with our past policy, injurious to our present
interests, and full of embarrassments for the future.

For effecting the termination of hostilities upon terms at once just to
the victorious nation and generous to its adversaries, this Government
has spared no efforts save such as might involve the complications which
I have indicated.

It is greatly to be deplored that Chile seems resolved to exact such
rigorous conditions of peace and indisposed to submit to arbitration the
terms of an amicable settlement. No peace is likely to be lasting that
is not sufficiently equitable and just to command the approval of other
nations.

About a year since invitations were extended to the nations of this
continent to send representatives to a peace congress to assemble at
Washington in November, 1882. The time of meeting was fixed at a period
then remote, in the hope, as the invitation itself declared, that in the
meantime the disturbances between the South American Republics would be
adjusted. As that expectation seemed unlikely to be realized, I asked in
April last for an expression of opinion from the two Houses of Congress
as to the advisability of holding the proposed convention at the time
appointed. This action was prompted in part by doubts which mature
reflection had suggested whether the diplomatic usage and traditions of
the Government did not make it fitting that the Executive should consult
the representatives of the people before pursuing a line of policy
somewhat novel in its character and far reaching in its possible
consequences. In view of the fact that no action was taken by Congress
in the premises and that no provision had been made for necessary
expenses, I subsequently decided to postpone the convocation, and so
notified the several Governments which had been invited to attend.

I am unwilling to dismiss this subject without assuring you of my
support of any measures the wisdom of Congress may devise for the
promotion of peace on this continent and throughout the world, and I
trust that the time is nigh when, with the universal assent of civilized
peoples, all international differences shall be determined without
resort to arms by the benignant processes of arbitration.

Changes have occurred in the diplomatic representation of several
foreign powers during the past year. New ministers from the Argentine
Republic, Austria-Hungary, Brazil, Chile, China, France, Japan, Mexico,
the Netherlands, and Russia ha