The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-12-21
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

President GRANTS Message is like all
the reports, documents. and public pa
pers Of any kind that have enanated |
from him, whether as general officer OF
the army, as Secretary OF War, or rs
President; it is a simple presentation Of
facts and few. pertinent suggestions
made in a plain and stright forward
style. "a. ros So fsre.s 4q ~ |
The Message, which was laid before 4
Congress on Monday Dec. 6,commences
with brief retrospect Of the recent ad-
vancement of the country and review
of it's condition. particularly as regards /
the recommended States, the whole view
being favorable. s lsls sss /
Next. the currency question is taken |
up. ire immediate resumption OF spe
Gle pay nen.s he very properly regards
"a undesirable even if it were practi-r
cable, Init he thinks that Congress ought
to be lsgislating towards that consum
nation, ard recommends, that, in order
to fix the fuctuating prices OF gold the
treasury be authorized to redeem its
own notes at certain prices whenever
presented, Withholding the same from
circulation until res old FOR geld. as This
is Recommendation shai will admit OF
much discussions; it is simply another
fining the tides of trade and speculate n
by law. which We Il 5, not believe can
ever succeed until the moral sense of
the community and the necessities OF Fl
nanciaf and commsrci Interest ell force
them. The Presidents rext finaLci !
suggestion is sounder. Declaring the
ability Of the country 10 proceed VITA
the payment Of the debt in such rapid
style as to wipe il out within ten ears,
he yet deprecates such rclicy.apd rec I
emmends that the government red em
its bonds whenever it is able, and re-
place them by others hearing the lover
rate of four and q. half per cent. inter
est. He proposes that the tariff be re-
tanned, except in cases Of unjust and
oppressive dscrimina Zion, to meet pres
ent governmental expenditures, until
Congress, at its next session, shall be
enabled. With the reduction OF interest
pay ment on bonds, to reduce taxes
The income tax now expiring. he rec
ommends that II be re enacted, but e.
duced to three per cent, for a period
Of three years. And he thinks that
general reduction of taxes and import
revenue may be at once made 10 the
amount Of sixty or eighty millions. Il
Next comes the consideration Of our
FoKE1GN RELATIONS The Cuban ques-a
,ion,is iudicfously treated. With no dis
euisc Of his sympa fhes which are, in
deed, those Of the majority of Ameri-,
cans( in favor Of the cause Of Cuban in
dependence, the President says: ss.. The
contest has at no time assumed the con
di.ions which amount to war in the
sense OF international law, or which
would show the existence of ae Jacso
political organization of the insurg ents
sufficient to justify recognition of bell !
igerency.s Therefore our own National
laws must and shall be maintained. Corr
dial appreciation is given TO the project
for the Ixter- Oceanic Canal through the
Isthmus of Darien-a grand and bene-o
licent commercial enterprise. He CLAM
ces at our relations with the South
.Aueyicans States, and takes a good
square look at English matters in con-
nectiou with the alabama and other
claims. He rehearses the real reasons
for objection to the REvERDY JOINS ON
treaty and firmly reiterates them, nut
Z offers hopes Of an amicable settlement
before long Of this sthe only grave ques
tion which the United States has with
M y nation. 2 As to Canada, he discour-
aces any renewal of the Reciprocity
treaty. sApropos of the Ocean Tele.
graphic Cables. the President recon-
mends legisl alton to protect the inter
ests of United States citizens against
she principle of monopolizing these en-
terprises. -
After noticing some other minor mat
tiers, the President recommends tire re-
peal Of the Tenure of Office Act,2 which
has been a reproachg to the com non
sense Of the Amerit an ecple'm ever
sincesit was enacted, an absurd anon
ally in our governmental system The
oniyspossible justification for it has long
passed AWAY ana there ought to be no
b. STATION in the matter. s-sdio olR 'e
The policy adopted toward the Ind
ian,. of sending commissioners from the
Society OF Friends upon their reserva-
tions, and outside of the reservations
making army officers instead of civil
agents the commi sioners In charge, is
fa,orahly reported on as having been
thus far satisfactorily successful
BRIEF review of the reports Of the seve-
raj Secretaries Of Departments and a
suggestion that Congress should enlarge
the inadequate salaries of the Justice OF
the Supreme Court (Which have remain
ed as they are for fifteen years while the
Congressional pay has been tOice laised
during that period }, concludes one Of
the most practical, business-like and
satisfactory Presidential Messages ever
submitted to Congress. lsss sdi -
Mr.. LINCoLN's admirable example Of
direct simplicity in his addresses has
been followed by Mr.. GRANT-probably
not Intentionally but because he is sim
,larly direct in his nature. And while,
rs State paper the Message does
not show any special skill and force Of
composition,as statement of facts and
Recommendation of judicious legisla-
tive. action, it is 10 be warmly com
mended, md will, we doubt not. receive
the appreciation of the country CAr'sf-
IAN Uniln. sasia- aii9 va
-.-,-o -Gl
Here is = funeral speech which Paris pa
per assures us was actually pronounced at