Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-12-15
The Presidents Message.

OH the ISL page we puD-lSn DrleI aDStracttglV-
ing the substance of the subjects discussed in the
Presidents message. as most ofour readers would
prefer that to the labor of reading that lengthy
document in full For such as may wish to read
the most important parts of the message in the
language used by the President, I'VE publish the
following extracts:
FELLow-CITIZENs OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Upon the re-assemblng of Congress- it again
becomes my duty to call your attention to the
state of the Union, and to its continued disorgan-
lied condition under the various laws which have
been passed upon the. subject of reconstruction.
1t may be safely assumed, as an axiom in the
government of States, that the greatest wrongs
inflicted upon a people are caused by unjust and
arbitrary legislation or blythe unrelenting DEGREES
of despotic rulers end that the timely revocation
of injurious and oppressive measures is the great
est good that can beconferred upon nation. The
legislator or ruler who has the wisdom and mag
nanimity to retrace his steps, when convinced of
error, will sooner or later be rewarded with the
respect and gratitude of an intelligent and pa
trlOtic people.
Our own history-although embracing period
less than century-affords abundant proof that
most if not all of our domestic troubles are direct
ly traceable to violations of the organic law and
excessive legislation The most striking illustra-
tons of this fact furnished by the enactments
of the past three years upon the question of re-
n
stantlally failed and proved pernicious in their
results, and there seems to be no good reason why
they should longer remain upon the statute book.
States to which the Constitution guarantees re-
to military dependencies, in each of which the
people have been made subject to the arbitrary
will of the commanding general. Although the
Constitution requires that each State shall be re,
Texas are yet excluded from the two Houses and,
contrary to the express provisions of that nstru-
ment were denied participation in the recent
election for a President and Vice-President of
the United States. The attempt to place the
white population under the domination of per-
sons of color in the South has impaired, ifnotde-
stroyed, the kindly relations that had previously
existed between them and mutual distrust has
engendered feeling of animosty which, leading
in some instances to collision and bloodshed, has
prevented the cooperation between the two races
SO essential to the success ofndustral enterprises
in the Southern States. Nor have the inhabitants
Of those States alone suffered from the disturbed
condition Of affairs growing out ofthese Congress
sional enactments. The entire Union has been
agitated by graveapprehensons oftroubles which
might again involve the peace of the nation its
arrangement of business and labor, and the con-
sequent want of prosperity throughout that por-
ton of the country.
The receipts from internal revenues and Gus
tom have, during the past three years, gradually
diminished, and the continuance of useless and
extravagant expenditures will involve us in ma
tional bankruptcy, or else make inevitable an in
crease of taxes, already too onerous and in many
respects obnoxious onaccount of their inquistorial
character
One hundred millions annually are expended
for the military force, large portion of which is
employed in the execution of laws both unneces-
sary and unconstitutional one hundred and fifty
millions are required each year to pay the inter
est on the public debt; an army of tax-gatherers
impov erishes the nation; and publica agents plac-
ed by Congress beyond the control Of the Ex-
ecutive, divert from their legitimate purposes
large sums of money which they collect from the
people in the name of the Government
Judicious legislation and prudent economy can
alone remedy defects and avert evils which, if
suffered to exist, cannot fail to diminish con-
fdence in the public councils, and weaken the
attachment and respect of the people towards
their political institutions. Without proper care
the small balance which it is estimated will re-
main in the Treasury at the close of the present
fiscal year will not be realized, and additional
millions be added to debt which is now enume-
rated By billions
Our foreign debt is already computed by the
Secretary Of the Treasury at eight hundred and
fifty millions citizens Of foreign countries re-
ceive interest upon large portion of our securi-
| ties the American Taxpayers are made to con-
| tribute large sums for their support The idea
that such debt is to become permanent should
| be at all times discarded, as involving taxation
too heavy to be borne, and payment once in every
sixteen years, at the present rate Of interest," OF
| an amount equal to the original sum.
This vast debt, if permitted to become perma-
nent and increasing, must eventually be gather
| ed into the hands of few, and enable them to
| exert dangerous and controlling power in the
| affairs of the Government. The borrowers would
become servants to the lenders-the lenders the
masters of the people. We now pride ourselves
upon having given freedom to four millions of
the colored race; it will then be our shame that
forty millions of people, by their own liberation
| of and hav HON
selves to become enslaved, and merely exchang-
| ed slave-owners for new taskmasters in the shape
of bondholders and tax-gatherers:
Besides, permanent debts pertain to monarch
| ical governments, and, tending to monopolies,
perpetuities, and class legislation and totally ir
reconcilable with free institutions. Introduced
into our republican system, they. would gradual
| ly but surely sap its foundations, eventually
subvert our governmental fabric, and erect up
| on its ruins a moneyed aristocracy. 1t is our
| sacred duty to transmit unimpaired to our pos
terity the blessings of liberty which were be-
| Gueathed to us by the founders of the Republic,
| and by our example teach those who are to fol-
! low US carefully to avoid the dangers which
threaten free and independent people.
The development of our inexhaustible resources
is checked and the fertile fields of the South are
becoming waste for want of means to till them.
With the release of capital, new life would be in
! fused into the parayzed energies of our people,
and activity and vigor impaired to every branch
OF lnQuSCTy OuI people Leeu encouragement III
their efforts to recover from the effects Of the re-
bellion and Of injudicious legislation; and il
| should be the aim ofthe Government to stimulate
them by the prospec; of an early release from the
/ burdens which impede their prosperity. If we
cannot take the burdens from their shoulders, we
should at least, manifest willingness to help to
bear them.
| Ifdepreciated paper is to be continued as the
permanent currency of the country, and all ou1
| coin is to become mere article of traffic and
speculation, to the enhancement in price of all
that is indispensable to the comfort the people,
it would be wise economy to abolish our minis,
thus saving the nation the care and expense in
cident to such establishments and let all our pre-
| cious metals be exported in bullion.
| The time has come, however, when the Gov
eminent and National Banks should be required
to take the most eicientsteps and make all neces-
sary arrangements for resumption of specie
payments. Let specie payments once be earnest
and the value of the paper circulation would
| directly approximate specie standard.
| Specie payments having been resumed by the
| Government and banks, all notes or bills of pa
| per issued by either of less denomination than
| twenty dollars should by law be excluded from
circulation, that the people may have the
benefit and convenience Of gold and silver cur
rency which in all their business transaction will
be uniform in value at home and abroad.
| During the fiscal year ending June go 1868,
six millions six hundred and fifty-fve thousand
seven hundred acres of public land were disposed
| of.
= u
On the Both of June, 1868, one hundred and
| sixty nine thousand six hundred and forty-three
names were borne on the pension rolls. and dur