Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-12-04
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OVERLAND DISPATCHES
CONGRESSIONAL.

-
WASHINGTON, December 3. Both
houses Of Congress held short sessions
yesterday. At IL, noon, the respective
presiding officers announced the first
session Of the Fortieth Congress ad-
journed, and Immediately called the
second session.
An immense number of bills and re-
solutions were introduced, and await
the announcement Of the committees.
Among them, Corbett, Of Oregon, intro.
duced a bill providing for the issue OF
gold notes in place of legal tenders, to
facilitate specie resumption. Stewart
introduced q bill to establish a National
School of Mines. Ordered printed.
In the House, Hooper introduced n
bill to create the office of Surveyor Cen
eral of Utah, and to extend the home
stead and presumption law to that Ter
ritory.
Several personal explanations were
made on different subjects, but no i'm
portant business was transacted.
Synopsis Of tho Presidents Message.
CHICAGO, December 3.-The Chicago
papers print the Presidents Message in
advance Of its delivery. 1t is quite
lengthy document. A large portion Is
devoted to o review of the situation,
being principally a re-statement OF the
views embodied in his veto messages OF
the various reconstruction bills. The
| President urges the repeal Of all Of those
measures and q resort to q faithful APP
| plicatiou of the Constitution and laws.
He argues against the capacity OF the
negro for self-government, and enoun
ces the plan of putting the Governments
| Of the Southern States almost entirely
in the hands of the negroes. He says it
will cost $500, O00, 900 yearly to main
tain the supremacy Of the negro Gov
ernments. He refers to the recent cleo
tions as an additional reason for n
change of policy in reference to recon-
struction.
EXECUTIVE RESISTANCE TO CONGRESS-.
He has given much consideration to
the question how far the Presidents
duty to protect, defend and preserve the
Constitution requires him to go in op-
posing the unconstitutional actions OF
Congress, and has felt anxious to reach
a proper conclusion in this serious and
important question. He says Executive
resistance to an Act of Congress passed
according to the forms Of the Constitu-
ton might provoke civil war in times Of
high party excitement, and should only
be r~esorted to as q last remedy but
cases might occur where the Executive
might be compelled to protect the rights
of the people regardless of the conse-
quences. For example if the Legislo-
ture should undertake to abolish n CO.
ordinate department Of Government, the
President must take the responsibility
of his high Office aud save the life of the
nation Mt NIL hazards. He thinks the
Reconstruction Acts, though plainly I'M
constitutional, do not warrant civil re-
sistance on the part Of the Executive.
These wrongs may be redresscd by the
ballot, and tho recent elections show
that they will be.
THE TENURE IF OFFICE BILL.
He then refers to the frauds on Gov
ernment, and the temptation to corrup-
ton on the part of revenue officers. He
denounces the Tenure of Office Bill as n
measure which prevents the Executive
from discharging dishonest officials, and
charges immense revenue frauds as the
result of its operation. This bill, he
makes the President q common informer
against corrupt officials, but takes away
the power of removal. He thinks the
President should be released from all
responsibility If not allowed to mako
appointments and removals at his own
discretion. The danger to the public
service seems to come from the power
of appointment, not from the power Of
removal; therefore the Constitution left
the power Of removal unrestricted while
it gave the Senate the right to reject
appointments deemed unfit.
THE PRESIDENTS FINANCIAL VIEWS.
Considerable space is devoted to the
question of finance. He urges the speedy
resumption of specie payment, and de-
nounces the present system Of currency.
He gives copious statistics in regard to
the production Of gold and silver in this
country. The facts and figures in re-
gard to the exports and imports show
that it will be q comparatively easy mat
ter to return to specie payment. He
pronounces o disordered currency the
greatest political evil. He says Of oil
c%ontrivances for cheating the laboring
classes, none have been more effectual
than that which deludes them with pa
per money, and expatiates at consider
able length upon the evils of n depreci-
ated currency. He advises the con-
struction of an impost law which will
bear most heavily upon luxuries, and
the reduction Of the number of articles
taxed, and urges retrenchment and
economy in all the departments of the
Government.
THE DEPARTMENT REPORTS.
The President gives brief summaries
of the various Department reports. He
represents that the Navy comprises 23s
vessels. The total expenditures of the
Navy epartmentlastyea were S3l ,000,-
900. The important portions of the
other reports have been previously tele-
graphed.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
A general review of our foreign rela-
tions shows o favorable condition of
affairs.
THE PURCHASE OF ST. THOMAS.
Tho President urges the Importance
Of possessing q naval station in the
West Indies. He recites the experience
of the Revolutionary War and also the
late rebellion to show the advantage Of
possessing such an outpost. He says q
treaty has been concluded with Dem
mark for st. Johns aud st. Thomas,
which will BIO presented to the Senate
for consideration.
APPROPRIATION WANTED EoR ALASKA.
He calls the attention of Congress to
the necessity Of providing for the pay
ment for the purchase of Alaska.
II ALABAMA CLAIMS.
No arrangement has been made for
the settlement of tho Alabama claims.
He had felt it his duty to decline the
proposition of the British Government
for arbitration, because it had hitherto
beeu accompanied with reservations
and limitations incompatible with the
rights, interests and honor of the coun-
try. He does not apprehend that Great
| Rrstta;p will naresst ~ har raf,ao1 81