Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-12-15
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

'~ hGOIbLNl UlIO OOnALi
Felloao- Ctt,zeaS Of The Senate anC
House Of Representatives;
A year Of peace and general pros
perity to the nation has passed
since the last assembling of Con
gress. We have, through kline
Providence, been blessed with
abundant crops, and have beer
spared from complications and wal
with foreign nations. In our owr
midst comparative harmony has
been restored. rE.
RECONSTRUCTION.
1t is to be regretted, however
that a free exercise of the elective
franchise has, by violence and in.
timidation, been denied to citizens
in exceptional cases, and that in
several of the States lately in rebel
lion the verdict Of the people has
been thereby reversed. The States
of Virginia, Mississippi and Texas
have been restored to representa-
ton in our national councils. Geor
gia, the only State now without rep
resentation, may confidently be ex-
pected to take her place also, at the
beginning of the new year, and
then, let us hope, will be completed
the work of reconstruction.
THE WAR IN EUROPE,
Soon after the existing war was
commenced in Europe, the protec.
ton of the United States Minister
in Paris, was invoked in favor of
the North Germans domiciled in
French territory, and instructions
we're issued to grant the protection,
This has been followed by the eX.
tension of American protection to
citizens of SaXony, Hesse, Sake
Coburg, Gotha, Colombia, Portugal
and Uruguay, the Dominican Re
public, Ecuador, Chill, Paraguay,
and Venezuela, in Paris,
The charge was an onerous one,
requiring constant and severe la
Dor as well as the exercise of pa
tience, prudence and good judg-
ment. 1t has been performed to
the entire Satisfaction of the Gov
ernmeDt, and, as l am officially in
formed, equally so to the Govern
ment of NORTH Germany.
RECOGNITION OF THE FRENCH REPUB,
As soon as I learned that Re-
public had been proclaimed at Par
is, and that the people of France
had acquiesced in the change, the
Minister of the United States was
directed by telegraph to recognize
it, and tender my congratulations
and those of the people of the Unit.
ed States. The re-establishment
IN France Of system of Govern
ment disconnected with the dynas,
tic traditions of Europe, appeared
to be a proper subject for the felic-
itations of Americans. Should the
present struggle result in attaching
the hearts Of the French to oul
simpler form ofrepresentative gov
ernment, it will be subject of still
further satisfaction to our peol le
While we make no efforts to i'm
pose our institutions upon the in
habitants of other countries, anC
while we adhere to our traditiona
neutrality in civil contests else
where, we cannot be Indifferent to
the spread Of American politica
ideas in great and highly civilizec
country like France.
We were asked by the new Gov
ernment to use our good offices
Jointly with those of European
powers, in the interest of peace
The answer was made that the es
tablished policies and the true in
'erests of the United States for
bade their interference in Euro
pean questions, jointly widh Euro.
pean powers. ! ascertained inform
ally and unollicially, that the Gov
ernment of North Germany was
not then disposed to listen to sucE
representation from any powers
Although earnestly wishing to see
the blessings of peace restored tc
the belligerents, with all Of whom
the United States are on terms O
friendship declined, OH the par
of the Government, to take a ster
which could only result in injury tc
our true interests, without advanc
inc the object for which our inter
vention was invited Should the
time come when the action Of the
limited States can hasten the return
of peace by a single hour, that ac
ton will be heartily taken. oI6
OUR NEUTRALITY.
l deemed it prudent, in view o.
the number of persons of German
and French birth living in the Uni
ted States, to issue, soon after of
fetal rotice of the war had beer
received from both belligerents, {
proclamation defining the duties o
the United States as neutral ant
the obligations of persons residing
within the territory to observe tIeil
laws and the laws of nations. The
proclamation was followed by 9th
ers, as circumstances seemed to do
mand them. The people, thus &C
auainted in advance of their duties