Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1870-12-09
From ahe Baltinore Sun.
Preeldentss Message

6'"o "'e "'S"o"6o ~ oaytuX tndC 1t - W Oe
regretted, however, that free exercise Of the
elective franchise has by violence and intimi-
dation been denied to citizens, 10 EXCEPTIONS;
Cases, in several Of the States lately in rebel
lion, and the verdict Of the people has been
thereby reversed" 1t is to be regretted that
the President should have felt it incumbent to
make statement which IS obviously intend.
ed as an apology for the odious congressional
election Law, and Of the "precautionary mea-
sures" adapted by the government at some Of
the recent State elections. We believe that
the cases in which the free exercise of the
elective franchise 10 any part of the country
was "by violence or intimidation denied" were
indeed Exceptional, and for that reason we
doubt whether in any case ''the verdict of the
people was reversed thereby" Nor if we re-
call the magnitude of the military prepare
tons in New York city, and the use made Of
the marines in Philadelphia, does it appear
that the Presidents apprehensions at the time
OF the obstruction Of the elective franchise by
violence or intimidation were confined to .'the
States lately in rebellion" We are glad to
learn, by the way, that Georgia, although not
in the Union as we supposed yesterday,
speaking from the best information we could
obtain, is expected back shortly after new
year. ..a. ....s4
Casting his eyes abroad, the President brief
~ states the steps taken in consequence of the
European war, both to insure the neutrality
Of our own people. as well as to maintain our
cordial relations with both of the belligerents,
between whom the President observes that
Z l, &c l., L.,
good Offices whenever there is reason to believe
that by their means the war can be shortened
one hour. 1t is highly probable that the war
will be closed without our mediation.
The first topic upon which the message en-
larges to any extent is the importance of the
acquisition Of San Domingo, which is urged
with great earnestness and from variety of
points Of view. The same considerations and
arguments formed the staple last session of
special message upon this subject. What the
President asks for now is authority to apo ut
commission to negotiate for the acquisition
Of the whole island.
In connection with foreign affairs, some
Mexican customs arrangements, extradition
treaties with the Central American States, tie
Venezuelan claims, the Tien-Tsin massacre,
the recti6cation of our boundary line on the
44th parallel, the abolition of the mixed courts
for the suppression of the slave trade, and the
naturalization treaty recently negotiated with
Great Britain come 10 each for a word of men,
ton. The fishery troubles are next discussed
more at length, and in manner which will
make this portion of the message highly ac-
ceptable to Cape Cod. The President lays the
blame upon '.the semi-independent but ire
sponsiblc agent" known as the Dominion Of
Canada, and asks for authority to suspend
by proclamation, thearansit Of goods wares
and merchandise 10 bond across the territory
of the Unired States to Canada, and, if neces-
sary, to exclude from the waters of the United
States all Canadian vessels. Besides the un-
neighborly acts towards our fishermen COM
planned Of, ailusion is made to the unfriendly
disposition manifested on the part Of Canada
10 the maintenance of claim to exclude the
citizehs Of the United States from the Tree
navigation Of the St. Lawrence. This, as our
readers are aware, is an old story, having been
the subject of negotiation between the govern
ments of Great Britain aud the United States
as far back as 1918. and earlier. A number
OF diplomatic precedents are cited, together
with the immense increase of population and
tonnage 10 the States which border on the
great lakes, to show the reasonableness of the
American claim to equal participation in the
navigation of the st. Lawrence, subject only
to the British or Canadian right to regulate
the. police Of the river where it flows exclu-
sively through British territory. .1.
The nnadjusted state Of the Alabama claims
against Great Britain is referred to only to say
that the Cabinet of that country appear un-
willing to concede any negligence or act DUR
ing our war by which the United States has
justi6able complaint, and to suggest that au-
thority be given for. the settlement of the
claims Of our citizens by our government, in
order that the latter may have their owner
ship a. well as the responsible control of all
the demands against Great Britain,
The depressed state of the American ship
ping interests is alluded to, with the promise
that several propositions shall be laid before
Congress looking to remedy for the evil
The message assumes that iron vessels cannot
be built in this country without government
assistance, and hints at the old exploded pol
icy of encouraging ship building by means of
bounties. = - - E. -,
The evils of a Auctuating and depressed
currency are deplored, as in the message a
year ago, and it is suggested that, with the
fall in the premium on gold, the time has pro-
badly come for wise legislation with the view
Of placing our currency once more on specie
basis. =1I 'F so 40
On the subject of revenue reform, what the
President says is entirely in accordance with
the views heretofore contended for in this pa
per, and then be adds :-..~- re- .v.,.
. "a true revenue reform cannot be made in a
day, but must be work of national legislation
and of time. AS soon as the revenue can be
dispensed with, all duty should be removed
from coffee, tea and other articles of universal
use not produced by. ourselves. The necessi-
ties Of the country compel us to collect reve-
nue. from our imports. An army of assessors
and collectors is not q pleasant sight to the
CITIZEN but that or tariff for revenue is neces-
sary.n2 r., ,>ns: s5-q<ss- .:, n.
The reform Of the ranking privilege and
the adoption of the correspondence card" in
our postal system is recommended.
The policy inaugurated by the present ad-
ministration of employing Friends and other
missionary agencies for the purpose of civil
izing and managing the Indian is declared to
have worked we'll, and promises the best pos
sible results -, i. s1ss. > =
The civil service reform also gets the bene-
ct of the Executive approval. The following
passage in the message will be hailed by all
the advocates of that reform with special plea
sure, and If occasion should require hereafter,
the President can remind the adverse fac
ton of bis words, and the propriety also of
their embracing this<wholesome policy of the
people, in which the politicians have been
left so far behind their uncorrupted and SOW
ereigp masters. Saws the President seusibly