The addresses are separated by three asterisks: ***
Dates of addresses by Chester A. Arthur in this eBook:
December 6, 1881
December 4, 1882
December 4, 1883
December 1, 1884
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State of the Union Address
Chester A. Arthur
December 6, 1881
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:
An appalling calamity has befallen the American people since their chosenrepresentatives last met in the halls where you are now assembled. We mightelse recall with unalloyed content the rare prosperity with whichthroughout the year the nation has been blessed. Its harvests have beenplenteous; its varied industries have thriven; the health of its people hasbeen preserved; it has maintained with foreign governments the undisturbedrelations of amity and peace. For these manifestations of His favor we oweto Him who holds our destiny in His hands the tribute of our gratefuldevotion.
To that mysterious exercise of His will which has taken from us the lovedand illustrious citizen who was but lately the head of the nation we bow insorrow and submission.
The memory of his exalted character, of his noble achievements, and of hispatriotic life will be treasured forever as a sacred possession of thewhole people.
The announcement of his death drew from foreign governments and peoplestributes of sympathy and sorrow which history will record as signal tokensof the kinship of nations and the federation of mankind.
The feeling of good will between our own Government and that of GreatBritain was never more marked than at present. In recognition of thispleasing fact I directed, on the occasion of the late centennialcelebration at Yorktown, that a salute be given to the British flag.
Save for the correspondence to which I shall refer hereafter in relation tothe proposed canal across the Isthmus of Panama, little has occurred worthyof mention in the diplomatic relations of the two countries.
Early in the year the Fortune Bay claims were satisfactorily settled by theBritish Government paying in full the sum of 15,000 pounds, most of whichhas been already distributed. As the terms of the settlement includedcompensation for injuries suffered by our fishermen at Aspee Bay, there hasbeen retained from the gross award a sum which is deemed adequate for thoseclaims.
The participation of Americans in the exhibitions at Melbourne and Sydneywill be approvingly mentioned in the reports of the two exhibitions, soonto be presented to Congress. They will disclose the readiness of ourcountrymen to make successful competition in distant fields of enterprise.
Negotiations for an international copyright convention are in hopefulprogress.
The surrender of Sitting Bull and his forces upon the Canadian frontier hasallayed apprehension, although bodies of British Indians still cross theborder in quest of sustenance. Upon this subject a correspondence has beenopened which promises an adequate understanding. Our troops have orders toavoid meanwhile all collisions with alien Indians.
The presence at the Yorktown celebration of representatives of the FrenchRepublic and descendants of Lafayette and of his gallant compatriots whowere our allies in the Revolution has served to strengthen the spirit ofgood will which has always existed between the two nations.
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