PRUSSIA, QUEEN-DOWAGER OF. 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



663 



only by a return to the principles which had 

 long been practically tested. The mover 

 pointed to the unflinching resistance which 

 the Archbishop of Posen, Ledochowski, and 

 the Bishop of Breslau, Dr. Forster, had made 

 to the Government, ignoring altogether the 

 heavy and repeated fines which had been im- 

 posed upon them, and that it had been found 

 necessary to summon Ledochowski before the 

 Royal Court for Churcli Affairs. The motion 

 of Reichensperger was rejected by a vote of 

 288 against 95. 



PRUSSIA, ELIZABETH, Queen-Dowager of, 

 widow of the late King Friedrich Wilhelm 

 IV., born at Munich, November 13, 1801 ; died 

 in Berlin, December 15, 1873. She was a 

 younger daughter of Maximilian I., King of 

 Bavaria, and was married to Friedrich \Vil- 

 liehn, then heir-apparent to the Prussian 

 throne, November 29, 1823. She ascended the 

 throne with her husband in 1840 as queen- 

 consort, but, unlike her elder sister in Austria, 

 did not attempt to rule, or to interfere in 

 political matters. After the death of Fried- 

 rich Wilhelm IV., in 1861, she led a very re- 

 tired life, not mingling in the affairs of the 

 court. Her brother-in-law, the present Em- 

 peror of Germany, esteemed her very highly. 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. Message of Presi- 

 dent GBANT at the commencement of the first 

 session of the Forty-third Conyress, December 

 2, 1873. 

 To the Senate and Ifoute of Representatives : 



The year that has passed since the submission of 

 my last message to Congress has especially during 

 the latter part of it been an eventful one to the 

 country. In the midst of great national prosperity 

 a financial crisis baa occurred that bos brought low 

 fortunes of gigantic proportions ; political partisan- 

 ship has almost ceased to exist, especially in the 

 agricultural regions ; and. finally, the capture upon 

 the high-seas of a vessel bearing our flag has for a 

 time threatened the most serious consequences, and 

 has agitated the public mind from one end of the 

 country to the other. But this, happily, now is in 

 the course of satisfactory adjustment, honorable to 

 both nations concerned. 



The relations of the Unitsd States, however, with 

 most of the other powers continue to be friendly 

 and cordial. With France, Germany, Russia, Italy, 

 and the minor European powers ; with Brazil and 

 most of the South American republics, and with 

 Japan, nothing ha occurred during the year to de- 

 mand special notice. The correspondence between 

 the Department of State and various diplomatic rep- 

 resentatives in or from those countries is transmitted 

 herewith. 



In executing the will of Congress, as expressed in 

 its joint resolution of the 14th of February last, and 

 in accordance with the provisions of the resolution, 

 a number of lt practical artisans," of u scientific 

 menj" and of " honorary commissioners," were au- 

 thorized to attend the exposition at Vienna as com- 

 missioners on the part of the United States. It is be- 

 lieved that we have obtained the object which Con- 

 gress had in view when it passed the joint resolution, 

 " in order to enable the people of the United States 

 to participate in the advantages of the international 

 exhibition of the products of agriculture, manufact- 

 ures, and the fine arts, to be held at Vienna. I take 

 pleasure in adding that the American exhibitors 

 tiave received a gratifying number of diplomas and 

 of medals. 



During the exposition a conference was held at 

 Vienna tor the purpose of consultation on the sys- 

 tems prevailing in different countries for the protec- 

 tion of inventions. I authorized a representative 

 from the Patent - Office to be present at Vienna at 

 the time when this conference was to take place, in 

 order to aid, as far as he might, in securing any pos- 

 sible additional protection to American inventors in 

 Europe. The report of this ageut will be laid be- 

 fore Congress. 



It is iny pleasant duty to announce to Congress 

 that the Emperor of China, on attaining his majori- 

 ty, received the diplomatic representatives of the 

 Western powers in person. An account of these cere- 

 monies, and of the interesting discussions which 

 preceded them, will be found in the documents 

 transmitted herewith. The accompanying papers 

 show that some advance, although slight, has been 

 made during the past year toward the suppression 

 of the infamous Chinese cooly-trade. I recommend 

 Congress to inquire whether additional legislation 

 be not needed on this subject. 



The money awarded to the United States by the 

 tribunal of arbitration at Geneva was paid by her 

 Majesty's Government a few days in advance of the 

 time when it would have become payable according 

 to the terms of the treaty. In compliance with the 

 provisions of the act of March 3, 1873, it was at once 

 paid into the Treasury, and used to redeem, so far 

 as it might, the public debt of the United States ; 

 and the amount so redeemed was invested in a five 

 per cent, registered bond of the United States for 

 15,500,000, which is now held by the Secretary of 

 . State, subject to the future disposition of Congress. 



I renew my recommendation, made at the opening 

 of the last session of Congress, that a commission 

 be created for the purpose of auditing and determin- 

 ing the amounts of the several " direct losses grow- 

 ing out of the destruction of vessels and their 

 cargoes" by the Alabama, the Florida, or the Shen- 

 andoah, after leaving Melbourne, for which the 

 sufferers have received no equivalent or compensa- 

 tion, and of ascertaining the names of the persons 

 entitled to receive compensation for the same, mak- 

 ing the computations upon the basis indicated by 

 the tribunal of arbitration at Geneva ; and that pay- 

 ment of such losses be authorized to an extent not 

 to exceed the awards of the tribunal nt Geneva. 



By an act approved on the 14th day of February 

 last, Congress made provision for completing, joint- 

 ly with an officer or commissioner to be named by 

 her Britannic Majesty, the determination of so much 

 of the boundary - line between the territory of the 

 United States and the possessions of Great Britain 

 as was left uncompleted by the commissioners ap- 

 pointed under the act of Congress of August 11, 

 1856. Under the provisions of this act the north- 

 west water-boundary of the United States has been 

 determined and marked in accordance with the 

 award of the Emperor of Germany. A protocol and 

 a copy of the map upon which the line was thus 

 marked are contained m the papers submitted here- 

 with. 



I also transmit a copy of the report of the com- 

 missioner for marking the northern boundary be- 

 tween the United States and the British possessions 

 west of the Lake of the Woods, of the operations 

 of the commission during the past season. Surveys 

 have been made to a point 497 miles west of the 

 Lake of the Woods, leaving about 350 miles to bo 

 surveyed, the field-work of which can be completed 

 during the next season. 



The mixed commission organized under the pro- 

 visions of the Treaty of Washington for settling and 

 determining the claims of citizens of either power 

 against the other arising out of the acts committed 

 against their persons or property duriner the period 

 between April 13, 1861, and April 9, 1865, made its 

 final award on the 25th day of September last. It was 

 awarded that the Government of the United States 

 should pay to the Government of her Britannic Ma- 



