafter arfer to in relation to the proposed canal acroix the of panama little has occurred worth mention in diplomatic relations of the countr iea early in the year alia fortune bay t daims were satisfactorily paid by the british government paying in the sum of of which lias already been distributed as the terms of the settlement including compensation for injuries buffered by our fishermen att aspee bay there has been retained from the gross award a sum which is deemed adequate for aliese claims the participation of the americans in alie exhibition at melbourne and sidney will be approvingly mentioned in ali reports of alie two ex to be presented to congress aliey will disclose the readiness of our countrymen to make successful competition on intact fields of enterprises negotiations for an internal canal and for a copyright convention are in progress alie surrender of sitting bull and upon the canadian frontier hai allayed all although bodies of llott tle still cross the border in quest of sustenance te nance upon this subject a correspondence pon dence has been opened which promises an adequate understanding our troops have orders to while all collisions alien indians the presence at the celebration of representatives of the french he public and descendants descend anta of lafayette and of liis gallant conspirators alio were our allies in alie revolution has served to strengthen the spirit of good will which has always existed between the two nations you will be furnis lied with the proceedings ce of the conference held during the summer at paris no accord was reached ant a valuable interchange ter ot views was haa and the conference will next year be renewed at alie exhibition and congress also bield at paris tin s country was creditably represented by eminent specialists who in the absence of any appropriation generally lent their efficient aid t the instance of alie detate department while inthis almost distinctively american field of achievements have won several awards I je commend that congress provide repayment of the personal expenses incurred in alio public interest by the honorary commissioners and delegates no new respecting alie status of our naturalized citizens la germany leavo arisen during the year and causes of complaint especially in have practically ceased through the liberal action of the imperial government in accepting our often on alie subject the application of the treaty of 1868 to the lately acquired provinces lias received v cry earnest attention A definite and lasting agreement on the point is confidently confident fy expected alie participation of the descendants of baron von steuben in the yorktown festivities and their aub sequent ret eption by their american kinsmen strikingly evinced the less of the good will which unites cheger man people and obrown our spain has been friendly an agreement concluded in february last filea a term for alie labors for the sli and american alaina commission the spanish has been requited to pay alie itte awards of the commission and will it is believed accede to promptly and courteously as n former by recent legislation onerous fines been imposed upon american shipping air and colonial ports for slight irregularities in mani test tests one of hardship i specially worthy of attention the bark mason japan entered manilla in distress and is sought to be confiscated under Spanish the revenue laws for an alleged shortage in lier tran shipped cargo though alie efforts for aier relief have thus far proved unavailing it Is that the whole will be adjusted in a friendly spirit the senate resolution of condolence on the assassination of alie czar alexander the secord were appropriately communicated to the which fri turn has expressed its sympathy in our lato national bereavement it is desirable eliat our cordial relations should be strengthened by proper engagements assuring to the peaceable americans who visit the empire the consideration which is due to bliem as citizens ofa friendly state heedful with to american choso whoso classification has evoked en ergeti crep manees from this gov the abolition of discriminating duties against colonial productions of the indie as are imported hither from holland has already been considered by congress trust that at the present session alie matter may be favorably concluded alie insecurity af pf li fend prosperity of v ihas i has given rise to forre with athe porte looking particularly tn the ghetler protection of american inie sio in thi empire th con murderer of alic eminent missionary M parsons iab lint yet boon although thia has repeatedly demanded it alie tiel ra lias elicited our diplomatic and for tho of itt in conn tries not itself represented request lias proper limits been ap ants in switzerland liao been anstr acted to protest against tac conduct tho authorities of commune in permitting the emigration to bis country of criminals and objectionable persons several such persons through tho co odthe commissioner of emigration tt new york have been back by the steamers brought them A continuance ti nuance ot this course rosy prove a more effectual remedy alian diplomatic remonstrance treaties of commerce and navigation and for of consular privileges have been concluded with and since their admission into alie family of european spates as is natural with contiguous states leaving like institutions and like aim of advancement and development alie friendship of ahti united states and mexico lias been constantly maintained alie government Gover nent ha fost ho occasion of encouraging tho mexican government to a beneficial uon of alie mutual which vill result from intimate commercial inter courso and from the of alie rich inferior of mexico to railway enterprise ter prise I deem it ehst meansie me ansbe provided to restrain tl e lav unfortunately so ai alie frontier and to suppress the oras of alie reservation indians onit lur side of the rio grande the boring states of central amerian have preserved internal acice and outward relations us have been those of intimate frind there gisob growing disposition to a te their local interests to thoa alich are common to them by of geographical relations the boundary dispute between guatemala Gut emala and mexico has afforded this overn ment an opportunity to good on ices lor preventing a rupture between these states and ing ft of alic qi tion I strong liopo that in ew of our relations of amity ditl loth countries our friendly counsels lill be accepted the cosla government lately formed an engagement colombia for by arbitration alie boundary question quest iol be elioso countries p that the part of arbit rants be offered successively to alic belgians alie king of spain aid he president of the argentine conceder aaion alie king of the belgians hiving declined to act I am not asyet advised of the action of tho kingoff spain As we have certain in the disputed territory which are protected oy our treaty with one of alie parties it is impart ant that hie arbitration arbitral ion should abot our consent affect our rights and aliis government has accordingly thou glit proper to make its diews known to the parties to the agreement BO as to intimate tham to the belgian government tho questions growing ut of the proposed oceanic water way across the of arc of grave national this government has not been undutiful of alie solemn obligations imposed upon it by its compates com of 1846 with colombia as the independent ince pendent and sovereign mistress ol 01 alie territory crossed by the canal and has sou glit to render them effective by bresli engagements with looking to tho practical execution ec tho negotiations to aliis end after they had reached what appeared to be a mutually solution here were met in colombia by a disavowal of the powers which its envoy had assumed and by a proposal for a renewal of the negotiations on basis meanwhile this government jearner that colombia biad proposed to alie european dooin in a guarantee of the neutrality of lie proposed panama canal a guarantee which would be in direct contravention of our obligations as the sale guarantee of tho integrity of the colombian territory and of alie neutrality of abo canal itself my lamented predecessor felt it liis duty to place before alie european powers the reasons which made the prior guarantee of the united states for which the in j of any foreign guarantee might be regarded as a superfluous and unfriendly act foreseeing alie probable reliance of on he provisions of alie clayton bulwer treaty of 1850 as awarding room for a share on alie guarantees which the unibee states with columbia four years before I liace not hesitated to supplement the action of my predecessor de cessor by proposing to her bajes government the modification of that instrument and abrogation of such clauses aa ilo not comport the obligations cf the uni bcd states towards columbia or with the vital mode of the two friendly parties to lie compact this government sees with great concern alie continuance ti nuance of the hostile relations between ciolll bolivia and peru an early peace between these republics is much to be desired not only that they may themselves be spared further misery and bloodshed but because their continued antagonism consequences which are in my judgment dangerous to the interests of government on this continent and calculated to de of own free aal As in the present excited condition of the popular feeling in countries there leave been serious milsap pretensions of alie position of the united states and as separate diplomatic intercourse with each through independent ministers is sometimes subject owing to the want of prompt reciprocal communications to tem Iori iry misunderstanding I have deemed it judicious at the present time to send a special envoy accredited to all and each of them and furnished with general instructions which will I trust enable him to bring these powers into friendly relations avo here interrupt the rn cage j to insert alic utterances of the pro aident on tai ifft years his samuial message to congress lias pointed necessity of stringent for alio llio suppression polygamy in tho territories espic ali existing statutes for alio punishment of the odious crime ao revolting to lie moral and religious sense of christianity has been persistently and contemptuously violated ever bince its enactment indeed in of commendable efforts on alie part of the authorities who represent the united states in that territory the law lias on varv rare instances been enforced and for a cause to which will presently bo made 19 practicably n dead letter ahe fact that alie adherents of the mormon church rests upon polygamy as its corner stone leavo recently been peopling in largo idalio arizona and others of our western territories is well calculated to excite the liveliest in ter estand apprehension it imposes upon and tho executive tho duty arraying against this harbar ous system all the power which under the constitution and law they can wield or its destruction already been made to the obstacles the U officers have in their efforts ts punish the vo lations of prominent amoia the obstacles is tho difficulty legal evidence sufficient to arrant a conviction even in the case of the most notorious offenders byoir attention is called to the mccu xilon of alio supreme court of odthe united states explaining its of reversal in alie case of liea who been convicted of ramy in utah the court refers to lo 10 fact that the attending atten din te celebration ot marriages in thai territory makes that part of iby very difficult and alie propriety ia of modifying that law of evidence now makes a wife incompetent to testify against litis baud tina suggestion is approved I recommend also the passing of an art providing that in the territories of these united states alie fact eliat a woman lias been married to a person charged with bigamy shap not disqualify lier ns a witness apon his trial lor eliat offense I lurter lurt hr recommend legislation by which any person a marriage by any of the Terri bries be required under for neglect or refusal to a certificate of such marriage in uie supreme court of alie territory in lass congress make or devise practicable measures for alie difficulties which have attended efforts to suppress tin s iniquity I assure you of my determined POM to ca operate you in any lawful and discreet measures which may be proposed to eliat end |