The addresses are separated by three asterisks: ***
Dates of addresses by Benjamin Harrison in this eBook:
December 3, 1889
December 1, 1890
December 9, 1891
December 6, 1892
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State of the Union Address
Benjamin Harrison
December 3, 1889
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
There are few transactions in the administration of the Government that areeven temporarily held in the confidence of those charged with the conductof the public business. Every step taken is under the observation of anintelligent and watchful people. The state of the Union is known from dayto day, and suggestions as to needed legislation find an earlier voice thanthat which speaks in these annual communications of the President toCongress.
Good will and cordiality have characterized our relations andcorrespondence with other governments, and the year just closed leaves fewinternational questions of importance remaining unadjusted. No obstacle isbelieved to exist that can long postpone the consideration and adjustmentof the still pending questions upon satisfactory and honorable terms. Thedealings of this Government with other states have been and should alwaysbe marked by frankness and sincerity, our purposes avowed, and our methodsfree from intrigue. This course has borne rich fruit in the past, and it isour duty as a nation to preserve the heritage of good repute which acentury of right dealing with foreign governments has secured to us.
It is a matter of high significance and no less of congratulation that thefirst year of the second century of our constitutional existence finds ashonored guests within our borders the representatives of all theindependent States of North and South America met together in earnestconference touching the best methods of perpetuating and expanding therelations of mutual interest and friendliness existing among them. That theopportunity thus afforded for promoting closer international relations andthe increased prosperity of the States represented will be used for themutual good of all I can not permit myself to doubt. Our people will awaitwith interest and confidence the results to flow from so auspicious ameeting of allied and in large part identical interests.
The recommendations of this international conference of enlightenedstatesmen will doubtless have the considerate attention of Congress and itscooperation in the removal of unnecessary barriers to beneficialintercourse between the nations of America. But while the commercialresults which it is hoped will follow this conference are worthy of pursuitand of the great interests they have excited, it is believed that thecrowning benefit will be found in the better securities which may bedevised for the maintenance of peace among all American nations and thesettlement of all contentions by methods that a Christian civilization canapprove. While viewing with interest our national resources and products,the delegates will, I am sure, find a higher satisfaction in the evidencesof unselfish friendship which everywhere attend their intercourse with ourpeople.
Another international conference having great possibilities for good haslately assembled and is now in session in this capital. An invitation wasextended by the Government, under the act of Congress of July 9, 1888, toall maritime nations to send delegates to confer touching t