The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-07
Tho Prcsideut's Mcssage-General Grant as
Statesman.

Statesman.
The Presidents Message is before our
readers Marking q new departure in the
government it is message of surprising
Importance. AS the first full and deliberate
exposition of the views Of General Grant,
broadly defining the landmarks of his admins
tration on our domestic and foreign affairs, we
think it foreshadows in our great soldier our
first statesman of his day. It is the message
Of an honest, earnest, clear-headed, practical
man, fully inspired with the grandeur and
glorious destiny of the country; but fully alive
also to the necessities and precautions sug-
gested from the present conditions OF our
domestic and foreign relations.
His opening on the Astounding prosperity,
the comprehensive resources and immeasu-
rable capabilities Of the United States, is
magnificent picture, and well calculated to
inspire universal confidence in the glorious
future Of the ''great republic" His specifca-
tons and suggestions cover great number Of
subjects, which in detail it is needless here to
reproduce. On the leading questions Of the
day, however, his opinions and propositions
to Congress are of such importance as to chal-
lenge our immediate attention.
First, with regard to Southern reconsiruc-
ton, while advocating the admission Of Vir-
ginia and hoping that Mississippi and Texas
will come out all right, he recommends that
Georgia be required to say her lesson over
again, inasmuch as she has not conformed to
the terms laid down by Congress and the four
teenth amendment. He recommends bill
providing for the meeting Of the original re-
construction State Legislature of 1868, includ-
ing the negro members turned out by q
majority of the whites Of the two houses, and
that they all be held to the oaths enjoined In
the terms of reconstruction, &c. The bill
already introduced in the Senate will doubtless
be passed without unnecessary loss of time,
and in the interval Georgia may be considered
an outside Slate. In this business General
Grant simply looks to the execution of the
laws.
On the national finances, pleading for the
funding of the debt at four and half per cent
interest," and gradual return to specie pay
ments and steady extinction of the debt, the
judicious and carefully considered opinions
of the Message win, we doubt not, command
the general appreciation of the country. As
they are the views, however, Of the
Secretary of the Treasury, to which
we have devoted q separate article,
we need not enlarge upon them here.
It is gratifying to see from the Message that
Of all questions that to which General GRAFT
has given the most thoughtful attention, and
that in which he is most deeply interested, is
the money question and its earliest practicable
settlement, without disturbance, upon broad
and solid foundation. In connection with the
funding Of the debt he suggests the postpone
ment till next session Of any general modifca-
tions of the tariff or internal tax laws, except
o reduction of the tax on incomes to three per
cent-a concession to the taxpayers whish we
expect will be granted.
On Cuba the Message is nom committal,
except in the matter Of our international obi
cations, on which it is very clear. II is pro-
bable, however, that on this subject the Presi-
dent prefers to leave the initiative to Congress,
with which department the question of peace
or war, in all its phases, properly belongs.
Let Congress act, then, and the President will
execute the law.
On the Alabama claims the Message holds
substantially to the argument Of Senator
Summers great speech but in consequence OIL
the terrible commotion excited in both coun-
tries by that speech, with the indignant rejec-
ton by the Senate of the Johnson treaty, nego-
tiations have not yet been resumed The
President is waiting for the opportunity which
he thinks is coming, for satisfactory and
comprehensive settlement.
The Message disapproves the project Of
Canadian reciprocity as scheme for the
benefit of the Canadians at the expense of our
own people and public treasury, which is the
correct view. The Quaker Indian policy, with
Indian reservations for those unfortunate
people, is warmly defended the repeal Of the
Tenure Of Office law is urged, and we suspect
it will have to be repealed; the movements
entered upon for the survey Of the Isthmus OF
Daren. in view Of an interoceanic canal, are
referred to- the reports Of the several execli-
tive departments are drawn upon to show their
operations respectively and their condition
the monopoly Of the French cable Is opposed,
and all ocean cable monopolies; an increase
of salaries to certain public servants, including
Justices of the Supreme Court, is recon-
mended, and properly, too and finally, while
relying largely as to their measures of legisla-
ton upon the patriotism and wisdom of the
two houses, the President promises an adher
ence to the laws and their enforcement.
To sum up, on our financial affairs the policy
recommended in the Message is good and
sound; on reconstruction it is consistent with
the policy of uniform application of the