The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1864-12-24
The Presidents Message.

The Presidents Message.
The annual message of the President was
delivered at the opening of Congress on the
6rst Monday of December. 1t is one of NE.
Lincolns own documents. Evidently he
employed no Seward to write it for him
His papers are remarkable documents, and
years hence will be looked upon with won
dering awe, and many secret thanksgiving
by readers that they did not happen to live
in an age SO dark and barbarous.
A large portion.Of the document is devoted
to foreign relations. 1t is remarkable, how
ever, that little or nothing is said of any of
of the leading powers of Europe, but liz
stead we are supplied with the minutest de-
tails of our relations with Liberia Costa
Rica, San Salvador, Egypt, Hayti, and many
other noted and influential, nations of the
same size. We are informed that the SYM
pathisers of these powers,-and including
Hayti-are with the United States and "con-
stantly expressed" The African Republic
Liberia, we are told "gives us pleasing
view" The proposed overland telegraph
1 between America and Europe, via Behring
Straits has been undertaken by some
Americans, and the idea of an oceanic tele-
graph across the Atlantic is renewed The
Brazilian difficulty is covered up by few
words about constant vigilence and just
spirit"
The President thinks foreigners make good
soldiers, and are very convenient to have
around when the New Englanders shirk. He
says:
regard our emigrants as one of the prin-
cipal replenishng streams which:are appoint
ed by, Providence to repair the ravages of in
Iternal war and its wastes of national strength
and health. All that is necessary is to Sc
cure the flow of that stream in its present
I fulness, and to that end the Government
must in every way, make 1t manifest that it
neither needs nor designs to impose involun-
tary military service upon those who come
from other lands to cast their lots in our
country.
A brief statement of the finances is given
based upon the report of the Secretary of
the Treasury six months ago. The public
debt he thinks very substantial property"
He says:
The public debt on the first day of July
last, as appears by the books of the treasury,
amount to $l74,969, 048,949. Probably
should the war continue for another year,
that amount may be increased by not far from
$500, 006, 900. Held as it is for the most part
by our own people, it has become a substan-
tlal branch of national though private pro-
perry.
The philosophy of the foregoing is sumed
1
up in one of those immortal maxims which
already rival Socrates and Ben Franklin:
'Men readily perceive that they cannot be
much oppressed BY debt which they owe
themselves
The present number of army invalids now
on the pension list 22,767; 22,l98 widows,
orphans and mothers have been placed on
the army rolls. Four hundred and fifty
millions were paid during the year ending in
June, for pensions.
OF the war, he congratulates the public
that the "armies have steadily advanced lib
Grating (?) the States in the rear so ths=ss Ken
lucky, Missouri, and other States have pro-
duced good crops"
He reioices that "mportant movements
have also occurred during the year to the
effect Of moulding society for durability in
the Union What the agency for the moaid-
! ing is does notappeare
He recommends the general abolition Of
slavery wherever it can be reached-And also
Increased taxation. He says he finds relief
from his melancholy, in the fact, that a major :
ty Of the men who entered the army are still
alive.
The election is declared an evidence oflthe
purpose of the people TO maintain the Union,
and apparently forgetting that the right Of
the people to an election does not come from
him, says that.in awarding the people a
fair opportunity Of showing their determin-
alton in hea been of great value TO the ma
tional cause.
lie is Of the opinion that mo attempt at
| negotia1ion with the insulgent leader would
result in any good"
Speaking Of the amnesty offered year
ago to such as would accept il, he threatens
"The door has, for I'LL year. been open
TO all such as were not in a condition to make
a free choice that is, such as were in custody
or under constraint. 1t is still open to all,
but tie tine may come, and will come, when
the public duty shall demand that it be clos
ed, and that in lieu, more vigorous measures
than heretofore shall be adopted"
After declaring his determination to en-
force the emancipation proclamation, he