The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-12-17

hnPihsr reduced from year 10 year as the re-
sources OF the country are developed. The
report If the Secretary oftheTreasury shows
tho receipts Of the Government for the fiscal
year ending June 30th, 1869, 10 be S37O,943,-
747, and the expenditures, including interest,
bountios, &C., to be 1921 ,4s0,597. The estim-
ates for the ensuing year are more favorable
to the Government, and will, no doubt, chow
a large decrease Of the public debt. The re-
ce pts in the Treasury beyond the expendi-
lures have exceeded the amount necessary
to plsce TO the credit Of the sinking fund, as
proyided by law. To lock mp the surplus in
ne Treasury and withhold II from circula-
ton, would lead to such a contraction ofthe
currency az TO cripple trad and seriously
affect the pi prosperity Of the country. Under
tbese circumstances, the Secretary OF the
Troas ury and myself heartily concurred in
the proprietv Of using oil the surplus cur
rency in the Treasury In the purchase ofdov-
eminent bonds, thus reducing the interest
bearing debt Of the country, and OF submit
ting to Congress the question OF the dis
position to be made Of the bonds so pur-
chased.
The bonds now held by the Treasury amount
to about SIS, 600, 900, including those belong
ing TO the sinking fund. recommend that
th9 whole be placed to the credit OF the sink
Your attention lie respectfully invited 70 the
recommendations Of the Secretary OF the
Treasury for tho creation OF the officer OF
Commissioner Of Customs and Revenues for
the increase Of tho salary to certain classes
Of officials, and the substitution OF the in
creased national bond circulation, TO replace
the outstanding three per cent. certificates,
and most especially 10 his recommendation
for the repeal OF lave allowing shares Of lnos,
penalties, forfeitures, &c, to officers OF the
Government, or 10 infurmers. The Office OF
the Commissioned Of Internal Revenue 10 one
OF the most arduous and responsible under
the Government. II falls but little, II any,
short Of a Cabinet position In ite importance
and responsibilities. Iwould ash Tor IL, there
fore, such legislation as in your Judgment
will place the Office on a footing OF dignity
Commemorate with lie importance and tho
qualifications Of the class OF men required to
/ I'LL II properly.
As the United States is the ireest Of all ma
tons, 80 too, its people sympathiso with all
people struggling for liberty and selt-goyern-
ment; but while, 80 sympathizing, / Ia due
10 our honor That we should abstain from en-
forcing our yiows upon unwilling nations,
| and from taking an interested part, without
invitation, In the quarrols between different
nations, or between governments and their
subjects. Our course should always DO in
conformity with strict justice and law, inter-
national and local. Such has been the policy
of the Administration in dealing with those
questions for more than a year. A valuable
province of Spain, and a near neighbor OF
ours, In whom all OF our people cannot but
1 feel 8 deep interest, has been struggling Tor
independence and freedom. The people and
government Of the United States entertain
the same warm feelings and eympathies Tor
the people of Cubain their pending struggle,
that they manifested throughout the preVi'
GUS struggle between Spain and the former
colonies in behalf Of the latter, but the con-
test at no time assumed the conditions
which amount to a war in
the sense OF international law, or which would
show the existence OF a de facto political
organization Of the insurgents sufficient to
Justify a recognition Of bolligerency. The
own Judge when TO accord the rights OF bel
ligerency either TO a people struggling to
free tbemselye0 from \ government they be-
lieye to be oppressive, or to independent ma
tons at war With each other. The United
States have no disposition to interfere with
the existing relations of Spain TO her colonial
possessions on this continent, They believe
that In due time Spain and other European
powers will find their interest in terminating
those relations and establishing their present
dependencies as Independent powers n
members OF the family OF nations. Those
dependencies are no longer regarded as sub
jet to transfer from one European nation TO
another. When the present relations OF the
colonies cease they are to become indepen-
don't powers, exercising the right Of choice
and Of self control in the determination of
their future condition and relations with 9TH
er powers. The United States in order
TO put a stop TO bloodshed in Cuba,
and in the interest OF q peighboring
people, proposed their good offices TO bring
the existing contest, to q termination. The
offer, not being accepted by Spain on a basis
which we believed could be received by Gu
ba, was Withdrawn. IL is hoped that the
good Offices OF the United States may yet
prove advantageous for tho settlement OF this
unhappy strife. Meanwhile a number OF
illegal expeditions against Cuba have been
/ lrnLap mn II haa hoHn fha anlnavpr nf thn
administration 10 execute the neutrality laws
in good faith, no matter how unpleasant the
task, made 30 by the suffering We have en-
dured from lack Of good faith towards us by
other nations. The United States schooner
Lizzie Major was arrested on the high seas
by a Spanish frigate, and two passengers
taken from it and carried as prisoners to
Cuba. Representations Of these facts were
made by the Spanish government as snon rs
official information Of them reached Wash
lngton. The Two passengers were set at
liberty, and the Spanish government assured
the United States that the captain of the
iiigate, in making the capture, had acted
without law; that he had been reprimanded
for the ~irregularity OF his conduct, and that
the Spanish authorities in Cuba would not
sanction an act that could violate the rights
or tritie with the sovereignty OF this nation.
The question Of the seizure of the brig Ma
ry Lowell, at one of the Bahama Islands, by
the Spanish authorities, is now the subject Of
correspondence between this government
and those OF Spain and Great Britain. The
Captain General Of Cuba, about May last, is.
sued a proclamation authorizing search to be
made OF vessels on the high seas. Immedi-
alto remonBtrance was made against this,
whereupon the Captain General Used a new
proclamation, limiting the right Of search Of
vessels Of tho United States 80 far az author
lied under the treaty of 1895. This procla-
nation, however, was immediately with
drawn.
/ have always felt that the most intimate
relations should be cultivated between the
republic OF the United States and all indie
pendent nations on this continent. 1t may
be well worth considering whether new trea-
ties between the United States and them may
not DO pToftably entered into TO secure more
intimate re Internationally, commercial and
otherwise.
The subject of an interoceanic canal, to
connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans,
through tho Isthmus of Darien, is enc In
which commerce Is greatly interested. In
structions have been given 10 our minister 10
the Republic Of the United States of COlom-
bia, to endeavor TO obtain authority for a sur
yey by this government, in order to deter
mine the practicability of such an undertake
ing, and a charter for the right of way to
build, by private enterprise, suoh work, II
the survey proves TO be practicable.
In order to comply with the agreement OF
the United States as to a mixed commission at
LINN IOf the adjustment OF claims, IL became
necessary TO send a commissioner and
secretary 10 Lima m August
last. No appropriation having been
made by Congress for this purpose, IL is now
asked that one be made covering the past and
future expenses Of the commission.
The good offices Of the United States to
bring about a peace between Spain and the
south American republics, with which she is
at war having been accepted by Spain, Peru
and Chill, a congress has been invited 20 be
held In Washington during the present win
ter. A grant has been given 10 Europeans OF
an exclusive right OF transit over the territory
of Nicaragua, 10 which Costa Rica has given
it's assent, which, it is alleged, conflicts with
the vested rights Of citizens of the United
The Department Of State has now
this subject under consideration.