The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1869-12-16


estimates for tho ensuing year are more
favorable TO the Government and will no
doubt show a large decrease Of the pub.
lie debt The receipts 10 the Treasury
beyond expenditures have exceeded the
amsuot necessary to place to the credit
of the sinking fund as provided by law
To lock up the surplus 10 the Treasury
aud Withdraw it from circulation, would
lead to such contraction OF currency as
to cripple trade and seriously affect the
prosperity of tho country Under these
,, circumstances the Secretary of the
Treasury and myself heartily coacurred
in the propriaty of using all the surplus
currency in the Treasury in the pur.
chase oil government bonds, thus re-
ducing the interest bearing debt OF the
country, and Of submitting to Con-
gress aa account of the disposition to be
made Of the bonds so purchased The
bonds now held by the Treasury amount
to about 100000 900, including those
belonging to the sinking fund. | rec
ommend that the whole be placed to tho
credit Of the sinking fund
Your attention is respectfully invited
to the recommendation Of the Secretary
of the Treasury for the creation Of the
Office Of Commissioner Of Customs Rev.
enue, for the increase Of salary to GER
tain classes Of officials, and the substiru.
ton of increased National bank circu-
Iation to roplooe G outstanding three
per cent. certificates and most especially
to his recommendation for the repeal Of
laws aIlo ing shares Of fines, penalties,
&c. to officers Of tho Government or to
informcrS.
The office of Commissioner of Inter.
nal Revenue is one Of the most arduous
and responsible under the Government,
it falls but little, if any short ola Cab.
met position in its importance and re
sponsibility. | would ask for it, there,
fore, such legislation as in your judge
meDt will place the Office on footing of
dignity commensurate with its import
ance aud with the character aud Qua!ifs
cations of the class Of men required to
Gil it properly.
CUBA.
The United States is the froest Of all
nations; SO too, its people smpathzo
wit all peoples struggling for liberty and
self government But while so sympa
thizing, it is due to our honor that we
should abstain from enforcing our views
upon unwilling nations and from taking
an Interested part without invitation in
the quarrels between different nations
or between governments and thei subS
jects. Our course should always be in
conformity with strict justice and law,
international ami local Such has been
the policy of the Administration in deal
ing with these questions. For more
than a year,a valuable province ofSpnln,
aud near neighbor Of ours, in whom
all our people cannot but feel deep in
tesest has been struggling for independ.
ence and freedom. The people aud
Government Of the United States enter
tain the same warm feeling and sympa-
thy for the people of Cuba in their
pending struggle that they manifested
throughout the previous struggles be-
tween Spain and her former colonies in
behalf Of tho latter. But the contest
at no time has assumed the condition
which amounts to n war in tho sense OF
international law, or which would show
the existence of a de fact0 political or
ganizatiun Of the insurgents sufficient to
Justify recognition of bcligorency.-
The principle is maintained, however,
that this nation is its own judge when
t. accord the rights Of belligercucy Ell
Their to people struggling to free them
selves from a government they believe
to be oppressive, or to Independent
nations at war with each other. The
Unite States have no disposition &c
in,elcro with tho existing relations OIL
Spain TO her colonial possessions on this
continent. They believe that in due time
Spain and other European powers vii
fnd their interest in terminating thosC
relations and establishing their prcsen
dependencies as independent powers
members of the family of nations
These dependencies are no longer re
garded as subject to transfer from on,
European power to another. When thu
present relations Of the colonies cease
they are to become Independent pow
ers, exercising the rights Of choice auc
their future condition aud relations will
other powers.
MEDIATION.
The United States in order to put
stop to boodsbod 10 Cuba, and ia til,
interest of a noighboriug people, pro
posed their good Offices to bring tho oX-
istins contest to termination, The of
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