The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-12-09
The Presidents Message.

evening.
For the most part, the message is a
bare reiteration of facts and assertions
with which the people are familiar =
That the fall elections have startled
the President from his stolidity, is sp,
parent BY the absurd, not 60 say false
statement, that 'the verdict Of the peo-
pie has been reversed" in some Of "the
States lately in rebellion, By violence
and intimidation" This would do very
well for the Squashtown FadicoL, but
Its partizan i~naccuracy is ~cerisinly out
of place in 8 Presidential commuRiea.
ton.
The President, in treating O -four for
eign relations, says a gracious word TO
France, for which he merits thanks :
f. de recommends Congress to buy up
the Alabama claims from the private
parties who own them. The object of
this is 10 make them Government pro-
perty, and prevent individual claim
ants concluding private settlements
with Great Britain. This, in effect, is
o proposition to pay insurance eompa-
mics thirteen millions OF dollars for a
good substantial cause Of quarrel with
Great Britain. The Canadians an : Sc
verely criticised for their stringent
statutes against Mr.. Ben. Butler con-
stituents, the Essex fishermen, altho'
the President states he has heard Of
10 attempt made TO enforce the Cana
dian laws. Should such an attempt be
made he advises prompt retaliatory
maasures. The President argues with
force in favor ofthe free navigation Of
The st. Lawrence, to the sea. by Amer
lean vessels, as q neutral right. Spain
IL invited to arbitrate the claims OF
our citizens. Cuba gets no word Of
sympathy. Mexico is warned that her
free zone" is q nuisance to eur reren-
ueS. H - d
When we come to the part Of the
message treating Of San Domingo, the
transition is as sudden as from q pat
emit Office report to Mark Twain. The
President fairly bubbles and spsrEles
with enthusiasm in behalf of his pet
project. After reading This part ofthe
document, one feels that it has only
been by some peculiar special Proyi-
dence the country has managed to ex'
is. SO long without San Domingo, and
that we Will be irretrievably damned
as a nation, unless the island is speed
iy nestled under the wings ofthe Am
erican eagle. Annex it, and according
TO Mr.. Grant, an avalanche of bless
ings will invite us to thanksgiving
San Domingo viii pay the axtioae
debt ; San Domingo win restore Am
erican shipping5 San Domingo will a
bolish slavery in Cuba and Brazil ; Sal
Domingo viii turn the balance Of trad
in our favor San Domingo will Civ
us substantial control of the West In
dia Islands, and so ON until mentalex
haustion interyenes, and we are tolc
Il by way of a concluding threat, nation
81 calamities will follow the rejection
Of San Domingo Notwithstanding al
this Presidential buncomb, San Dc
mingo is a Jos. and has backing tia
Washington to-day the most powerful
lobby ever known to thas great cente
Of patriotism and stealing.
The President says very little of tn
army, and is positively silent as to i:
LAST achievement in the State House c
klabama He recommends an increas
Of the Navy, and makes an argumen
in support of his views. At present "
are only patching and tinkering U
our war vessels.
Asa practical reforner' the Pres
dent gives his assent 10 fciFil servic
reform. Having got 'inside of pol
lies" with Cameron, chandler, an
Butter, as his guide, philosopher an
friend, this declaration will be accep
ed at its legitimate value. Generi
Gox.at Cincinnati, disprotes it, Will
arste Brown has exposed its essentii
absurdityin exposing the President
peddIIrg petty offices TO influence
State contest or manoeuver a polite;
convention. u
The President is not very luminor
on finances. lie thinks specie pa.
Inents, the abolition CT a~Firredeom
BILE currency, with more stability
values, would be highly desirstle>
But here he gives out he suggests q
thing. He is sarcastic on the subie
of "~revenue reform. and this portic
of the message reads very much as
twas BIZ the author of "What / Knc
About Farming" Ii is evident Il
Presidents is under the influence Oft
Pr~otectionists. The purposes of the
cru reforniers are naisstated, and &
argument binted at, rather than bold
sef forth, that the free traders Srer
xaIdiationists in disguise His att
auces on revenue questions are ye
cnutious. and are eviSantly framed
give as little ofcnss to the feforme
rs 1t is possible, consisteat with the
fentioa Of the Protection interest y
don't talsk they will hold the Radio
PARTY together on the tariff question.
The President closeS his MESA
without a word about amnesty, altt
he makes g reference to voting mo
than once, which bears with remark
ble Significance en his colored irien
iu South Carolina Lehla Statssma
9Th inst.