Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1869-12-11
Presidents Mesa ge.

The Presidents message has at least
tie merit OF breylly, and II is 10 be hoped
NAV become model IN that respeci Tor
the communications oil his successors.
Often the annual report Of the President
to The Two houses has occupied near about
page of this paper. Even the comments
Of the press upon his stat menis, recon-
mends.ions and arguments have some
times been about as long as The present
document. We are glad to be relieved IN
this message from surpIusage and tedious
verbisge. and the example thus SCI might
be safely followed. not only by General
Grants successors, but by some of the
heads OF departments and bureaus in Ihler
accompanying annual reports. Facts,
figures and reasons, in as brieI a compass
as possible, are all that the public demand.
| General Grant, in word, has sci prsc-
licsl example ofretrenchment and Felolm
in this mater which is worthy OF general
| official imitation.
After enumersting The various blessings
which we enjoy as people, the PIesl'
! dent refers to whaih has been accomplish
ed in the matter OF restoring the State
governments, and to the special case OF
! Georgia, in which he seems 10 think that
reconstruction in that instance requires to
| be reconstructed, sNd recommends law
authorizing the Governor OF that State to
| convene all the members originally cleo
| ted 10 the Legislature, requiring each
member TO take the oath prescribed by
the reconstruction acts, and none TO be ad.
mi,teI who are ineligible under the third
clause of the fourteenth amendment. The
/ loss OF our commerce, resulting. as is al
/ legged, from tue ar,will be the subject OF a
! special message, The restoration oil. VIZ
! GINA is recommended, and hope express
/ ed ,ha, the acts OF the Texas and Missls-
I sippi Legislatures, when they meet, may
be such az 10 receive the approval OF
( Congress, md close the work OF recon
! strucllOn.
On the subjec, Of tho finances the tone
OF the President is generally healthy,
though cautious and very conservative.
He ,hows an earnest appreciation OF The
evils Of an irredeemable and tucluaAng
currency and the necessity Tor return TO
The specie basis, for which, he adnIIs, no
substitute can be devised Immediate re-
sumption Of specie payments, however, II
practicable, is not considered desirable,
and such legislation is recommended as
will insure a gradual return to it, 10
put "an immediate stop TO hactuatlon in
the value OF the currency it is suggested
that the treasury be authorized TO redeem
its own paper, al fixed price, whenever
presented, and to withhold from clrcula.
ton all currency go redeemed unuI sold
again for gold.
In view OF our increasing ability 10 pay
! the President, suggests also as feasible me
policy ofredeemiog our 5 snd'6 per cent.
loans as Ihry become subject 10 be called
! in, by The negotiation OF other bonds bear
| ing 4 and A per cent interest. The
President recommends the postponement
OF general revision Of TIE tariff and tax
alton laws for the present, but Suggests
rene wal OF the tax on incomes, al a re-
duced rate, say Of 3 per cent and ms 10
expire in three years. The revenues oil
! this country are greater than the require
nents, and may with safely be reduced {;
but as the funding in or II per cent
! loan would reduce the annual current ex-
penses largely, thus. after funding, JUST
! iying greater reduction OF taxes than
would now be expected, he suggests the
pos ponement Of the question until the
next Congress, though instances OF bur-
! densome discrimination might now be
modified.
In regard 10 Cuba, while sympa'hIzIng
with it, the contest has al no time assum'
J ed condition sufficient 10 justify re-
cognilion OF delinquency, but The princl-
! ple is maintained that this government IS
/ its own Judge when TO accord that right
II is hoped that the good Offices OF the
United States may yet prove adTania-
geous for settlement.
| The subjec, Of the Dstien canal if Ia
! vorsbly mentioned. The only grave ques'
| ton which the Union has with any ior-
egn nation is tina, concerning the Ala
bama claims. The President regarded
the late convention as misconceived IN ts
scope, and not calculated 10 secure
! hearty settlement, and therefore approved
its rejection by he Senate as IN the inter
ests Of peace. ...
He makes quite q summary OF The con-
siderstions to be provided for beyond
mere Commercial claims, and hopes the
time will soon arrive when the two gov
eramen,s car approach the solution Of the
momentous subject satisfactorily.
The question # the Spanish gunboaIs
! it 10 briefly stated has been referred TO the
! courts. 10 .-Cfr
The remainder of the message treats OF
the landing OF the French ielreraphlc ca
BILE upon our soil. and promises endeaVorS
| to secure by negotiation al abandonment
of the principle Of monoPoies in ocean
Geographic cables ciuzeusUiP OF the
United States; our relations to China and
Japsu. and such legislation as will pre-
clude The saslavsmeni. OF the Chinese nn'
der the name OF coolies rerommenda-
lions Of total repeal OF the. tenure-oi-ot.
fee act and, in repard TO The Indians. oil
placing them on lsgre reservations as
speedily as can be done. Reference IS
made also to the reports Of the various
heads Of departments. The message is
in general clear and comprehensive doc
umenl.
Bers ThHe Oil