THE BEDFORD GAZETTE.
President's Message.
WASHINGTON, Dec. G, ISG9.
At one o'clock and six minutes a joint
committee, consisting of Messrs. Wilson
and Thurman, on the part of the Senate,
and Messrs. Schenck, Dawes and Wood
ward, on the part of the House, waitrd
upon the President to know if he had
anything to communicate to the Houses
of Congress.
In response the President sent the fol
lowing message:
To the tensile and Iloxue of Represent
ative* -Gentlemen: In coming before
vou for the first time as chief magistrate
of this great nation, tt is with gratitude
to the Giver of all Good for tbe many
benefits we enjoy. We are blessed with
peace at home and aie without entan
gling alliances abroad to forebode trou
b'e. With a territory unsurpassed in fer
tility, of an area equal to the abun
dant support of five hundred million
of people, and abounding in every
variety of useful mineralp, in quantity
sufficient to supply the world for gene
rations; with exuberant crops; with a
variety of climate adapted to the produc
tion of every species of earth's riches
and suited to the babi-s, tastes and re
quirements of everv living thing; with
a population of 40,005,000 oi free people,
all speaking one language; with facili
ties for every mortal to acquire an edu
cation; with institutions, closing to none
tbe avenues to fame or any blessing of
fortune that may be coveted; with Iree
dom of the pulpit and press and school?-;
with a revenue flowing into tbe
national treasury beyond the require
ments of government; happily, order is
being rapidly restored within our own
borders. Manufactures hitherto un
known within our country are springing
up in all directions, producing a degree
of national independence unequalled by
that of any other power. These bless
ings, and countless others, are submit
ted to your care and uiiue, more for safe
keeping for tbe brief period of our ten
ure of office. In a short t.me we must
eacb of ns return to the tanks of the
p-eople who have conferred upon us our
honors, and account to them for our
stewardship. I earnestly desire that
neither you nor I may be condemned by
a free and enlightened constituency, nor
by our consciences.
"Emerging troai a rebellion of gigantic
magnitude, aided as it was by the sym
pathy and assistance of nations with
which we were at peace, eleven states c.i
the Union were, four years ago, left
without legal state governments. A na
tional debt had been contracted; Ameri
can commerce was si most driven from
the seas; tbe industry of the country bad
been taken from the control of the capi
talists und placed where all labor rigtit
lally belongs, in the keeping of the la
borer. The work ot restoring state gov
ernments loyal to the Union, of protect
ing and fostering free labor aad pro
viding means for paying the interest on
tbe public debt, has received ample at
tention from Congress. Although your
efloris have not met with the success, in
all particulars, that might have been de
siiv.J, yet ou tbe whole they have been
more successful than could have been
reasonably anticipated.
Seven States which had passed ordi
nances ot secession have been fully re
stored to their places in the Union. The
eighth Georgia, held an election at
which she ratified her constitution, re
publican in form, elected a Governor,
members of Congress, a State legislature
and ail other officers required. The
Governor was duiy installed aud tho
legislature met and performed all tbe
acts then required of them by the recon ■
struction acts of Congress. Subse
quently, however, in violation of the
Constitution which they had just ratified
—as ainoe decided by the Supreme Court
of the State—they unseated the colored
members of the legislature, and admit
ted to aeats some members who are
disqualified by tbe third clause of the
fourteenth amendment to the Constitu
tion, an article which they themselves
had contributed to ratify. Under these
circumstance 1 would submit to you
whether it wouid not be well, without
delay, to enact a law authorizing the
Governor of Georgia to convene the
members originally elected to the Legis
lature, requiring each to take the oath
presented by the reconstruction acta,
and none to be admitted who a<e iuei
liglble under the third clause of the
fourteenth amendment.
The freed men, under the protection
which they have received, are making
rapid progress in learning, and no com
plaints are h ard of lack of industry on
their part, where they receive fair re
muneration for their labor.
The means provided for paying tho
interest on ifce public debt, with ail
other expenses of the government, are
more than ample.
Tbe loss of our commerce is the only
result of the late rebellion which Las
not received sufficient attention from
voa. To this subject I call your earnest
attention. I will not now suggest plans
by which this object may be effected,
but will, if necessary, make it the sub
ject of a special message during the ses
sion.
At the March term, Congress, by joint
resolution, authorized the executive to
order elections In tbe State of Virginia,
Mississippi and Trias, to submit to
them tbe constitutions which bad previ
ously been in convention formed, and
snbjnitthe constitutions, either entire or
in separate parts, to be voted upon at the
discretion of the Executive, I nder this
authority eiec ions were called in Vir
ginia. The election took place on the
tub of July. 1889. The Governor and
Lieutenant Governor elected have been
installed, the Legislature met and did
ail required by this resolution, and by
all the reconstruction acts or Congress,
and abstained from all doubtful author
ity. I recommend that the Senatois
and Representatives be promptly ad
mitted to tbeir seats—that the State
be fnlly restored to its place in
tbe family of states. Elections were
called in Mississippi and Texas, to com
mence on tbe 39tb of November, 1869,
and to last two days in Mississippi and
four days in Texas" The elections have
taken place, bat the resuit is not known.
It i to te hoped that the acta *f the leg
lalaturee of thes* states, when they meet,
will be such as to meet your approval,
ami thus close the work of reconstruc
tion.
Aniorg the evils growing out of the
rebellion, and not yet rererred to. is that
of an irredeemibio currency, it s an
evil woieh I bop* trill receive your iu< st ,
earnest attention. It is a duty, and one
of the highest duties of government to se
cure to the citizen a medium of exchange i
of lixed unvarying value. This implies
a return to a specie basis, and nosui-sti
tute for it cau be devised. It should be
commenced now, and rea-fited at the ear
liest practicab'e moment, consistent o iib
a fair regard to the interest of the debtor
class. Immediate resumption, if j rueti
cable, would not be desir.lb'e. It would .
compel the debtor class to pay tfc-yoad
their contracts, the premium on goiu at
the date or their purchase, and would
bring bankruptcy and ruin to thousand*.
Fluctuations, however, in the paper val
ue of the measuie of all values,
goldt is detrimental to the inter
ests of trade. It makts the
man of business an involuntary gain
bier, tor In ail sales where future pay
ment is to be made parties speculate at- |
to what wil Ibe iho value of the currency j
to be paid and received. I earnestly i
recommend to you, then, such legisia- '
tion ts will insure a gradual reiurn to
specie payments and put an immediate
stop to fluctuation in the value of car
rency. The methods to secure the
former of these results aro as numerous
ue are the speculations on political econ
omy. To secure the latter I see but ne
way, and that is to authorize the irons
ury to redeem its own paper at a fixed
price whenever presented, and to with
hold from circulation ail currency so re
deemed until sold again for gold.
The vast resources of the nation, bulb
developed and undeveloped, ought to
tnake our credit the best on earth. With
a less burden of taxation than the citi
zen has endured for six years past, the
entire public debt could lie paid in less
than ten years; bat it is not desirable
that the people should be taxed to p y it
in tbat time. Year by year the ability
to pay Increases in a rapid ratio, bnt
the burdeu of interest ought to be
rednced as rapidly as can be done with
out the violation of contract. Toe pub
lic debt is represented in great part by
bonds, having from five to twenty and
from ten to tony years to run, bearing
interest at the rate of six per cent, and
five per cent, respectively. I? is optional
with the government to pay these bonds
at any period auer the expiration or the
lesst time mentioned upon their face
'the time has already expired when a
great paittf them may be taken, and is
rapidly appviaehing when all may be.
It is believed that all which are now
dne, may be replaced by thesse beariog
a rate of interest not exceeding four and
one-haif per '-ent., and as rapidly as the
remainder become due, that they may
be replaced in the same way. To ac
complish this it may be necessary to au
thorize the interest to be paid at either
of the three or four of the money centres
of Eurape.or by any Assistant 'i reasurer
of the United States, at the option of the
holder of the bond. I suggest this subject
for tbe consideration of Congress,and also
simultaneously wpb this, the propriety
of the redcemiug of ourcurenev, as be
fore suggested, at its market value, at
the time the law goes into effect, increa>-
ing tbe ra'e at which currency will be
bought and sold, from day to day, or
week to week, at tbe aatne rate of inter
est as the government pays upon its
bonds.
Thetu jeetof tariff and! nternal taxa
tion wilt necessarily receive your atten
tion. The revenues of tho country ere
greater than the requirements, and may
with salety be reduced; but as the fund
ing of the debt in a four or four and a
naif per cent, loan would reduce the an
nual current expenses largely, thus af
ter funding ju-tifying a greater reduc
tion of taxation than would be now ex
pedient, it may be advisable to modify
taxation and tbe tariff in instances where
unjust or burdensome discriminations
are made by the present laws regulating
this saiject. I recommend the postpone
ment of it for the present.
I also suggest the renewal of tbe lax
on incomes, but u reduced rate, say
three per cent., and this tax to expire in
three years. By the funding of the nation
al debt, as here suggested, I feel sale in
aying that taxes aud the revenue from
imports may be reduced safely from
sixty to eighty -millions per annum at
once, and may be still further reduced,
from year to year, as the re sources of the
country sre developed.
The report of tbe Secretary of the
Treasury shows the receipts of the gov
ernment for tbe fiscal years ending June
SO, 1-69, to be $370,943,717, and theexpen
ditures, including interest, bounties, Ac.,
to be $321,490,397. The estimates lor the
ensuing year are more favorable to the
government, and will no doubt show a
much larger decrease of tbe public debt.
The receipts in the treasury, beyond ex
pectations, have exceeded the amounts
necessary to place the credit of the sink
ing fnnd s provided by law. To lock up
the surplus in the treasury and withhold
it from circulation would lead to such a
contraction of the currency as to cripple
trade and seriously affect the prosperity
of the country. Under these circum
stances tbe Secretary of the Treasury
and myself heartily concurred in the
propriety of using all the surplus cur
rency in" the treasury in the purchase of
government bonds," thus reducing the
interest bearing debt of the country,
I and of submitting to Congress toe que's
| tion of the disposition to be mode or the
j bonds so purchased. The bonds now
; held by the treasury amount to about
i seventy-five million dollars, including
| those belonging to the s tiking fund, and
; I recommend that the whole be placed
to the credit of the sinkiDg fund.
Your attention is respectfully invited
to the recommendations of tbe Secretary
of the Treasury for vbe creation of the
rfficeof Commissioner of Customs Reve
nue, for the increase of salary to a cer
tain cl 83 of officials, and the substitu
tion ot inereased National bank circula
-1 tion to replace the ontstandmg three per
cent, certificates, and most especially to
his recommendation for the repeal of
laws allowing shares of fines, penalties
j and forfeitares to officers of tbe govern
ment or to informer#.
supple M EKTT.
I The office of Commissioner of Internal
R-vSane t-j one of tbe most arduous and >
j responsible under the Government. I
I fails but iiiile, if any, short <fa cabinef ,
! [.osiiion In its importance and respocsi
j biliiie*. f would ask, thervfore.for such j
! legislation ns in your judgment w il; J
, place the office ou a footing uf dignity j
commensurate with its importance and j
qualifications of the ilu.-Suf men rc- j
j quired to .'ill it properly.
AH the United Slates is the fir*t of aii j
nations, so, too, the people syuipaUilk-- '
with ad people struggling for liberty
an.] self-government. But while eyaip -
thizlcg, it is due to our houor that we
' shou.d abstain from enforcing our views
upon unwilling nations, ;tnd from tak
ing an interested part without an invi
tation. In tho quarrels between different
nations, or between govrriusai*Js and
their subjects, our course should always
ba in conformity with strict jo.-.ice ana
i iw, international and . -caj. Hack has
been the policy of the administration in
dealing with these questions.
For more than a year a valuable prov
ince ol Hpaiti, and a near neighbor of
ours, in whom all our people cannot but
feel a deep lnter< st, has been struggling
for independence and freedom The
people and government of the United
Htfltes entertain The same warm feelings
und sympathies for the people of Cuba
in their pending strnggle,that they man
itested throughout the previous struggle
between Hpain and her former colonies
in behalf of the latter. But tbe con
test lias at no time assumed the
conditions which amount to a war
in the sense of international law, or
which would show the existence of a de
facto political organization of the insur
gents sufficient to justify a recognition
of belligerency. Tne principle is main
lined, however, that this nation is its
own judge when to accord the rights of
belligerency, either to a people strug
gling to free themselves fiom a govern- j
rnent they believe to be oppressive, or
to independent nations at war with each
other.
Tue United States-have no dinposition
to interfere with the existing relations
of Spain to her colonial possessions on
this continent. They believe that in due
time Spain and other European powers
will find their interest in terminating
those rtlrtions and establishing their
present dependencies as indei ecdent
powers, members of the family of na
tions. The dependences are no longer
regarded as subject to transfer from one
European power to another. When lbe
present relation of colonies ceases they
are to become independent powers, ex
ercising tiie right of choice and of seif
eontrol in the determination of their fu
ture condition and relations with other
powers.
Tne United States, in order to pnt a
stop to bloodshed la Cabs, arid in the in
terest o: a neighboring people, proffered
their good offices to bring the existing
contest to a termination, 'llie offer not
being accepted by Spaio, on a basis
which we believed could be received by
Cuba, was withdrawn It is hoped that
tbe good offices of the United Htaies may
yet prove advantageous to tbe settlement
ot tnis uuhappy strife. Meanwhile a
number of illegal expeditions ag-inst
Cuba have been broken up. It has been
ihe endeavor of tbe administration to
execute the neutrality laws in good faith,
no matter how unpleasant the task—
made so from the suffering we have en
lured fiorn lack of like good laith to
wards us by other nations.
On the 26th of March iaG the United
States -chooser Lizzie Major was ar
res ed on the high seas b> a Spanish
trigate, and two passengers were taken
irom it and carried as prisoners to Cubs.
Representations of these facts were made
to tbe Spanish government as soon as
sufficient information of tbeni reached
Washington. The two passengers were
set at liberty and the Spanish govern
ment assured the Uuited States that the
capatin in making the capture bad acted
without orders, that be had been repri
manded for the irregularity of his con
duct, and that the Spani-h authori
ties in Cuba would not eduction any
ct tbat could violate the rights or
tieat with disrespect the sovereignty of
this nation. The question of the seizure
of the brig, Mary Lowell, at one of the
Bahama islands, by Spanish authorities,
is now tbe subject of correspondence be
tween this government and those of j
Spain and Great Britain. The captain j
general of Cuba, about May last, issued <
a proclamation authorizing search to ;
be made of vessels on tbe nigh seas. Im
mediate remon-trance was made against j
this, whereupon the captain general i
issued a new proclamation limiting tbe
right of search to vessels of the United;
States, so far as authorized under the j
treaty of 1795. This proclamation, how- j
ever, was immediately withdrawn.
I have always felt tbat the most inli- .
mate relations should be cultivated be-j
tween the republic of the United Htales j
and all independent nations on this con- j
tinent. It may be well worth consider- j
ing whether new treaties between the !
United States and them may not be
profitably entered into to secure more
intimate relations, friendly, commercia
and otherwise.
As the subject of an oceanic canal to
connect tbe Atlantic aud Pacific oceans
through the isthmus of Darien is one in :
which commerce is greatly interested, ;
Instructions have been given to our min- ;
ister to tbe republic of the United States '
of Colombia to endeavor to obtain au- |
thority for a survey by the government,
in order to determine the practicability
of sucb an undertaking and a charter for
tbe right of way to private enterprise for
such a work, if the survey proves lo be
practicable.
In order to comply with theagreement
of the Uuited States as to a mixed com
mission at Liuia for the adjustment of
claims, it became necessary to appoint
a commissioner and a secretary to Lima
in August last. No appropriation hav
ing been made by cougress for this pur
pose, it is now asked that one be made
covering tbe past aud future expens-esot
the committee.
The good offices of the United States
to bring about a peace between Spain
end the South American republics with
which she is at warf having been ac
cepted by SSjiaio, Peru ani Chili, a con
gress has been invited to be held in
1 Washington daring the prew-nt w'nter.
A grant has been given to Europeans
; of an exclusive right ol transit over the
t< rritory of Nicaragua, to which Cosia
llica has given its assent, which, it is
alleged, conflicts with vested rigutu oft
cit.zens of the United Siales. Tbe De
partment of State las now this subject
under consideration.
Tbe Minister of Peru having rondo
representations that there was a state of
war between Peru aiulHpain, and that
Spain WHS constructing, in and near
New York, thirty gunboats which might
lie used by Spain in such away as to
relieve the naval force of 'Nibs,
so as to operate against Peru,
orders were given to prevent their de
par to re. No further step-, having been
taken by the representative of the Peru
vian government, to prevent the depart
ure oi these vessels, audi not leeimg
authorized to detain the property *f a
nation with whlen we are at peace, on a
mere ixeeutive order, the matter has
been referred to tbe courts to decide.
The conduct of the war between the
Allies and the Republic of Paraguay has
made the intercourse with that country
o difficult that it his been deemed ad
visable to withdraw our representatives
from there.
Towards the close of tho last adminis
tration a convention was signed at Lon
don for Lbe settlement of ail outstanding
claims between Gieat Britain and the
United States, which failed to receive
the advice ana consent of the senate to
its ratification. The liuae and circum
stances attending the negotiation of the
treaty were favorable to its acceptance by
the people of the United Stales, but
its provisions were wholly inadequate
for the settlement of the grave wrongs
that had been sustained by tiiia govern
ment, as well as by its citizens, ibe in
juries resulting to the United States by
reason of the course adopted by Great
Britain during our lute civil war, in
the increased rates of insurance,
in the diminution of exports and
import* and other obstructions
to domestic industry und production, in
its effects upon the foreign commerce
of tbe country, in the decrease and
toansfer to Great Britain of our commer
cial marine, in the prolongation of the
war and the trior eased cost both in trea
sure and in the lives of its suppressors,
could not be adjusted and an ti-. lied
as ordinary commercial claims
which continually arise between com
mercial nations; and yet tbe convention
treated them simply as such ordinary
claims, from which they differ more
widely in the gravity of their character
than iu the magnitude of their amount.
Great as is tl at difference, not a word
was found in the treaty, and not an in
erc-ncs could be drawn from it to
r> move the sense of the unlriendliue<.s
of the course of Great Britain in our
struggle for existence, which had so
deeply and nuiversally impress*d itsell
upou tbe people of this country. Be
lieving that a convention thus miscon
ceived in its scope, and inadequate in
its prov'.sious, would not have produced
the hearty, cordial settlement of the
pending questions which alone isconsis
lentwilh the relations which 1 desire
to have estab.i&hed between tbe United
States and Great Britain, I recognized
the action of the St-m-te in rejecting the
treaty to have U-en wisely taken in the
inter* st of peace aud as a necessary step
in the direction of a periect aud cordial
friendship between the two countries. A
sensitive people, conscious of their pow
er, are more at ease under a
g.eat wrong, wholly un atoned,
than under the restraint of a set
tlement which satisfies neither their ideas
of justice nor their grave sense ol
the grievance they have sustained. The
rejection of the treaty was followed bva
state of oubiic opinion on both sides
which I thought not favorable to an
immediate attempt at renewed ne
gotiation I accordingly so instruct
ed the minister of the United States
in Great Britain, and found that rny
views in this regard were shared by
Her Majesty's ministers. 1 hope
that the time may soon arrive when
the two governments can approach
the solution of this.momentous question
with an appreciation of what is due to
the rights, uigui y and honor of each,
and with the determination not only to
remove the causes of complaint in die
past, but to lay the foundation of a broad
j principle of public law which will pre
| rent tutuie differences, aDd tend to firm
' and continued peace and liiendship.
| This ts now- the only grave question
wbieiF the United States has with any
j foreign nation.
3he questiou of renewing a treaty for
| reciprocal trade between the United
States and the British Provinces on this
; continent, has not been lavorably con •
! sidered by the administration. The ad
i vantages of such at reaty wouid be wliol
j ly in iavor of the British Provences, ex
i oept possibly a lew engaged iu the trade
j between the two sections. No citizen of
• the United'Statc-s would be benefited by
j reciprocity. Our internal taxation would
| prove a protection to tUe British produ
cer, almost equal to the protection which
our manufacturers now receive front u.a
tariff. Some arrangements, however,
tor the. regulation of commercial inter
course between the United states and
the Dominion of Canada may be desir
able.
Tbe commission for adjusting the
j claims of tbe Hudson Bay and Puget's
Hound agricultural company upon the
i United States has terminated its labors,
j The award of six hundred aud fifty
thousand dollars has been made, and
i ail right and titles of the company on
i she territory of the United States have j
i been extinguished, aud deeds for tbe ;
i property of the company have been de- j
j iirered." An appropriation by Congress
j to meet this sum is asked.
The commissioners for determining
j the northwestern land boundary be
j tween the United Slates and the British
j possessions, under the treaty of 1856,
I have completed their labors, and the
commission has been dissolved,
j In conformity with the recommenda
. tion of Congress, a proposition was early
, made to tbe British government to abol
ish the mixed c urt* created uuder the
I treaty of April Tih, 1868, for the suppres
sion of slave traders. The subject is still
under negotiation.
It having come to my knowledge that
j a corporate company, organized under
British laws, propose to land upon tbe
shcrea of the United States and opernte
there a sub-marine cable under a cou
ces:on from his Majesty lbe Emperor
of the French, of au exclusive right for
twensy years f telegraphic communica
tion between tbe shores of France and
the United States, with the very objec
tionable feature of subjectiogali message
conveyed thereby to the scrutiny and eon
troi of Hie Fieuch government, I caused
the French and British legations at
Washington to lie made acquainted
with the probable policy of Con
gress on the snhject, as foreshadowed
by tbe bill which pasvd tbe Senate in
Marcfi last. This drew trom the rcpre
sentatives of Hie company an agree
ment to accept, as the basis of their ope
rations, the provisions of that bill
or ot such other enactments on the
subject us might be pas-ed during
the approaching session of Congress-;
also to use their influence lo secure from
the French government a modification
of their concession, so as to permit the
landing of a ny cable belonging to any
company incorporated by the authority
of tne United Htstes or any state of the
union, and on their part not to oppose
the establishment of any such cable. In
consideration of this agreement I di
rected tbe withdrawal of all opposition
by the United States to the landing o!
lbe cable, and to tho working of it, until
the meeting of Congress. I regret to say
that there has been no modification made
in the company's concession, nor so tar
as 1 can learn, buve they at
templed to secure one. Their
concession excludes the capital and
the citiz-ns of the United Htates from
competition on the shores of France. 1
recommend legislation to protect the
rights of citizens of the United Htates, as
well as the dignity and sovereignty oi
the nation against such an assumption
I shall endeavor to secure by negotiation
an abandonment of the principle of mo
nopolies in ocean telegraph cables.
C-iptesof correspondence are herewith
furnished.
The unsettled political condition of
other countries less fortunate than our
own, sometimes induces their citizens to
come to the United Htates for the pur
pose of being naturalized. Having e
cured this they return to their native
country and reside there without dis
closing this change of allegiance Tbey
accept ottieial positions of trust or honor,
which can only be held br citizens or
their native land. They journey under
passports describing them a such
citizens, and it is oniv when
civil discord, after years, per
haps, of quiet, threatens their
persons or their property, or w hen their
native S ate drafts them into military
service, that the fact of their change of
allegiance is made known. They reside
permanently from the United K.ate;
tbey contribute nothing to its resources;
they avoid the duties of its citizenship,
and tbev only make themselves known
by a claim of protection. I have directed
the diplotnaiic and consular offices of
the United States tosciutinize carefully
alt such claims of protection. The citi
zen oi the United Mato, whether native
or adopted, i- entitled to its c- mpiete
protection. While I have a voice in the
direction of affairs I shall not consent to
imperil the sacred right by conferring it
upon fictitious or fraudulent claimants.
On the accession of the prtsent admin
istration 't was found ttiat the minister
for North Germany bad made proposi
tions for the negotiation of a c invention
for the protection of emigrant p i"-en
gers, to which no response had been
g ven. It was eoneluded that to beef
fectual ail tbe maritime powers engaged
in the trade should join in such a mea
ure. Invitations have been extended to
I he cabinets of London, ParN, Fio ence.
B-rlin,Brussels, the Hague, C •ponhagwn,
and Stockholm, to empower three repre
sentatives at Washington to simultane
ously enter into negotiations, and to
conclude with the United Htates conven
tions, identical in form, making uniform
regulations as to the construct.on of the
parts of vessels to be devoted to the use
of emigrant passengers ; as tothequnlity
and qnantitv of food ; as to the medical
treatment of the sick, and as to the rules
to be observed during the voyage, in or
der to secure ventilation, to promote
health to prevent intrusion, and to pro
tect the fema'es, and providing for the
establishment of tribunals in thesevera
countries, for enforcing such regulations
by summoning process.
Your attention is respectfully called to
the law regulating the tariff on Russian
hemp, and to the question whether to fix
tbe charges on Russian bemp higher
than they are fixed upon manilla is not
a violation of your treaty with Russia,
placing her products upon the same
footing with those cf the most favored
nations.
Our manufactures are increasing with
wonderful rapidity under the encourage
ment which they now receive, with the
improvements in machinery already ef
fected anil still increasing, causing ma
chinery to take the place of skilled lab -r.
To a large extent our imports of many
articles must fall off largely within a lew
years. Fortunately, too, manufaci tire
are not confined to a few localities as lor
merlv, and it is to tie hopet, will become
more'and more diffused, making the n
terest in their success equal in all sections
They give emplovmnt and support to
hundreds of thousands of people in tv me
and retain with us the means which
otherwise would be shipped abroad.
The extension of railroads in Europe
and the east is bringing into com petition
with our agricultural products like pro
ducts of other countries. Self interest,
if not self preservation, therefore, dic
tates caution against disturbing any in
dustrial interest of the country. It
teaches u also the necessity of looking
to other markets for the sale of our sur
plus. Our neighbors south of us and
i China and Japan should receive our
special attention. It will be tbe c-n
deavor of the administration to cultivate
: such relations with these nations as to
entitle us lo tbeir confidence and make i'
their interest, as well as ours, to estab
llsh better commercial relations.
Through the agency of a more en
lightened policy thau that heretofore
pursued towards China —largely due to
the sagacity and efforts of our own dis
tinguished citizens—the world is about
to commence largely increased relarior.s
with that populous and hitherto exclu
sive nation. As the L'nhed S'ates have
been the initiators in the new policy, so
they should be the most earnest in show
ing their good faith in making it a suc
cess.
In this connection I advise such leg's
-1.-ition as will forever preclude the en
slavement of the Chinese upon our soil,
under the nr. . e of cooties, and also pre
vent American vessels from engaging in
the transportation of coolies to any
country tolerating the system. I also
recommend that the mission of China bo
raied to one of first-class.
Upon my assuming the responsibilities
of chief magistrate of the United States,
ft was with the conviction that three
things were essential to its peace, pros
perity mid fulitat development. First
among these is strict iuiegrily in ful
filling ail our obligations ; second, to se
cure protection to the person and proper
ty of the cithen of the United St ilea is
eac-h and eveiy portion of our common
country wheiever he may choose to
move, without refe>ence to*original na
tionality, reugion, color or poiitlos, de
manding of him only obedience to ihe
laws aud proper respect for ihe rights of
others; third, union of nil the stales,
with equal rights indestructible by any
constitutional means. To secure the
drat of these CongrfM has taker, two
essential steps:
First. In declaring, by Joint resolu
tion, that the public debt should be paid,
principal and interest, in coin; ana sec
ond, by providing ihe means for paying.
Providing the means, however, could
not secure the object desired without u
proper ad mini-trail n of the laws for
the collection ol the revenuesand an eco
nomical disbursement of them. To this
subject tiie administration has most
earnestly addressed itself, w iih results, I
believe, satifactory to the country.
There has been no hesitation in chang
ing officials in order to secure an effi
cient execution of the laws. Sometimes,
too (where in a mere party view unde
sirable political resuiis Were iikeiy to
follow from any hesitation in sustaining
efficient officials), against remonstrances
wholly political.
It may be well to mention here the em
barrassuients possible to arise from leav
ing on 'be s.tatate book, the so called
tenure of office act, and to earnestly re
commend i s toial repeal. It could not
have been the intention of the frame ra of
the consiitution when providing lbs: ap
pointments by the president shou d re
quire ttie consent of the senate, that the
alter should have the power to retain in
i iifli e, persons placed there by Fed
eral appointment against the will
of the piesident. The law is in
consistent with a faithful and
efficient administration of the govern
ment. What faith can an executive have
in officials forced upon liim, and in tkose
whom he h.is suspen ed for reason?
How wiii such officials be likely to serve
an administration which they know does
not trust them? For the second requi
site to* our growth and prosperity, time
and a firm and most humane administra
tion of existing law-, amended from
lime to time as ihoy may prove ineffect
ive, or prove harsh aud unnecessary, are
probably all the.moro required. Tue
thirl cannot Lo obtained I y special leg
islation, but must Le regarded as fixed
by the constitutioa itself, aud gradually
acquiesced in by force of public opinion.
From the foundation of the govern
ment to the prt sent ibe management of
the original inhabitants of this conti
nent—the Indians—has been a subject
of embarrassment and expense, and nas
been attended wi'h continuous rob
beries, murder aud wars. From my
own experience upon the frontiers, and
in lDdtun countries, I do not hold either
ihe legislation or the conduct of toe
whites who come most in contact with
the Indians, blameless for these hostili
ties. The past,however.cannot be undone,
and thequestiou must be met as we now
find it. 1 have attempted a new policy
towaids these wards of ihe nation—tbey
cannot be regarded in auy other light
man us watds—with fair r*suits, so far
as tried, ami which I hope will be attend
ed ultimately with great success. The so
ciety of Friends are well known as hav
ing succeeded in living in peace with the
Indians in the early settknienisof Penn
-ylvania, while their white neighbors of
other eecis in other sections were con
stantly embroiled. Tney areaiso known
tor their opposition to ail strife, violence
and war. and are general! v noted for
ibeir strict integrity and fair dealing.
Thtßeconsiderations induced me to give
the tnai.agemeut of a few reservations
of ludians to them, and throw the bur
den of selecting of age uis upon the so
ciety itself. The result has proved most
satisfactory. It will beiound more fully
-et forth in the leport of the bomrais
t-ioner of Indian Affairs.
For superintendents and Indian agents
not on the reservations, odivers of the
arm; were selected. The reasons for this
were numerous. When Indian agents
are sent there or were there, troops must
be sent also. The agent and the com
mander of troops are independent of
aeh other, and are subject to orders
from different departments of the gov
einmeut.
Tne army officer holds a position for
life—the agent one at the will of rhe
President. The former is personally in
ierested in living in harmony with the
Indians and in the establishment of a
permanent peace, to the end that some
imrtion of this life may be spent within
the limits of civilized society. The
tatter has no such person*! interest,
another reason is an economic one, and
>titl another hold which the govern
ment upon a life officer to secure
faithful discharge of duties in carrying
out a given }Kiicy. The building of
railroads and the access thereby given
to ati the agricultural and tmneral
regionsot the country is rapidly briog
mgcivilized settlement iuioeon'.act with
all tribes of Indians.
No matter what ought to he the rela
tion between such settlements aud
tin- aborigines, the fact is they do not
narmonize well,and oneor theother must
give way in the end. A system which
looks to the extinction or "a race is too
horrible for a nation to adopt without
entailing upon itself the wroth of all
Christendom and engendering in the
citizen a disregard for honor, life and
,'he rights of o'hers dangerous to