The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-12-08

The Presidents Message -teoISa@' CIV.
We presented in what we bad to say yes
terday Of this message its principal 'ea'.nes
It,saycry frank and straightforward oocu-
ment. Devoid Of the art OF poii'lcai oipio-
macy. which teaches men to cover up .iei'
real motives in skilful verbiage, u IS sis INC
moro entitled to the favorable CONSIDERATION
of the free and the generous, VINO are hei-
Their partisans nor diplomatlsts.
We were frank In expressing our own
ontntons. and find no reason to modify thei.
we think Georgia should be left to manage
her own affairs now. We look upon her as
having committed great blunder, and she
IS likely 10 suffer for 1t; but we regret that
General GRANT deemed It necessary to bring
the subject before Congress. We 90 not
think 1t time get to obliterate State lines,
in political sense, and had nopea
that at least some semblance OF the
local State authority would be allowed
70 remain until the period arrived
in the proper progress of events for the III
sta]lstion of complete arbitrary authority.
Bpt this is matter not for us OF the Sonth
to settle. Il rests with those who have the
power. Georgia representatives nave peeu
admitted, and according to the reconsIruc-
ton laws she is State in the Union. The
legislatures and the national Congress are
alike declared constitutionally the judges Oh
the qualification of their own members
and the Congress has exercised the rlght Us
much in derogation Of the CONSTITUTIONS
rights Of persons elected to that Dooy as
has the Georgia Legislature.
There has. been, however, no power TO
interfere for the protection OF the persons
thus wronged. The right OF the Congress
gpranp from the Constitution, and there was
no tribunal to question the manner OF its
erercise for that would have taken away
the right. Sothat ifthe Georgia Legislature
errs in judgment. it does so in the exercise
Of constitutional right which there Is no
power established under the Constitution TO
call in question. Now, if Congress may cri-
ticise the act Of that Legislature, and reform
the body itself for what it considers an error
ofiudcmant and an infringement Of indlYld-
ual rights, we ask what limit is there 10 It's
interference, and what State is protected
from its scrutiny and its overriding dictum!
Nevertheless, let Us not forget that Geor-
ola committed a great error, and, IN our
opinion, denied to persons with every con-
stitutional claim to seats In the Legislature
the right to take those seats. We are not
sufficiently far removed from the arbitrary
authority authorized in war to escape the
consequences Of acting i'll contempt OF TIC
preiudices engendered by the war and the
statutes emanating from those prejudices.
We consider the southern States MS acting
under duress for the fulilment of those
laws, and it is folly for them to resist them.
We especially invite the attention Of VIZ
gnians to this matter, and urge the pro-
priety, even after their representatives, are
admitted to the floor of Congress, OF calm.
ness, forecast, and prudence.
It will be yet some time, we imagine, be-
fore the Federal Government ceases to re-
Gect the opinions, and prcjudices II you
please, Of the northern people through
their representatives elected at least year
ago, and who will not much advance be-
yond those prejudices until another cleo"
ton, whose successful men will not take
their seats until two years from last Mon
day. So the mettlesome spirits and the
Rourbons may not deem that they are out Of
the woods to cut their capers at will, free
from observation and restraint! Let us add
that there would not only be folly in any
such conduct. but ineXcusable obstinacy
and blindness. The new order Of things
exacts of US new duties as we'll as policies.
and to disregard them will be at least sub
.iecting us to the danger of Federal interpo-
sition, and would beyond question obstruct
the advancement Of our physical interests.
Recurring to the message: General GRANT
is not forgetlul Of our foreign affairs. he
Informs Congress that he has taken mea-
sures to ascertain the practicability of
canal across the lsthmus Of Darien, so i'm
portant an enterprise to our commerce, the
more especially since the construction OF
the Suez canal.
The only important foreign question save
thut with regard to Cuba is that with refer
ence to the Alabama claims, in which the
President involves himself in an incon-
ssteDcy to which our Washington CORE
Epondent yesterday called attention. The
President is disposed to hold England &C
countable for damages upon our commerce
because she prematurely" recognized the
Southern Confederacy, while in reference
TO Cuba he claims that "this nation is
"its own Judge as to when to accord
"the right Of belligerency." Laying
down the proposition that the nation
would rest more easily under wrong
wholly unatoned than under al unsatisfaG-
tory settlement, the President informs US
that he concluded that the state of feeling
after the rejection of the JOHNSON treaty
was not favorable to the immediate renewal
of negotiations. In this sentiment England
concurred; but the President hopes that
the time is not distant when settlement
may be effected, including the laying down
of a broad principle of public law which
may prevent future differences.
The President is very frank relative to
tbs tenure-of-ofice law, which he urges
Congress to repeal at once. 1t cripples the
Executive and Injuries the public service.
He contends that 1t was never the intention
of the trainers of the Constitution, "in
providing that appointments made by
"the President should receive the consent
" OF the Senate, that the latter should have
"the power to retain in Office persons
"placed there by Federal appointment
against the viii of the President" Very
true; and we shall have on this point re-
newal OF the war between the Senate and
the Executive.
The President makes some excellent sug-
gestions upon the subjects of naturaliza-