Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-12-17
NEWPORT:
Thursday, Dec. ~, 1885.
WIG NOMINATION,
The Presidents Message.
OF Massachusetts,.

\ Enc k'EcS1Gcnt'S message.
We presented to our readers on Friday
last, in an extra sheet, this anxiously looked
for, and very interesting document; and as
each Of our subscribers was Immediately fur
nished with copy, we feel under no neces-
sity Of offering it again TO our readers by the
customary insertion in our regular columns.
1t is document drawn up with no little abil-
ity and address, and, with a few exceptions,
in a commendable spirit; and though obvious
ly the work of more than one Of the members
Of the Cabinets, proper and improper, will be
received by our fellow citizens generally, as
a fair and satisfactory erpose Of the great in
terests confded to the National Administra-
ton. 1t presents vivid picture of the un-
examped prosperity, which has atteuded the
country during the past year-presenting as
one of the results of this state Of youthful
vigor and successful enterprise, the extraor-
dinary spectacle of revenue which will be
nearly double the authorised annual expendi-
ture, and after providing for all the appropri-
ations not hitherto satisfied, and deducting
one million one hundred thousand dollars for
unavailable funds, will leave surplus, appli-
cable to any extraordinary expenditures which
the crisis may call for, of nearly eleven mil
lions Of dollars. 1t is another remarkable
fact connected with this superabundant reve-
nue., that of the thirty seven millions accumu-
lated in the Treasury during the present year,
eleven millions are estimated to have been
received from the sales Of the public lands
If our recollection serves us, the amount of
revenue from this source has never in any
preceding year exceeded four millions Of dol
lars, and rarely risen over two or three. This
is a striking evidence Of the rapidity with
which the rich and unbounded territory of the
West is every where filling up with health
full population, and which will finally render
that section Of the Union not only the most
productive in mineral wealth and in our best
staples, but the leading political power in our
happily contrived, and, if wisely administer
ed, long TO endure confederacy.
The topic of leading interest, however. in
this annual state paper, is the condition of our
relations with France. The public had been
prepared by so many ominous givings out in
the Government official, to expect fierce
and unmeasured denunciation of the French
monarch for presumng to withhold the ex-
pected indemnity, that they have been agree
ably disappointed at the conciliatory tone of
the message. The President has gone into
long, and to appearance very candid, reca-
pitulation of the facts of the case, taking care
so to frame his statement as to give to France
indirectly, the explanation which he III terms
denies her. We will not say that any thing
in this statement is designedy perverted, but
two very material facts on which rests the
whole justification Of the French Government,
and which. in our view ought to have prevent
ed the offensive imputatlons of the last years
message, are entirely overlooked, if not pur-
posey withheld in this statement. 1t is well
known, that about the time the treaty Of 1881
was ratified by both governments, the strong
ministerial majority, which enabled the
French ministers to carry any government
measure through the Chamber of Deputies,
was Unexpectedly reduced to very few
votes, almost an entire nullity, by the seces.
sion of what is called the alters part," third
party, led off by the President of the Cham.
Der, the celebrated M. Dupin. The conse.
quencc was, that in every litgatcd question,
the Government was exposed to almost GER
tain defeat, particularly OH a measure so lia.
BILE to misconstruction as "a treaty Of lndcm.
nifty. This was more especially the case
with the treaty negotiated by Mr.. Rivcs. For
besides the aversion felt generally by the
French to measures Of indemnity for Bona
parties spoliations, an impression existed in
that country to very great extent, and op-
parcntly on good grounds, that the French
Government had been grossly imposed upon
as to the amount Of the indemnity actually
due US. This was the effect Of the publica-
,ion in this country Of Mr. Rivcs' letters, put