Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-31
RICHMOND, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 81.
THE MESSAGE.
Ertrcet Of a letter from HasIfng'on.

RICHMOND, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 81.
THE MESSAGE.
Extract Of a letter from hasfng;on.
''You have the Message al last, ele eth OF De-
ccmhcr, which should have been delivered on the I'd
inst. Blu. the Wing members have thought il proper
embarrass the operations of the Government for
such length of time for some sinister end What may
he the fruit of this delay, time must determine Ii
does TO me, that the scheme of the Wings will
coil themselves, and that they will have fearful ac
count TO render to their constituents and that very
many Of the men who have acted conspicuous parts in
the drama Of the last % days, will regret the part they
have been forced TO play to crafty their party alevo
lence-for, it can be called nothing else.
"The Message speaks for itself; firm in purpose of
his former opinions but respectful TO those who differ
with him the great finance question. There
salutary reforms in the army that Will be useful if the
views Of the President carried out. His remarks
the Canada troubles very appropriate, and firmly
and beautifully expressed. Upon the whole it is
rood Message, and point is mootcd, that Congress
need not pass very cxtravagant appropriation bills,
else the veto power may be brought to bear upon the
measure.
(By The Editor.J
We have scarcely had time to cast hastr over
the Message, (Which published in the last EnGu-
rer)-the "ong expected" mot song expanded, it
misprated in the Editorial paragraph Itappears
to TO ba luminous, able and candid document-cer
tanly ncom'nitalism in it on the Finance question
which has long agitated the county, Nearly half
the Message devoted to The Finances the Currency
and the Banks We took it for granted that the Pres
dent would again press the Independent Treasury sys
TEN, and although prefer iudcIous use of the
paving State banks with strong and adequate
strctions upon their of the Public Revenue yet
are free TO say that the renewed suspension Of specie pay
mcnts presents at this time some serious impcdIments
to the general working of The machinery The Pres
dent exhibits valuable statistics the whole sub
iect-We presume that the Independent Treasury sys
TEN will De adopted-in which case, lately said
Congress ought to "gve more power TO the Execu
tive than is absolutely necessary 10 execute it, and they
ought to guard against it's abuses by the most judcIous
restrictions The specie clause should be adopted by
degrees-so that the community may accommodate IT,
self TO its acquisitions by easy transitions. The view
which he veopes Of the abuses of the Banking sys
TEN and ofexcess:re credit Northumberland ought TO
command the attention of every friend Of his country
His remarks National Bank are irresistible.
We hail with the greatest pleasure the Presidents
Communications of economical expenditure of the 60
vernment. He says that"We were enabled during the
year 1879 notwithstanding the continuance of our In
dian embarrassnents what To reduce this amount
and that for the present year, 1885, will not IN all pro-
liability exceed twentysi millions-or SIX millions less
than il was last wear With determination far az
depends on me TO continue this reduction, | have d.
rected the estimates for 1910 be subjected TO the
verest scrutiny, and to be limited tn the absolute
quirements Of the public service. They will be found
less than the expenditures of 1880 by fire millions
of dollars The President, after enforcing the lessons
of wise economy, suggests, that it may become his
duty check any nordnate expenditures by the
else of his constitutional power. He says at once that
"Bv the provisions of the Constitution, il is only in
consequence of appropriations made by law, that
ncv can be drawn from the Treasury instance has
occurred since the establishment of the Government in
which the Executive though component part of the
Legislative power, has interposed an objection to an
appropriation bill on the sole ground of its extrava
gance. His duty in this respect has been considered
fulfilled BY requesting such appropriations only as the
public service may be reasonably expected to require
In the present earnest direction of the public mind to-
wards this subject, both the Executive and the Legis-
ature have evidence Of the strict responsibility TO
which they will be held: and while | conscious of
nv own anxious efforts to perform with fidelity this
portion of public functions, II is satisfaction to
me 10 be able TO count cordial cooperation from
you
Yet these economical Rcformcrs recommended
BY President whom the Wings -cahi"..ly charged
with an eAravagant expenditure OF the public money.
The suggestions are worthy OF Jefferson HIMSELF whom
thew have unjustly placed with him in contrast. They
are congenial with the following recommendations in
Mr. Jeferson's first Message:
"These views formed on the expectation that a
sensible and At The same time saIutary reduction, may
take place in habituai expenditures"
"But the great of public Offices is established by
law-and therefore, BY law Alone can be abolished
Considering the GENERAL TENDENCY to multiply Offices
and dependencies, and increase expense to the ultimate
term of burden which the citizen bear, it Gchores
us ara ourselves Of srery occasion ~hich ara'is itself
taking
here that after leaving labor the smallest portion Of
its earnings, which it subsst, government shall
seIf the residue Of ,rhat 'cGs instituted 10
guard
His views of our Foreign relations extensive and
probably as explicit as the public interests would permit
On the controversy about the Maine Boundary PROPOSE
tons and counter propositions have been made "For
the settlement of our Northeastern boundary, the pro-
position promised by Great Britain for commission of
exploration aud survey, has been received, and coun
IL, Co. ,arta,
and final adjustment of the limits in dispute, is
before the British Government for its consideration
Just regard the delicate state of this question: and
proper respect for the natural mpatence of the State
Of Maine not less than convection that the negotia
ton has been already protracted longer than prudent
on the part Of either Governments have led to be-
leve that the present favorable moment should on no
account be suffered pass without putting the question
forever rest feel confident that the Government
of her Britannia Majesty will take the same view of this
subject as | am persuaded it is governed by desires
equally strong and sincere for the amicabe termination
of the controversy
The Canada disturbances are touched in conciatory
spirit Several of the questions they present are still
OPEN but the President remarks that he looks
" to period when all the transactions which have
grown out Of this condition of affairs, and which
have been made the subjects of complaint and remon-
STRANGE BY the two Governments respectively, shall be
fully examined and the proper satisfaction gwen where
is due from either side. We have every confidence
in his wisdom and frmness for the preservation OF
peace between the two countries. There interest
INF fact confirmed by the Message; that the President
has foborne to exercise any power patronage which
Congress has vested in him, by the extraordinary act
passed at the close of the last Session They left
great discretionary powers over the militia, the funds
and special mission, bu, he has rerained altogether
from using them They have, therefore, been attended
with no other result than increase by the confidence
thus reposed in me my obligations to maintain, with
religious exactness the cardinal principles that govern
our intercourse with other nations.
We have before us the Reports of the Secretary OF
the Treasury and of the War Department. We shall
hasten to lay all these papers before readers with as
much rapidity as possible. We have not had moment
to glance over the Treasury Report but we copy the
following brief Synopsis from the n Integencer:
s.Thc annual Report Of the Secretary of the Treasu
~ to Congress is published in the last number of the
GIal.o Elln.1 ninht columns a snace which cannot