The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-12-08
pailp Argus.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

pleased, for party spirit runs so h'gh 'ha'
GOOD partizanship demands that multi
tude of faults should be discovered IN the
message BY Democratic politicians. BY
far the greater number Of criticisms upon
il BY Democratic and Republican Journal
lists might as well have been written before
a. after reading it, one class standing ready
to censure, and the other to praise While
this ia generally the case, there "iil mere
and there be found a Republican editor VINO
will withhold his praise, aud Democrat
who will take pleasure in commencing some
rortious of the message and withhold MS
cspsure of the rest But we cannot believe
that the document really commends itself
ass whole to thinking fair.minded Repub'
licsns.
The tedious verboseness Of the message
no one was prepared for for among oo'h
parties and the whole people, the President
has been credited with brevlty and d.
rectuess of expression, when INDUCING IN
an opinion). Characteristic of the soldier
and almos. peculiar to the President. his
inaugural in this respect met the public ex'
pectation. The paper under review pos
sesses neither Of these. In his inaugural
address, it will be remembered that he an
nounced to Congress that be would enforce
the laws whether he liked them or not, and
that he would alwas have a policy to recon.
mend, bu, none to enforce against the will
Of that body. This was intended as the
assumption of virtue in himself, and as
reflection upon his predecessor in office.
The session of Congress which Immediately
followed the delivery Of this address and his
present message, illustrate to what extent
he has kept his pledge. Among his first
official acts was the appointment of an OIL
Ger who was not only disqualified by law to
act, but especially an unfit person, on ac-
count of the exact state OF facts from which
the disqualifyng statute sprsng. to perform
with impartiality the duties of the Office
Not satisfied with this, he petitioned Con.
gress to virtually repeal, Cor his personal
qualification, this wholesome statute, than
which there is not a more reasonable enact.
ment. This incident in his early official
career illustrated at once his devotion 20 his
own plans aud personal preferences, and his
mistake as 10 the willingness Of Congress to
second them.
The message before rs falls so far short
OF his pledge to always have policy &c
recommend, that the epecla instances OF i
need scarcely to be pointed out. We mus
not fail to DO him the justice, however, t.
acknowledge at least one prominent anC
gratifying respect in which he makes jus
and needed recon mendation, TO wit Iha
the State of Virginia, having complied wit
the requirements of Congress, be imme
dately restored to her place in the fsmil
of States. There is, however, more tina
an of set for this in hi4 recommendation
to Georgia He advises that, notwithstsn
ing this State has adopted a coustltuuo
Republican in form, and chosen State o.
performed all the acts required OF it
Congress-, yet he suggests the wisdom
authorizing the Governor Of the State
convene defunct Legislature in the I'M
ests Of RadlcaGsm He gives as rea
for this the fact that the Legislature Of
State, in violation Of its constitution,
subsequently declared by the Supreme ca
of the State, unseated several of its cole
members. He allows no credit to the 5
on account of the decision Of the Supr
Court, but asks Congress to virtually II
the State into the throes of second re
structiou, because the Legislature did
respect he right of colored men to ST
Congress is thus appealed to to asser
supervisory control of the State gov
ments of the South for oil time. If
doctrine is to prevail a departure BY
one department Of southern State
eminent from the will Of Congress,
always and az any time subject the Stat
Congressional doctoring, the evident in
ton being to force those States to CHI
between perpetual broils with Congress
full acceptance and adoption of the
ical creed.
On the Cuban question the Pr
dent is protusey vague. He evidently thi
10, b., Oh .,
and is disposed to make both parties
lieye they have worse enemies than him
On this subject be has no policy to rec
mend to Congress. He ia equally clear
pointed on taxation, tariff and revel
These questions being, Of the very hg
importance could not be passed over
silence, 80 he thinks something might '
prOpriety be done, but to avoid any Issue
the policy Of reducing taxation and iest
ing the evils of the tariff robbery, be sal
suggests that these questions be postpo
till the next Congress meets-by which
he will have ascertaiued whether his D
d.. is decidedly IN favor Of one policy
another, and being so advised, will Of CO
give strong recommendation one wal
the other. He manages to squeeze out
commentator that the income tax be
newed and the rate reduced TO three
cept instead Of five.
The detention Of the Spanish gun boat
half apoogisss for, and says he didn't
ike longer OBTAINING them on a nero
eutive order, aud therefore the whole N
mad been nicely pigeon holed into
Courts which would excuse him from hn