Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-12-13
Presidents Message.

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4 year Of peace and general pros
perity to this nation has passed since
the last assembling Of Congress. We
have, through a kind Providence, been
blessed with abundant crops, and have
been spared from complications and
! war with foreign nations. In our
midst comparative harmony has been
/ restored. II is TO be regretted, how
ever, that free exercise Of the cleo
tive franchise has, by violence and in.
timidation, been denied to citizens, in
exceptional cases, in several Of the
States lately in rebellion, and the YER
diet OF the people has thereby been
reversed. The States Of Virginia,
Mississippi and Texas have been re-
stored to representation in our nation
al councils. Georgia, the only State
now without representation, may con-
tidcntly be expected to take her place
there also at the beginning Of the new
year, aud then, let Us hope, will be
completed the work of reconstruction.
With an acquiescnce on the part Of
the whole people in the national obi
cation to pay the public debt created
as the price OF our union, the pensions
to our disabled soldiers and sailors
and their widows and orphans, and
in the changes to the constitution
which have been made necessary by
the great rebellion, there is no reason
why we should not advance in ma
terial prosperity and happiness as no
other nation did after a protracted
and devastating war.
THE FRANCo.PRUssIAS WAR.
Soon after the existing war broke
out in Europe, the protection Of the
u. >. Minister in Paris was invoked
in favor of the North Germans domi-
ciled in French territory. Instruc-
tons were issued to grant the protcc.
ton. This has been followed by an
extension Of American projections to
citizens Of SaXony, Hesse, aud Sake
Coburg, Gotha, Columbia, Portugal,
Uruguay, the Dominican Republic.
Ecuador, Chill, Paraguay and Nene-
zuela. In Paris the charge was an
onerous one, requiring constant and
severe labor, Us well as the exercise
Of patience, prudence and good judg.
mcnt. 1t has been performed to the
entire satisfaction Of this Government,
and as | am officially informed, equal
ly so to the satisfaction Of the govern.
ment Of North Germany. AS soon as
| learned that q Republic had been
proclaimed at Paris, and that the pco-
pie of France had acquiesccd in the
change, the Minister Of the United
States was directed by telegraph to
recognize IL, and tender my congrat.
ulations and those Of the people OF the
United States. The rc.cstablishmcnt
in France OF system of government
disconnected with the dynastic tradi-
tions Of Europe, appeared to be
proper subject for the fclicitatiOn Of
Americaus Should the present strug.
ole result in attaching the hearts of
the French TO our simpler forms Of
representative government, it will be
subject Of still further satisfaction
to our people. While wc make no
effort 10 impress our institutions upon
the inhabitants Of other countries, and
while we adhere to our traditional
neutrality il civil interests elsewhere,
we cannot b. Indifferent to the spread
Of American polite ideas in a great
and highly civilized country ike
France. We were asked by the new
Government to use our good Offices
Jointly with those Of European pow
crs in the interest Of peace. Answer
was made that the established policy
and true interests Of the United States
forbade them to Interfere in European
questions, Jointly with European pow
crs. ascertaincd informally and un-
officially that the Government Of
North Germany was not then dispos
ed to listen to such representations
from any powers, and, though earnest
" wishing to see the blessings Of
peace restored to the belIigercnts,
with all of whom the United States
are ON terms Of friendship, declined
ON the part of this Government to
take a step which could only result in
injury to our true interests without
advancing the object for which our
intervention was invoked. Should
the time come when the action Of the
United States can hasten the return
of peace by single hour, that action
VIII be heartily taken. / deemed it
/ prudent, in view Of the number of
/ persons Of German and French birth,
! living in the United States to issue
/ soon after, official notice Of war had
been received from both belligeronts,
proclamation defining the duties Of
\ ne United States as q neutral and the
/ obligations Of persons residing within
4 their territory 90 observe their laws
and the laws of nations The procla-
nation was followed by others, as cir
cumstances seemed to call for them.
The people, thus acquainted in ad.
vance, of tlCir duties and obligations,
have assisted in preventing violations
/ of the neutrality Of the United States.
CLAIMS AGAINST SPAIN GROWING OFT
OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION.
II is not understood that the condi-
ton Of the iusurrecuon IN Cuba has
materially changed since the close of
the last session Of Congress. In an
early stage of the contest, the author
/ tiles Of Spain inauguratcd q system Of
arbitrary arrests, of close confinement,
Of military trial and execution Of per
sons suspected Of completely with the
insurgents, and Of q summary embar-
80 Of their properties and rcquisition
al their revenues 10y executive war
rent such proceedings, so far rs
they affected the persons or property
Of citizens Of the United States, were
III violation Of the provisions Of the
treaty e 1895 between the United
States ana spain Representations
of injuries resulting to several persons
claiming to be citizens Of the United
States by reason Of such relations
. were made to the Spanish Govern
ment. From April, $50, to June last,
Q L. IL