1883 State of the Union Address

The 1883 State of the Union address was delivered by Chester A. Arthur, the 21st president of the United States, on December 4, 1883. This address was Arthur's third.

1883 State of the Union Address

Date	December 4, 1883 (1883-12-04)
Venue	House Chamber, United States Capitol
Location	Washington, D.C.
Coordinates	38°53′23″N 77°00′32″W
Type	State of the Union Address
Participants	Chester A. Arthur
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Themes

In the speech, Arthur mentioned the continued progression of strong international relations with countries in the hemisphere and in Europe and Asia. With special attention given to relations with Mexico.

Additional topics included the budget and the importance of seeking more advantageous treaties with countries for trade of which he noted:

I have alluded in my previous messages to the injurious and vexatious restrictions suffered by our trade in the Spanish West Indies. Brazil, whose natural outlet for its great national staple, coffee, is in and through the United States, imposes a heavy export duty upon that product. Our petroleum exports are hampered in Turkey and in other Eastern ports by restrictions as to storage and by onerous taxation. For these mischiefs adequate relief is not always afforded by reciprocity treaties like that with Hawaii or that lately negotiated with Mexico and now awaiting the action of the Senate. Is it not advisable to provide some measure of equitable retaliation in our relations with governments which discriminate against our own?