The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-12-14

tl0il 10 culJtFate SuCh relations with all
these nations as to enti,e US to their con
fidence, and make it their interest as well
as ours to establish better commercial re-
lations Through the agency OF more
enlightened policy than that pursued to-
wards China, largely due to the sacacity
and efforts Of one Of our own distin-
guished citizens, the world is about to
commences largely increased relations
with that populous and hitherto cxclu-
siye nation. AS the United States have
been the initiatOry in the new policy, SO
they should be toe most earnest in show
ing their good faith in making it sue
cess. In this connection | advise such
/ legislation rs Will forever preclude the
enslayemcnt Of the Chinese upon our
soil under the name Of Coolies, and also
prevent American vessels from engaging
in the transportation Of Coolies TO any
country .toieratlng The system. | also
recommend that the mission to China be
raised TO one Of the first class. On my
assuming the responsibilities Of Chief
Magistrate of the United States, it was
with the conviction that three things were
essential to its peace, prosperity and full
development: 1st. Among these is strict
integrity in fulfilling all our obligations.
ID. To secure protection to the person
and property Of the citizens of our com
mon country wherever he may choose to
move, without reference to his original
nativity, religion, color Or politics; de-
mandne of him only obedience to the
laws and proper respect for the rights
Of others Sd. Union of all Of the States,
with equal rights, indestructible by any
constitutional means. To secure the first
Of these, Congress has taken the essen
tial steps 1st. Declaring by joint reso-
luton that the public debt should be
paid, principal and interest, in coin. I'd.
BY providing means for paying; provid-
ing the means, however, could not Sc
cure the object desired, without proper
administration Of the laws for the col
lection of revenues and the economical
disbursement of them. TO this subject
the Administration has most earnestly
addressed itself, with results, believe,
satisfactorily to the country. There has
been no hesitation in changing officials
in order to secure efficient execution oi
the laws, sometimes, too, where, in q
mere party view, undesirable political
results were likely to follow, for any hes.
itation in sustaining efficient officials
against remonstrances wholly political
IL may be well to mention here embar
rassments possible to arise from leaving
on the statute books the so-called tenure
of-oflice act, and | earnestly recommend
their total repeal. It could not have
been the intention of the trainers of the
Constitution, when providing that the
appointments made by the President
should receive the consent Of the Sen
ate, that the latter should have the power
to retain in Office persons placed there
by Federal appointments against the viii
of the President. The law is inconsist
eut with faithful and efficient admins
tration of the Government. What faItf
can the Executive put in officials forced
upon him, and these too whom he has
suspended for reason? How will sucf
officials be likely to serve an Admins
tration which they know does not trus
them, for the second is requisite to our
growth and prosperity, and firm but
humane administration Of existing laws
amended from time 20 tirxe, as they may
prove ine1cctve.o Or harsh and mnecessa
ry, are probably all that are required ,and
! the third cannot be attended by specia
legislation, but must be regarded rs tiXeC
by the Constitution itself, and gradually
acquiesced in by the force of public
opinion. From the foundation of the
Government to the presents the manage
ment Of the original inhabitants of thi:
continent, the Indians, has been sub
liect of embarrassment and expense, anC
has been attended with continuous rob
berries, murders and wars. From my Owl
experience upon the frontiers, and in th'
! Indian countries, | do not hold eithel
legislation or the conduct of the whites
who come most in contact with Indian:
blameIess for these hostilisies. The past
however, cannot be undone, and thu
question must be met as We NOW find 1t
l have attempted no policy towards these
wards of the nation. They eannot bt
regarded in any other light than as
wards, with fair results SO far as tried
and which, l hope, will be attended ult
mateiy with great success. The sect o.
Friends is well known as having sue
ceeded in living in peace with the Indi
ans in the early settlement of Pennsyl
vania, while their white neighbors O.
other sectS in other sections were con
stant!y embroiled. They were also
known for their opposition to all strife
violence and war, and generally noted
for their strict integrity and fair dealings
These considerations induced me to give
management of q few reservations oi
Indians to them, and to throw the bur-
den of selection of agents upon the SO.
ciety itself. The result proved satisfac-
tory 1t vii, be found more fully SET
forth in the report of the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs. For Superintendent
and Indian Agents, not on reservations,
officers of the army were selected. The
reasons for this are numerous. When
Indian agents are sent there, or near
there, troops must be sent also. The
agent and commander Of troops are III
dependent Of each other, and are subject
to orders from different departments of
the Government. The army officer holds
a position for life; the agent one at the
will of the President The former is
personally iaterested in living in har-
mony with the Indian, and in the estab-
lishment of a permanent peace, to the
end that some portion of his life may be
spent within the limits of a civilized sec
ton. The latter has no such personal
interest. Another reason is an economic
one, and still another hold which the
Government has upon life officer to Sc
cure faithful discharge of duties in the
carrying out OF the policy, The build
ing of railroads and the access thereby
given to all agricultural and mineral re-
gions Of their country is rapidly bring
ing civilized settlements into contact
with all the tribes of Indians. No mat
ter what ought to be the relations be.