The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-06

as hndrance to commercial transactions. Groceries
were dull Cotton was quiet Petroleum was steady.
On Change -four was decidedly lower. Wheat was also
lower. Corn was in good demand and quite steady.
Pork Irregular, closing lower. Beef was steady.
Lard dull, nominal and shade lower. Whiskey was
entirely nominal, with scarcely any demand
The market for beef cattle armer this week for
prime steers and some of the choicest offerings brought
as high 19c per pound Other kinds varied from 10c
to 17c generally 13c TIC. Mich COWS were steady at
from $40 500 $780, the latter rate for fine thorough
bred cows with calves at their SIDE veals steady at
I0c a lac. Sheep and lambs dull and lower vary
ing from SO rs TO So So Hogs sold at from 10c to
1910 The total receipts were 1873 beevcs, 80 cows
COS veas a. sheep and lambs and about 90 900 hogs
The Presidents Messagc-Tho state Oh
the Country.
The Presidents Message, which we publish
this morning, with other important public doc
uments, will commend itself to the special at
tenton of the reader and to the general appr0-
val of the American people. 1t is smoothly
written State paper. 1t embodies a clear,
frank and unreserved exposition of the views
and purposes by which he has been guided in
his policy of Southern restoration, an encour-
various recommendations to Congress upon
the leading questions of the day which mark
the earnest patriot, the sagacious and expert
rienced statesman, and the steadfast and con-
sistent man Of the people.
He rcverses the usual order of these mes
sages and very properly, by beginning
with our domestic affairs and giving
our foreign relations secondary po-
stion. His statement of the constitutional
considerations which have shaped his proceed
ings in the way of Southern reconstruction we
regard as a conclusive vindication of his
course. Resting his line Of action and his
justification upon the solid ground that the
States involved in the late rebellion have not
been destroyed by it, though their vitality has
been impaired, and their functions suspended,
he could hardly 60 astray. He presents very
satisfactorily the nice distinctions between
State rights and State heresies, the sovereignty
of the Union, the relations Of the States and
the supreme powers and rights Of the people
Of the United States; and thus shows that in
what be has done towards Southern restoration,
and in what he has declined to do, be is sus-
tanned by the federal constitution. Upon the
vexed question of negro suffrage, especially,
his justification is complete and overwhelming;
and so in regard to the earliest possible ratii-
cation by the required three-fourths of the
States of the great constitutional amendment
for the permanent abolition Of slavery through
out the Union.
The Message furnishes us the desired expla-
nation Of the detention of JEFF. Davis as q pris-
oner at Fortress Monroe. There are difficulties
in the way to his trial in Virginia, and it has
..been ascertained on inquiry that the Circuit
Court of the United States would not be held
within the district of Virginia during the
autumn or early winter, nor until Congress
should have an opportunity to consider and act
on the whole subject" President johnson, how
ever, adheres to his opinion that "traitor,
should be punished and the crime made
infamous" and that, through fair trial, the
question should be judicially settled, finally
and forever, that no State, Of its own will, has
the right to renounce its place in the Union"
JEFF. Davis, therefore, is held over for this pur-
pose, and he must be content in regard 10 his
trial to await the action Of Congress.
The operations Of the Interior and Post Office
Departments exhibit gratifying prosperity; in
the Navy and War Departments we have
a very gratifying retrenchment Of expendi-
tures-in the War Department alone, from
the mastering out of eight hundred thousand
soldiers, a retrenchment from over five hun
dred millions to less than forty millions year
expenses. The views Of the Message in refer
ence to the national finances, debt and cur
rency are those Of safety and so,vency, and
cannot be too carefully adhered to in the leg
islation Of Congress, especially % to the pre-
eau ions necessary to avoid any sudden and
damaging financial disturbances.
Our relations with England, as presented by
the President, are anything but satisfactory,
while his opinions in regard to the fagitious
character Of those Anglo-rebel depredations on
American commerce during the late war are
all that could be desired. Great Britain hav.
Ing refused the arbitration proposed, and our
government having declined Earl Russell's
proposed de-nothing commission, the matter
thus rests. We presume, however, that II will
not rest very long in this position.
With regard to Mexico, after general
reformation Of the Monroe doctrine, all that
we have from the Message ID that ''the corre-
spondence between the United States and
France will at proper time be laid before
Congress- With that correspondence we ex-
iii
something more to say. Assured that he Is
fixed in the faith of the Monroe doctrine, we
inter that if he delays action 1t is from the per-
suasion that Louis Napoleon, with the conces-
sion of little time, will gracefully retire.
We have touched upon the leading business
features of the Message. Its general observa-
tons on the beauty and strength of our popular
and the manifest destiny Of the
country, mark the patriotic spirit and con-