The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-12-04
The Presidents Message.

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In our paper this morning. To those who
do not wish to read the whole of the docu-
ment resume of its contents will not be
unacceptable.
The President adheres to his restoration
policy, and sets forth its advantages. ne
leaves the inference to be unaVo'aao'!
drawn that Congress is clearly wrong an"
he as clearly right. The arguments nc
emnloys have all been used before. Yet
no m.n,;onS two facts which make a good
,o;p, rs scains. Congress, namely: that on
the 9Th Of August, 1861, Congress appor-
TONED the direct tax among the seeded
States and on the 4th of March, 1862, APP
portioncd representatives among them. lie
rcpcats that the civil authority has every
where been restored, and says that he
knows Of no measure more imperatively
demanded by every consideration of nation
nj interest, sound policy, and equal justice,
than the admission Of "loyal members"
from the southern States. We have little
10 hope from such representation as even
Mr.. JOHNSON recommends.
The President warns Congress of the
dangers of consolidation or despotism. He
is too late. He and others, who ought to
have known better, have entirely changed
the form of our Government. II is already
not ONLY a consolidated one, but pure
despo,ism. We could easily cite, as We
have heretofore done, numerous instances
going to prove the fact of this change. But
we need not take so much trouble when
we can find the proof in the Presidents
message. Mr.. JOHNSON says to Congress
ave should hasten TO bring legislation
",rithin the boundaries prescritedby the Con-
stitution." That is, the Constitution has
now for five years been treated as dead
letter, and those who, before performing
their first official act, were sworn to sup
port that instrument, are thus declared by
implication to have been constantly viola
ting il. In other words, this Government
could not have become a despotism if the
Constitution had been respected; but as
the Constitution has been confessedly set
aside, and the will of Congress and the
Executive substituted therefor, this Go
vernment cannot be anything but despot-
ism.
The public debt in fourteen months was
reduced bg the sum of s206,379, 5G5, and to
the sum of 1851 ,3lO,OO6 October 3lst).
The expenditures for the year ending June
30th, 1SGG, were s520,750,940; receipts,
sos ,032, G20.
The army and the navy are passed in re-
view. We feel no interest in them.
The Post-otfice Department is not quite
sclC-supporting, owing to the increased
mail facilities extended to us of the South.
The public lands, and homesteads, and
grants to railroad companies, and all those
subjects so dear to our northern friends,
are treated of. The Pacific railroads are
going ahead. Pensioners afe numerous
and increasing in number.
We give the President credit for recon-
mcnding to Congress the appropriation OF
money to preserve the levccs OF the Missis-
sippi river. We would that he had remem-
bcred that great national work the James
River and Kanawha canal.
The District of Columbia is remembered.
The President advises Congress to allow it
a Territorial member-that is, one to speak
but not 10 vote.
The President reports that there are "no
"foreign combinations against our peace
"and safety" Yet he speaks very plainly
of our relations with France, which, how
ever, are by no means complicated. The
only question seems TO be whether Ma
roLEoN shall withdraw all his troops from
Mexico next year, or part this year and the
rest next year (Which latter ne had agreed
to do). We feel confident that there is no
reason to anticipate any trouble with
France.
Mr.. CAMPBELL goes as Minister to the
"Rcpublic of Mexico" and General SHEER
MAN merely to observe and report. There
is nothing secret or important in their mis-
sion.
The Atlantic telegraph is mentioned, but
Mr.. JOHNSON seems to think that the
Pacific telegraph will be more important
work in its results.
The Alabama claims against England are
mentioned in general terms.
The Fenian raid upon Canada is alluded
to, and the Presidents course in regard to
it justified.
The President thinks we ought to send a
Minister to Greece.
As to the long disputed question in re-
gard to naturalization, Mr.. JOHNSON says
the present is a favorable time for settling
it. OF course by compelling all other ma
tons to concede that man who has be-
come citizen of the United States can
not be forced to perform military duty in
the land of his nativity no matter how
often he may visit it.
-
: The Examiner.
Tho Examiner in indignant because the