Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-12-10

|. place the credit OF the SINKING lunu us
). provided by law. To lock up the surplus
: in the Treasury and withhold it from cir
: cvlation would lead TO such contrac-
ton of the currency as to cripple trade
and seriously affect the prosperity Of the
. country. Under the circumstances the
Secretary of the Treasury and myself
heartily concurred in the propriety OF US
ing all the surplus currency in the Treas
ury in the purchase of bonds, thus reduc-
ing the interest bearing debt of the coun,.
try and of submitting to Congress the
question of the disposition to be made Of
the bonds so purchased. The bonds now
held by the Treasury amount to about
$75, 100000, including those belonging
to the sinking fund. | recommend that
the whole be placed to the credit of the
} sinking fund. Your attention is respec-
lively invited to the recommendations OF
the Secretary of the Treasury for the
creation of the office of Commissioner Of
custom of revenue, for the increase of sal
airy to certain classes of officials, and the
substitution of increased national bank
circulation to replace the outstanding
three per cent. certificates, and most es-
pecially to his recommendation for the
repeal of laws allowing shares of fines,
penalties, forfetures, &c, to officers of
the government, or to informers. The
j office of Commissioner of Internal Reve-
nue. is one of the most arduous and re-
sponsible under the government. 1t falls
but little if any, short Of Cabinet posi-
ton in its Importance and responsibilities.
| would ask for it, therefore, such lcgis-
lation as in your judgment will place the
Office on footing of dignity commensu-
rate with disappearance, and with char
acter and qualifications of the class of
men required to fill it properly. As the
United States is the freest of all nations,
SO, too, its people sympathize with all
people struggling for liberty and self
government; but while so sympathizing,
it is due to our honor that we should alb
stain from enforcing our views upon I'M
willing nations, and from taking an in
terested part without invitation. In the
quarrels between different nations, or be-
tween governments and their subjects,
our course should always bein conformi-
ty with strict justice and law, information
al and local. Such has been the policy
of the Administration, in dealing with
these questions for more than a year. A
valuable province of Spain, and near
neighbor of ours, in whom all our people
cannot but feel deep interest, has been
struggling for independenceand freedom.
The people or the United States enter
tain the same warm feelings and sympa-
thies for the people of Cuba in their pend
ing struggle, that they manifested
throughout the previous struggles be-
tween Spain and her former colonies in
behalf of the latter, but the contest has at
no time assumed the conditions which
amount to war in the sense of in
ternational law, orwhich would show the
existence of defacto political organiza-
ton of the insurgents sufficient to justify
a recognition of belligerency. The prin-
ciple is maintained, however, that this
nation is its own judge when to accord
the rights Of belligerency, either to
people struggling to free themselves from
a government they believe to be oppres-
sive, or to independent nations at war
with each other The United States have
no disposition to interfere with the do.
nestle relations of Spain to her colonial
possessions on this continent. They be-
lieve that in due time Spain and other
European powers will find their interest
in sundering those relations, and estab-
E fishing their present dependencies as in
, dependent powers-members of the fami-
ly of nations, to be no longer regarded
as subject to transfer from one European
power to another. When the present re-
a lation of colonies ceases, they are to be-
a come independent powers, exercising the
right Of choice and Of self-control.
t In the determination of their further
: relations with other powers, the United
States, in order to put stop TO blood
' shed in Cuba and in the int. rest of neigh
i boring powers, proposed their good offices
e to bring the existing confess to termi-
Y nation. The office not being accented,
g this claim, on the basis which we believ-
f ed could be advantageous to both parties
l was withdrawn. 1t is hoped that the
: good Offices of the United States NAV vet
e prove advantageous for the settlement O.
;. this unhappy strife. Meanwhile, num-
a Der Of illegal expeditions against Cuba
t have been broken up. 1t has been the
! endeavor of the administration to exc
r cute the neutrality laws in good faith,
: no matter how unpleasant the task
! made so by the suffering we have endur-